When people think of church, they generally think of a building, as in “go to church.” Other times it is a reference to a denomination, such as the Baptist church or the Catholic church. Although commonly used and understood, this is not what the Bible means by the church.
In a local or micro sense, the church is understood to mean a group of people who meet together, such as “the church that meets in your home” (Philemon 1:2 or Colossians 4:15).
It a global or macro sense, Church simply refers to all who follow Jesus (Matthew 16:18). As such, there is only one Church. This is sometimes called the universal church.
Key verse about Church: And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. (Matthew 16:18, NIV)
A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.
