Ecclesia is a Greek word that simply means a called-out assembly, not necessarily a church or the Body of Christ.
Les Feldick shows from Scripture that the New Testament uses ecclesia for groups of different kinds: Israel called out of Egypt, a riotous crowd in Ephesus, and Jewish believers in Jerusalem. The setting determines what kind of assembly it is. Paul almost always marks the present-day church as 'the body of Christ, which is the church' to distinguish it from other uses of the word.
Acts 7:38 — Stephen uses ecclesia to call Israel 'the church in the wilderness,' showing it means a called-out assembly rather than a New Testament church.
Acts 19:32 — The KJV translates the same Greek word as 'assembly' for the riotous crowd in Ephesus, proving ecclesia is not limited to the church.
The Greek word behind 'church' in the KJV is ekklesia, which simply means a called-out assembly. In Acts 7:38 Stephen 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.' Here the KJV translates ekklesia as 'church,' even though Israel was not a New Testament congregation. In Acts 19, the same Greek word refers to a different gathering. Verse 32 says, 'Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.' Verse 39 speaks of a 'lawful assembly,' and verse 41 says the town clerk 'dismissed the assembly.' Thus the English word 'church' is not always the correct mental picture when the Greek word is ekklesia.
Les Feldick explains that the Greek word ecclesia literally means a 'called-out assembly' and is the basis for the English word 'church.' However, he insists that the reader must always use the word according to its setting. Stephen could call Israel the 'church in the wilderness' only because Israel had been called out of Egypt and assembled around Mount Sinai — not because they were the New Testament church. Likewise, the riotous crowd in Ephesus was called an ecclesia in the Greek because the silversmiths had called them out; they were not a godly gathering at all. Les also points to the believing Jews in Jerusalem, who were an ecclesia because they had been called out of mainstream Judaism after believing that Jesus was the Christ. He emphasizes that Paul almost always qualifies the present-day church as 'the body of Christ, which is the church' or 'the church, which is his body,' so it is not confused with these other uses of ecclesia.
Les Feldick says no. When Stephen called Israel 'the church in the wilderness,' he was not identifying them as a New Testament church. Israel was an ecclesia because God had called them out of Egypt and assembled them around Mount Sinai. They were a called-out assembly, but they had no deacons, bishops, or pastors, and they lived under Moses and under the Law. It is the same word ecclesia, but a completely different setting.
The Greek word ecclesia does not require a religious meeting. Les Feldick points out that in Acts 19 the silversmiths stirred up a crowd, and when they gathered in the amphitheater shouting, 'Great is Diana of the Ephesians,' they were called an ecclesia. They were not a church or a godly group; it was an unlawful, riotous assembly. The KJV translators understood the setting and translated the word as 'assembly' rather than 'church.'
Les Feldick teaches that there are at least three uses in Scripture: Israel called out of Egypt, the Jewish believers in Jerusalem who separated from mainstream Judaism, and the riotous crowd at Ephesus. He also explains that Paul almost always qualifies the present-day church as 'the body of Christ, which is the church' or 'the church, which is his body.' Therefore, the context must determine what kind of ecclesia is being described.
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Hello, and welcome to Through the Bible with Les Feldick. An Oklahoma rancher and farmer, Les Feldick has been teaching homestyle Bible classes for 20 years in Iowa, Oklahoma, and Texas. Les Feldick's unique style of Bible teaching has made the books of the Bible come to life. When Les is teaching, it's so interesting that people say time just seems to fly by. And now, here is Les Feldick.
Ecclesia as a called-out assembly
Les introduces the teaching that ecclesia simply means a called-out assembly, using Israel, the Ephesus mob, and Jewish believers in Jerusalem as examples.
Israel as the church in the wilderness
Les shows that Stephen called Israel an ecclesia because they were called out of Egypt and assembled at Sinai, not because they were the New Testament church.
The Ephesian mob as an ecclesia
Les demonstrates that even a riotous mob was called an ecclesia in Greek; the translators correctly rendered it 'assembly,' showing the word is not limited to the church.
Jewish believers and the Ephesus riot
Les explains that the believing Jews were a called-out assembly from Judaism, and that the silversmiths called out the Ephesian crowd, so both are ecclesias.
Israel at Sinai was not a church
Les emphasizes that Israel was an ecclesia but not a church — they had no pastors, deacons, or bishops and lived under the Law and Moses.
Ecclesia in Stephen's sermon
Les connects the called-out assembly of Israel to Acts 7 and clarifies that baptism did not make them members of that ecclesia.
The Greek meaning of ecclesia
Les says the Greek word ecclesia means a called-out assembly and must be interpreted by its setting, citing the Ephesus riot as an example.
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 is where Stephen calls Israel 'the church in the wilderness,' showing that ecclesia means a called-out assembly.
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 riotous Ephesian gathering is called an 'assembly' in the KJV because the Greek ekklesia simply means a called-out group.
Acts 19:39: But if ye enquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly.
The town clerk's phrase 'lawful assembly' uses the same Greek root, confirming that ecclesia is a neutral word for any gathering.
Acts 19:41: And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.
The crowd in Ephesus is again called an assembly, not a church, even though the Greek word is ekklesia.
Ecclesia means a called-out assembly. Les Feldick shows it simply refers to a group called together, not necessarily a religious group.
No. The same Greek word is used for Israel in the wilderness, the riotous mob in Ephesus, and Jewish believers in Jerusalem. The context determines what kind of assembly it is.
Paul almost always qualifies the present-day church as 'the body of Christ, which is the church' so that it is not confused with other uses of ecclesia.
Watch the Teaching: Why Paul Was Never One of the Twelve — Acts 9 Explained