The church assembly is about functioning together as members of the body of Christ. This is far more than just attending an event, such as being joined together in marriage is.
A body (which the church is the spiritual body of Christ on earth) functions as a unit, “…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.” Ephesians 4:15-16
The mind for this togetherness is from Christ, the Head, and the Spirit of the members functioning in and with the body, is of the Holy Spirit, 1 Corinthians 12:1-27. The human body is exampled to set forth how this all works: “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.” 1 Corinthians 12:12
To be a member of an organization, you don’t even have to attend its meetings. But to be a functioning member of a body, there has to be togetherness with where it is at and what it is doing. All the teachings in the Bible point to the same thing: “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some it; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25
Those joining the body of Christ (from the Church Covenant) “…enter into covenant with one another as one body in Christ. We engage…to walk together…to sustain its worship” (from paragraphs one and two of our Church Covenant).
OUR CHURCH CONSTITUTION AND BY LAWS:
ARTICLE IV. Meetings: SECTION 1. Worship: “The church shall maintain regular services of worship every Sunday morning and evening, mid-week prayer service, and such other services as the Holy Spirit directs in.”
ARTICLE I. Membership: SECTION 2. Obligations: “Members are expected to be faithful in conduct, in home and church relations, including regular attendance of the services of this church, and financial support of the Lord’s work, as set forth in our church covenant and herein recorded.”
It is by an individual’s request and after their consent to our church’s doctrines and church covenant, that one can be received into the church body, as a covenant member. “It is a snare…after vows to make inquiry.” Proverbs 20:25. See also Ecclesiastes 5:4-6
SHARING
