No — the church did not begin with Moses in the Old Testament.
The Greek word ekklesia, translated as 'church' in the KJV, simply means a 'called-out assembly.' When Stephen said that Moses was 'in the church in the wilderness' (Acts 7:38), he was referring to Israel — whom God called out of Egypt and assembled around Mount Sinai — not to the New Testament church. The church as the Body of Christ was not back there; the word 'church' describes an assembly and must be understood in its context.
Acts 7:38 — This is the exact verse where Stephen calls the wilderness generation of Israel 'the church in the wilderness' — the basis for the question of whether the church began with Moses.
Acts 7:37 — Stephen quotes Moses' prophecy of a coming prophet like himself, showing that Moses belongs to Israel's history as a forerunner of Christ, not as the founder of a New Testament church.
In Acts 7, Stephen addresses the Jewish council and rehearses Israel's history. In verse 37 he quotes Moses' prophecy: 'This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear.' Then in verse 38 he says of Moses, 'This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us.' The KJV translates the Greek word ekklesia as 'church' here, applying it to the generation of Israel that came out of Egypt. If the word 'church' were automatically the New Testament church, this would suggest a church under Moses. But Scripture itself shows that the same Greek word is used for other assemblies. In Acts 19:32 the mob at Ephesus is called 'the assembly' — the same word translated 'church' in Acts 7:38 — and in Acts 19:41 the crowd is again called 'the assembly.' Thus, biblically, ekklesia is a general word for a gathering of people, not a technical term that always means the New Testament church. Elsewhere, Paul identifies the church as Christ's Body. Ephesians 1:22-23 says God gave Christ 'to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body.' This is the specific 'church' of the present age — different from the assembly of Israel in the wilderness.
Les Feldick teaches that the word 'church' is a translation of the Greek ekklesia, which simply means a 'called-out assembly.' He warns that whenever the word 'church' appears in the New Testament, it is not always applicable to the Church which is the Body of Christ. The context must decide. Stephen, in Acts 7, used the word of the children of Israel out in the wilderness around Sinai — 'the Church in the Wilderness.' Les's response is direct: 'the Church wasn't back there, was it? No.' Israel was a called-out assembly: God called them out of Egypt and assembled them around Mount Sinai. Les explains that Israel became a church — that is, an ekklesia — without any church organization. They were not the New Testament church. Paul, by contrast, almost always identifies the church as the Body of Christ. Les also points out that even an ungodly mob at Ephesus was called an ekklesia; that certainly was not a church, it was not even godly, but it was still a called-out assembly. This shows how flexible the word is. So Les's answer to the question is clear: the appearance of the word 'church' in Acts 7 does not mean the church began with Moses. Stephen was speaking to the nation of Israel, rehearsing their history under Moses, and using the word 'church' to describe Israel as a called-out assembly.
The Greek word translated 'church' is ekklesia, meaning 'called-out assembly.' It is not a technical term reserved for the Body of Christ. Stephen used it for Israel in the wilderness — a people God called out of Egypt and assembled around Mount Sinai (Acts 7:38). The same word was used for the confused, riotous assembly at Ephesus (Acts 19:32, 19:41), which was certainly not a church in any spiritual sense. So whenever the word 'church' appears, its context must determine what assembly is meant.
Stephen was speaking to the Jewish religious leaders and rehearsing Israel's history all the way back to Abraham, then focusing on Moses and the exodus. He described Israel as an ecclesia — a called-out assembly — because God had called them out of Egypt and brought them to Mount Sinai. Les notes that Israel became a church without any church organization. Stephen's purpose was to show that Moses prophesied a prophet like himself, namely Jesus, and to prove to Israel that Jesus was the Christ. But that wilderness assembly was not the New Testament church.
When Paul speaks of the church, he almost always identifies it as the Body of Christ — the church which is His body (cf. Ephesians 1:22-23). This is a different usage from Stephen's reference to Israel in the wilderness. This distinction is the key: the church of this present age is Christ's Body, whereas the assembly under Moses was simply the nation of Israel called out of Egypt.
What Does "Church" Really Mean? Acts 2 & Ekklesia Explained
people. See, now true Christianity, that's the way it is. You know, a true Christian doesn't become contentious just for the sake of being contentious. We contend for the faith. We stand for what we feel is the truth, but we don't become contentious. I remember I told a young pastor years and years ago who was seemingly confident, sometimes you ask for it.
The Church Was Not Back There
Les emphasizes that although Stephen called Israel 'the Church in the Wilderness,' the church was not back there — Israel was simply a called-out assembly gathered around Mount Sinai.
Ekklesia Can Mean Any Assembly
Les shows that even an ungodly riot was called an ecclesia, and that Paul identifies the true church as the Body of Christ, so the word itself does not prove the church began with Moses.
Israel Became a Church Without Organization
Les explains that Israel became a church — that is, a called-out assembly — without any church organization, so the term describes how God drew them out of Egypt, not the New Testament Church.
Stephen's Address to Israel
Les sets the context: Stephen was preaching to Jewish religious leaders and rehearsing Israel's history under Moses, which is why he calls them an ecclesia.
Moses as a Type of Christ
Les explains that Stephen used Moses' prophecy of a prophet like himself to prove that Jesus is the Christ — the 'church in the wilderness' belongs to Israel's history, not the Church's beginning.
Definition of the Word Church
Les teaches that the word 'church' comes from ekklesia, meaning called-out assembly, and that Moses and Israel in the desert were such an assembly — not the Body of Christ.
Ekklesia for Israel and the Ephesian Mob
Les shows that both Israel in the wilderness and the riotous mob at Ephesus were called an ecclesia, proving the word simply means a called-out assembly and does not indicate the true church.
Acts 7:38: This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:
This verse contains the phrase 'the church in the wilderness' — the key passage behind the question of whether the church began with Moses.
Acts 7:37: This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear.
Stephen quotes Moses' prophecy to show that Moses pointed to Christ; the church-age Body of Christ was not in view.
Acts 19:32: Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.
The same Greek word translated 'church' in Acts 7:38 is here translated 'assembly' for a confused mob, showing ekklesia does not always mean the Church.
Acts 19:41: And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.
Again, ekklesia is translated 'assembly' for a secular gathering at Ephesus.
Ephesians 1:22-23: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
Paul identifies the church as Christ's body — the distinctive usage that applies to the present Church Age.
No. The word 'church' in Acts 7:38 is the Greek ekklesia, which means 'called-out assembly.' Israel was called out of Egypt and assembled around Mount Sinai, but this was not the New Testament church. As Les Feldick says, the church as the Body of Christ was not back there.
It was the nation of Israel under Moses — a called-out assembly that God gathered around Mount Sinai after delivering them from Egypt. It was a church without any church organization, simply an ekklesia.
Yes. In Acts 19:32 and 19:41, the same word is translated 'assembly' for the riotous mob at Ephesus — an ungodly gathering that was nevertheless called an ekklesia.
Watch the Teaching: What Does "Church" Really Mean? Acts 2 & Ekklesia Explained