The Local Assembly

Wangsa Ukay Gospel Hall – a local assembly   

The organisation of the article:

1. Introduction   

2. The Names of the Local Assembly   

3. Formation of a Local Assembly   

4. The Body of Christ and the Local Assembly   

5. Diversity in Assembly Practices   

6. A New Testament Local Assembly    

  1. Introduction   

When a person accepts the Lord Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour, the first thing that comes to their mind is to join a church. This is instinctively and scripturally right. The person who shared the gospel often invites the new believer to join the church where he or she attends.

Some new believers are told that all churches are the same and they should join the ones which they feel most comfortable. This statement may sound charitable but in the midst of churches facing heavy influences from worldly values, it is not helpful. Joining a doctrinally sound church is the most important decision for believers after they have accepted the Lord Jesus as their Saviour.   

  

What is a doctrinally sound Church?  

The concept of the ‘Church’ or ‘local assembly’ was only revealed by God in the New Testament. It was not found in the Old Testament.    

Ephesians 3:9-10 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God.    

Following the scripture verse above, the principles guiding a doctrinally sound Church must be founded in the New Testament alone. This clearly reflects the meaning of a church governed by New Testament principles.  

A church that is not scripturally grounded causes shipwreck to one’s faith. Paul warns Timothy against teachers that teach doctrines that are not stated in God’s words (1 Tim 1:3). This article aims to provide members of our assembly and other believers with a sound understanding of the local assembly set out in the New Testament teachings.    

2. The Names of a Local Assembly   

The word ‘church’ is commonly used for a ‘local assembly’. In the New Testament, the Greek word is “ekklesia” and the English bible translators used the word ‘church’ to represent its meaning instead of the literal meaning, i.e., assembly.

The word “ekklesia” means an “out calling” or in simple terms, an Assembly of people called out by Christ. In the Bible, an assembly would refer to a local company of believers called out to meet regularly to worship the Lord Jesus. This term is used in 1 Co 1:2 and 1 Thess 1:1.   

3. Formation of the Local Assembly   

The institution of a local assembly was first mentioned by the Lord Jesus in Matt 18:15-20. In Acts 2:14-36, Peter, a member of the local assembly, preached the Gospel and many believed. After they were baptised, they joined the local assembly (Acts 2:41-42). The Apostles continued their works and local assemblies following the pattern were established in various places beyond Jerusalem such as Antioch, Syria.   

4. The Body of Christ and the Local Assembly   

When a person accepts the Lord Jesus as Saviour and Lord, he is a part of the Body of Christ. Whether you are a Russian or American, you are part of the same body. We can also say you are part of the universal church. Membership in the body of Christ is automatic when you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ in accordance with the scriptures in Rom 10:9. This positional truth is stated in the verses below:   

Ephesians 1:22-23    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.   

All believers are required to be a member of a local assembly. It is unwholesome and unscriptural for someone to accept Christ Jesus as his Saviour without joining a local assembly.  In the Book of Acts, when the people responded to the gospel preached by Peter, they joined a local assembly after being baptized (Acts 2:41).   

The local assembly is an organisation set up by God to assist believers in the faith and to spread the Gospel. Acts 2:42 shows the pattern of meetings in a local assembly and we can confidently follow the example.    

5. Diversity in Assembly practices   

It is unavoidable for a non-believer to question the existence of many types of churches or assemblies in the world today. Furthermore, there are also plenty of other para-church organisations, recruiting members from different churches to their meetings, but never functioning as a church.  

To summarise the position in this matter, the diversity in assembly doctrines and practices in Christendom stems from the respective organisations' own interpretations or sometimes misinterpretations of the Bible doctrines. Sadly, even during the Apostle Paul's time, these diversities exist. As the Apostle says “some preached Christ from an unwholesome motive” (Phil 1:15-17). Therefore, unscriptural interpretations to suit some particular organizational needs are bound to happen.  

However, God is faithful. If you seek to join a scripturally grounded local assembly, the Lord will guide you (Jer 29:13). I will not dwell on what others interpret, but wish to state that our Assembly practices enshrine the view of the New Testament assembly’s principles in the Bible. All our practices are organised in conformity to it or as much as we could. We encourage the Believers to personally examine the practices for themselves (Acts 17:11).     

6. A New Testament Local Assembly    

6.1 The Charter   

An organisation charter is a written statement given through a sovereign or government to validate its existence, objectives and members' rights and obligations. The Local Assembly’s Charter is founded in the New Testament. Some assemblies have another document written to define what they believe as a condensed account of what they thought is the mind of God expressed in the Bible.

However, some do not have it written but depend on the Bible alone.  

Both methods are acceptable as long as the charter given by God in the Bible is correctly interpreted (2 Tim 2:15).

6.2 Independence of a local assembly   

Every local assembly set up is independent and Christ Jesus is the Head of each local assembly (Eph 5:23). Therefore, the organisational set-up of a ‘head office’ of any church organisation is unscriptural. In Revelations 1:20, the seven churches of Asia are each individually accountable to the Lord Jesus Himself.   

6.3 Objectives of a local assembly   

Act 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.   

The encouragement of the Believers and the continual impartation of the Apostle's doctrines were the key objectives of a local assembly. In the breaking of bread, we learn in Acts 20:7 that they do it every week on the first day of the week, which is Sunday.   

