As John says, we are the church, we don't go to church.
True, but it does state in the Word that the "church ' is the house of God when it says that we should known how to behave ourselves in it.
Getting together in bunches is where the 'theology' gets started. Whether it is replacement, oneness, trinity, whatever. Then the arguments start and when we are at odds, we are not a witness to others of the love and unity that Jesus prayed for.
I don't know what "replacement" theology is, but denominations do serve the purpose of having those over us who we approve of.
Since we don't agree in doctrine, it's good to have places where they can unite on what they agree on. If what they have does not satisfy or work, they can look at why without having a lot of discord in the house over varying opinions.
I believe the Lord will unite His Body in a way like never before in the coming days. I believe it is His plan even now. It's going to take a bit of a shaking probably to make that happen.
There is a wonderful blessing in coming together in large groiups.
You have those anointed to worship that others do not really have. Everyone has an anointing to worship, but some are created just for this purpose. You tend to miss out on the different anointings by "staying" in smaller fellowships. It is good to meet once a week this way and all churches should no doubt pursue this.
You're supposed to have the five fold ministry in operation and that takes up at least a third of the living room. They are supposed to minister to the rest of the Body, so it presupposes that other numbers will be present.
The other "natural giftings" are supposed to be used in the Body as well. If you're a small group, you won't be served by many of those other anointings, and you won't serve others either as easily. In some cases you might, but in many you would not.
We're all supposed to minister to the other in the strength we provide (our anointing) as joints and ligaments work together to enable them to work. The example of a "body" is perfect in that it is many membered. You can only do a certain number of things with one arm or one leg. If you were fortunate enough to have the senses and a hand, and a backbone,
you'd still need everyone else to reach your full potential.
The church "came in" together at Pentecost. Jesus walked with the multitudes.He did have the apostles and smaller groups, but they were part of a whole. The early church fellowshipped together and in houses. They were part of a whole. I do not believe that the smaller groups were in any way disjointed in practice (not just theory) from the rest.
They held things in common and watched over widows and orphans. They had some that just ministered the Word and stayed in prayer. Hard to pull that off in home fellowships!
The corporate anointing is one of the most wonderful experiences you can have.
If congregations are working, then we would see the healing's, and deliverance that Jesus did. And not just money to build a bigger building.
Congregations are working, they just don't reach their full potential existing in large groups. They also need to grow just like the smaller groups (not in size, but in maturity. In large bodies you hear accounts of how sister so and so saw the Lord and someone else's anointed dream (intended for everyone). Someone's testimony of their healing is meant for all. The supernatural provision someone else received blesses everyone. If I have extra provision and someone else has a need, that is how needs are often met in the church. in a small group, this is less likely to happen.
Of course, you can't say enough about how wonderful small groups can be. You know each other intimately and you cannot replace that,
but neither can you replace the larger corporate anointings. We cannot judge them unworthy based on the failures of some groups.
