What is a church?

In The Forgotten Ways, Alan Hirsch defines a church like this:

1. A covenanted community – a church is formed not by people just hanging out together, but ones bound together in a distinctive bond. There is a certain obligation toward one another formed around covenant.
2. Centered on Jesus – He is the new covenant with God and he thus forms as the true epicenter of an authentic Christ-ian faith…A covenant community centered around Jesus participates in the salvation that he brings. We receive the grace of God in him. But, more is required to truly constitute a church.

A true encounter with God in Jesus must result in…

3. Worship, defined as offering our lives back to God through Jesus.
4. Discipleship, defined as following Jesus and becoming increasingly like him (Christlikeness)
5. Mission, defined as extending the mission of God through the activities of his people.

from Tim Stevens LeadingSmart.com

I follow a couple of blogs. This one caught my eye for a couple of reasons. First, this is the kind of question I have been thinking on since 1995 when I first came to Europe. Other than language learning, the question of what a church is has been a constant topic. It helps to have a good idea of what you're trying to get started when you're working in a different culture.

Second, Hirsch's book is sitting on my shelf waiting for me to read. I need to get to it.