OIKOS! ~ The Meaning

The date is 04-12-2006, the time is 08:29:42. My friend "SpongeBob" Murphy sends me a text...

"U and i both know dat wat we r proposing thru our ministries and dis website s a paradigm shift dat leaves many n a place where they see nothng recognizable."

"You and I both know that what we are proposing through our ministries and this website is a paradigm shift that leaves many in a place where they see nothing recognizable."

How perfectly and exactly true. That is how truth is sometimes. When people believe lies, and suddenly they learn the truth, it often leaves them confused and unable to see anything recognizable.

I am sure some will say that about this website. It will be so different from "going to church" that for most people, they will not recognize anything!

We thought about compromise. Use familiar terms for example. The problem is that these compromises confuse the real message - the Truth of the Scripture. These familiar terms are so familiar that everyone knows what they mean and few go deep enough to learn what is really meant by these double meaning (double minded!) terms. Therefore, to make the message of the Scripture clear, we decided to use Scriptural terms that we may need to explain in order for everyone to understand. Herein starts our guideposts!

The opening page of Oikos143.com is adapted from the preface of the book, Organic Church, Growing Faith Where Life Happens, by Neil Cole. Although we respect Mr. Cole very much, his work, like many promoting the “Organic Church”, “House Church”, Simple Church”, “Basic Church”, “Home Church” and other “churches” all promote one error in common. The error is simply the redefining of a perfectly viable word “church!”

In the Greek New Testament, the word, “Ekklesia” is used. Ekklesia is a good word; however, it is not well understood globally ~ mainly because of its military usage. In simple terms, Ekklesia refers to those called out to action. In terms of the Disciples of Yeshua, Ekklesia refers to the “Family” of true Believers. Life happens in a family!

The English word “church” has never had a meaning that is even similar to the Greek word Ekklesia. They do not mean the same things. Religious workers artificially inserted “Church” into the English Scriptures. This was an attempt to establish a “Scripturally Legal” basis for their existence! That practice continues today. You can read about this history and study the documentation for this in a little booklet called, “The Word Church is Not In The Bible!” by David A. Tait

Organic Church and others try to redefine the word “church” to mean Ekklesia, which it never will in the eyes of most people.

Oikos is another Greek Word; it means simply, “Family!” In most New Testaments, it is rendered Home, House, Household, or Family. The below verses all contain the Greek word "Oikos" (highlighted).

Mat 9:7 NASB ~ And he rose, and went home.

Luke 10:5 NASB ~ "And whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace be to this house.'

Acts 16:15 KJV ~ And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.

Luke 1:27 NASB ~ to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.

Luke 9:61 NIV ~ Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family."

In modern Greek, Oikos has acquired another meaning… “The people you spend the most time with!” English uses “family” in similar ways. If you go the University of Southern California (USC) you will likely hear someone say something about the “USC Family!” If you belong to an Internet Bible Study group called “Seekers”, it will not be long before you hear someone talk about the “Seekers Family.” No one can deny that the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) is a sort of "LAPD Family!"

It reminds me of the Tait family:
Dick Tait, was always telling people what to do. His wife, Ima Tait was always trying to be like Dick. In addition, they had lazy son, Spec Tait, who just refused to get involved!

English is a language that “borrows” words from every language and makes those words its own. The modern “Oikos” has been borrowed by a few hundred thousand English speaking “Disciples of Yeshua the Messiah” to represent the people they spend the most time with, the Family of God.

Thus, in effect, making Oikos a synonym to the above unstructured “churches” like an organic, house or simple “church” - - without using the often confusing and sometimes offending English word, “church.”

With more Scriptures being translated to English without using the word “church” in them – Oikos becomes an even more appropriate term for the “family” of God that gathers together in homes (Oikos), businesses and anywhere else they can have fellowship.

Throughout this website, we will strive to use the ever-so-more-common term “Oikos” to depict the Disciples of Yeshua doing their best to follow a New Testament example.

Likewise, we will try to reserve the following terms and their meanings.

Church – 1) A building for Religious Purposes; 2) the government or organization (i.e. corporation) that controls a religion.

Christian – People who meet for Religious Purposes and belong to; or are controlled by; or pay tithes to; a Church.

Jesus – We have a Philippine bias against using “Jesus” as this is 99% of the time used to refer to an idol (Statue) that people here worship. Also taking into consideration that the “Name above all names” was most assuredly the Hebrew “Yeshua!” Therefore – it will be our goal to use the savior’s proper name, Yeshua, on this website.

Christ – This is usually used here as a last name when it is really the description “The Anointed.” It is also used to swear or cuss with. For the sake of less confusion among our brothers, we choose to use the Hebrew term, Messiah, which like Yeshua is in widespread and common use.

In the coming days, we will, Lord willing, publish articles on each of these terms, with complete documentation on why we believe this is the most Scriptural term to us.

Welcome To Oikos!