Acts Theology 73: Church: People, Not A Place

After signs and wonders were performed by the apostles, Acts 5:12 says, “And they were all together in Solomon's Portico.” Later, released from prison, the apostles were instructed in Acts 5:20, “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.” Acts 5:21 then states, “And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach.”
In the early chapters of Acts, believers gathered in houses for fellowship, prayer, and teaching. However, when they went to public places like Solomon's Portico or the Temple, it was not to hold a 'church service' as we understand it today. Rather, these were strategic locations for evangelism and teaching the unsaved. They met 'at church' (their houses) and went 'to the temple' for mission. The early church understood 'church' as the community of believers, not a physical building or a scheduled event.
This insight challenges our contemporary understanding of 'church' as primarily a building or a time slot in a week. It reminds us that the primary identity of the church lies in its people—the called-out ones—and their mission to spread the Gospel. While physical gatherings and specific times are valuable, the essence of 'church' is the living body of Christ actively engaging with the world, seeking to reach the lost, and living out their faith collectively.