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THE CHURCH MAY BE VIEWED IN TWO WAYS

The Bible speaks of the church in two ways: (1) the church universal, and (2) the church local. For example, in I Cor. 12:28 the Bible says:

"And God hath set some in the church (singular), first apostles, secondly, prophets, thirdly, teachers ..."

However, in the Revelation the Bible says,

"Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches (plural) which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea." (Rev. 1:11)

And again, in I Cor. 14:23 we read,

"... the whole church assembled together ..."

In the first instance (I Cor. 12:28), the Bible is referencing the church universal, and in the second instance (Revelation I:11 and I Corinthians 14:23), the Bible is referencing the church local.

In a spiritual sense, of course, the church is one and, therefore, cannot be divided; but physically, its members are scattered throughout the earth and do not live in one place. When speaking of the church universal, the Bible is referencing all those believers of every race, ethnicity, nationality, culture, locality, language, and civilization - and even those who have died and are now with the Lord. When speaking of the church local, the Bible is referencing those believers who "assemble together" because they are physically able to do so - that is to say, they live in proximity to one another as in the case referenced above in I Cor. 14:23.

When one speaks of the "body-life," therefore, one must speak of it in these two ways: firstly, in its local application; and secondly, in its universal application; concomitantly, when one speaks of the work of building up the church, one must speak of the work in these two ways: firstly, in its local operation; and secondly, in its universal operation.

The first sphere of the "work of building" is the local sphere. This is the most important and practical sphere because it's here that the church becomes visible, and it's here that it makes contact with the world and the unsaved. Indeed, it probably wouldn't be too much to say, that it's at the local level of the church's operation that the main struggle between it and the world for the souls of men and women takes place.

The second sphere of the "work of building" is the universal sphere. It is primarily a work of coordination and evangelism (especially insofar as new geographical areas are concerned).

A FUNDAMENTAL ERROR

In the past, Christians seem to have placed more importance on the work of the church in its universal function, and, therefore, have considered those saints to whom this work has been entrusted to be more "important" and "spiritual" than those who operate at a local level.

This we take to have been a fundamental error. It stems primarily from our human nature [our "natural mind" - "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned... " (1 Cor. 2:14)] and from the fact that so many of us view the church as one would view a business organization where "order" and "discipline" are imposed on the business in a top to bottom flow of authority through an orderly arrangement of intermediaries known as an hierarchy. [It should be noted in this connection that we are using the term "hierarchy" in its "human" context (i.e., a "lord to minion" type of arrangement); it is precisely this kind of arrangement of authority against which the Lord spoke in Mark 10:42: "... it shall not be so among you ..." There is, of course, hierarchy in God's kingdom, but it is not at all how we as humans conceive it. It's because we as human beings envision hierarchy in the distorted and convoluted terms that we do, that Jesus found it necessary to admonish His disciples in the way that He did - more about this in the next section.]

HIERARCHY: MAN'S WAY, NOT GOD'S WAY

But this is the way the world operates; it's not the way the church functions. Such thinking is carnal, not spiritual. And why is that? The reason lies in the fact that God is infinite in time and space, while man (and, for that matter, all of creation - both the angelic and the demonic) is finite; which is to say, he is limited by time and space. Man can only be in one place at one time. And not only that, he has the capacity to carry on simultaneous relationships with only a few people at any one given time. He is, therefore, limited in terms which are not only intellectual, but which are epochal.

God has no need to contact His universe (His creation) by means of intermediaries (i.e., bureaucracies and hierarchies); He is capable of being everywhere at once. Indeed, the fact of the matter is, there is nowhere in the universe where He is not present - and more, there is nowhere in time where His Being is not there. God transcends both time and space. The Bible says of God:

"Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.

"For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night. (Ps. 90:2,4)

And -

"Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

"If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

"If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;

"Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

"If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.

"Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

"For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.

"I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

"My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

"Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

"How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

"If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee. (Psalms 139:7-18)

But of man, the Bible says:

"... what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him! or the son of man, that thou makest account of him!

"Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away. (Ps. 144:3-4)

And -

"Thou carriest them (i.e., men) away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up.

"In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth.

