So far in this study we have spoken of our personal spiritual
responsibilities. However, we have a duty to meet together with others who
share our hope. Again, this should be something we naturally desire to do.
We have shown that after baptism we enter a wilderness journey towards the
Kingdom. It is only natural that we should desire to make contact with
fellow-travellers. It seems we are living in the last days before Christ’s
coming; to overcome the many complex trials which assail us in these times,
we need to fellowship with those who are in the same position: “Let us not
give up meeting together .. .but let us encourage one another -- and all the
more as you see the Day (of the second coming) approaching” (Heb. 10:25 NIV
cf. Mal. 3:16). Believers should therefore make every effort to make contact
with each other through letters and travelling to meet with each other to
share Bible study, the communion service, and preaching activities.
We
have each individually been ‘called out’ of the world to the great hope of
the Kingdom. The word ‘saint’ means ‘a called out person’, and can refer to
all true believers rather than just to a few notable believers of the past.
The Greek word which is translated ‘church’ in the English Bible is
‘ecclesia’, meaning ‘an assembly of called out ones’, i.e. believers. The
‘church’ therefore refers to the group of believers, rather than the
physical building in which they meet. To avoid misunderstanding in the use
of this term, some tend to refer to their ‘churches’ as ‘ecclesias’.
Wherever there are a number of believers in a certain town or area, it is
logical that they find a meeting place in which to meet regularly. This
could be in a believer’s house or in a hired hall. Ecclesias meet world-wide
in places like community centres, hotel conference rooms, self-built halls
or private homes. The purpose of an ecclesia is to help each other on the
way to the Kingdom. This is done in a variety of ways such as collective
Bible study or witnessing to the world through preaching. A typical schedule
for an ecclesia could be something like this.
SUNDAY 11 a.m. - Breaking
of Bread service
6 p.m. - Public preaching activity
WEDNESDAY 8 p.m. -
Bible study
The ecclesia is part of the family of God. In any close-knit
community, each member needs to be sensitive and submissive to the others.
Christ himself was the supreme example in this. Despite his evident
spiritual supremacy, he acted as the “servant of all”, washing the
disciples’ feet whilst they argued amongst themselves as to who was the
greatest among them. Jesus bids us follow his example in this (Jn. 13:14,15;
Mt. 20:25 28).
Believers refer to each other as ‘brother’ or ‘sister’,
being on first-name terms regardless of their differing positions in secular
life. This said, it is evident that there should be respect for believers
who have known the true God for many years, or who have rapidly matured in
spiritual matters through their commitment to God’s Word. The advice of
believers like this will be greatly valued by those who are seeking to
follow God’s Word. However, they will only take the advice of other
believers insofar as it is an accurate reflection of God’s Word.