1. WE MEET FOR MUTUAL EDIFICATION
 

* It is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ, and all for your upbuilding (edification) beloved. (2 Cor 12:19)

 

It is not often understood that the Biblical reason for gathering together is mutual encouragement, edification and exhortation. We come together to support one another and stir one another up to love and good works (Heb 10:24). There are other features of a church meeting, including ministry of the word and worship, but these are not said to be why we assemble together.

 

The key chapter on the church meeting is 1 Cor 14. Here the clear reason for coming together is to edify one another. This is the main description of the early church gathered and there is no exegetical reason whatsoever to deny its normative nature. In fact this chapter contains phrases like: as in all the churches, what I am writing is a command of the Lord, if anyone does not recognize this he is not recognized. It is as if Paul wants to emphasize that his teaching here is vital to all churches at all times. Commenting upon this passage, the scholar Leon Morris says:

 

(It) is very important as giving us the most intimate glimpse we have of the early church at worship ... it is our earliest account of a service and it enables us to see something of what the first Christians actually did when they assembled to worship God. Clearly their services were more spontaneous and less structured ...  

 

 We need not press everyone (or 'each', hekastos), as though it meant that every member of the congregation always had something to contribute. But it does mean that any of them might be expected to take part in the service.

 

Edification: 
The word oikodome is based upon the word doma which means an edifice (from demo: to build). To it is added the word oikos which means a dwelling or home. The whole word came to mean: the construction of a house. From this it is used in the New Testament (and elsewhere) for spiritual strengthening, edification, i.e. building up.

 

Church Meetings:  
1 Cor 14:5,12,19,26,31: All things are to be done for edification. 
Heb 10:24-25: Exhort one another when you come together. [The word 'exhort' = parakaleo, to exhort, encourage, comfort. It is a similar word to edify. Both appear in 1 Cor 14:3 along with consolation' (paramuthia).]

 

The General Principle in the Fellowship of the Body: 
Heb 3:13: Exhort one another daily. 
1 Thess 5:11: Build one another up (oikodome) and comfort one another (parakaleo).

 

Expressions of Edification in the Body of Christ: 

Speaking to one another (Eph 5:18)

Singing to one another (Eph 5:19)

Bearing one another's burdens (Gal 6:2)

Using the gifts that God has given us (1 Cor 12)

Encourage one another (1 Cor 14:3)

Teach one another (Col 3:16)

Admonish one another (Rom 15:14; note that this task is not restricted to the elders)

Comfort one another (1 Thess 4:18)

Read scripture to each other (1 Tim 4:13)

Pray together (1 Tim 2:8)

Break Bread together (Acts 20:7)

 

Focal Points of Edification in the Meeting (Acts 2:42):

Apostolic Doctrine (not a sermon but organic community instruction, resulting in a growing doctrinal understanding which built character).

Fellowship (Koinonia)

Breaking Bread (i.e. the Lord's Supper, note Acts 20:7)

Prayers
 

There is something movingly spontaneous about their desire to do things together. Here was a group of people who did not want to be spectators, but participants. Church for them was not just an institution they went to on a Sunday; it was a community that formed the context of their whole lives and about which they felt passionately enthusiastic.

 

2. GOD'S PURPOSE IN BUILDING HIS CHURCH
 

God has determined to reveal his invisible nature through a body of people redeemed and hidden in his Son. Jesus is the full expression of God (Col 2:9) and, in Christ; his redeemed people also express the nature of God (Col 2:10). God’s plan is to reveal himself through the church, the Body of Christ, in a corporate expression of his character:
 

Through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places. (Eph 3:10)

We who first hoped in Christ have been destined and appointed to live for the praise of his glory. (Eph 1:12)

Consequently, if the local expression of God’s testimony in Christ is to be characterized by the glory of God (Eph 3:20-21) it must function corporately. This means that every member has a function and a role to play. It is completely insufficient, therefore, to rely upon only one man, or a few selected people, for the ministry of the church if we are to see a mature testimony to God in Biblical terms.

 

Initial conclusions:

It follows that all genuine, Biblical, Christian meetings should always contain the following elements expressed in diverse ways:

A focus on Christ being expressed in corporate terms.

An overriding emphasis on edification, building each other up.

A focus on community, as against institution.

A focus on informality, as against formalism.

A structure that is organic, as opposed to organized.

 

Key practical elements:

There will be opportunities for unrestricted fellowship within the bounds of decency and order. Everyone can participate in their gifting.

There will be breaking of bread.

There will be open prayers, i.e.: not a few minutes where there is freedom to pray under leadership direction, but access to praying as the Holy Spirit directs at any time and in any manner.

There will be a freedom to minister in the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

There will be doctrinal instruction of some sort done in an informal organic way, which results in real learning taking place.

