Ekklesia in San Diego

In a normal conversation, someone might ask, “So, which church do you attend?” It’s a common question, usually meant simply to learn where one goes for Christian worship services. The responses might include: “The Baptist church on such-and-such street,” “I don’t attend church at the moment because we can’t find one that fits,” or “That Presbyterian church on the corner of Pomerado and Rancho Bernardo Road.” In this context, the word church refers to an organization identified by a building at a physical location, often distinguished by denominational (or non-denominational) affiliation. The English word church comes from the German word kirk, meaning the physical location of a Christian building. Defined this way, church pertains exclusively to a man-made organization and its structure. There are limitations to this definition, however. First, it may help explain why congregations that share the same core tenets of faith often have little relationship with each other—or worse, see each other as rivals. Whoever draws the largest crowd on Sunday morning may be viewed with envy or resentment, rather than joy over the good work God is doing. Yet isn’t a congregation of twenty faithful, humble men and women just as precious in God’s sight? Second, Jesus never used the word church to describe a building or an isolated organization. In Matthew 16, after Peter’s great confession, Jesus declared, “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church” (Matthew 16:18, ESV). The Greek word He used is ekklesia, which has nothing to do with a physical building. It refers to people—an assembly gathered in worship. The beauty of this word is that whenever believers gather—on Sunday mornings or at any time, regardless of denomination or location—the one body is gathered before the Triune God. What a beautiful image! It foreshadows the heavenly gathering before God’s throne in Revelation 7, where His children worship as one from every nation. That contrast is much needed today, in a time when even Christians have become tribal. We have allowed political leanings to divide us, rather than resting in the unity of the Savior who died and rose again. There is another powerful implication: instead of seeing neighboring churches as competitors, we can pray for them, celebrate their fruit, and even share out of the abundance God has given us. This is what the Church does—it cares for every part of one body. Can you imagine if the world caught a glimpse of Christians modeling radical unity and harmony in a divided world? All because of Christ, who gathers His people in worship through His redeeming work. I am grateful for the ekklesia of believers at Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church. God has been so good to RBCPC. May we continue to gather in worship, while also lifting up all the churches around us, so that Jesus alone would be exalted in San Diego! In Christ Alone, Pastor Jason Ko