In the Bible, the Hebrew and Greek words that are frequently translated as church or synagogue originally referred to a meeting rather than a building. In general, church signifies a meeting called for a purpose.
This concept of church is wonderfully liberating. It gives churchgoers a defined purpose, unconfined by time-encrusted views of organization. For example, Jesus didn't build a synagogue, but he did call people together for a special purpose. He fed them with new views of God's love and commissioned them to bear active witness to this love in their lives. He founded his church on the disciple Peter's rock-solid recognition of the Christ—of God's power and presence—not on ritual or custom or personal opinion. See Matt. 16:13-18 . Science and Health explains: "Jesus established his church and maintained his mission on a spiritual foundation of Christ-healing." Science and Health, p. 136. This still defines the pure purpose of church. Buildings, committees, and policies didn't factor in the least in Jesus' view. His example showed that Christ calls people together to make it known that "the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Matt. 3:2 And he gave the people proof, through healing, that this was true.
Jesus went to the synagogue regularly and participated in its services. He read from the Scriptures and shared the spiritual meaning of what he read. He taught with an authority people hadn't seen before, and he confirmed his words by healing and through the moral regeneration of his listeners. At times, the officials in the synagogue struggled with Jesus' teaching and actions. But, as far as we can tell from the Scriptures, Jesus didn't spend hours arguing with people over the synagogue's way of doing things. Instead, as Mary Baker Eddy, the author of Science and Health, points out ". . . he refuted all opponents with his healing power." Science and Health, p. 18. A wonderful response to differences of opinion!
