An ekklesia is an organic community of believers who are founded and function upon the daily life of Jesus Christ within them. As Frank Viola aptly writes:
“By "organic church," I mean a non-traditional church that is born out of spiritual life instead of being constructed by human institutions and held together by religious programs. Organic church life is a grass roots experience that is marked by face-to-face community, every-member functioning, open-participatory meetings (opposed to pastor-to-pew services), non-hierarchical leadership, and the centrality and supremacy of Jesus Christ as the functional Leader and Head of the gathering. Put another way, organic church life is the experience of the Body of Christ. In its purest form, it's the fellowship of the Triune God brought to earth and experienced by human beings.”
We all know what the term “organic” means. It means 100% natural without any artificial or man-made ingredients added. This is a non-institutional form of church because it is born out of the experience and life of Christ within his people. No man-made structures or programs are necessary or desired.
We are plain, ordinary, run-of-the-mill Christians. Our backgrounds vary, but our love for the Lord Jesus identifies our hearts and is the basis of our unity.
WHAT DO WE BELIEVE?
We believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, born of a virgin, crucified, died, buried and raised on the third day and currently sits at the right hand of the Father. On these things we all agree - outside of these we are free to discuss and even disagree and still remain brothers and sisters. Our commitment to each other is also based on the oneness of His Body with Him as Head.
WHAT ARE OUR MEETINGS LIKE?
They are informal, as a family gathering might be. Everyone is free to participate. Our emphases is Jesus Christ. Prayer, singing, testimonies, teachings, sharing revelations, and face-to-face interaction can happen at any time in any meeting. We have discovered that no two meetings are alike. Our meetings are punctuated with lots of fun, camaraderie and, at times, mingled with tears. The Holy Spirit guides and we follow. We also enjoy taking meals together, following the New Testament example of the first church.
We are discovering His leadership and Body vitality in our living rooms as we gather to worship, encourage, and build each other up. Are we perfect? Are we always right? Of course not! But we are in process. Together we are discovering freedom in Christ and a unity that supports a practical life of expressing Him. Our fellowship extends beyond our gathering times and spills over into daily events. We are a community, not a weekly meeting.
WHAT IS OUR MOST DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTIC?
Hopefully, we do not have one. We do try to keep things simple by keeping Christ central. We would like to be known for our love for Jesus and one another.
HOW DO WE MAKE DECISIONS?
As a collective body, we decide by consensus.
WHAT IS THE HARDEST THING ABOUT MEETING AS EKKLESIA?
There is no place to hide. We come to gatherings ready to give! We worship by our participation. We are sharing the totality of our lives with one another, not just meeting once a week. We are becoming a true Christ-centered community.
IS THIS FOR YOU?
Only you can decide. We could not find the intimacy we wanted in our walk with Christ in the institutional setting. We wanted to experience Body life, and could not find it in traditional church services. We have decided — “It is for us!” Feel free to contact us and discover whether or not it is for you.
