Movements Move
I’m not sure what images come to mind when you hear the word “church,” but it’s probably very different from the way first century Christians understood the term.
In the Greek NT, the word translated “church” is “ekklesia” and literally means “an assembly,” or “a gathering” of people around an idea. In fact, breaking down ek-klessia, the word is derived from “ek” means “out of” and “kaleo” means called out.” Think of an ekklesia as an assembly of people called out around an idea.
In Acts 1, on the day of Pentecost the church became a movement built around the conviction that Jesus Christ died as the only Savior for sinners and that he had risen from the dead. This movement began more than 2000 years ago with a ragtag group of 12 men whose hearts and minds were captured by the message of the Savior and who were moved to follow the Lord.
The Apostles understood that God’s dying for His rebellious children was the greatest act of grace ever imagined. Peter would summarize the Apostles’ message in Acts 4:12 by saying, “Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” They saw a God so beautiful and glorious that he was worth giving away their entire lives — a God whose glory deserved to be spread among all peoples of the earth. And they would take that message all over the world.
Unfortunately, as time progressed, people began to think of church as a place to go for religious services. In fact, our English word “church” does not come from the Greek ekklesia but from the German word kirche, meaning “a sacred place where you gather for religious purposes.” That shift in thinking changed the fundamental way people related to the church, and it became a place attended or an event endured rather than a movement people became part of. Consequently, the church became an institution that essentially provided services for people and was controlled by powerful people who used it to serve their own interests.
The danger of the church in every age is to cease being a movement and instead become a place people simply attend. How do we overcome that urge? Spurgeon put it this way, “If Jesus is precious to you, you will not be able to keep your good news to yourself; you will be whispering it into your child’s ear; you will be telling it to your husband; you will be earnestly imparting it to your friend; without the charms of eloquence you will be more than eloquent; your heart will speak, and your eyes will flash as you talk of his sweet love.”
Here’s my question: Has the fact that Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins and provided you the only means of salvation captured you to the point that you cannot shut up about it? Are willing to go anywhere with it and to give up anything for it? If not, you’re not part of the movement. If you have, then are you moving with the message? Because, Movements Move so let’s move!!
In Him,
Pastor Boyd
In the Greek NT, the word translated “church” is “ekklesia” and literally means “an assembly,” or “a gathering” of people around an idea. In fact, breaking down ek-klessia, the word is derived from “ek” means “out of” and “kaleo” means called out.” Think of an ekklesia as an assembly of people called out around an idea.
In Acts 1, on the day of Pentecost the church became a movement built around the conviction that Jesus Christ died as the only Savior for sinners and that he had risen from the dead. This movement began more than 2000 years ago with a ragtag group of 12 men whose hearts and minds were captured by the message of the Savior and who were moved to follow the Lord.
The Apostles understood that God’s dying for His rebellious children was the greatest act of grace ever imagined. Peter would summarize the Apostles’ message in Acts 4:12 by saying, “Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” They saw a God so beautiful and glorious that he was worth giving away their entire lives — a God whose glory deserved to be spread among all peoples of the earth. And they would take that message all over the world.
Unfortunately, as time progressed, people began to think of church as a place to go for religious services. In fact, our English word “church” does not come from the Greek ekklesia but from the German word kirche, meaning “a sacred place where you gather for religious purposes.” That shift in thinking changed the fundamental way people related to the church, and it became a place attended or an event endured rather than a movement people became part of. Consequently, the church became an institution that essentially provided services for people and was controlled by powerful people who used it to serve their own interests.
The danger of the church in every age is to cease being a movement and instead become a place people simply attend. How do we overcome that urge? Spurgeon put it this way, “If Jesus is precious to you, you will not be able to keep your good news to yourself; you will be whispering it into your child’s ear; you will be telling it to your husband; you will be earnestly imparting it to your friend; without the charms of eloquence you will be more than eloquent; your heart will speak, and your eyes will flash as you talk of his sweet love.”
Here’s my question: Has the fact that Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins and provided you the only means of salvation captured you to the point that you cannot shut up about it? Are willing to go anywhere with it and to give up anything for it? If not, you’re not part of the movement. If you have, then are you moving with the message? Because, Movements Move so let’s move!!
In Him,
Pastor Boyd
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