Jesus Christ declares in Matthew 16:18 that He will build His church, the *ekklesia* (G1577), meaning an assembly or those called out, upon Himself as the Rock, ensuring that not even death can prevail against it. This *ekklesia* is a spiritual organism composed of individual true Christians, wherever they may be, forming the body of Christ with Him as the Head, as described in Ephesians 1:22-23. The church of God, or *ekklesia*, is not confined to a single human organization or denomination but consists of those led by the Spirit of God, showing through their words and behaviors that they are sons of God. True disciples within this *ekklesia* strive to keep all of God's commandments, follow His complete instruction, and seek perfection, distinguishing them from many worldly churches. A true church of God, reflecting the *ekklesia*, will also identify itself with a name honoring the great God who is its Lord, as seen in various New Testament references.

The English word "church" translates the Greek term *ekklesia* (G1577), meaning "called-out ones" or "assembly." In the New Testament, the church consists of those called out of the spiritual Egypt of false belief and practice that dominates this world. Without understanding this concept, identifying the church that Christ built becomes extremely difficult.

The term *ekklesia* (Strong's 1577), used by Jesus in Matthew 16:18, translates to an assembly or a group of people called together for a purpose, carrying no inherent implication of sacredness or holiness. In practical usage, as seen in Acts 19:32, 39, and 41, it commonly referred to people summoned by a magistrate for public service. Jesus emphasized building His singular church, not multiple churches, indicating a unified assembly of called-out ones. Despite this, the early unity of the church did not last long, as congregations formed beyond Jerusalem and Antioch after the apostles scattered to preach the gospel. This led to a gradual dissolving of the unique, one-true-church unity, with divisions becoming evident, as noted in I Corinthians 1:10-14. God's will was for this assembly to grow in number and spread worldwide, yet divisions arose due to diverse backgrounds, particularly among Gentile converts lacking Israel's Old Testament history. By the end of the first century, as seen in Revelation 2 and 3, congregations in Gentile cities like Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea faced various spiritual challenges and flaws, yet they remained part of the true assembly. These circumstances highlight that the true church, as an *ekklesia*, persists despite being scattered or imperfect, protected by the most powerful force in creation, as Jesus promised that the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.