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What does "Ekklesia" Mean?

Throughout Acts, and in Paul's Epistles, the term Ekklesia is used to reference and describe the Church.

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Ekklesia is a Latin word derived from the Greek ecclesia which by the Merriam Webster dictionary is defined as such:

 

"A political assembly of citizens of ancient Greek states; especially: the periodic meeting of the Athenian citizens for conducting public business and for considering affairs proposed by the council."

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Ekklesia (or ecclesia) is the Greek word translated in the New Testament as "church." It comes from ek, meaning "out from and to" and kaleo, meaning "to call," and has to do with a group of people called out from one place and to another.

 

An ekklesia is an assembly or a congregation.

We at Ekklesia 12 Believe . . . 

It is important to establish what we believe so we can move forward and operate as a unified church.

1. The Scriptures Inspired
The Bible is the revealed Word of God to man: The New Testament is our sole rule for discipline and government. 
(II Timothy 3:15-17; II Peter 1:21)

2. The One True God

The one true God has revealed Himself as the “I AM,” the Creator and Redeemer of mankind. The triune Godhead consists of one true God the Father, Jesus Christ His Son, and Holy Spirit, the third person of the Godhead.
(John 10:36; 14:26; 20:21-22)

3. In the Lord Jesus Christ

We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles. We believe in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal returning in power and glory.
(Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18, 23; Luke 1:34-35)

4. In Holy Spirit

Holy Spirit is the Helper that Jesus promised that comes to exalt Jesus, convict us of unbelief, regenerate our hearts, lead us to truth, and empower us for spiritual life.
(John 14)

5. In Special Creation

We believe the triune God created the universe apart from pre-existing materials and without any evolutionary process. We believe in the historicity of the first eleven chapters of Genesis.
(Genesis 1:1; Nehemiah 9:6; Psalms 102:25; Acts 14:15)

6. Satan

We believe that Satan was originally created a perfect being. He rebelled against God. As a result, he became depraved. He became the devil and adversary of God and His people, the leader of a host of angels who fell with him. Satan has been judged and defeated at the cross and awaits his ultimate doom at the conclusion of the Millennial Reign which takes place after the Second Advent of Jesus Christ.
(Ephesians 2:2; I Thessalonians 3:5; I Peter 5:8; Revelation 12:9; 20:1-3; 7-10)

7. The Fall of Man

Man was created good and upright. God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness!" However, man, by voluntary transgression, fell and thereby incurred not only physical death but also spiritual death, which is separation from God.
(Genesis 1:26-27; 2:17; 3:6; Romans 5:12-19)

8. The Salvation of Man

Man's only hope of redemption is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God.

  • Conditions to Salvation. 
    Salvation is received through repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ. By the washing, regeneration, and renewing of Holy Spirit, being justified by grace through faith, man becomes an heir of God according to the hope of eternal life.
    (Luke 24:47; John 3:3; Romans 10:13-15; Ephesians 2:8; Titus 2:11, 3:5-7)

  • The Evidences of Salvation. 
    The inward evidence of salvation is the direct witness of the Spirit (Romans 8:16).
    The outward evidence to all men is a life of righteousness and true holiness (Ephesians 4:24; Titus 2:12).

9. Communion

The Lord's Supper consists of two elements: bread, representative of the body of Christ and wine, the fruit of the vine, representative of the blood of Christ. Communion is the symbol expressing our sharing the divine nature of our Lord Jesus Christ (II Peter 1:4); a memorial of His suffering and death (I Corinthians 11:26); 
The “blood” represents the salvation of our Spirit, the “bread” represents the healing of our Soul  (mind, will and emotions) and Body.

10. Baptism in Water

"Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 3:21). 

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Baptism in water is often considered a public declaration of faith, a public declaration of the inward experience and journey of faith of a believer and their decision to follow God. Man baptize in water, but only Jesus can baptize in the Holy Spirit and fire (Matthew 3:11). 

