Assembly Functions

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ASSEMBLY FUNCTIONS
A second lecture in a three part series on principles for the Assembly.
 

Introduction

Having seen in the previous article what the Church is, its origin and character as both the House of God and the Body of Christ, we now look at how the assembly functions practically on earth. The Word of God provides a clear pattern for its gatherings, order, oversight, and worship, that all things may be done “unto edifying” and “decently and in order” (1 Cor. 14:26, 40).
 
 

Section 1: The Universal and Local Aspects of the Church

“And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.” (Eph. 1:22-23)
 
“Unto the church of God which is at Corinth…” (1 Cor. 1:2)
 
Scripture presents the Church in two distinct yet harmonious aspects: the universal and the local. Of the times the word assembly (ecclesia) is used in Scripture:
  • about 20% refer to the universal Church;
  • about 80% refer to the local assembly.
This shows how central the functioning of the local assembly is to God’s order. Yet both aspects are essential to understanding how God views His people and how assembly functions are to be carried out.

(a) The Universal Church: The Whole Body of Christ

In its widest sense, the Church is the one Body of Christ, formed at Pentecost by the coming of the Holy Spirit, for “by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body” (1 Cor. 12:13). This aspect includes every true believer on earth, indwelt by the Spirit, united to Christ the Head in heaven. “He is the Head over all things to the church, which is His body” (Eph. 1:22-23). There is also the broader sphere of the professing Church, the house in its responsibility aspect, which includes all who claim the name of Christ. But when Scripture speaks of the Church as His Body, it refers only to the true believers who are indwelt with the Holy Spirit.

(b) The Local Assembly: A Local Expression of the Whole

The same Church is also seen locally, wherever believers gather to the Lord’s Name. Paul writes, “Unto the church of God which is at Corinth” (1 Cor. 1:2). Each assembly, whether Corinth, Ephesus or Philippi, was a local expression of the one universal Body (1 Cor. 12:27).

Here is an illustration of the local expression: if you stand outside a U.S. Army installation, you may rightly say, “There is the U.S. Army.” You don’t mean the entire Army is contained within that fence, as only a small portion of it is there. Yet everything inside the installation reflects the Army: its order, its authority, its character. So it is with the local assembly. It represents the whole, even though only a few of the members of the Body of Christ in that city may be gathered there.

Thus, in each place, God views the Body of Christ as functioning locally, even if not all believers in that area are together in practical fellowship. A gathering of saints to the Lord’s Name represents the assembly in that locality, not as a different church, but as the local expression of the one Church of God.

In scripture, the local assembly is intended to be the sole corporate expression of the Church of God in that locality, gathered to the Lord’s Name, owned by His authority, and acting in fellowship with all who are His. Scripture knows nothing of “many churches” in one city. There was one assembly at Corinth, one in Ephesus, one in Philippi. To have multiple independent or denominational gatherings in the same place is contrary to the truth of the one Body: it is sectarian in principle.

Small Numbers Do Not Negate the Principle

Even “two or three” gathered to Christ’s Name have the Lord’s authority to act as an assembly (Matt. 18:20). They are not a sect or a small island disconnected from the rest of the Body, but are to act responsibly as the church of God in that place, recognizing that many true believers in the area may not be gathered with them. For that reason, it would be presumptuous to say, “We are the assembly of God in this city,” when there may be hundreds or thousands of true believers in that location. But we may say, humbly and scripturally, that we gather to the Lord’s Name, and therefore we are responsible to act as the local assembly, always conscious of the unity of the Body and avoiding sectarian principles. When saints act in assembly, even if the gathering is just two or three, they do so consciously as representing the whole, under the Lord’s authority (1 Cor 5:4).

Interdependency vs Independency

Scripture knows nothing of “independent churches.” While each local assembly is directly responsible to the Lord, and administration is always local, it is never detached from the rest of the Church of God on earth. Local gatherings are interdependent, not isolated units; they function in conscious connection with all who own the Lord’s Name. The unity of the Spirit binds every scripturally gathered assembly into one moral and practical fellowship.
 
This interdependence is seen throughout the New Testament. When believers traveled, assemblies received them on the basis of letters of commendation, acknowledging the fellowship into which they were already received elsewhere. If a saint was in fellowship at Ephesus, he was received at Corinth. If a disciplinary action was taken in one locality, it was respected in the others. Even Paul himself did not override the decision of the assembly at Corinth regarding the brother who had been put away, but waited for them to restore him. Local actions were locally administered, but were universally recognized, because the Body of Christ is one.
 
This unity of local assemblies is rarely practiced in modern Christianity. In many circles the idea of the “autonomy” or “independence” of the local church is explicitly taught or encoded in Church constitutions, often as a reaction against centuries of centralized, hierarchical control under the Roman Catholic system. But while Scripture rejects a human authority imposed from above, it just as clearly rejects independent assemblies acting as isolated islands. Local gatherings are not self-contained churches; they are local expressions of the one Church of God, and therefore what is done in one place has bearing in every place where the Lord’s Name is owned.
 
If the Church is one Body expressed in many places, how then do believers gather so that this unity and holiness are practically expressed? This leads us to consider the basis of gathering.
 

