[metmom]

1 Corinthians 12:28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues.

http://biblos.com/1_corinthians/12-28.htm

*church* = ekklēsia

From Stong's

http://biblesuite.com/greek/1577.htm

1577 ekklēsía(from 1537 /ek, "out from and to" and 2564 /kaléō, "to call") – properly, people called out from the world and to God, the outcome being the Church (the mystical body of Christ) – i.e. the universal (total) body of believers whom God calls out from the world and into His eternal kingdom.

[The English word "church" comes from the Greek word kyriakos, "belonging to the Lord" (kyrios). 1577 /ekklēsía ("church") is the root of the terms "ecclesiology" and "ecclesiastical."]

Definition an assembly, a (religious) congregation

[P-Marlowe]

From Stong's.....

It is interesting that you would not rely solely on the bible and the holy spirit to give you a definition of "church", but instead you relied on Methodist Dr. James Strong, Professor of exegetical theology at Drew Theological Seminary

Do you realize that without the work of Dr. Strong in carefully examining the original languages that you as a layman would not be able to argue about the meaning of "Church" at all. You would only have the word in the bible, which, of course, was translated by numerous dedicated biblical scholars like Dr. Strong.

So, if you want to avoid the work of men and want to rely solely on the Bible and the Holy Spirit, then I think it is hypocritical to call upon James Strong to support your arguments.

Indeed it would be hypocritical to rely upon any translation of the bible at all, since any English translation that you use is the product of numerous biblical scholars and teachers and pastors.