Dictionary definitions are often selected by authors in an effort to support their views. I use them only to illustrate that the definitions do not disprove our use and meaning of the word. In The Community of Believers, I write, “Moulton and Milligan explain that the word ‘meant originally any public assembly of citizens summoned by a herald. It is the LXX term for the community of Israel, whether assembled or not’[1] (p. 195). The verb literally means ‘to call out of’ (ek, out of + kaleo, to call). Sometimes, the word is translated by the English word “church” and sometimes by the word ‘assembly.’ Neither word is a good translation of the word. When we use the word ‘assembly,’ we think it must mean a public assembly summoned by a herald, according to the above definition. Yet, it is further acknowledged by Moulton and Milligan that the Septuagint used it to define the people of Israel whether assembled or not. It is important that you catch the significance of that statement. When the word is applied to God’s people, the assembly is called of God and known by Him. Here’s another example of a common word used to describe spiritual realities rather than its original physical application. We can readily see how the word ‘assembly’ could describe the ekklesia because it describes a collection of individuals who are placed by God into a class of people known as “the being saved ones” (1 Corinthians 1:18). The Hebrew writer speaks of the general assembly and church of the firstborn ones (Heb. 12:23). That they form a common bond and share a common purpose is further attested by the word, “assembly.” Like the Septuagint, it is not likely that the word stands for a physical assembly of people in a certain place. Furthermore, it is a collective noun that brings together individual units into one class. Other familiar examples of collective nouns are herd (of cows), covey (of quail), pride (of lions), colony, army, swarm or nest (of ants), hive (of bees), band (of coyotes), flock (of geese), or pack (of dogs).” Each of these consists of individual units of the same class. In the case of ekklesia, the special units are saints.
[1] Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament, p. 195.