The local assembly's other key objective is to carry out the Lord Jesus' instructions to preach the Gospel (Mark 16:15). Following the instruction in Luke 24:47, the Gospel work starts from the location of the Local Assembly and continues to other places as the Spirit guide us. Every believer in the Assembly should be participating in this activity.   

Those that are gifted and have a special calling in evangelism are commended and commissioned by the Local Assembly in accordance with the pattern stated in Acts 13:2-3.   

6.4 Members' undertakings

Since there are diversities in assemblies' practices and doctrines, believers who choose to attach themselves to a particular local assembly must agree with the local assembly’s practices. Otherwise, it will lead to division in the local assembly which is one of the critical elements that leads to assembly conflicts.  

Our assembly’s key practices and doctrines are enumerated below:   

6.4.1 The priesthood of all believers (1 Peter 2:5-9)   

All believers are priests in the presence of God, with men leading the church ministries and the ladies participating in the singing and agreeing with the saints’ prayers.  Our offerings are made to God without a special class of ‘priests’ in the assembly.   

6.4.2 Baptism (Mark 16:15; Acts 8:36-39; Rom 6:3-5)   

We believe that baptism is a ritual to signify that when we believe in the propitiatory blood shed by the Lord Jesus, we are a new creature. This ritual involves the submersion of a person’s body into the water as noted in the above verses.   

6.4.3 Weekly communion (1 Co 11:23-25)   

Our assembly conducts weekly breaking of bread, practised by the Christians in Acts 20:7. In the communion, we share one loaf of bread and one cup (Matt 26:25-27).  

6.4.4 Veiling of the women (I Co 11:1-16)   

The Bible's teachings on this subject are very clear. Women have to put on a veil during assembly meetings. It is not an archaic practice nor an act of discrimination against women. This is a symbol to recognise the headship of Christ in the assembly.  

6.4.5 Cessation of tongues (1 Co 13:8-10)   

Our assembly hold the unequivocal view that when the ‘perfect’ comes, which is the completion of the word of God, tongues will cease.  

We believe the gift of tongues has been withdrawn by God as it is not necessary anymore. The Bible has been translated into all the major languages in the world and indeed if someone is called to be a missionary to a foreign land, it is important to learn their native tongue rather than call upon God to allow them to speak miraculously in that tongue.   

On the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we teach that the Holy Spirit dwells in all Christians when they believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour, Eph 1:13, 1 Co 3:16.   

6.4.6 Silence of the women (1 Co 14:34; 1 Tim 2:12-14)   

The verses here clearly prohibit women from teaching ministries in the church other than the women and children ministries as mentioned below.    

• Women’s teaching ministry (Titus 2:3-5)   

The women’s teaching ministries are clearly set out to guide the younger women in their domestic affairs. The other ministry is to teach the children in Sunday school. The verses here do not mandate women to be involved in doctrinal teachings which are supposed to be carried out in the local assembly.   

6.4.7 Subjection to the Elders' governance (Heb 13:17)   

The lack of understanding on the subject of the local assembly invariably leads to the apathetic attitude of some people on the subject of respect to be shown to the local assembly. Therefore, they tend to treat the subject of their membership to the local assembly as of much lesser importance compared to other forms of organisations on earth.

With this misunderstanding, some people treat attendance at the meetings casually with no accountability of any sort to the governance of the assembly by the Elders. A sensible comparison is to consider how one behaves in their place of employment with how they behave in the assembly. In your place of employment, you will inform the company if you are not reporting for work or seek express approval if you wish to attend another company's training seminars. Therefore, do you let the Elders know when you cannot attend? Or do you choose to attend other assemblies as and when you like? 

Members of the local assembly must be reminded that the Head of every local assembly is Jesus Christ and utmost respect must be given to the local assembly that they attend. The Elders are God’s ‘Under Shepherd’ carrying out the Chief Shepherd’s commands in each local assembly (1 Pet 1:1-4).  

 

6.4.8 Promotion of the local assembly activities   

Members of the assembly must be actively promoting the Assembly’s activities in attendance at the meetings and para-activities organised by the Assembly. The Assembly does not prohibit its members from visiting other churches but these visits should be done only when the needs arise (e.g., being in a different locality). It is unscriptural for members to attend meetings in other churches without seeking approval from the assembly’s elders. Steadfastness in one’s local assembly activities is a necessary membership requirement.   

• Para-activities relating to the local assembly   

God is the head of all local assemblies and He is not the author of confusion (1 Cor 14:33). Members of the local assembly must seek permission from the Assembly Elders for any para- activities that they wish to organise and participate in. Para-activities are defined as ‘activities held regularly which include men's or ladies' meetings, youth programs and children's Sunday school outings.’   

6.5 Visitors   

The assembly welcomes visitors to our meetings. Preferably first-time visitors should have a letter of commendation from their local assembly, Rom 16:1-2. However, if they do not have a letter, they have to confirm with the Elders that they are baptised believers and willing to comply with our practices. If they wish to join the assembly as a member, they must be willing to submit to the assembly beliefs and undertakings noted above.  

It is so good to obey God’s words when we come to worship Him in the local assemblies that keep to the New Testament principles. “Bless are they that hear the word of God, and keep it” Luke 11:28. I need this blessing from my Saviour. 

With God’s grace, 

CL