It's Time for a New Word

It’s time to retire the word “church” and come up with a suitable replacement.

A month or so ago, I delivered a children’s message in our worship service in which I gave everyone – kids and adults alike – a small piece of paper and pencil and gave the congregation a minute to draw the first thing that came to mind when I said the word “church.” All 300 people drew the same thing…a building with a pointy steeple on top.

It’s a sad state of affairs. The truth is that American Christians are no longer capable of distinguishing the New Testament concept of “ekklesia” – the Greek word for gathering – from the bricks, mortar, pews, and steeple of our church buildings. Just last week, I went to my presbytery’s New Church Development Team, the group responsible for supporting start-up churches. I approached them with an idea I have about starting a building-less Christian community. Not only did they not support my idea, but they couldn’t even conceive of a community of Christians not having its own building eventually. I pointed out that Jesus and his disciples never had nor needed a building. In fact, it wasn’t until Constantine made Christianity the official religion of his empire in the 4th century A.D. that there were any church buildings at all. The biblical writers were very clear about the fact that “God does not dwell in temples made by human hands.”

The House Church movement has produced active congregations who meet in each other’s homes, and I know of other vital “alternative” Christian communities who own no real estate. But those who rely on the overloaded, outmoded, building-centered word “church” will often miss the deeper truths of communities seeking to live according to the way of Jesus.

For now, I have begun referring to a “post-church age” which, I hope, will get the conversation going on finding us a new term. Suggestions are welcome on this blog, which is dedicated to thoughtful reflection about what the Church of tomorrow will look like.