Section 2: The Basis of Gathering

Scripture gives three unchanging principles that define the ground of gathering for those who meet as God’s assembly. When local assemblies come together, the question must be asked: On what scriptural basis do believers gather and act together as an assembly? This is what we mean by the “ground of gathering.” As we now turn to these truths, we will consider them in three distinct aspects, just as introduced in the sermon.

1. Gathered to the Name of the Lord Jesus

“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matt. 18:20)
 
The first great principle of the ground of gathering is this: the local assembly is gathered to the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. The second mention of the assembly in the New Testament, Matthew 18:15-20, presents this plainly: “Where two or three are gathered together in My Name, there am I in the midst of them.” The Lord’s Name is the gathering center of the assembly.
 
To be gathered to His Name means far more than saying His Name. In Scripture a person’s name represents his whole character, authority, and will. One cannot act “in the name” of another unless acting in harmony with that person’s desires. Could you really do something in your father’s name if you knew it was something he wouldn’t approve of? So gathering to the Name of the Lord Jesus means gathering in accordance with His will, under His authority, and in a way consistent with His character. It excludes everything that is merely human.
 
There are many names around which Christians gather today: the name of a great man such as Martin Luther, or the banner of a particular doctrine (e.g. baptism), or a particular church organization (e.g. congregationalism). But Scripture presents none of these as the basis of gathering. The assembly is to gather only to the Name of the Lord Jesus: around Christ Himself.
 
Gathering to His Name is not a matter of human organization or preference. It is the work of the Spirit of God drawing hearts to Christ as the one divine Center.

2. On the Basis of the One Body

“Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.” (1 Cor. 12:27)
 
The second principle of the ground of gathering is this: the local assembly gathers on the basis of the one Body of Christ. In 1 Corinthians 12:27 Paul writes to the saints at Corinth, “Ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.” He is addressing a local assembly, yet he speaks of it as the Body of Christ. The meaning is clear: a local assembly has the character of the whole Body in that place.

Just as a U.S. Army installation represents the whole Army in that locality, even though only a small fraction of the total Army is present, so a local assembly represents the entire Body of Christ in that city. It is not a sect, not an isolated Christian group meeting on its own terms, but a local expression of the one Body, owning one Lord and one Spirit.

Because of this, the local assembly acts on behalf of the whole, not as an independent unit. When the saints gather, they do so with the consciousness that they represent all the members of Christ in that locality. When fellowship is extended or discipline carried out, it is done “in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 5:4), expressing in practice the unity of the one Body.

This same truth is set forth each Lord’s Day at the Lord’s Supper. When the saints partake of the one unbroken loaf, they declare visibly that “we, being many, are one bread and one body; for we are all partakers of that one bread” (1 Cor. 10:16-17). The table of the Lord is the practical expression of the truth on which we gather: that there is one Body formed by the Spirit, and every local assembly meets on that ground alone.

3. In Holiness, As the Temple or House of God

“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” (1 Cor 3:16)
 
The third principle of the ground of gathering is that the local assembly is also viewed as the House of God, the sphere of His presence and testimony. In 1 Corinthians 3:16 Paul writes to the saints at Corinth, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” Here he is not speaking of individual bodies as temples, as he does later in chapter 6, but of the local assembly collectively. When believers come together as an assembly, they form the temple of God in that locality, the dwelling place of His Spirit.
 
Because the assembly is God’s House, the principle of holiness necessarily follows. The House of God is marked by order, holiness, and separation from evil, both doctrinal and moral. As Scripture says, “Be ye holy, for I am holy” (1 Pet. 1:16). This is not a minor feature; in the first epistle to the Corinthians, holiness and discipline occupy a major place. The assembly cannot tolerate what contradicts God’s character, for His presence is what defines the gathering.

To Gather Rightly

Thus to gather rightly, believers must gather:
  1. To the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ: owning His authority alone.
  2. On the basis of the one Body: expressing the unity formed by the Spirit of God, and acting as a local expression of the one body.
  3. As the House of God in holiness: maintaining the moral order suited to His presence, including separation from evil.
When these principles are observed, the believers who are gathered thus can have the assurance of scripture that the Lord’s presence is among them.
 

Section 3: Assembly Meetings

“They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” (Acts 2:42)
 
In the earliest days of the Church we read that the saints “continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). These same features still mark the assembly today. As we begin to consider the practical side of assembly life, it is helpful to look carefully at what Scripture says the assembly does when it comes together. The New Testament gives clear guidance on how believers meet collectively, and these patterns remain the foundation for assembly meetings in our own day.

Meeting “in Assembly”

The New Testament makes a clear distinction between believers meeting socially and believers gathering as the assembly (1 Cor 11:18; 14:19, 23). In 1 Corinthians 11:18 Paul writes, “When ye come together in the church,” which may be rendered more literally, “when you come together in assembly.” This describes an official gathering of the saints as the assembly of God in that locality.
 
