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“Ekklesia” means assembly, a called out assembly, an assembly called out for a specific purpose. Christ’s “ekklesia”? is an assembly called out for a specific purpose, namely, to fulfill His will, to keep and teach His ordinances and commandments.

Jesus begin His “ekklesia” the day He called out the very first persons who became the first members of the “ekklesia.” ( John 1:35-43)

35 Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples: And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.

38 Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, what seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master), where dwellest thou?He saith unto them, Come and see. They come and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.

40 One of the two which heard John, speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him. We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.

43 The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.”

This was the beginning of Christ’s calling out His assembly. Those called out had been baptized by John the Baptist and were thus “prepared” for composing the Lord’s “ekklesia.” The church did not begin on the occasion mentioned in Mark 3:13-19; that was when the twelve disciples were “set” in the church as apostles. Neither does Matthew 16:18 indicate the time of the church’s beginning. The Greek word for “build” means “build up” and does not refer to the initial beginning of the church.

Before Mark 3 and Matthew 16 Christ had an assembly of baptized disciples. He was their Head and they were following Him and serving Him. What else is necessary before a group is an “ekklesia”? It is true that He was not through with the church in teaching it and commissioning it; but He had an “ekklesia,” and had had one from the day He called those first disciples and they began to follow Him. John had “prepared” them, the Master assembled them as His “ekklesia”. God wanted it that way, John wanted it that way, Christ wanted it that way, the disciples wanted it that way, and that is the way it was. God said, “Hear ye Him;” John said, “Behold the Lamb of God:” Christ said, “Follow me:” the disciples “followed Him”. That is how and when the assembly of Jesus Christ had its beginning. In Matthew 18 Jesus gives instructions on disciplining within the “ekklesia” and in verse 20 explains it is not numbers or leaders that constitute the “ekklesia” but the gathering (of two or three) in His name.

The day of Pentecost marks the beginning of the definite, organic life of the followers of Christ. The descent of the Holy Spirit, according to the promise of the Lord, was the preparation for the great missionary advance, of which the conversion of three thousand on that one day was the first fruits. Not only did this multitude hear the word and believe, but on the same day they were “added to the church,” which had been in existence since the first two disciples of John the Baptist were called to follow Jesus.