DISCIPLE

  by Robert Gessner (1930-2014) The church is not ashamed to bear the reproach of Christ. "For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus; for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews" (1 Thess. 2:14).      It is not the name of a local church that distinguishes it as being a pattern of the New Testament. The church may have a very unique title such as "The New Testament Church of Jesus Christ" and yet it may not follow the pattern displayed in the New Testament. It is not even the creed formulated by a local church that gives it the distinction of being patterned after the New Testament. The creed, as far as it goes, may be very true to New Testament theology, and yet the church may be far from meeting in a New Testament manner. Obviously, no church would meet New Testament credentials if it did not teach the basic truths of the New Testament; however, it is not just ...

  by Higgins, A. J. The Challenge     Isn’t everyone gathered to the Name of the Lord Jesus? If you have ever tried explaining to one of your friends that you are part of a group of believers who do not take any denominational name but gather to the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, then you have probably been confronted by this challenge. In their sincerity and simplicity, many take Matthew 18:20 to apply to any and every time that two or three believers meet. It hardly matters whether it is over coffee, pizza, or a Bible. And it certainly applies to when they “go to church” and meet with other Christians.     But what does it mean to be gathered to the Lord’s Name? Is it applicable to any gathering of believers at any time? To any group who meets for whatever purpose? The Context     A reading of Matthew 18 will make it clear that the context for the Lord’s statement in verse 18 is a local church and not an informal gathering of fr...