A social occasion such as a meal, a picnic, or simply being in the same place at the same time, is not an assembly meeting. Even if every believers in a locality happened to meet at the same moment in a store or in someone’s home, it would not constitute “the assembly gathered.” An assembly meeting occurs only when the saints come together with the conscious purpose of meeting as the assembly before the Lord, owning His presence and acting under His authority.
 
A helpful illustration is the U.S. Congress. Members of Congress may appear together at a baseball game, a gala, or a prayer breakfast, but they cannot pass legislation there. They only act as Congress when Congress is in session. And when in session, not every member must be present; those who are present act on behalf of the whole. So it is in the assembly. When the saints gather “in assembly,” they do not form a mere meeting of Christians, but the assembly functioning in its scriptural character.
 
Assembly meetings are also Spirit-led, not arranged by human agenda or controlled by a single individual. In such gatherings there is liberty for a plurality of brethren to participate audibly as led by the Spirit of God, while sisters participate silently and reverently, adorned with “the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit” (1 Pet. 3:4), in keeping with the instruction of 1 Corinthians 14:34.
 
These principles, (1) the character of the gathering, (2) the authority of the Lord’s presence, (3) and the liberty of the Spirit, distinguish an assembly meeting from every other kind of Christian gathering.

1. The Prayer Meeting

“Prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God.” (Acts 12:5)
 
One of the first assembly meetings seen in Scripture is the prayer meeting. It is often called the powerhouse of the assembly, because it is where the saints collectively express their dependence on the Lord, the Head of the Body.
 
In Acts 12, when Peter was imprisoned under intense persecution, we read: “Prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him” (v.5). Later in the chapter, Peter arrives “at the house of Mary… where many were gathered together praying” (v.12). The whole assembly was united before God concerning a single burden. And God answered unexpectedly by delivering Peter from prison. This is the character of the prayer meeting: believers gathered as an assembly, united in purpose, expressing one heart and one voice before God.
 
Corporate Prayer vs. Private Prayer. Scripture distinguishes these two. The Lord taught His disciples not to make a public show of private devotion (Matt. 6:5-6). But this is not a prohibition of public prayer, far from it. The New Testament is full of examples of believers praying together. Corporate prayer has its own place. When one brother audibly leads the assembly before God, he is not praying merely as an individual. He becomes, for that moment, the mouthpiece of the whole assembly. His prayer should therefore be: expressed on behalf of all, in language and thoughts that all can understand, according to the mind of the Spirit, so that the whole assembly may unite with him. Thus the prayer meeting is not a collection of individual prayers uttered in the same room; it is the collective heart of the assembly lifted up to God, with one voice, one burden, and confidence in the God who hears and answers.
 
The Amen of the Assembly. 1 Corinthians 14 emphasizes that public prayer should be that which the assembly can understand and agree with. “Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks…?” (1 Cor. 14:16). When thanksgiving or prayer is offered in the assembly, the saints will affirm it with a meaningful “Amen.” That “Amen” is the assembly’s approval of what was uttered on their behalf, the signal that the prayer offered by one is truly the prayer of all.

2. The Breaking of Bread

“Upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread.” (Acts 20:7)
 
“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 shew the Lord’s death till he come.” (1 Cor. 11:23-26)
 
Among the meetings of the local assembly, Scripture gives a unique and special place to the breaking of bread, often called the Lord’s Supper. Acts 20:7 shows that in the early church this was the distinct purpose for which the disciples came together: “Upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread…” It was not incidental to their gathering, it was the reason for it.
 
Paul, by direct revelation from the Lord, unfolds the meaning of this supper in 1 Corinthians 11. On the night of His betrayal, the Lord Jesus took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and said, “This is My body which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of Me.” He took the cup likewise, declaring it to be the new covenant in His blood, and added, “As oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me.” The apostle then gives the significance of the act: “For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till He come.”
 
What the Supper Represents. The symbols of the bread and the cup are simple and profound. The bread represents His body given for us: the real sufferings of Christ in His body, offering Himself in death. The cup represents His blood shed, the life laid down in death for our redemption. When we partake of the bread and the cup, we publicly identify ourselves as those who stand under the value of that sacrifice.
 
The Breaking of Bread Expresses the One Body. The breaking of bread is not only a memorial; it is also an expression of the unity of the Body of Christ. In 1 Corinthians 10:17 Paul gives an added significance to the one loaf: “For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.” Every time the loaf is broken and distributed among the saints, the truth of the one body is visibly set forth. The meeting is therefore central to assembly function, because bound up in it are: the foundational truth of Christ’s death, and the unity of His body the Church!
 
A Memorial. The Lord’s Supper not really a “worship meeting,” though worship naturally flows from hearts occupied with the Person and work of Christ. Worship is not the formal object of the gathering. The object is to do something: to break the bread, partake of the cup, and thereby show forth the Lord’s death. The words “this do in remembrance” does not mean “recall to mind,” as though the meeting were only an inward reflection. It carries the idea of a formal memorial, an action by which Christ’s death is publicly commemorated. You cannot remember the Lord scripturally speaking without partaking of the Supper. An illustration from the life of Joseph helps: when he asked the butler, “Remember me when it is well with thee,” he was not telling him simply to think about him, he was telling him to speak, to act, to bring him before Pharaoh. In the same way, when the Lord says, “This do in remembrance of Me,” He assigns an action: the breaking of bread and drinking of the cup as a public testimony to His death. If nothing else were done in the meeting but the giving of thanks, the breaking of the bread, and the drinking of the cup, the assembly would fully answer to His request and declare the meaning of His cross.