 

3. THIS REQUIRES EVERY MEMBER PARTICIPATION

 

Since God's testimony requires a corporate expression through a group not an individual and, if the New Testament teaching on practical church life knows only mutuality not individualism, then it follows that we must all function. The ministries of each member should be discerned, recognized and nurtured for use at appropriate times under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Why is this?
 

a/ Because we are ALL priests.
 

No longer, as under the law, is it only one man that ministers to God on behalf of the people (1 Pt 2:5,9). The temple of God must have a functioning priesthood. Together we are that temple, and under the New Covenant, we are all priests called to serve God. In the Old Testament the priest primarily ministered to the Lord by offering sacrifices, to enable worship of God; and praying for the people to maintain fellowship with God, but now:

 

EXPRESSIONS OF THIS NEW TESTAMENT PRIESTHOOD

 

Offering a sacrifice:

Rom 12:1 - the sacrifice we are now to present is our own bodies

Heb 13:15-16 - praise from our lips is a sacrifice

- doing good and sharing is a sacrifice

Prayer and worship: Rev 5:8-9

 

b/ Because we are told that all are functioning parts of the body. (1 Cor 14:26)

 

Each one has been gifted by God and enabled to share in the assembly of the body (Eph 4:7). This sharing is done under the sovereignty of the Holy Spirit within meetings, so that all may be edified and Christ revealed through each one.

 

TYPES OF PARTICIPATION in 1 Cor 14:  

 
Tongues (v5, 26) and interpretation (v13)

Prophecy (v1, 29)

Singing hymns (v26 also Col 3:16)

Singing in the Spirit (v15)

Praying (v15)

Giving a lesson (v26 i.e. a word of instruction, teaching: didache)

Giving a revelation (v26, presumably via prophecy or a word of knowledge)

Note: that Paul says this instruction is a command of the Lord (v37).

 

Note: there is no reference to a sermon (i.e. preaching) at all, let alone it dominating a meeting. This is not to suggest that teaching and exhortation did not take place. At the prompting of the Holy Spirit such ministry ought to be given at appropriate times in the general gatherings, but it would not normally dominate meetings which were interactive. Teaching is obviously vital in the local church. Elders should recognize the need for specific ministry and arrange meetings for instruction (e.g. Acts 20 where the emphasis is a long period of conversational teaching). Small groups, where all present are encouraged to participate with insights or questions, have proven to be more effective in making lasting impressions than preaching from a platform. This would seem to be in keeping with the ethos of 1 Cor 12-14 than the traditional sermon based meeting, nor does it rule out the possibility of extra gatherings held specifically for the purpose of teaching.
 

There was thus a variety of ingredients in the service. But the guiding rule is 'Let all things be done for edification' (NASB), as Paul has been insisting.

 

c/ Because we are all part of the body of Christ, no one is dispensable (1 Cor 12)

 
Everyone has a potential manifestation of the Spirit for the common good (v7).

There are varieties of gifts, service and working (v4-5).

No one member is more important than another (v12,14-26).

 

d/ Because we need each other to see Christ revealed
 

Only as we minister together can we hope to get a glimpse of Christ in expression (1 Cor 12:12).

Only by every member functioning and relating to others can we grow (Eph 4:15-16).

Each part (i.e. member) must be working properly and joined within the body (Col 2:19).

[We are looking primarily at the gathering of the body here. Perhaps we need to emphasize at this point that not all gifts are vocal; neither is a member’s functionality limited to the church meeting. Very many gifts will be expressed in the community life of the body in the care of one another and charitable work towards outsiders for the Gospel’s sake.]

 

4. THIS NECESSITATES EQUIPPING AND EMPOWERING ALL MEMBERS
 

If everyone is to function as God intended, then we must realize that discipling is vital in bringing people to maturity. The key task for leaders is to develop ministry in everyone. The New Testament identifies only one group of people with the responsibility for this oversight of the Lord's people, these are elders.

There is no other leadership function recognized to have the care of souls. Deacons are to assist in practical serving to alleviate the pressure on elders. Other recognized ministries (e.g. evangelists) have input to the church under the direction of the elders. The elders are shepherds (pastors) who take care of God's sheep. Paul frequently uses words of nourishing for a description of their ministry: nursing, fathering, shepherding, caring. Like a father seeking to build up his children to maturity, so an elder cares for the nourishment of the people of God (1 Tim 3:5).
 

Elders will be gifted themselves, for example as teachers. Elders will also ensure that the church has effective ministry when required, for example: input from evangelists to motivate the people to witnessing.
 

However, this task will usually involve delegation of responsibility (how else would new elders emerge)? Furthermore, the New Testament gives general instruction for the members of the body to care for one another, admonish one another etc (Eph 5:21; Rom 15:14; Col 3:16; 1 Pt 5:5). The elders are to ensure decency and order but not to dominate or rigidly control the whole proceedings.
 

 Nurturing, in fact, is the imperative for leadership.