"The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. (Ps. 90:5-6, 10)

As a result of man's finite nature, he must resort to the use of intermediaries (i.e., bureaucracies and hierarchies) in order to exercise his control over space and time (specifically, over the world, or, for that matter, anything - whether we're talking about businesses, city and county governments, charitable organizations, etc.). Moreover, this is so not only with regard to man, but also of Satan.

Satan, after all, is merely another creature - an extremely awesome, powerful and even majestic one, no doubt, but a creature nonetheless; he is neither omniscient nor omnipresent; and, therefore, like man, he too must rely on the use of hierarchies in order to exercise his authority.

Because of this, the kind of control which pertains to and characterizes this world resembles a pyramid where coordination and authority flow from the top to the bottom; and as it flows downward and passes to its base, it expands over space (and even time) by means of hierarchies and bureaucracies.

And the result? - an organization (or government) which can - in a crude way - defy both space and time (i.e., by continuing the organization's existence even after those who founded it have passed away).

THE RESULT TO MAN OF
PYRAMIDS AND HIERARCHIES

There is, however, a price to be paid for this kind of control; and it relates to the kind of organization which is ultimately produced: i.e., one which is extremely rigid, indifferent, impersonal, and uncaring of those who work for it; and more, one which is characterized throughout by jealousy and envy (as anyone who has ever been a part of such an organization can attest). There is no possible way for those who are near the bottom of the pyramid to contact or elicit any kind of attention from the organization's CEO. At best, the only people one can ever really hope to contact in such organizations are those who immediately surround him or who exist one or two levels above him in the hierarchy. [How unlike all this is God's rule, where "... (not one sparrow shall fall on the ground without your Father (knowing about it)." (Matt. 10:29)

The kind of "culture" or "atmosphere" which this type of control produces destroys people as individuals and obliterates any expression of the kind of individual diversity which God so loves and cherishes, and that is so much a part of His creation - as anyone who has ever taken the time to look at nature must know. Ultimately, all a pyramid-like organization is capable of producing is a bland and Orwellian sameness "peopled" by automatons and robots.

But this is not the way God works; such control is completely foreign to His kingdom. The Bible says:

"... Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.

"But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister (i.e., servant);

"And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant (i.e., slave):

"Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. (Matt. 20:25-30)

Moreover, the Bible says that Jesus -

"... made himself of no reputation ..." (Phil. 2:7)

and

"... humbled himself ... and became obedient ..." (Phil. 2:8)

How totally foreign to the thinking of this world where those in authority exalt themselves above those who surround them and mercilessly and even ruthlessly "lord it over" those whom they exercise authority.

MEETING
(COMING TOGETHER AS THE CHURCH)

"If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad ..?

"How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.

"If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.

"But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.

"Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.

"If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.

"For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.

"And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.

"For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints." (I Cor. 14:23, 26-33)

This is one of the few instances in the Bible where the meeting-life of the early church is discussed, and while the circumstances which surround Paul's mentioning of this series of particular meetings were admonitory, much can be gleaned from this passage which sheds a great deal of light on the meetings of the so-called "Apostolic Church." One of the first things which comes to mind in examining these meetings is the absence of "one-man rule." The meetings referenced were not a "one-man show," but meetings in which everyone was expected to participate - either by calling out a song (that is, after all, what the psalms were all about), by teaching, by testifying to God's goodness, etc. - and there is nothing to indicate from this passage (either by inference or direct statement) that Paul found anything amiss in any of this. True, he speaks against the chaos and confusion of the meeting, but he evidently does not attribute this to the lack of "one-man rule;" instead he attributes it to the unbridled use of tongues in the meeting. And this is substantiated by the method which he suggests to end the confusion:

"... when you come together, some of you will have a psalm (a song), some will have a doctrine (a teaching), some will have a tongue, some will have a revelation, some will have an interpretation (and the clear indication here is that each is expected to share his song, interpretation, revelation, teaching or what not during the course of the meeting) ... If any one of you speak in an unknown tongue, let there be only two, or at most three, and that by course (i.e., one-by-one); and let someone interpret (each tongue) ... Let the prophets speak two or three (i.e., by course, that is to say, one-by-one) ... For ye may all prophesy (i.e., which in this case means "speak forth") one-by-one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted ..."