3. The Ministry Meeting

“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. … 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.” (1 Cor. 14:26-33)
 
In 1 Corinthians 14, Scripture sets before us the character of the assembly meeting for ministry. Unlike the prayer meeting or the Lord’s Supper, which are priestly in character, the ministry meeting is where the Spirit of God uses gifted brethren to communicate the Lord’s mind to His saints.
 
This chapter follows a deliberate progression:
  • Chapter 12 gives us the Body and its many members, each with different gifts.
  • Chapter 13 presents the indispensable necessity of love in the use of every gift; the “more excellent way”.
  • Chapter 14 explains how those gifts function publicly in the assembly for edification.
In 1 Corinthians, Paul corrected the Corinthians’ tendency to value the spectacular and the showy gifts while overlooking what actually builds up the saints. He emphasized repeatedly that edification is the governing principle of all ministry: “Let all things be done unto edifying” (v.26).
 
The Spirit gives liberty for a plurality of brethren to minister, and Paul outlines how this is to occur: “Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the others judge… If anything be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace… Ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn.” (vv. 29-31). Ministry is to be orderly, measured, turn-by-turn, and submissive to the Spirit’s direction. This flows from the very character of God Himself: for “God is not the author of confusion, but of peace” (v.33).
 
Ministry is not merely “saying something” because one feels inclined. It is not going on output. Ministry is being a channel through whom nourishment from the Head flows to the Body. It is speaking what Christ directs for the profit of His saints in that moment.
 
Characteristics of the Ministry Meeting. A few things characterize the ministry meeting, when properly conducted:
  • Ministry will have a prophetic character. Prophecy is speaking the mind of God to the assembly: unto edification, exhortation, and comfort (v.3). The individual who speaks ought to have a conscious sense that they have the Lord’s will in what they say, and it will be consistent with the Word of God.
  • Ministry will be spoken one at a time, with a limited number of speakers. There ought not to be talking on top of one another or interrupting. God is not the author of confusion (vv.29-31, 33).
  • Ministry ought to be intelligible. If the saints cannot understand what is said, it does not edify (vv.7-11).
  • Ministry should be done in love. No amount of speaking, knowledge, or gift has value without it (chapter 13).
  • Ministry should have the effect of edifying the saints. The Spirit’s aim is always that “all may learn, and all may be comforted.” Ministry that does not build up the saints, regardless of how true it is, fails in its ultimate purpose.
Ministry vs. a Sermon. A sermon or address, where one brother is asked beforehand to speak, is useful and Scriptural in its place (Acts 13:15; 20:7). But it is not the same as the assembly gathered together for ministry. In the assembly meeting, no program is arranged. The Spirit is free to use whom He will for the profit of all. It is a living expression of the functioning of the Body under the direction of Christ the Head.
 
The Value of Ministry. When ministry is exercised in love and dependence on the Lord, the whole assembly is strengthened, encouraged, and fed. When exercised carelessly, it can discourage the saints. Therefore every brother who speaks must seek the Lord earnestly for what is profitable, and every saint must pray that the Spirit’s voice may be heard through the vessels He chooses.

4. The Discipline Meeting, or Meeting for Assembly Action

“In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together… to deliver such an one unto Satan.” (1 Cor. 5:4-5)
 
There are occasions when the whole assembly must come together to judge evil in its midst. Scripture treats this with deep solemnity. When a believer in fellowship refuses to judge known sin in their life, God holds the assembly responsible to act for His glory and for the good of the offender.
 
In 1 Corinthians 5, we have the basis for this meeting. A brother in Corinth was living in a very immoral way, having his father’s wife. The Corinthians were not as concerned as they should have been, and Paul rebukes their state; “ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned” (1 Cor. 5:2). The apostle writes to tell them what to do, and describes such a meeting, concluding with the instruction: “put away from among yourselves that wicked person” (v.13). This is not ordinary discipline. This is excommunication, which is necessary when discipline has failed. Sometimes, the sin is of such a character that putting away is only path, but it should not be undertaken lightly. If the individual has allowed sin to continue unjudged, they have refused self-judgment, and if assembly discipline has not reached them, then the assembly, gathered together as the assembly, must act in the Lord’s Name and by His authority to administratively judge that evil. 
 
The Purpose. The purpose is never vindictive or pragmatic. The chapter presents three reasons for assembly judgment. First, the name of the Lord Jesus Christ is invoked, because the first purpose it to clear the Lord’s name of any association with evil. Second, to preserve the assembly from the infection of evil, which spreads as leaven in a lump of dough, unless the fire of judgment comes in. Holiness must be maintained in God’s house. Third, to reach the soul of the offender, that “the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.”
 
