What is meant by "the church"?

When people talk about 'church' it's easy to form an incorrect idea of what is meant by the word. Both believers and unbelievers are influenced by the outward appearance and workings of the church today. The Bible corrects this impression, but it takes looking past the system and structure and traditions of multitudes of denominations and streams of theological thought. Yet it is vital to do so. A proper grasp of what is meant by church has important implications for Christians in their life of faith.