Does the word ekklesia necessarily mean a church with pastors, bishops, and deacons?
No. Ekklesia in its true translated form means a called out assembly. It does not necessarily mean a church with pastors, bishops, and deacons, though when Paul speaks of the Body of Christ in the local church, it can carry that sense. Other called-out groups, even a rioting mob, were also called ekklesia.
Les explains that the word Ekklesia, in its true translated form, means a called out assembly. It does not necessarily mean a group with pastors, bishops, and deacons, although when Paul speaks of the Body of Christ in the local church, yes it does. Stephen referred to the Church in the wilderness in Acts chapter 7; that was not a Church, but it was a called out assembly because God called Israel out of Egypt. The Jewish believers in Jerusalem were also a called out assembly, separated from Judaizers, yet Les maintains they were not yet the Body of Christ. In Acts, the riotous mob in Ephesus was also called an Ekklesia; the King James translators used “assembly” there rather than “Church.” Les prefers the word assembly because that is what it was.