Where is there here any evidence of a "one-man show?" There is none! The meetings of the early church were characterized by mutuality and cooperation under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. How different this is from the "one-man shows" of today's Christianity.

The meeting of the church should seek to emulate this form of meeting; it should be based upon the twin principles of mutual help and mutual edification. But this is impossible when the "success" of the meeting is contingent upon just one "gifted" member (or even a few "gifted" members). Under such circumstances, how can there be any mutuality? - and how can the other members ever gain any experience in ministering the Word of God? We repeat, the meeting of the church should be conducted by the church - the whole church! The dependence of the church on one man for the success of its meetings - meetings in which church members are encouraged to become passive and indolent, always expecting to be helped, rather than seeking, in dependence upon the Holy Spirit, to be helpful to the other members - should be discouraged.

True, "one-man shows" often have a "better flow" and "polish" to them - but more often than not, it is the same kind of "flow" and "elegance" (refinement, dignity, grace) that one can expect to see in a performance on Broadway or in a Hollywood movie. Stagecraft and "special effects" are what count there; but stagecraft and "special effects" are "pretendings" (i.e., pretense). They're not real. They don't produce life. What they produce are good performances. But they certainly don't build up the saints. What they create in the saints is an "audience mentality" - i.e., passivity and listlessness; they don't (indeed, they can't) create living, active, vigorous members of the body of Christ anymore than a performance at the theater can be expected to create actors from the audience. The fact is, a "good" audience in the theater or at the movies is one that will remain silent and listen, not one whose members jump up from their seats and join the actors on stage.

Once a church's meetings are reduced to a "performance" and dependence on stagecraft and "special effects," it's only natural that an atmosphere will develop in the church where only the most "gifted" saints will dare to function. Those who are not so "gifted" (i.e., eloquent, articulate, persuasive, charismatic) will be encouraged to remain silent; after all, when such saints minister, they detract from the "show's" "professionalism" and flow (elegance). Indeed, the meetings of the church become "performances" and "productions" in which only the most "qualified" can hope to participate. The fact is, when such an atmosphere is generated, the "normal" saints become too embarrassed to even open their mouths, let alone "try out" or "audition" for "better parts" in light of the "professionalism" of the more gifted "actors" - kind of like an actor at a local theater in some small mid-western town trying to share the stage with Madonna or Tom Cruise.

"Functioning" for the normal Christian in this kind of a situation means working as a "stage-handler" - i.e., moving the stage sets around, helping the actors with their makeup, taking tickets at the box office, cleaning up after the performance, etc., and this is precisely why so many in today's evangelical church are weak and passive. They have no opportunity to exercise themselves spiritually in the meeting-life of the church. Each member's responsibility for the success of the meeting has been lost sight of, and passivity has hindered the spiritual development of the individual members. We must get away from the idea of the Sunday meeting of the church being a "performance." Such thinking is carnal in the worst sense of that word - everything for the "outward man;" nothing for the "inner man." God deliver us from this kind of church-life, from this kind of meeting-life.

AUTHORITY IN THE MEETINGS

Ultimately, the authority in all the meetings rests with the Holy Spirit; that authority is administered through the elders of the local assembly or house-church who are, of course - and by definition - best equipped to discern the leading of the Spirit. Concerning the elders, Peter writes:

"Tend the flock of God which is among you, exercising the oversight, not of constraint, but willingly, according unto God; nor yet for filthy lucre (money), but of a ready mind; neither as lording it over the charge allotted to you, but making yourselves examples to the flock." (I Peter 5:2-3)

And Paul writes,

"Let the elders that rule well be counted of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and in teaching." (I Tim. 5:17)

Now in this context, it is important to note how the Word of God uses the term "rule" in connection with the elders. It does not mean to "lord over." Jesus said,

"You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and {their} great men exercise authority over them.

