There are a lot of differing perspectives on the word "church" and what that word implies. When some people picture "church", they picture priests, stained glass windows, confession, and rituals. To others, church is just a building, and Jesus said that the day would come where, more or less, it wouldn't matter where you worship (John 4:23). To them and others, church looks like lifting hands and singing. Still others picture emphatic, loud sermons, and others think that their "church" is taking a hike up a mountain, literally.

Whether you are a Christian or not, we all need to have an accurate understanding of what church is, based on how God explicitly describes the church in His word.

No more criticizing all churches for the greediness of some megachurches. No more sitting on your couch every Sunday to watch a sermon online and not truly being part of the church. No more claiming that God doesn't give specific instructions for what His church should look like.

To begin, we must define the word "church" as used in the New Testament. In Greek, the word is, ἐκκλησία (ekklēsia). Those who translated from the Greek were the ones to give this term religious affiliation. In its original use, ekklēsia is used to describe "a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place, an assembly." That's it, folks!

So if you want to be part of the church, you need to show up with other believers. That's what it means. Church isn't a building, it's the gathering of believers. They are called out from their homes! How beautiful is that?! We have been called to meet together. That is church in its simplest form.

Here is one verse that sums up what a true, Christ-following church should look like:

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. (Acts 2:42, NKJV)

Here's a break down of some of the specific characteristics with which God describes His body.

1. The church disciplines in grace and truth (Matthew 18:15-17)

This passage describes the plan of action if one brother or sister sins against another. The offended Christian first must attempt to deal with the issue by himself. If the offender does not listen, then the offended is to take one or two others as witnesses and attempt once again to confront the offender with the sin. If the offender still does not repent, then the issue is brought before the church.

If the offender does not repent when confronted by the church as a whole, then the offender is to be treated as a "Gentile or a tax collector". Basically, the offender is to be treated as an outsider, which would be how Jews treated Gentiles and tax collectors (tax collectors were Jews, but were known for lying and cheating).

When you are part of the church, sin is taken seriously. But as is made clear by this passage, there is an abundance of grace and multiple opportunities for the offender to repent.

2. The church grows (Acts 2:47)

This verse states that "the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved" (Emphasis mine). It is the Lord who does the work. Believers just have the incredible opportunity to be used by the Lord to make that growth happen.

Secondly, growing happens. Churches aren't meant to stagnate in number. Is it a church if the numbers aren't increasing? Absolutely! But a healthy church should be growing in numbers as well as in spiritual fervor (this is also seen in Acts 16:5).

3. The church prays (Acts 12:5)

Cool things happen. Based on the earlier definition of ekklēsia given, church is a gathering of people. The first local churches prayed together; that was characteristic of who they were and how they spent their time together. It wasn't about coffee breaks or coffee runs. The acts of the apostles were sweetly saturated in prayer (one example is Acts 13:2-3).

4. The church has elders (Acts 14:23)

In this passage, Paul and Barnabas appointed the elders, and the appointment of elders by specific people seems to be a pattern. Paul tells Titus in Titus 1:5 that he left Titus in Crete to appoint elders who meet certain criteria. However elders are meant to be appointed, they are still to be appointed.

Elders answer questions that are not easily solved between other Christians, including apostles like Paul and Barnabas and the men from Judea (Acts 15:2). They are considered in the Bible to be "overseers"-- they are responsible for the spiritual wellness of the church (Acts 20:28).

Elders are men who are married to one wife, are not arrogant, are above reproach, and who hold tightly to the Word of God. A list of characteristics is given in Titus 1:5-9 and 1 Timothy 3:1-7, and another list of qualifications for deacons is given in 1 Timothy 3:8-13.

5. The church breaks bread together (1 Corinthians 11:17-34)

Acts 20:7 implies that it was customary for the apostles to celebrate the breaking of bread together every week, on the first day of the week. There is nowhere in Scripture that states that the breaking of bread (or "communion") must take place on that day or with that frequency. But why would we not emulate the apostles on whom the early church was built?

No matter when it is celebrated, the passage in 1 Corinthians 11 is not exclusive to the Corinthian church. It isn't as if the Corinthians were the only ones who needed the reminder of who Jesus is and all that He had done for them. The breaking of bread is first demonstrated by Jesus (Matthew 26:26-29), and Paul, under inspiration by God, establishes the breaking of bread in 1 Corinthians 11 as a customary practice for the church as a remembrance meeting.

6. The church loves and forgives one another (Ephesians 4:32)

This is crucial. As Christians, it should be our deepest desire to know and love Jesus more. Our love for Him is reflected in how we love each other. This should be the easiest way to witness to unbelievers. As Jesus says in John 13:35, "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

There is an abundance of verses where God demands that we love and forgive each other: 1 John 3:16, Matthew 18:21-22, Colossians 3:12-15, Galatians 6:10, Galatians 5:13-15, and the list goes on.

7. The church worships together (Colossians 3:16-17)

This isn't just singing, although both the above passage and Ephesians 5:18-20 mention singing specifically. It also includes, but is not limited to, conversations to build other believers up: "teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom." We are all responsible for knowledge and understanding of the Bible and for teaching each other. Don't leave it up to your pastor.

There's nothing wrong with watching a sermon online here or there, but if that isn't your only option, and you still commit to that one-hour online sermon every week, you're missing out on so many important aspects of being part of a church. You don't get to enjoy being physically present with other believers, singing together to the Lord and being able to encourage and teach one another.

That's why healthy churches are comprised of people of all ages; people from different stages of life and different levels of experiences are able to teach each other much more than a church comprised of all millennials or all elderly people (and this divide seems to be the trend right now).

8. The church needs each other (1 Corinthians 12:12-27)

We are the called the body of Christ in Scripture. The above passage compares the members of the church to the members of a human body (eyes, hands, feet, etc.), emphasizing the importance of each member to the body's function. The hand cannot tell the eyes that they are not needed, and the foot should never feel that they are unnecessary because they are not a hand. Moreover, as members of the body, if one member suffers, we all suffer with it. This passage is imperative to understanding how the body of Christ ought to function.

Every member of the body of Christ has spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 4:1-14), and we need to use these to exhort the church and to expand the church.

9. The church needs Jesus (Ephesians 4:15-16)

We are the body, but Christ is the head, and the body should not attempt to displace Him. Christ needs to have the preeminence (Colossians 1:18-20). He is to be our leader, the One who directs our every move.

Church was never meant to be about denominations, following specific people and their beliefs. Paul rebukes the Corinthian church for making claims such as "I follow Paul" or "I follow Apollos", instead of collectively, "I follow Christ" (1 Corinthians 1:12).

In 1 Corinthians 3:1-9, Paul reminds the Corinthians that God gives all growth seen in the church. It's not about Paul or Apollos and what they do. People seen as "leaders" in the church are merely servants used by God to accomplish what He is doing.

It has always been about Jesus-- the One who is spotless, who allowed Himself to be gruesomely killed so that the church could be the church by simply believing, and who ultimately conquered death through His resurrection. If it weren't for Jesus, there would be no body. Instead of getting up in arms about trivial matters, let's pursue Jesus.

Our spiritual gifts are meant to encourage, our meetings are meant to teach the believers and to be a remembrance of Jesus, our love for one another should be our greatest testimony, and all that we do is meant to point to the One who made it all possible, so that in all things, Christ may have the preeminence.