I was just asked a good question, and thought I’d re-post my answer here:
What do you mean by “spiritual family”?
Here was my reply:
The primary metaphor for church in the New Testament is FAMILY— not hospital, not army, not organization and not school. So often we will refer to the emerging of a new local church as a “spiritual family.” Not a physical family, but the new brother & sisters who are spiritually joining together to follow Jesus.
Jesus actually uses this kind of language about his new “spiritual family” in Matthew 12:46-50:
While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.”
He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
A few Bible verses which use this language about the church in the New Testament:
“Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” (Galatians 6:10 NIV)
“Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.” (1 Peter 2:17 NIV)
“And in fact, you do love all of God’s family throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more.” (1 Thessalonians 4:10 NIV)
“In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered. Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters. He says,
“I will declare your name to my brothers and sisters;
in the assembly I will sing your praises.”(Hebrews 2:10-12 NIV)
Hopefully that helps if you had the same question!