what does the bible say about church

The Bible describes the church primarily as the community of faithful believers in Jesus Christ, rather than a physical building. It is portrayed as the "body of Christ," with Christ as the head, emphasizing unity among believers with different roles, much like parts of a body (Romans 12:4-5, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Ephesians 1:22-23). The church is called "the household of God," a holy temple where God's Spirit dwells and the people are built together into a dwelling place for God (Ephesians 2:19-22). The church is described as a chosen, holy people tasked with proclaiming God's virtues (1 Peter 2:9-10), and it functions as a pillar and buttress of truth in the world, entrusted with upholding and promoting the gospel (1 Timothy 3:15). It is neither defined by ethnicity nor social status, as all believers are united in Christ (Galatians 3:28-29). Furthermore, the church is also viewed as an assembly or "called-out ones" (Greek ekklesia), underscoring that it is people gathering together in faith rather than a building (Romans 16:5). Believers are encouraged to gather together for worship, teaching, prayer, and mutual encouragement, reflecting the biblical importance of church fellowship and attendance (Acts 2:42-47, 1 Timothy 4:13). In summary, the Bible presents the church as the spiritual community of Christ's followers, the living temple of God, united across distinctions and committed to worship, teaching, and bearing witness to Christ in the world.