pehli sadi mein kisi imarat ya upasna ki jagah ko church nahin kaha jaata tha. balki upasna ke liye jo log ikattha hote the un logon ko “church” ya “kaleesiya” kaha jaata tha.

is udahran par gaur keejiye: jab preshit paulus ne rom ke maseehiyon ko chitthi likhi tab usne ek jode ko apni shubhkamnayen bhejin, jinka naam akvila aur priskilla tha. iske baad usne likha: “us kaleesiya (church) ko bhi namaskar jo unke ghar mein hai.” (romiyon 16:5, the holi bible hindi - o.v.) paulus apni shubhkamnayen kisi imarat ko nahin bhej raha tha, iske bajay un logon ko bhej raha tha, jo us ghar mein milte the. un logon ke liye usne kaleesiya ya church shabd ka istemal kiya naa ki us ghar ke liye jismein woh milte the. *

isliye hum apni upasna ki jagah ko church kehne ke bajay “raaj-ghar” kehte hain.

aisa kehne ke kai kaaran hain:

• jahaan hum upasna ke liye milte hain, woh jagah ek ghar ki tarah hoti hai. usmein ek bada hall hota hai.

• hum vahaan yahova parmeshvar ki upasna karne ke liye milte hain. vahaan hum yahova ke baare mein seekhte hain. hum sabhaon mein hissa lete hain aur isse zahir karte hain ki hum yahova ke sakshi hain.—bhajan 83:18; yashayah 43:12.

• yeeshu yahova ke raaj ke baare mein baatein kiya karta tha. hum raaj-gharon mein usi raaj ke baare mein seekhte hain.—matti 6:9, 10; 24:14; luka 4:43.

aapke nazdeeki raaj-ghar mein aapka swagat hai. kyon naa aap khud hi dekh lein ki yahova ke sakshiyon ki sabhayen kaise hoti hain.