Church definition in the new testament the word church is mentioned more than 100 times in the new testament it is translated from the greek term ekklesia which is formed from two greek words meaning an assembly and to call out or the called out ones the new testament church is a body of believers that has been called out from the world by god to live as his people under the . A new testament church is a church which is structured and governed in accordance with new testament principles and practices many churches which are dogmatic about the new testament being its only authority in matters of faith and practice suddenly become pragmatic and relative in the matter of church doctrine and practice formally known by its neiman marcus label ecclesiology. In the gospels in the new testament the church is mentioned only twice in matthew 16 and 18 in matthew 16 the lord had been with his disciples for three years one day he brought them into the parts of caesarea philippi in the northern part of the land of judea far from the atmosphere of jerusalem. In the new testament we read of the church as the body of christ because god became man in jesus christ and the church is his body its characteristics reflect gods nature just as he is holy so also should the church be holy just as he is one so also is the church unique and united