"It is not (to be) so among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant,

"and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave;

"just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. " (Matt. 20:25-28)

We must remember that a scriptural church does not consist of an active and a passive group of brothers and sisters, the former controlling the latter, and the latter simply submitting to their control, or the former bearing all the burden while the latter settles down in ease to enjoy the benefit of the elders' labors. "That the members ... should care for one another" is God's purpose for His church (I Cor. 12:24). The church must bear the stamp of "one another" on all of its life and activity; mutuality should always be the hallmark of the church and of the church's meetings. If the elders lose sight of that, then their ruling will soon be changed to "lording it over" the church which is something that has been specifically forbidden by Scripture (again, Matt. 20:25-28). While the elders exercise authority in the meeting, they must remember that they are only fellow-members with the other believers. Christ alone is the head. They are not appointed to be "lords" over their brethren, but to be examples (see I Peter 5:3).

Now the question might fairly be asked, what exactly is an example? It is a pattern for others to follow. Since elders are to be a pattern to the brethren, then obviously it is neither God's thought for them to do all the work and the brethren none; nor for the brethren to do all the work while the elders simply stand by and command. For the elders to be a pattern to the brethren implies that the brethren work and the elders work as well; and it implies that the elders work with special diligence and care so that the brethren should have a good example to follow. The elders are overseers of their brethren, but they are not "lords," standing aloof and commanding. They do not necessarily direct the work, but instead they lead by example more than by command. Such is the scriptural conception of the rule of the elders - not only with regard to the church in general, but also with regard to their participation in the meeting-life of the church. Again, we must always bear in mind what ALL authority in the church is aiming at; it aims specifically at -

"... the perfecting of the saints ... for the edifying of the body of Christ:

"Till WE ALL come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:

"That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

"But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

"From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. (Eph. 4:12-16)

The perfecting of the saints! - this is what real authority in the church is aiming at. Could there be any question regarding this matter in light of the above passage? Isn't this what the themes of this passage clearly indicate? - "the perfecting of the saints" (plural, not singular); "the edifying (building up) of the body of Christ" (that means everyone); "we ALL" (again, everyone); "the whole body fitly joined TOGETHER" (again, speaking about everyone); "edifying (building up) itself in love." It is the duty, then, of the elders to encourage (but not necessarily to command) the participation of all the members in the meeting-life of the church.

To this end, the elders should not be aiming at a "good performance," but full participation. This is not to say that the meetings should not have direction; they should - and it is the duty of the elders to set that direction and "flow;" but as much leeway as possible should be granted to the saints - even to the point of letting them make mistakes; after all, how is it possible to learn without making mistakes? We repeat, the meeting of the church is not a performance; if anything, it should resemble a family coming to the dinner table and conversing with one another while they eat.

As in all families, there are some who are older, and some who are younger. There are grandpas and grandmas, and there are infants. There are children and teenagers. There are mothers and dads. There are aunts and uncles. There is everyone. All are invited to come and eat, and to participate in the conversation.

In such a context is there any mother and/or father so "proper" and "correct" that they do not want to hear from all the members of the family - even the youngest and most immature? Certainly not! Sometimes the happiest moments at a family dinner - the most memorable - are when the children have something to say. How the father and mother rejoice to hear their children; to listen to them share their joys and sorrows. But how can the parents know what those joys and sorrows are unless the children speak out. Remember, dinner time is not a performance where only the grandpas and grandmas, and the mothers and dads speak? That's not what God wants! To be sure, there should not be chaos at the table. No one wants to sit at a table where there is disorder and confusion. Let everyone speak in turn. Let everyone listen in turn.

HOW TO BEGIN A FELLOWSHIP

The following is some practical advice to help you get started. It should be remembered that this is only advice. These suggestions are not commandments set in stone. You may want to go a different way once you get started by changing things here and there. This is the prerogative of each local assemble, so long as the ways chosen do not abrogate the Scriptures.

Who Should Participate

All the members should participate - from the youngest to the oldest.

