Well, we have our American way of "doing church" and it is drawn from our Roman Catholic heritage. We have carried on the division of clergy and laity; church buildings; a favored clergy class; control of the laity by clergy; the idea that the church saves and we have to stay in the good graces of the church to stay saved; etc.
It's not perfect and it certainly has been abused by some but it's our way of "doing church."
Jesus had some disciples gathered around Him and He referred to them as His church. A few months before His death He said that He would build up/edify His Church (
Matthew 16:18) upon the Rock (which I understand to be Jesus Christ). Later He mentioned His church again in
Matthew 18:15-18 He gave a few more insights on His Church. It is spoken of as people, and at least 2 or 3 gathered in His name with the promise that He would be in their midst. He quoted a rabbinic saying, "If two sit together and words of Torah pass between them, the Shekhinah abides between them."
From the simple concept of two or more gathered in His name we humans have developed a system of organization with paid staff and buildings and programs.
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