Discipline vs Excommunication. Not every failure requires excommunication. A failing brother or sister should be restored in the spirit of meekness (Gal. 6:1). The assembly may enact other forms of discipline such as appeal or rebuke (1 Tim. 5:20), that seeks to reach the individual and correct the error of their ways. If a child is disobedience in my home, I may send them to their room, but I do not remove them from the house. Excommunication is removing the person from the house, and therefore not really discipline, properly speaking. It places the person “outside”. However, pastoral care and personal love should continue, though the assembly judgment is to be upheld. Many well-meaning Christians have comforted one under assembly judgment and unwittingly undermined the assembly action, delaying or preventing repentance. The goal is always restoration.
 
Authority to Act. The action and the conviction to act belongs to the assembly as gathered, not to a few leading brethren. The authority is in the local assembly, because the Lord is present where two or three are gathered scripturally: “in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ… with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Actions are taken by the assembly, not be the leaders. We read in 2 Cor. 2:6 that the action taken by the assembly in Corinth in obedience to 1 Cor. 5 had “been inflicted by the many,” referring to the body at large. This is the scriptural order. More of this important subject will follow in the third talk.

5. The Reading Meeting

“Give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.” (1 Tim 4:13)
 
“When this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans.” (Col. 4:16)
 
The reading meeting is not seen by some brethren as definitely an assembly meeting, yet Scripture gives clear indication that the public reading of the Word belongs to the corporate life of the saints. Paul instructed the Colossians to read the epistle among them, and see that it also be read is the assembly at Laodicea. The inspired writings were to be read in the assembly, and then circulated for the benefit of others. Likewise Paul told Timothy, laboring at Ephesus to “give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine” (1 Tim. 4:13). The construction of the phrase indicates the public reading of Scripture, followed by exhortation and teaching that flow from what has been read. This aligns directly with the character of the reading meeting today: the saints gather as the assembly, a passage of Scripture is read aloud, and in dependence on the Spirit, exhortation and doctrine follow for the edification of all.
 
On a broader level, because the Word of God is the food of our souls and the foundation of all ministry, it is fitting that the assembly should meet to read it collectively. As with every assembly meeting, the divine order of 1 Corinthians 14 applies: “Let all things be done unto edifying,” and “Let all things be done decently and in order.” A reading meeting conducted in this way can be immensely profitable.
 

Section 4: Assembly Oversight

One of the provisions that God has given to the church for its profit and blessing is assembly oversight. Oversight is the work of caring for the spiritual needs of the local assembly.

1. Office as Distinguished from Gift and Priesthood

Assembly oversight belongs to the sphere of office, which must be kept distinct from both gift and priesthood. In Scripture, Christian activity falls into these three spheres.
  • Priesthood is the largest: the response of the heart toward God, including worship, prayer, intercession, discernment, testimony.
  • Gift is ministry from God to man through human vessels, including teaching, evangelism, pastoral care, all flowing from Christ the Head to His Body.
  • Office is different from both: it concerns the administrative and moral care of the saints in the local assembly. Overseers (or elders) provide spiritual oversight; deacons care for practical needs. These roles were formally appointed in the beginning, but even today God still raises men for this work, and the assembly recognizes them as such.
Confusion of these spheres leads to serious disorder, as church history illustrates, especially in systems where gift, office, and priesthood were blended together. Scripture keeps them separate. A man may have gift without holding office, or hold office without having a certain gift (1 Tim. 5:17). Errors such as a class-priesthood, legal and intrusive ministry, or regional oversight can result.
 
Gift is for the whole Body; office is strictly local. There is no biblical warrant for oversight extending beyond one local assembly. A nearby gathering or a respected brother may offer help, but the actual oversight rests with the local assembly itself: God’s appointed means of care, guidance, and protection for His people in that place.

2. Elders or Overseers

“The word is faithful: if any one aspires to exercise oversight, he desires a good work. The overseer then must be irreproachable, husband of one wife, sober, discreet, decorous, hospitable, apt to teach …” (1 Tim. 3:1-7 DBY)
 
“Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock… over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers.” (Acts 20:28)
 
Elders or Overseers. These ones provide spiritual care in the local assembly: feeding, guiding, and watching over the flock of God.

The world for overseers is 'episkopos', which means 'those looking on'. It is translated 'bishops', and 'overseers', referring to the office itself. The word for elders is 'presbuterous', and means seniors or older ones, and refers specifically to the persons who occupy the office. Note that the word 'elder' can mean 'older ones' in a general sense, depending on the context, as in 1 Peter 5:5; "Likewise ye younger, be subject to the elder". But in other places 'elders' are those who occupy the office of an overseer, as in Acts 20, where Paul spoke to "the elders of the church", saying, "...all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God" (Acts 20:17, 28). Those who fill this office have the care of the local assembly, to feed and shepherd them. We find that the office of an overseer was local; "elders in each assembly" (Acts 14:23), contrary to the Church's practice of setting up "bishops" who preside over vast regions. More details on elders will follow. Elders are always mentioned as a plurality, never a single man over an entire congregation.

