Ancient Greek cities had a town hall meeting where anyone present could speak. It was called the ekklesia. Jesus, in Matthew 16, said He will build His ekklesia.

It’s amazing that Jesus said that He would build His version of the interactive, Greek town hall meeting called ekklesia. It’s also amazing that Christians have mostly ignored the ekklesia model of free expression and implemented a highly programmed, ritualized, and controlled form of worship instead.

In the Greek ekklesia, people listened to each other as equals, not to a single expert lecturer. Christ’s ekklesia drifted from the original model, embraced human hierarchy rather than equality, and called it church.

There was no head (one person leader) in the ancient Greek ekklesia. Decisions were made by voting. However, in Christ’s ekklesia, Jesus is the Head and He actually directs the assembly through His Presence as the Holy Spirit by prompting those present to listen to and obey Him.

The ancient Greek ekklesia was about governing a city. Christ’s ekklesia is about being governed by the Headship of Jesus.

Jesus builds His town hall meeting (ekklesia) on the rock foundation of direct, personal revelation from God (individuals being led by His Spirit). The ancient Greeks built their town hall meeting (ekklesia) on the concept of democracy (individuals expressing and voting their personal feelings, desires, and opinions). Christ’s ekklesia is a manifestation of the kingdom (government) of God as His followers gather to submit to and surrender to the leading and Headship of His Spirit (freedom to deny the flesh and obey the Spirit). The Greek ekklesia was a manifestation of government by the people through majority rule where everyone voted as he saw fit (freedom to obey the flesh).

Paul wrote letters to Christ’s ekklesias in various cities, not to the official city ekklesias (interactive town hall meetings) to proclaim the message of Christ’s ekklesia:

A human heart that’s being transformed and led by the presence and power of the living Jesus is far more powerful that a heart that’s trying to satisfy outward laws and religious rules. The key to being forgiven for the things that make you feel guilty isn’t trying to forgive yourself. It’s to renounce and turn away from them and to ask for and receive God’s forgiveness.

Using your thoughts, words, or actions to embrace what is morally wrong kills inner peace. It slays innocence and guiltlessness. It murders self-respect and crucifies the conscience. It causes the death of direct connection with God and makes Him seem far away because we’re lost in the decay caused by our frequent choices to rebel against His will. We’re caught in the hopeless trap of guilt and death and there’s no way we can restore ourselves to life.

Yet, there is one who is “the way, the truth, and the life.” The Creator became a man named Jesus so that He could suffer the death caused by humanity’s guilt and be raised to life again so that He can daily live in and empower all who will continually believe/rely/depend on His sacrifice for them.