“And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church…” Matthew 16:18 (KJV) I recently read a comment online that said, “Satan built the church.” It certainly gets your attention. But is it true? Jesus made a very clear promise: “I will build My ἐκκλησία (ekklēsia).” If we believe Christ, then we cannot say Satan built Christ’s ekklēsia. Jesus Himself is its Builder. At the same time, we should be honest enough to ask another question: Have we drifted from what Jesus intended His ekklēsia to be? Christ Built His Ekklēsia The Greek word ἐκκλησία (ekklēsia) did not describe a building. It referred to an assembly of people gathered under authority for a purpose. In the Greek world, an ekklēsia was a summoned assembly that met to deliberate and act. In the Greek Old Testament, the word frequently translated the Hebrew qāhāl, the assembled people of God. When Jesus declared, “I will build My ekklēsia,” He was not promising to construct buildings or create another religious institution. He was gathering a people who would live under His authority and carry His message into the world. People Drift Throughout Scripture, God’s people have always been capable of drifting from His design. Israel drifted. The churches addressed in Revelation drifted. Even the apostles repeatedly corrected churches that had lost sight of their mission. That should humble us. It is entirely possible for a church to have sound doctrine, beautiful facilities, growing attendance, and active programs while slowly drifting away from Christ’s purpose. Drift rarely happens overnight. It happens one small compromise at a time. Institutions Can Become the Mission Buildings are wonderful servants. They become terrible masters. Programs are valuable. Organization is necessary. Administration matters. But whenever preserving the institution becomes more important than proclaiming Christ, something has gone wrong. History provides remarkable examples of believers who understood this.