 
Local and Plural. As already mentioned, oversight is entirely local. In Scripture, overseers never exercised authority beyond the assembly in which they served. There is no instance of a bishop or elder supervising multiple congregations or a region. Modern ideas of hierarchical bishops or denominational oversight have no scriptural basis; the pattern in the New Testament is always “elders in each assembly” and never one-man rule. This local and plural character of oversight is a divine safeguard against clericalism and human domination in the house of God.
 
The making of elders. How does one become an overseer? Contrary to the popular practice of the church members electing their own elders, we never read in scripture of the assembly choosing its own elders.1 We read of apostles choosing elders (Acts 14:23) and of apostolic delegates choosing elders (Titus 1:5). We also read of a man desiring to do the work of an overseer (1 Tim. 3:1), and of them being "willing" and "ready" to do it (1 Peter 5:2). We also read of the Holy Spirit making men overseers (Acts 20:28). We are also given the list of things that qualify a person for oversight in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1. How can a person become an elder today? There are no more apostles or apostolic delegates on earth. Therefore, no man today should claim the official title of elder or bishop, because there is no means of officially appointing them. However, there are still elders today. How does this happen? First, the man must be willing to do the work of an overseer (1 Tim. 3:1). This is not easy work, and rarely is it rewarding. They are not to do it because others want them to, or because they are getting some kind of gain (1 Peter 5:3). It is a work that is motivated by love. Second, the man ought to meet the qualifications listed for an overseer (Titus 1:5-9; 1 Tim. 3:1-7). Third, the Holy Spirit must give them that place among the flock of God (Acts 20:28).

3. Deacons or Servants

“Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre… For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.” (1 Tim. 3:8-13)
 
“… Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. …” (Acts 6:1-6)
 
Deacons. Scripture distinguishes between overseers, who care for the spiritual needs of the assembly, and deacons, who attend to its practical needs. Deacons serve in the temporal matters of the assembly; i.e. the “business” that is necessary for the more spiritual functions (Acts 6:1-6). In Acts 6 the disciples were instructed to “look ye out… men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom,” whom the assembly could appoint over the daily distribution. Their work relieved the apostles from practical burdens so that they might give themselves “to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.” This same pattern remains: deacons handle the practical side of caring for God’s people so that others can focus on spiritual feeding and caring for the flock.
 
The characteristics of deacons. The qualifications for deacons (1 Tim. 3:8-13) include trustworthiness, especially because they handle funds and confidential matters, and a well-ordered home life. Scripture notes that “they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree,” and we see in Stephen and Philip (both examples) how the Lord may use such men in further service when they are faithful in lesser things (Acts 6:8-10).
 
Choosing Deacons. In the New Testament, deacons were chosen by the local assembly, but they became officially appointed only when an apostle, or an apostolic delegate such as Timothy or Titus, officially confirmed them in that work. Since apostles are no longer on earth, deacons today cannot be formally appointed in the same apostolic sense. Nevertheless, local assemblies still rightly choose and recognize men who carry out this practical service, just as the early assembly selected those who would look after temporal matters. Their work remains essential to the smooth functioning of the assembly and the spiritual blessing of the saints.

4. Recognizing Oversight

“And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake.” (1 Thess. 5:12-13)
 
Even in a day when no man can claim the official title of elder, Scripture still instructs us to recognize those whom the Holy Spirit is stirring up to do the work. Paul writes to the Thessalonians, an assembly of new converts in which no one had been long in the pathway, that they were to “know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake” (1 Thess. 5:12-13). He does not call these men elders, for none had the history to be formally appointed, yet he acknowledges that God had raised them up to care for the flock. In the same way, we are to discern and value those who “labor among” us and take the lead in spiritual care. I may feel strongly that this or that should be changed, but faith bows to those the Lord has given and leaves the rest with Him, and very important, goes on with a happy spirit. Oversight should be exercised in love; and submission to oversight should be rendered in grace (Heb. 13:17). This makes for a happy assembly!

5. Humility in Oversight

“Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint… not for filthy lucre… neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.” (1 Pet. 5:2-3)
 
Leading, not Lording. Oversight in the local assembly must never be exercised as worldly authority so often is. Peter gives the true character of this work (1 Pet. 5:2-3). Even in Peter’s day, when elders could still be officially appointed, they were not to lead by command or force, but by spiritual weight and godly example. This becomes all the more important now, when no man can claim the official title of elder, and therefore it is a dangerous thing for anyone to assert themselves as having authority in the assembly. True oversight will never demand a place. It will act in love, motivated by care for the flock, its influence springing moral character. An elder will lead and not lord. When an action must be taken, the godly overseers will lead the assembly to a see a matter though the lens of scripture, and bring the consciences of the whole assembly to arrive at a united conclusion. A great example of this is Acts 15.
 
Abuse of power. A solemn warning is found in 3 John, where a man named Diotrephes was acting as a tyrant in the local assembly. He character is described by John as one who “loves to have the first place”. He refused the very ministry of the apostle, rejecting the brethren and casting out those who would receive them (3 John 9-10). This is the total opposite of scriptural oversight. Instead of shepherding, Diotrephes seized control; instead of receiving, he excluded true believers. Such conduct shows the flesh at work, not the Spirit of God. By contrast, a true overseer follows the pathway of Christ, the Good Shepherd, who lays down His life for the sheep, and like Paul, who demonstrated that same character is his conduct among the Ephesian elders: “I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).
 
