House Church Talk - Purposeful Church/WWW CHURCH

[Dan Gordon]

Bruce Woodford wrote:
> Dear brothers and sisters,
> 
> Recently God has been deeply challenging and expanding my thinking about how
> His church functions and I've been enjoying His church in situations way
> "outside of the box" of my former thoughts about "church".    Is it really
> true that church, interactive ministry, edification, exhortation,
> encouragemnent and eating of the Lord's supper can take place WHENEVER,
> WHEREVER and with any saint WHOEVER  they may be (ANY PLACE, ANY TIME. and
> with ANY ONE of the people of God)?
> 
> Is it God's purpose revealed in scripture:
> - that His new covenant people should edify and exhort each other in
> PARTICULAR PLACES (consecrated buildings or ordinary homes)?
> - that His new covenant people, when they gather,  should be ministered to
> by a PARTICULAR KIND  (a consecrated priestly class)?
> - that His new covenant people should edify and exhort each other on a
> PARTICULAR DAY ( a consecrated day of  the week)?
> 
> If any of these things are true, what scriptures would teach them?
> 
> OR is it God's purpose revealed in scripture:
> - that His new covenant people should edify and exhort each other WHEREVER
> two or more of them are together in His name? (At home, on the street, in
> restaurants or cafeterias, on planes, trains buses,  in markets, gymnasiums,
> lecture halls, factories etc)  Mat thew 18:20;  Heb.10:24,25; Ephesians 5:16
> - that His new covenant people be a functioning, ministering, sacrificing
> priethood, WHOEVER they are?  Rom.12:1,2;  I Peter 2:4-10;  I Peter 4:10,11
> - that His new covenant people should edify and exhort each other WHENEVER
> they are together?
>    Heb.10:24,25 and Heb.3:13
> 
> God's old covenant people were very definitely called to gather, sacifice
> and observe holy days in particular places, on particular days and to look
> to a particular priesthood to carry out the priestly functions among them.
> Following similar patterns and mindsets, most believers today (including
> many outside of "institutional churches") continue to cling to one or more
> of these features.
> 
> But  I would suggest that believers who are walking in new covenant liberty
> are walking in the conscious acknowledgment and enjoyment of  edification
> and exhortation of  WWW  CHURCH!
> In others words,  they anticipate being part of a functioning church
> gathering WHENEVER  and  WHEREVER  they encounter other saints, WHOEVER they
> may be! (Any time, any place and with any one of their brothers and sisters
> in the Lord!)
> 
> By way of contrast, is it not true that whenever we are walking (consciously
> or inconsciously) in bondage to religious systems or in friendship with this
> world,    we will be WASTING time that could be invested for eternity,
> WANDERING with no vision and missing out on many divine appointments for
> ministry because we are conformed to this WORLD and its' ways?
> 
> I'm pondering these things and would welcome your thoughts and interaction!
> 
> Your brother in Christ,
> Bruce Woodford

Bruce - I think I agree with you in your thoughts.  I might take it a
step further, perhaps and suggest that less attention be paid to the
activity which is accomplished when we are WWW with believers.

It becomes very religious if we think that since I am with a believer,
I am then participating in church activity.  Whereas, as believers, it
is true that God is at work both to do and to will of His good
pleasure.  Recognizing that, then by definition, activity is WWW and
then rest in His work in/amongst us.  While that is somewhat freeform,
it is letting God do the work, which in our thinking really is
freeform.  And freeform WWW is in a manner of speaking, God at work,
really.  In this manner, we let God be the church, using us as He
will.  When God lets us review the time, we see God at work, God gets
the glory and thanks.  Sometimes God does not let us see the working
through of things when WWW, but the time He does, that becomes a
blessing from Him to us.  Just recently something happened where
timing was absolute and we reviewed that together and were thankful
that God let us see the working together of a small thing - but only
in His way/time could that happen.

The prospect of freeform but letting God somehow blends in my mind
with the words of Jesus speaking about come unto me and I will give
you rest - come unto me you that are heavy laden.  Heavy laden is
knowing what we need to do, being pressured by whatever/whomever to
get these things done, etc.  Rest is away from those pressures and
knowledge, and instead, allowing God to be God in/among us and thence
WWW - rest, in other words.

Thanks for your thinkings on this.
DanG ChicagoArea