Some might object, saying that the children should be excused from this meeting of the church for a special "children's meeting." But one hears of no such meetings in the Bible or in the early church - or for that matter anywhere until the late 1800s with the advent of the Sunday School Movement in England and later on in the United States. Prior to this, neither the Scriptures nor history speak of such meetings. While this may come as a big surprise to most, this is, nonetheless, the fact of the matter. And one shouldn't be so shocked! Think about it for a minute, and think about it in connection with what we have already discussed - could anyone conceive of having dinner with all the children consigned to a separate table in the kitchen with only the adults allowed in the dining room? While this might be proper for some of the meetings of the church (for example, during special teaching meetings, conferences specifically set aside for special training, prayer meetings, etc.), it certainly should not be a part of the regular meeting. The main meeting of the church belongs to ALL the church - from the youngest to the oldest.

This doesn't have to mean that the exhortation and teaching that are a part of this meeting should be "dumbed down" for the children, it only means that when one speaks, he should bear in mind that children are present. Think about it. The conversation around the dinner table is not necessarily "dumbed down" for the kids; why, then, should it be "dumbed down" at a meeting of the church? Indeed, where this practice (i.e., the practice of having dinner together as a family around a common table and not the TV set) is still carried on in American families, some of the most intense and profound conversations are had - life-changing discussions which the children will take with them for the rest of their lives, even when they did not - at least at the time - fully comprehend everything that was being said. When people say that such discussions will go over the heads of the children, I am afraid they are exhibiting an extreme naivet with regard to their offspring (and I speak here as a father and a grandfather with over thirty-two years of experience in these matters). They understand much more than what most older people give them credit for - and, as a result, much more is getting into them than some people think. Of course, all this doesn't mean that there shouldn't be "children meetings" from time to time; but it does mean that children are much more capable of understanding the deeper things of God than they are often given credit for.

Time Frame of the Meeting

Normally, a meeting should not go beyond an hour and a half. The reason is because this is a meeting for all the saints, except perhaps for the very young (i.e., infants and pre-schoolers); and going beyond an hour and a half in such circumstances would probably be too much for the children and even for many of the older brothers and sisters.

Arrangement of the chairs

We believe that setting the chairs up in a circle or some such arrangement (i.e., a square or a rectangle) is best. A circular arrangement of the chairs takes the focus off of any one person and emphasizes the fact that this is a meeting in which all the saints are expected to participate. Care should be taken not to set the chairs up as one would do for a "performance" - i.e., with all the chairs facing forward towards a rostrum or stage. We should do everything possible to diminish and even, if possible, abate such thinking.

Prayer

It's good thing to start the meeting off with prayer and a time of quiet meditation. The object of such prayer and meditation should not be for the individual saints to bring their personal supplications before the Lord, but to give opportunity to the saints to enter into His presence by setting their minds on Christ. As each saint sets his mind on Christ, he is prepared in spirit for the meeting. And what exactly does that mean? - it means that as the saints "behold and reflect the Lord" (2 Cor. 3:18), they will begin to take on the form of a servant. That's what ministry means. Real ministry means serving Christ and the other saints as a servant. The Bible says:

"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

"Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

"But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

"And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." (Phil. 2:5-8)

There can be no service in the church unless each and every saint is brought into this "mindset" - unless he is willing to "make of himself no reputation and take upon himself the form of a servant." This is the beginning of all service to God, not only in the broadest meaning of that word, but also in the meeting-life of the church. This is where prayer comes in. Prayer - in the first instance - is not necessarily bringing our needs before the Lord, but it is "a coming into" the presence of God. Now we are ready for the meeting. Self has been set aside; humility has taken the place of pride. There is no longer any thought of exalting oneself above his fellow servants in the meeting; every fiber of one's being is set on exalting Christ and the other members of the body.

Singing

Singing continues where prayer leaves off. The Bible speaks of -

"Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

"Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ ..." (Eph. 5:19-20)

- and it goes on in the same passage to link singing to a willingness to submit oneself to others. Indeed, Ephesians 5:21 - the very next verse - says:

"Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God."

And Ephesians 5:25 continues by saying,

"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

"That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

"That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

"For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

"This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. (Eph. 5:25-32)

Strange, but all this is connected to corporate singing. Have you seen this? Ephesians 5:19-20 and 25-32 are all linked together. There is something about the corporate singing of the church that brings the church into love and oneness - "Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God ..." Indeed, while all this might sound peculiar and somewhat inexplicable to the "natural mind," there it is - as plain as Scripture can make it. Singing and "making melody in our hearts" as the church leads us into that kind of corporate expression that is conducive to a meeting of the church - a corporate expression that puts Christ and one's brothers and sisters ahead of one's self; and it's this kind of expression of the church, this kind of "mindset," so to speak, which leads to a successful meeting. Song books for such occasions can be bought at any good Bible book store.

