DISCERNMENT ABOUT GATHERINGS

Matthew18: 20 “For where two or three are gathered together in my Name, there am I in the midst of them.”

1. Jesus has His Church (ekklesia) in Winnsboro, which Biblically is called the Church (ekklesia) in Winnsboro, the Church (ekklesia) of the City. It is made up of all remnant believers from various congregational expressions of the Body of Christ throughout the city.

2. Biblically when our Lord looks down on Winnsboro, He sees One Church (ekklesia), gathering in various locations throughout the city.

3. A “new” church (ekklesia) does not need to be formed in Winnsboro for the church (ekklesia) is already in the city. Rather, in addition to the larger corporate gatherings that already assemble there needs to be a further expression of Christ’s design for the Church (ekklesia) for believers to gather spontaneously and relationally in smaller “house to house” gatherings throughout the city. These two expressions of the assembling of the Body of Christ complement one another and further encourage the church (ekklesia) of the city to come to maturity in Christ.

4. We should allow the Holy Spirit to lead other believers to these smaller relational “house to house” gatherings according to His will and timing rather than our “inviting” others to “attend” except of course when the Spirit leads us to do so. We must remember that God does the “adding.”

5. We should gather “from house to house” on days and times other than the known schedules that the larger Body of Christ meets in the city, i.e., Sunday morning.

6. The smaller relational “house to house” gatherings can be both spontaneous and scheduled as the Holy Spirit directs, i.e., individuals and families gathering for various occasions of fellowship, recreation, encouragement, etc., as well as times of gatherings for breaking of bread, edifying, teaching, praising God, etc.

7. We should be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading in attending and participating in the other gatherings of the church (ekklesia) of the city to demonstrate our love for the whole Body of Christ and as an example of the unity that we have in Christ.

8. We should recognize that Scripturally, our unity and fellowship is in Jesus and we are to share in fellowship with other believers individually and corporately on that basis.

9. We should “speak” edifying words expressing “oneness in Christ” as we share with individual believers and with believers corporately.

10. We should be careful not to be judgmental of other individual believers or congregations but rather set a positive example of living out the Christ life before them individually and corporately.

11. We should actively participate in city-wide ministries of the whole church of the city, i.e., ministers’ fellowship, minister’s prayer meetings, city-wide prayer gatherings, benevolent ministries, outreach ministries, minister and spouse dinners, revivals, conferences, etc.

12. We should take the initiative in building and maintaining personal relationships with other brothers and sisters of the church (ekklesia) in the city.

13. We should receive other brothers and sisters and share fellowship in Christ on their maturity level and where they are in their Christian journey.

14. We should encourage other brothers and sisters in Christ to be conformed to the image of Jesus and do whatever we can to help them fulfill the calling, vision and gifting that God has in their lives.

Acts 2:46-47 “And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple (Solomon’s Porch), and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church (ekklesia) daily such as should be saved.”