Gather Different

All Christians agree that Christ is the Head of the assembly (Body). Unfortunately, in many situations, His role is overshadowed by political jockeying, bureaucracy, and our traditions. Often, Christ receives a respectful nod, but it's these traditions and power systems that end up calling the shots for the Body of Christ in a congregation. Many pastors recognize that our current, long-standing church system isn't quite what Christ intended for His ekklesia, but they find it challenging to make the necessary changes because of these deeply rooted traditions.  

Jesus said that He would build His ekklesia (assembly), and we’re confident He’s doing a fantastic job! The Scriptures have so much to share about believers coming together, supporting and uplifting each other, and making disciples. Jesus and the Apostles didn’t instruct us to start churches, but rather to focus on making disciples and being fishers of people. Jesus is the one building the house, and we are the Body of Christ, meant to be brothers and sisters to one another. We are not against "church", but we firmly believe that only Christ is responsible for building it, and over the years, the modern "church" has evolved significantly from what is portrayed in Scripture.

Christ is the Bread of Life. We hold that everyone should partake of Him daily. "Give us this day our daily bread..." He gives freely, but do we eat freely? The beauty of allowing each member to participate in every gathering is that everyone experiences a unique aspect of the Loaf each week. When we come together and each person shares the insights about Christ that they have gained that week, every member is edified and enriched by various aspects of His goodness, and His Body is more visibly assembled and the ekklesia is more properly built up. This is in contrast to receiving insights from the same one or two people each and every week. 

There are certainly crucial occasions when a single individual should deliver teachings to a congregation. Nevertheless, this should be the exception rather than the norm. Scripture indicates that when we gather, each person has something to contribute (1 Cor. 14:26). Unfortunately, this isn't the case in Sunday morning church services worldwide. We believe that the Body of Christ becomes significantly constrained (even to the point of stagnation) when 99% of the saints sit passively each week while those deemed "anointed" conduct all the teaching. There is a wealth of knowledge to be gained from one another, from individuals of all ages, every time we come together.

As image bearers, we were designed for community. Ultimately, most people seek a sense of belonging and family. Many don't feel they are getting that just by attending a Sunday morning service. We don't believe everyone has to or even wants to gather in homes. However, generally, people want to connect with others who share similar beliefs and values in some form. We believe Jesus was correct when He said, "For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst." Jesus is omnipresent. His presence is just as real in a home gathering, a cafe, a park, as it is in a church building on Sunday morning. And His presence is ultimately what every soul deeply longs for! 

Scripture declares that we are "a royal priesthood, a holy nation...so that we may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light." All believers are priests, not just a select few. Church tradition has taught us that God has a select group of chosen or anointed ministers, called "Clergy". Then there are those who support the clergy, attend church services and passively listen to the clergy, they are called the "laity". Interestingly though, Scripture does not teach this. It even goes so far as to condemn this divide. The word for clergy in the Greek means "an inheritance or possession". Laity means "people". Our traditions are in essence saying that vocational ministers are God's inheritance while those who aren't clergy are just people. Jesus said we are all equal as brothers and sisters (Matt. 23:8). While we do believe in various ministry gifts in the Body, we don't see a clergy/laity divide in Scripture. 

Jesus said He would build His ekklesia, not church. The Greek term ekklesia should never have been translated as church. A more precise English equivalent would be "a called-out assembly" or "congregation." For most people, the word church instantly evokes the image of a building where people gather on Sunday mornings, sing songs and listen to a sermon delivered by one person. While the term church creates images of a building, a service, and a sermon, ekklesia would not have evoked such thoughts. Remember, Jesus came to establish His kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. Ekklesia was a political term, referring to citizens of a kingdom who were called out to gather and make decisions. Every citizen had the right and authority to participate and express their opinions. Jesus is the King, and He has empowered each of His followers with a voice and the ability to use it within the ekklesia. He never mentioned constructing a building or founding a religious institution. He declared that He would build His ekklesia. Furthermore, the church building is not the house of God. It is we, the ekklesia, His sons and daughters, who are His true home. When people hear from the pulpit on Sunday mornings, "isn't it wonderful to be IN the house of God today?" it creates confusion regarding God's actual dwelling, which is His people. If church buildings were truly God's house, then He would have a residence on nearly every street corner, along with considerable mortgage debt. However, He has already paid for His home. His house is expanding worldwide, and we are thrilled to be a part of it!