This is part II of the ‘to gather together in my name’ post from 10/31/15 and is the follow up of the Matthew 18:20 online poll. Because this is so long I will be doing a final Part III also, this post could be much longer. Take your time reading it and please reach out to me with comments, challenges or criticisms all are welcome.
These posts are not intended to be an indictment or correction to any one or to any church in particular. I am simply sharing what is on my heart and what I believe the Lord is teaching me.
To Gather Together Summary
I have been researching the topic of gathering in the name of Jesus Christ from scripture and books written about the topic. To quickly summarize with one sentence: To gather together in the name of Jesus Christ is to gather under the ruling presence of Jesus Christ.
No one person should orchestrate or run a gathering around Jesus Christ. Elders or pastors are there to can see to it that disturbances are kept in check and that Christ is kept central. Christ wants to speak, to reveal himself through his people, through all his people with their varied gifts. Jesus Christ is not simply the topic of discussion of a one man show. The early disciples, and Paul’s churches had meetings such as this, and this is how meetings are taught throughout the new testament.
Jesus Christ is present on earth through his people, he dwells within his people. When we meet we sense him, we express him, we give voice to him. As we seek him, teach about him, share him and reveal what we have of him, he speaks through all of us.
Lord Help Me to Relate
I asked the Lord to help me to understand this better because I can’t yet relate. I am accustomed to passive sermon meetings, and have not yet experienced meetings like this.
The Lord taught me recently that a gathering in his name is like a child’s birthday party. In a birthday party, we gather together to celebrate the child, for the benefit of the child. That child often sets the theme of the party, and sometimes the setting, that child receives gifts from everyone, ideally the people show up for that child and not for themselves. The birthday girl is ministered to in gifts and song and cake and blessings and kindness and she is the focus and center of the meeting. The child is also present at the party, partying with her not present would be silly.
Talk is Cheap, What Happens Determines
Meetings that do not have these characteristics aren’t necessarily bad but they are not meeting in the name of Christ. Just because we declare it, doesn’t make it so. A meeting where someone says ‘we gather here in the name of Jesus’ yet really gather around something else are nonsensical. Our meetings are not defined by what we declare or by what we think of our motives. Most Christians believe that they gather in the name of Jesus Christ but simply are not. They are ignorant of what it really mean or they are deceived.
The fruit of a Jesus-meeting can be seen and measured, and it not in good intentions alone. If I gather my family around me and I declare we are gathering in the name of Jesus tonight. But then as the meeting starts we then eat popcorn and watch a movie and play Yahtzee. Our actions override my talk about the meeting. Popcorn, movies and games are not bad but we ought not deceive ourselves in order to sound pious.
For those who love the Lord, it sounds proper to declare that all our meetings are in his name. We want to justify all that we do.
In The Name of Pastor
Most church gatherings I have experienced are gatherings in the name of the pastor. You can see this by how much control and influence pastors have on the culture of a church. To the point where one pastor is declared the ‘senior’ pastor above a line hierarchy. His leadership, which is the vision of the church is the real Lord of the meetings and compliant attendees.
Most pastors I have experienced are great men, honorable, gifted and talented men, men I admire and love. So sitting in their meetings and listening has not been difficult, it is comfortable, easy and theologically inspiring.
I think there are three sure indicators that will be present in any gathering in the name of Jesus Christ. If these are not present, be sure it is just a nice gathering, just friends gathering. Just a ministry of a talented man or woman teaching those who are like-minded.
Not necessarily wrong or a bad meeting but NOT a gathering in the name of Jesus Christ.
In Part III I will share the three sure indicators of what it means to gather together in the name of Jesus Christ.