 

Saints are to be equipped in order to minister:
 

And his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ. Eph 4:11-12.
 

The word equip (perfecting, AV) means: complete, mature. It is used in terms of setting a bone in place, refitting a ship or mending a net. It means to bring to maturity or perfection.
 

These verses clearly show that the objective of the gifted men referred to is to develop all the members of the body so that each one may be equipped to minister within his or her gifting for the building up of the body. The idea that ministry in the church is the prerogative of a selected few is alien to the teaching of the New Testament.
 

It involves scriptural instruction (2 Tim 3:16-17; Titus 1:9)
 

The analogy of the shepherd pictures development of sheep to maturity (1 Pt 5:1-4)

 

5. RELATIONSHIPS: THIS REQUIRES KOINONIA

 

Koinonia means: participation in, i.e. giving and taking. It refers to the body life of believers expressed in the local church. Our lives are meant to be interdependent and interactive. The idea of going to church is unknown in the New Testament. The church is the people that constitute it.
 

The word church (ekklesia), means a body of people called out and called together.
 

Exemplified by the early church (Acts 2:42, 4:32).
 

We are called to minister to one another.
 

Over 50 times the phrase _one another_ is linked to a command to serve in some way, e.g. forgive, love, care etc.

 

6. RELATIONSHIPS: THIS, IN TURN, REQUIRES OPENNESS AND TRUST
 

Church members are brothers and sisters
 

We are all closely related to each other, not by blood, but by Spirit. We are called to develop a love relationship in the Body which is a reflection of the love expressed in the Godhead.
 

The church is a family, the household of God (Eph 2:19)
 

It is not an institution, nor is it an organization. It is a place of intimacy. We are called to develop a community in the Body of Christ which is a reflection of the community of love within the Godhead. The analogies for the church in scripture mainly speak about relationships and intimacy, e.g. the body, the family, the vine, the flock.
 

In all these things we can see that it is only by being open to and trusting each other that we can hope to obey the command of the Lord. If we are to bear one another's burdens, then someone has to say what his or her burden is and another has to be willing to help carry it. Sometimes this may involve confrontation, as when one member needs to admonish another. All should be done with a view to restoring and enhancing relationships in the Body.

 

WHY ARE SO MANY CURRENT CHURCH SYSTEMS OF GATHERING WRONG?

 

Church leaders and scholars have often agreed that most traditional systems are not Biblical and that the real purpose of gathering should be for mutual edification. Few, however, have had the courage to change anything. The Puritan Thomas Goodwin, for instance notes that:
 

* [In the] communion of the saints, which the members of a church ought to have with one another [mutual care] is a constant duty, and that we ought to seek all occasions of acting it.
 

In conversation with a friend who was once the Principal of a well-known conservative Christian Seminary, I was apprised that his students were taught the New Testament pattern, yet informed that they could not expect to practice it when they were placed in a church! Consequently, most people do not even realize that their method of gathering is wrong, or why they gather as they do. Another great Puritan, John Owen, could say in 1689:
 

For the most part, the churches that are in the world at present know not how they came so to be, continuing only in that state which they have received by tradition from their fathers.
 

Tradition is a poor reason to disobey God. This was recognized even in the days of the early church Fathers: Custom without truth is error grown old.

 

Reasons commonly given to gather in the contemporary church

To hear a sermon

To worship

To evangelize

To maintain a public witness
 

No matter how worthy each of these things might be, none of them is the reason given in the New Testament to gather together. Even worship is seen as a corollary of gathering rather than the purpose of it.

 

Although the whole activity of Christians can be described as the service of God and they are engaged throughout their lives in worshipping Him, yet this vocabulary is not applied in any specific way to Christian meetings ... the remarkable fact is that Christian meetings are not said to take place specifically in order to worship God and the language of worship is not used as a means of referring to them or describing them.

 

We are called to worship continually so that when we come together, worship will naturally occur. Unfortunately, it has become axiomatic today that we go to worship and many have lost the joy of private communion and adoration of God. Worship has also become associated with an experience led event which takes place in a particular fashion in a large meeting in a certain way (usually one which engages the emotions and senses dramatically). We need to recover the ability to worship all the time in all places; to worship in the giving of our lives to God in his continual service (Rom 12:1).

 

We have seen the reasons for gathering, and what the New Testament says we should do when we do gather. Should we not question the practice of going to a building which we call church, attending without any form of involvement or participation (apart from singing en masse which does not even include choice of song), sitting and listening to one man for a considerable time, and following a carefully prepared liturgy or meeting structure? The apostles would find such procedure astonishing. It has no support in the Bible and fails to train people in righteousness to the degree we should expect. Even the great teacher RL Dabney said that his audience retained a very small percentage of his sermons and failed to develop accordingly even after many years.

 

 The inactive member system is not only unbiblical - it does not work!

 

LET ALL THINGS BE DONE FOR EDIFICATION (1 COR 14:26)