The two main Greek words translated “church” or “fellowship” in the New Testament: ecclesia which speaks of the government and structure of the church, and koinonia which is the deep bonding of believers into the family of God. This biblical model for the church is to first become a family, then add structure and government as needed. 

          The most common forms of modern church are first built on the foundation of ecclesia. Ecclesia is important but can become skewed when it becomes the foundation before family is achieved. When organization is pursued before a love for God’s family, organization will eclipse the love we must have to be true disciples. Then, the body will not function as it should, which no amount of organization can fix. 

          That is why the prayer Jesus instructed His people to pray began with “Our Father.” He wants us to know Him as Father first before King or any other title for which He is worthy. He is also “our Father,” not “my Father,” in recognition of the other members of His family.

          It is far easier to bring needed organization to a family than it is to make a family out of an organization. If we are a family first, the initiatives and missions of the church will be more family business than just business. 

         It’s critical for each believer who is part of God’s family to love the Lord first, then other members of His family, then the world He loved so much that He sent His Son to redeem it by His sacrifice. Without knowing and growing in this love, all our sacrifices for Him, His family, and the lost will not count, as we are told in I Corinthians 13:3. 

         As we learn to keep our love for God first, then grow in His love for His family and the world, we must learn that we are also called to be His body. By functioning as the members of His body we are called to be, His love is expressed through us to His family and to the world. 

         As we grow into the members of His body we are called to be, we must always remember we cannot be joined to the Head, the Lord, without also being joined to the rest of His body. This true and vital joining begins with koinonia, as John wrote in I John 1:7. 

         Just as with our physical bodies, it’s not possible for every member to be joined directly to every member but to be joined directly to one or two members, like our wrists are joined to our arms and hands. Thus, we will become closer to the members we are directly joined to, while maintaining our love for the whole body. Who we are directly joined to is determined by our calling and function in the body. Our linking to the body will always include the love we are commanded to have for one another, then purpose and function.

        Since the biblical model for starting a church is koinonia first, then ecclesia, our foundation is likely to become the most dominating factor in our structure. If we are already bonding as a family, it will be far easier to add needed structure and government than to add family relationships to a foundation of structure and organization. 

         In our natural families, we did not choose our parents or siblings. Still, there is a natural affinity that binds us together. Many of us also did not choose our spiritual families. Metaphors may be helpful in guiding us, though they may not fit perfectly with reality. We may be born again into one church body, but that is not necessarily the body to which we have been called, just like the apostle Paul was born a Jew but called to the Gentiles. Thus, we should be led by the Spirit to seek the body of believers we are called to be connected with, not just follow our natural affinities.

         Today, most Christians feel called to be with and reach those like themselves. For example, businesspeople feel called to reach the business community, and professional athletes feel called to a community of believers that include other professional athletes.  

           If our identity is with a certain subculture or race, we will likely feel called to that group, but that is a natural, not spiritual, identity. The apostle Paul was Jewish and loved his people in the natural so much he was willing to give up his own salvation to reach just one of them, but the Lord sent him to the Gentiles. Since our natural affinities are more prone to obsession, it may be safer for some to be sent to a different group than that from which they came. Most importantly, we should allow the Spirit to place us in the body instead of us choosing (see I Corinthians 12:18).

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