Accountability. Every very act of oversight is ultimately accountable to Christ Himself, the “chief Shepherd,” who will appear and reward faithfulness (1 Pet. 5:4). This leads into our final point, that all oversight is accountable to Christ, as “Son over his own house”.

6. The Chief Shepherd and His Under-Shepherds

“Christ Jesus; who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house … But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we …” (Heb 3:1-2, 6)
 
“And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.” (1 Pet. 5:4)
 
Above every form of oversight in the local assembly stands Christ Himself. Scripture presents Him as both “the Chief Shepherd” and “Son over His own house”. Peter reminds the elders that when “the chief Shepherd shall appear,” He will reward faithfulness in care for the flock (1 Pet. 5:4). All true oversight flows downward from Him; every under-shepherd is accountable to Him, and every act of shepherding must reflect His love, humility, and gentleness toward the sheep (1 Pet. 5:2-3).
 
Hebrews 3 adds a further glory: Christ is “Son over his own house.” The apostles were sent directly by Him and bore His authority in the early Church. Their delegates such as Timothy and Titus carried out the apostles instructions with official authority, and could appoint overseers. Yet they all stood beneath the One who is Son over all. There is no higher office in the house of God than His.
 
This truth steadies and comforts the heart in times of failure. Under-shepherds may falter in their responsibility; we may find ourselves in difficult or even distressing assembly circumstances. We have had the sobering example of Diotrephes, who loved “to have the first place” and refused the brethren. The apostle John could intervene with authority, but today we have no apostles to step in and correct matters. What we do have, and what the assembly has never lacked, is Christ Himself. He remains Son over His own house. When local oversight breaks down, or when self-will rises as it did with Diotrephes, we can appeal directly to Him. He is jealous for His glory and faithful to His flock. Many have witnessed situations that seemed impossible humanly, yet the Chief Shepherd intervened in His own time and His own way, so perfectly that no one could credit themselves for the outcome.
 
It is vital not to confuse authority with infallibility. Those who labor among us may lead, admonish, and care for the saints, but they are not perfect. We are to submit to those who are over us, even if their actions are not perfect (Heb. 13:17; 1 Cor. 16:15-16). However, we cannot go on with sin, and no overseer is beyond questioning. Christ alone is the unfailing Head of the Church, and His oversight remains the ultimate safeguard for the people of God.
 

Section 5: Worship in the Assembly

One of the greatest functions of the local assembly is worship. What greater thing could the assembly do then express the overflow of redeemed hearts to God and the Lamb under the leading of the Holy Spirit?

1. The Nature of Worship

“But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:23-24)
   
The Lord Himself defined the character of Christian worship in John 4. He told the Samaritan woman that “the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth.” That statement introduces an entirely new order of worship, something distinct from what existed under Judaism, and something that cannot be produced by mere emotion or outward forms.
 
What is worship? At its core, worship is the overflow of the heart toward God, the adoring response of the renewed spirit as it contemplates who God is, especially as He has been revealed in His Son. Thanksgiving may rise from what He has done; worship rises from who He is.
 
Worship “in spirit”. God has formed us with a body, a soul, and a spirit. We are a tripartite being.
  1. The body is physical, capable of posture, motion, tears.
  2. The soul is emotional, capable of joy, grief, warmth, and affection.
  3. The spirit is the God-conscious, intelligent part of our being.
True worship is in the spirit, not grounded in physical expression, nor stirred primarily by emotional excitement, but arising from intelligent appreciation of God as He has revealed Himself. When the spirit is engaged, it often shapes the emotions (the soul), and at times may even affect the body. But the direction is always from the spirit outward, not from the outside in. For example, when we see a brother or sister moved to tears during the remembrance of the Lord, that may be the soul and body responding to something much deeper: their spirit engaged in worship. But outward emotion is not the worship itself.
 
Worship “in truth”. Worship must also be according to the revelation God has given, consistent with the truth of who He is and what He has done. Emotion alone can be stirred by music or atmosphere, but worship in truth flows from understanding (biblical, Spirit-taught understanding) of the Father and the Son. This guards us from confusing emotional stimulation with worship. Music is a wonderful servant when it lifts truth before the heart; it is a poor master when it only stirs emotion. Some forms of contemporary Christian music create a feeling first and attach words later. True worship begins with the spirit grasping truth, and then the whole being responds.
 
The Character of Worship in the Assembly.  Thus in the assembly, when saints gather to remember the Lord:
  1. We cannot presume to worship, we gather to remember the Lord.
  2. Worship fittingly rises from intelligent occupation with God, especially as revealed in the Son.
  3. It flows from the spirit-part of our being, not from the emotions.
  4. Worship rises upward from the heart overflowing in adoration, not outward for the eyes of man.
  5. It centers on the Father and the Son, not on our feelings or spiritual state.