Establishing a Theme

The elders are responsible for establishing a theme for the meetings of the church. For example, you could read through a given book of the Bible chapter by chapter. One chapter per meeting - or two chapters if the one chapter is too short, or half a chapter if the chapter is too long. You accomplish two things: first, the matter of choosing a theme for the meeting is accomplished in one easy stroke; and second, the saints get used to having the Bible speak for itself. In allowing the Bible to speak for itself, the saints gain confidence in "handling the Word of God;" and as they do, they begin to discover that the Bible is not some "mystery wrapped in an enigma" which can be explained only by a professional priestly caste (this is Roman Catholicism, plain and simple), but a book which is genuinely understandable and open to them - all of them. Indeed, in conjunction with this, the Bible promises that -

"... the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." (John 14:26)

It is this confidence which the elders should want to instill into all the saints: confidence in the Bible (i.e., the written Word of God) and confidence in the ministry of the Holy Spirit insofar as interpreting that Word is concerned.

Ending the Meeting

The elders should take the lead in ending the meeting, sometimes by calling a song, sometimes by a prayer. Unless the Holy Spirit leads otherwise, it should be ended promptly and without delay at the time appointed.

SPIRITUAL MATTERS WHICH PERTAIN TO THIS MEETING

On that "last night," the Bible says that Jesus,

"... took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.

"And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;

"For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

"But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.

"And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives. (Matt. 26:20-30)

Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives. In remarking on this, Paul says,

"For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:

"And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

"After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

"For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come. (1 Cor. 11:23-26)

The first point to be noticed here is that in a breaking of bread meeting, we come to remember the Lord (I Cor. 11:25) and the fact that it cost God dearly - beyond what we can possibly think or even imagine - to ransom us from our sins.

We stand today justified before God not because God overlooked our sins (He could never do that and remain a "holy" God - a God of ABSOLUTE righteousness), but because He paid the price for our sins by sending His own Son to die in our stead (place). He who was absolutely perfect and absolutely righteous - was sacrificed on the cross for our sins - not His, but ours. In the breaking of bread meeting, we come to remember this, and, therefore, everything must be centered upon Him. We ought to know that prayer in the form of asking and interceding both for our personal needs and even for the needs of others are not suitable at such a time. Through our prayers we should praise and thank the Lord and not, at this time, remember our personal needs. Let it be pure praise and thanksgiving.

Before the bread is broken, what we see is the Lord Jesus as the only begotten Son because He alone is the Son. But after the bread is broken, we see the Lord Jesus as the firstborn Son, for we now have a part in the Son as the many sons - though we must always bear in mind that we are sons by adoption and not because we share the Lord's divinity intrinsically.

Before the bread is broken, the Lord Jesus is the grain of wheat; after the bread is broken, this grain of wheat has fallen into the ground and died and has thus born many grains. In discerning the body of Christ, we see the Lord as the Firstborn who will lead many sons in praises in the midst of the congregation. This is not, however, a law which must be implemented in every meeting. Yet if we are willing to learn to be led of the Spirit, we will understand how in such a corporate spiritual exercise we will be led step by step to the Father.

The so-called "songs of degrees" or "songs of ascents" is that collection of the 150 Old Testament Psalms which were sung after the children of Israel had kept the Passover and eaten the Passover feast. As they walked up the fifteen steps to the temple, they sang these psalms. Similarly, upon our having eaten the bread, we too should go up to praise God. Let the Lord Himself lead us to approach the Father. Our hymns are all "songs of ascents" - that is to say, a rising of our spirits higher and higher after the bread is broken. This is true not only according to the teaching of the book of Hebrews, the example of our Lord, and the instruction of these psalms; it is also according to our personal spiritual experience. After we were saved, did we not thank and praise the Lord first, and then worship God?

