House Church Talk - The Local Church

[Paul Cox]

Hi Jim, 

What it is:  A very hot topic for debate. 
What it is not:  A term found in the Bible.

Those who claim to have the greatest expertise on the subject make it an
issue of severe division in the Body of Christ, and are perhaps the last
ones you would want to consult on the subject - pretty much the same way
I would not go to a United Pentecostal to find out about the Spirit, nor
would I particularly seek out a Seven Day Adventist to find out the true
meaning of the Sabbath.  

For my part, and for what it's worth, I feel that if you insist that
there must be a local church in every city, I have to ask what God sees.
There are those who will tell you by way of the writings of Watchman
Nee, that in order to be a genuine local church, you must meet a certain
criteria.  That's not possible.  A reading of Revelations 2 and 3
reveals that there were many among those seven churches who did not meet
those criteria.  Yet, the Lord Jesus called each one THE CHURCH.  Paul
certainly didn't hesitate to call the church at Corinth, THE CHURCH.
What a mess that was!  There were even some among them who had favorite
apostles and thought that their apostle was the best thing to come along
since running water.  Yet, they were THE CHURCH.  

So I believe that what the Lord recognizes as the church in every city
is the aggregate of all the true believers in that city, regardless of
the multitudinous games being played by self appointed popes who claim
to have the up-to-date accurate revelation.

BTW Jim, thanks for opening up this subject.  However, I can absolutely
guarantee you that it will not get resolved here; but it's good we can
be honest and open.  One of the greatest pearls of wisdom that my dad
left with me was:  "be smart enough to know what you don't know".  In
other words, to realize what it is that you don't know.
Your brother
Paul Cox    

-----Original Message-----
From: House Church Talk -bounces at housechurch.org
[mailto:House Church Talk -bounces at housechurch.org] On Behalf Of
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Sent: Friday, September 19, 2003 8:12 AM
To: House Church Talk  at housechurch.org
Subject: House Church Talk -  The Local Church

Good Morning, All & Happy Friday!

Here's a question:  What is a local church?

Is it the sum of all the believers in any given area, say a city or
maybe a 
rural region (watch those r's)?  

Or is it a specific kind of gathering of believers on a regular basis?

Or is it the sum of all the groups in a given area that meet regularly
for 
worshp & fellowship?

Is it any one or all the above?  None of the above?

Jim
https://housechurch.org/mailman/listinfo/House Church Talk