From: dzeigler@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Daniel R Zeigler)
Subject: What is the correct name for a local church? (trick question)
Summary: answer: no name at all?
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1992 17:33:37 GMT


Dear Christia Siblings:

Over the weekend, I skimmed Acts-Revelation, making note of the names used to
designate the local churches mentioned in the NT.  (This sort of study is not
how I usually use my time!  But a thought was formulating in my mind, and I
wanted to test it with Scripture.)

I drew two conclusions:

First--the Christians in each city regarded themselves as belonging to the same
local church.  Factions formalized by trademark names were unknown.

Second--the local churches in the 1st Century did not * have * names!  Each 
"name" is a description rather than a proper name.  These descriptions give 
enough content to distinguish which local church the writer is thinking about 
(the city name is sufficient) plus any encouraging content he wants to include
(i.e., "you people are holy and faithful.")  There is no universal pattern, nor
is there any consistent name used to describe any particular local church.
Especially instructive is Paul's reference to the Laodicean church in his
letter to Colossae.  In the space of four verses, he uses three different
descriptions (obviously none of which he considers their name): "the ones in
Laodicea" (4:13), "the brothers in Laodicea" (4:15), "the church of the
Laodiceans" (4:16).

Food for thought.  Here's what it tasted like when I chewed it:

Could it be that our tendency to divide up in little groups and name ourselves
something to distinguish us from all the other little groups is what the Holy
Spirit calls "factions?"  A maybe-not-so-impractical suggestion:  What if all
the congregations in a city simply called themselves "a small part of the
church in such-and-such a city" or some such generic description whenever they
referred to themselves?  What if we took all the signs off the church
buildings?  What might happen?  I've been wondering ...

Generically yours,
Daniel

P.S.  If anyone is interested in seeing the list of "non-names" for local
churches in the NT, read on.  Otherwise, delete while the deletin's good!

Local church "names" in the NT:

(1)  "the church in <city name>"

     a) variation one: "the in-city-name church" (in literal Greek)
        Ephesus (Rev 2:1); Smyrna (2:8); Pergamum (2:12); Thyatira (2:18);
        Sardis (3:1); Philadelphia (3:7); Laodicea (3:14)

     b) variation two: "the church, the in-city-name one" (literally)
        Jerusalem (Acts 8:1; 8:22); Cenchrea (Rom 16:1)

     c) variation three: "in <city name>, among the church"
        Antioch (Acts 13:1)

(2)  "the church of God in <city name>"
     Corinth (1 Cor 1:2; 2 Cor 1:1)

(3)  "the church of the <reference to city citizenship>"
     Laodiceans (Col 4:16); Thessalonians (1 Thess 1:1, 2 Thess 1:1)

(4)  "you <reference to city citizenship>"
     Corinthians (2: Cor 6:11); Philippians (Phil 4:15)

(5)  "the ones in <city name>"
     Laodicea (Col 2:1; 4:13); Hieropolis (Col 4:13); Rome (Rom 1:15)

(6)  "the brothers in <city name>"
     Laodicea (Col 4:15)

(7)  "the holy and faithful brothers in Christ in <city name>"
     Colossae (Col 1:2)

(8)  "the saints in <city name>"
     Ephesus (Eph 1:1)

(9)  "all the saints in Christ Jesus in <city name>"
     Philippi (Phil 1:1)

(10) "all in <city name> who are loved by God and called to be saints"\
     Rome (Rom 1:7)

(11) "the church that meets in <possessive form> house"
     their (Rom 16:5; 1 Cor 16:19)
     your (Phile 1:1)
     Nympha's (Col 4:15)

(12) "all the believers" (Acts 4:32)

(13) "the body of Christ" (1 Cor 12:22)

(14) "congregation of the saints" (1 Cor 14:33)

(15) "chosen <female>" (possibly refers to an individual, most likely to a
          local church"
      "the chosen lady and her children" (2 Jn 1)
     "the children of your chosen sister" (2 Jn 13)

(16) In contexts where the particular local church is obvious (too many to
     cite), the term "the church" is usually used.
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU