House Church Talk - Re: Real Christians

[Bruce Woodford]

Hi Jim P,

I'm very sorry that I've taken so long to reply to your questions of a few 
days ago. But our daughter just got married yesterday and so the last few 
days have been pretty hectic around here!

You wrote:"Interesting Bruce... hummmm? <<> Does any one else have any 
thoughts or observations in this regard?>> Well only because you asked... 
<smile> <<> In EVERY city where 2 or more men went to preach the gospel as a 
 > co-operative enterprise, there were ALWAYS churches established. However 
in > the Book of Acts, there is NOT EVEN ONE city where just ONE MAN WENT 
ALONE > where a church was ever established.>> Not being confrontational - 
not one iota, Bruce... Yet, I want to add, how many "churches are there?"

There is one church which is the Body of Christ and of which every child of 
God is a member including those saved at Lydda, Joppa Athens etc.  But there 
are also many "churches of God" but only ONE church of God in any given 
city. Every church of God includes every saint, every child of God in that 
particular city regardless of whether they gather together or even know of 
one another!  So yes, as soon as people were saved in Lydda, Joppa, Athens 
etc there were churches of God in those places composed of those regenerate 
people in those places.

However, the church which is Christ's Body has never yet been gathered 
together. There are many cities in which the church of God has never yet 
been gathered together!  So the churches to which I was referring were 
functioning, gathering, relating companies of saints.

You continued:"If you say - One! - we maybe won't quickly dismiss, that when 
<<(i.e Peter went alone to Lydda and Joppa, some were healed and some were 
saved, but we never read of churches in those places.>> ...that the church 
<singular> was being increased... Maybe if we said, the Kingdom of God on 
Earth was being advanced...? As the "church" <read as> "people", not earthen 
exterior forms, models, formats, patterns was being sown and deposited as 
the Holy Spirit saw fit."

Yes, Jim, as I mention above, I agree with you that the church which is 
Christ's Body, and that the Kingdom of God are being advanced and expanded 
where ever people are saved. I'm not defining "church" by exterior forms, 
models, formats etc. but rather, as scripture refers to them as relating, 
gathering, functioning companies of saints.

You continued:" I suppose the reason I even bring this up - is that IF we 
only think in terms of an observable physical format, we might miss the 
deposit He has seen fit to establish... I think that is the history... a 
pitfall to be guarded against... imo... .... and Bruce, what would you make 
of the account of Acts 10... The angel said to send and bring back a single 
individual - Peter... Not Peter and ??? Though companions went along, 
doesn't appear they had much input, at least not enough that the Holy Spirit 
<God> would see necessity to have it recorded, so that a full fledged 
"non-optional pattern" of always a two-some would be forever called for... 
Would you say, that as Peter and companions departed, a church was 
established there?"

No brother, I did not claim that churches were formed immediately in places 
where two or more men went together. I have only observed that functioning, 
gathering churches of which scripture speaks all seem to be the result of 
the co-operative enterprise of 2 or more.

You concluded as follows:"Sometimes the Holy Spirit might say, separate unto 
me, Paul and Bruce, for a task/assignment I have laid out for them... yet 
again, maybe He might likewise, prepare an individual, even by vision, for a 
task of significance... Obedience to His leading, seems to be the greater 
"pattern"... no matter, how we - as Peter - resist by our former patterns 
(mindsets)... ha!"

I have no doubt that God often calls lone individuals to tasks and 
assignments that are uniquely theirs to fulfill. I don't question that at 
all. Both Peter's assignment in John 21 and Paul's in Acts 9:15,16 were 
unique. BUT,  their success or lack thereof in seeing functioning, gathering 
churches begun seems to be directly linked to whether or not they worked 
side by side with others in the task of Gospel testimony.

Does this clarify anything or does it seem inconsistent with what you read 
in scripture?

Your brother in Christ,
Bruce

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