Instructions for the Believers in the Gathering

What does the instruction for the believers in the gathering look like? God said that we gather to edify one another in our worship.

When the gathering of believers is modeled after the first-century church, everyone in the meeting will be led by the Holy Spirit, and all will participate.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 "Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing."

Ephesians 4:29 "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear."

Hebrews 10:24-25 "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."

1 Corinthians 14:22-33 "26 What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. 28 If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God.
29 Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. 30 And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. 31 For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. 32 The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. 33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people."

Women are disallowed from chattering and disrupting but they are allowed to speak as led by the Holy Spirit.

There is nothing in the Bible that allows for one man paid preachers to dominate everything while disallowing others in the gathering to participate.

The hierarchy system of today, the pulpit above the people, the schedule of activity as created by men, is not at all what God designed for the gathering. It tends to silence all the people in pews facing forward in worship fashion toward the man in the pulpit.

Most attendees in modern churches do not read their Bibles at home, the very reason they have nothing to offer when they come to the gathering.

The modern church has been trained that they should not speak or interject when a paid pastor is speaking.

1 Corinthians 14:30 "…29Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. 30And if a revelation comes to someone who is seated, the first speaker should stop. 31For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged."

Because of the hierarchical system of the church gatherings today, wise people are prevented from speaking or interjecting while the paid pastor is the center of attention. This usurps the Holy Spirit.

I have witnessed the beauty of gatherings that operate Biblically. Everything is Spirit-led, and no one is treated as "less than" others. Jesus Christ is uplifted. In modern gatherings, people are elevated above the Holy Spirit.

Because people are prone to be lazy, allowing others to tell them what to think, they have lost the ability to discern right from wrong. If the group does not challenge anything the preacher says, then it is taken as truth even when it may be full of errors.

Hebrews 5:14 "14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to distinguish between good and evil."

Proverbs 3:5-6"5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight."

Notice God never tells us to trust in the teachers, trust in any man or trust in ourselves! He tells us to trust in Christ!!!

Romans 12:2 "2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."

When we trust in Christ, we will be receiving our instruction from Him. Others may speak, and we may agree with them; this is edification, but our instructions come from Christ, not men.

If a person speaks wrong doctrine, then it is our job to correct them. I they continue to disagree with us, then we should go to prayer and Bible reading to come to an agreement.

1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 "11 and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, 12 so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one."

I realize that this passage in Thessalonians has to do with earning our own living. Still, I think the principle can also apply to not depending on anyone but God in everything, including our teaching. We listen to others, we evaluate what is said, and we share, but our dependence is totally on Christ.

Christ will lead us into truth, into actions He wants us to perform, in teaching, and much more when our dependence is completely on Him.

Our confidence in Christ is an example for those who are still depending on people to validate them or people to convince them. We are convinced by the leading of the Holy Spirit when we trust in His word.

Our sharing with others and their sharing with us edifies us, challenges us, and motivates us to depend more fully on Christ. The goal is never to make others dependent on any other person; our goal is to edify our brothers and sisters to depend on Christ.