When the Lord Jesus is before us, His Person, His suffering, His work, and the glory of who He is, worship naturally flows. And while it often produces emotion, it never depends on it. This is the dignified, spiritual, intelligent worship that the Father seeks.

2. The Worshippers: A Holy Priesthood

“Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” (1 Pet. 2:5)
 
In Christianity, every true believer has been brought into a privileged place before God as worshippers. Scripture is unmistakably clear on the doctrine the priesthood of all believers: “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices…” (1 Pet. 2:5). There is no separate earthly priesthood, no special class of believers authorized to worship on behalf of others. Each saint, young or old, brother or sister, has direct access into the presence of God and liberty to offer praise. Worship is not the domain of a few gifted men, nor is it mediated through clergy. Every believer is a priest, and every priest has the right and responsibility to bring spiritual sacrifices to God.
 
Our Worship Is Through Christ Alone. Though all may worship, none may worship apart from Christ, the anti-type of the high-priest under the Levitical order. The same epistle (Hebrews) that teaches our universal priesthood also emphasizes our dependence on the One Mediator. Our worship is not accepted because of our eloquence, earnestness, or emotion, but because it comes through Him. “By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually.” (Heb. 13:15). He is the One in whom God is fully satisfied. As we approach through Him, standing in all the value of His person and work, our praise rises acceptably to the Father.
 
The Father Seeks Worshippers. Worship is more than duty; it is delight, first to God, then to us. The Father is seeking worshippers, not merely worship. He finds pleasure in the adoration that rises from redeemed hearts taught by the Spirit, hearts occupied with the excellence of His Son. It is like Joseph’s command to he departing brethren; “And ye shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen” (Gen. 45:13). Nothing is more precious to the Father than the fragrance of Christ reproduced in the praise of His saints. Our words may be simple, our expressions weak, but when Christ is the theme, the Father receives it with joy.

3. The Place of Worship

“Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus” (Heb. 10:19)
 
The true place of Christian worship is not geographical but spiritual. As Hebrews 10:19-22 teaches, we have “boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,” and that is the only real place where Christian worship occurs. It is not a physical location, nor even the mere fact of being with other believers, but entering by faith into the very presence of God. At any moment the believer may look up to God and, through that “new and living way,” find himself before the throne of the Majesty in the heavens. Whether sitting quietly in an assembly meeting, whether, as in the old stories, working in a dark Welsh coal mine, or even chained to an oar in the hold of a Roman ship, the believer can step into the holiest by faith. Worship is offered there, in God’s immediate presence, where the value of the blood of Christ has placed us!

4. The Occasion of Collective Worship: The Assembly Gathered

“The four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of incense… and they sung a new song.” (Rev. 5:8-9)
 
Worship in Christianity is primarily individual, yet Scripture also shows that there is such a thing as collective worship when believers are gathered around the Lord. Revelation 4 – 5 gives a clear picture of collective worship, though it is future: the twenty-four elders fall down together before the Lamb, each with a harp and a golden vial full of incense, and they sing a new song (Rev. 5:8-9). That scene makes plain that worship in heaven will be shared as one company redeemed by His blood. The same is true on earth when the saints come together before the Lord: our hearts, filled with Christ, overflow in united praise.
 
The Lord’s Supper provides a natural setting for this, as we meditate together on His Person, work, and dying love, and worship often rises collectively as a result. Yet worship is not confined to that meeting alone; it may also spring up at other times when the glory of Christ fills the heart, even in a simple reading meeting as truth concerning His Person moves the soul (e.g. Rom. 11:33-36). Whether individual or collective, worship is the outflow of hearts occupied with Christ, and it is our privilege now to join together in assembly in that which will be our eternal occupation in heaven!
 
Brothers and sisters alike offer the fruit of the lips in thanksgiving to His name (Heb. 13:15). However, when the assembly gathers together and worship is expressed audibly, Scripture places that responsibility upon the brothers. While we did not read it earlier, 1 Corinthians 14 teaches that the women are to keep silence in the assemblies (1 Cor. 14:34). Therefore, in the public and audible expression of worship in the church, it is the brothers who lead out.

5. The Order of Worship: In the Spirit

“We worship by the Spirit of God, and rejoice in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:3)
 
In collective worship, it is the Holy Spirit who leads. Romans 5 tells us that “the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost,” and this is His twofold work in worship: He impresses God’s love upon our hearts, and then He draws out the adoration that flows in response, like breathing in and breathing out. Philippians 3:3 expresses it simply: “We worship by the Spirit of God.” Because worship is Spirit-led, the assembly will display an order and harmony that no human planning can produce; it is the Spirit who coordinates the praises of the saints. At times a theme may appear in a worship meeting, but we are not to overthink this or try to create one. When we attempt to manage the meeting, we risk quenching or grieving the Spirit. Often the Spirit leads in an unpredictable way. Instead, each believer should offer what the Spirit has placed in the heart, without self-consciousness, without calculation, just as David freely expressed his joy before the ark (2 Sam. 6:14).
  1. In scripture, authority always flows down from above. The relatively modern notion that "governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed" (United States Declaration of Independence) is not according to scripture, which instead teaches that "there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God" (Rom. 13:1).
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