The New Testament was originally written in the Greek language and has been translated into other languages. The Greek word for “church” is derived from a verb meaning “to call out from”, in the noun form, ” the ones called out.” Sometimes it carries the meaning “called unto.” In the New Testament it refers to the people who are called out from sin, evil, and the world unto God.
The word was also used to refer to a gathering or group of people. So in the New Testament the word often means an assembly of people, or a congregation, which is related to God. The church is God’s assembly or God’s congregation. The English word “church” is derived from a root which means ” that which belongs to the Lord,” or “of the Lord,” or ” the Lord’s.”
The New Testament usage of the word is more limited than our current usage. In the New Testament there were no buildings known as churches. There were no denominational organizations yet founded to be called churches. And there is no example of a meeting of Christians being called a church service. In the New Testament the word refers to the people of God, to those who have been redeemed by the sacrifices of Jesus Christ.