The second point to be noticed in the breaking of bread meeting is to learn to follow the lead which has already been established. Though such a time is devoted to remembering the Lord, the meeting can begin on a variety of diverse notes. Sometimes the sufferings of the Lord are what is emphasized; at other times the stress is laid on the glory of the Lord in what He has gone through during His earthly life. We need to recognize the start already made in the meeting and learn to follow the lead. Whether singing or praying, it is best to proceed along that line than to make a new start. Do not try to squeeze into the meeting the meaningful Scripture passage which you may have read that very morning in your private devotions or the favorite song which you usually love to sing. Sometimes the meeting is already ended - with the praises and thanks having been adequately offered; but then, suddenly, a brother will stand up to suggest a hymn or offer a prayer. All this is too personal. We must instead keep the unity of the meeting, for that is what is precious in the sight of the Lord. In the breaking of break meeting, it really puts to the test just who is a mature brother: whether one is concerned with only what is his or with the movement of the meeting!

In a meeting, we must close all our personal activities and follow the corporate movement. If it is but one person in a room, he may sing or pray as he pleases. In a meeting, though, there are more people than merely oneself. Therefore, let us not inject too much of our own personal feeling into it. Of course, our thanks and praise are to be personal, for unless they are personal they are false. Nonetheless, though the personal element is always in a meeting, special attention must be paid to that which is corporate. We need to proceed together on one line of thought.

Concerning any word given at the breaking of bread meeting, let us keep in mind that the Lord must be the center. If the Scriptures are read, such must lead people to Him. If a word is given, it too must lead people to focus on the Lord. There is no meeting more important than that of the breaking of bread. In a ministry meeting, people listen concerning the Lord for their own benefit, but in the breaking of bread gathering, we go forth to meet the Lord and to remember Him. It is for the Lord Himself.

PRACTICAL MATTERS WHICH
PERTAIN TO THIS MEETING

There are certain practical considerations which pertain specifically to this meeting: they are as follows:

The purchase of the bread and wine. We recommend that the bread be unleavened. Why? - because the bread which Jesus broke at the Passover feast was unleavened. Unleavened bread may be purchased in almost any super market. Ask the grocer to show you where it's located. If he doesn't know what you are talking about, ask him for "Passover bread." If the super market doesn't have any, a Jewish delicatessen will. If some insist on passing leavened bread (which in many churches is the custom and is the kind of bread depicted in Leonardo DeVinci's Last Supper), then that's fine. It's not worth quibbling about. Everyone's conscience should be taken into consideration, and the strong should always accede to the weak. (I Cor. 8:7-13)

When it comes to the wine, even more care should be taken. Many Christians have grown up with the sincere belief that the drink which the Lord passed at the Last Supper was grape juice (a belief which no one held prior to the Temperance Movement of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries). While we believe that such thinking is incorrect [grape juice can only exist where there is refrigeration - and, obviously, there was no such thing in the ancient world (grape juice in the absence of refrigeration begins to ferment immediately after it has been placed in a flask or bottle)], still this is not something which is worth arguing over. The elders need to take into account the sensibilities of all the brothers and sisters, and when some might object, then for the sake of their consciences, grape juice should be used (again, the strong should accede to the weak; please see I Cor. 8:7-13).

How often should the breaking of bread meeting be held? We know of no biblical precedent with regard to this matter other than the injunction, "...this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me ..." which allows for a certain vagueness. One thing, however, can be gleaned from this statement and that is that it should not be neglected over any length of time. We believe that the Lord's Table should be held at least once a month; but, obviously, it could be held many times more a month - even once a week. There is no specific commandment with regard to this matter.

When should the meeting be held? Again, we know of no specific command with regard to this matter.

When should the bread and the wine be passed? This is up to the sensitivity of the elders - when they sense that the time is right, the bread and wine should be passed. There is no hard and fast rule attached to this matter. It is a matter of sensitivity, not necessarily a matter of objective forethought. When one of the elders senses that the time is right, he should stand up and go to the table with another brother (not necessarily another elder), break the bread and pass it. Shortly thereafter, the wine should be passed in like manner. Again, this is a matter of sensitivity which comes only with a certain maturity and growth in life.

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