Ecclesiology usually refers to the theological study of the Christian Church. However when the word was coined in England in the late 1830s, it was defined as the science of the building and decoration of church buildings and it is still, though rarely, used in this sense.

In its theological sense, ecclesiology deals with the church's origin, its relationship to Jesus, its role in salvation, its discipline, its destiny, and its leadership. Since different ecclesiologies give shape to very different institutions, the word may also refer to a particular church or denomination’s character, self-described or otherwise – hence phrases such as Roman Catholic ecclesiology, Lutheran ecclesiology, and ecumenical ecclesiology.

The roots of the word ecclesiology come from the Greek ἐκκλησίᾱ, ekklēsiā (Latin ecclesia) meaning "congregation, church"; and -λογία, -logia, meaning "words", "knowledge", or "logic", a combining term used in the names of sciences or bodies of knowledge.

Its first appearance in print, as ecclesialogy, was in the quarterly journal The British Critic in 1837, in an article written by an anonymous contributor who defined it thus:

Douglas W. Weaver (born 1930) is a former American football player, coach, and college sports administrator. He served as the head football coach at Kansas State University from 1960 to 1966 and at Southern Illinois University Carbondale from 1974 to 1975, compiling a career college football record of 11–78–2. His Kansas State Wildcats teams posted two of the longest losing streaks in college football history.^{[citation needed]} Weaver was also the athletic director at the Georgia Institute of Technology from 1976 to 1979 and at Michigan State University from 1979 to 1989.

Weaver starred at center on Michigan State's great teams of the early 1950s. After graduation, he served as an assistant on Duffy Daugherty's staff at his alma mater, and at the University of Missouri under Dan Devine. Prior to the 1960 season, he was hired as the head coach at Kansas State at age 29.

In seven seasons at Kansas State, he compiled a 8–60–1 record. His final two seasons went without a win. His 1961 and 1962 teams posted a losing streak of 18 games—tied for the 20th-longest streak in college football history.^{[citation needed]} Weaver's best season at K-State came in 1964, when his team went 3–7, with the three wins coming by a combined six points, but he retained his sense of humor. According to a Sports Illustrated article, after he was hanged in effigy at K-State, he said: "I'm glad it happened in front of the library. I've always emphasized scholarship." He was fired following the 1966 season. His career record was 8–60–1 including a 4–43-1 record in conference play.

Alan Hirsch (born 24 October 1959) is a South African-born missiologist, author, and a leader in the missional church movement.

Hirsch was born into a Jewish family in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1959. He moved to Cape Town, in 1963 where he spent most of his childhood and adolescence. Then, he went to university in Cape Town where he studied business and marketing and moved to Australia in 1983 with his family. Although his family was not particularly religious, he was very much influenced by his Jewish heritage as his writings make clear. He also became politically active in opposition to racism as early as thirteen years old because he thought it to be “morally reprehensible”. He served a two years compulsory call-up in the South African military where he was “first introduced to drugs and then Jesus”. Although he was not around many Christians in his childhood, he recounts having deeply religious experiences and being fascinated with Jesus as a teenager. After having moved to Australia, he had a life-changing experience with the Holy Spirit that has deeply affected him. Soon after moving, he married Debra who was living on "the margins of society" like Alan. They have been married and in Christian ministry together for over twenty years.