The Gathering... Not a "What" but a "Who"

Who are we?

Why do we call ourselves “The Gathering?”  The answer is a little complicated, but mostly pretty simple.  Here’s the complicated part first.  When you read the word “church” in the New Testament, it is translated from the Greek word “ecclesia.”  The literal meaning of ecclesia is “assembly” or “gathering.”   The idea of democracy had its roots in ancient Greece when, for the first time in history, ordinary people were asked to attend public gatherings to deliberate important concerns affecting the welfare of the community. "Ecclesia" doesn't refer to a place, but the gathering of people who want to affect the welfare of the community.

 

We call ourselves “The Gathering” in an attempt to return to the original meaning of "ecclesia/church."  Through the centuries this simple concept has gotten bogged down with all sorts of theological and architectural baggage.  There are lots of church buildings in our communities, but fewer and fewer people seem to gather in them.  Our communities need the kind of churches Jesus had in mind: authentic gatherings of believers who are committed to both praying and living out the Lord's prayer: Father in heaven, may your kingdom come and your will be done here on earth as it is in heaven.