(Acts 2:38; Mark 16:16; 1 Corinthians 12:13; John 3:5; Matthew 28:18-20)

11. Baptism in the Holy Spirit and Fire

All believers are entitled to, should ardently expect, and earnestly seek, the promise of the Father that is baptism in Holy Spirit and fire, according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Biblical evidence of baptism in the Holy Spirit is witnessed by the physical sign of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit of God gives utterance. 
(Acts 2:4; 10:46; 19:6)


This was the normal experience of all in the early Christian church. With it comes the endowment of power for life and service, the bestowment of the gifts and their uses in the work of ministry.
(Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4; I Corinthians 12:1-31)


With baptism in Holy Spirit come such experiences as an overflowing fullness of the Spirit 
(John 7:37-39; Acts 4:8), a deepened reverence for God (Acts 2:42-43), and a more active love for Christ, for His Word, and for the lost (Mark 16:20).

11.  Spiritual Gifts

The Holy Spirit distributes to the believer Spiritual Gifts as He wills. These gifts differ according to the grace given to us. As members of the Body of Christ, we should work together using the manifestation of the Spirit through those different gifts for the common good.
(Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:4-12)


Divine healing is an integral part of the gospel. Deliverance from sickness is provided for in the atonement and is the privilege of all believers. 
(Isaiah 53:4-5; Matthew 8:16-17; James 5:14-16)

12. The Church and Its Mission

  • The Church is the Body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Spirit, with divine appointment for the fulfilment of her (the Church's) great commission. The Body of Christ has been commanded to preach the Gospel to all creation (Mark 16:15), make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19), and love the Lord with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind and love our neighbour as ourselves (Luke 10:27)

  • God's purpose concerning man is to seek and to save that which is lost, to be worshipped by man, and to build a body of believers in the image of His Son. Thus the priority reasons for being an Ekklesia are:

    • To be an agency of God for evangelizing the world (Acts 1:8; Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16).

    • To be a corporate body in which man may worship God (I Corinthians 12:13).

    • To be a channel of God's purpose to build a body of saints being perfected in the image of His Son  (Ephesians 4:11-16; I Corinthians 12:28; 14:12).

  • Ekklesia 12 encourages believers to be baptized in Holy Spirit. This experience:

    • Enables them to evangelize in the power of the Holy Spirit with accompanying supernatural signs.
      (Mark 16:15-20; Acts 4:29-31; Hebrews 2:3-4)

    • Adds a necessary dimension to a worshipful relationship with God (I Corinthians 2:10-16; 12; 13; and 14).

    • Enables them to respond to the full working of the Holy Spirit in an expression of fruit and gifts and ministries as in New Testament times for the edifying of the body of Christ.
      (Galatians 5:22-26; I Corinthians 12:28; 14:12; Ephesians 4:11-12; Colossians 1:29)

13. The Five-Fold Ministry

The church was designed with 5 positions to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:11-12).

 

         1) Apostles

         2) Prophets

         3) Evangelists

         4) Shepherds

         5) Teachers 

 

All are still relevant and play a vital role in the church.

14. Seven Mountain Ministry (Seven Mountains of Culture)

We are called to be salt and light in our world, touching every segment of society (Mark 16:15).​

 

     The Church Belongs In:
          1) Education
          2) Religion
          3) Family (including health and nutrition)
          4) Business
          5) Government/Military
          6) Arts/Entertainment
          7) Media

15. Healing

Healing is a promise given by God to us. Jesus paid for our bodies to receive healing.

(Isaiah 53:5 and 1 Peter 2:24)

It is God’s will for everyone to receive healing. He has called us to heal the sick and to share the good news.

(Luke 9:2)

16. Deliverance

We have the authority to cast out unclean spirits. "And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction" Matthew 10:1. Every human can perform a deliverance. Before a person is delivered, they must receive salvation and begin to be a disciple. Truth sets people free and keeps them free. An unclean spirit may be cast out, but unless that void is filled with Gods truth, the unclean spirit will return and bring more demons with him (Luke 11:24-26).

17. Tithes, Offerings, and Alms

The needs of the New Testament church and its ministries, along with God ordained leadership, are to be met by the tithes and offerings of the believers. (Matthew 23:23; I Corinthians 16:1; II Corinthians 9:6-7).

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Christians are also admonished to attend to the poor and needy met through Alms. This includes not just the poor in the Body of Christ, but those in the local community.

(1 John 3:17; Luke 3:11, 6:30, 14:13; Matthew 6:1; Acts 9:36, 10:2, 10:4, 11:29, 24:17, 20:35; Galatians 2:10; Romans 15:25-27; 1 Corinthians 16:1-4).

 

Ekklesia 12 has decided not to conform to the government non-profit organization structure. Donations will not be subject to end of the year tax benefits.

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