Jesus' Church looks like Him.
I think it should be operate close to this: (i dont agree with nee on all thigns but i think the first part of this article has ALLOT of good points)--->The Local Churches - Watchman Nee
And even in differences of opinion, delt simmilar to this: --->Having a Teachable Spirit when there are Differences - Asa Mahan and this----->
How To Settle Any Disagreement Between Two Christians in 35 Simple Steps
I think that the growth of the church happens in a great part, individually, and MANY have an error in thinking --->~ Errors In Thinking ~
Then after the individual Growth, the Church as a city, as a WHOLE needs to work on there purpose. Im NOT talkign abot Rick warren kind of purpose, But Gods eternal purpose.--->~ Mystery Of The Wisdom Of God ~
"What kind of a church can there be that does not make as its first priority the taking to itself of God's eternal purpose. A church that does not live for the eternal purpose of God is not living. It is nothing more than a succession of mere services. It has lost or never had this vital perspective as the reason for its being.
A believer that has been gripped or apprehended by this understanding cannot possibly be bored.
The magnitude of this eternal purpose and this demonstration is of such a kind that it cannot be made by mere individuals alone. It has got to be made by the entire church or not made at all. It requires an entire people freed from the influence of the principalities and the powers of the air, a people who are not insecure, fearful, living for themselves, who are gloriously freed from mammon, who are indifferent to shopping malls, who can have their car crunched in an accident and walk away smiling, who can suffer affliction and inexplicable things without coming undone and who can receive the stripping of their earthly goods with joy, knowing that they have in heaven a more enduring substance. In fact, the only people who can fulfill this mystery are those who would be strangers, pilgrims and sojourners in the earth. They have risen above and beyond their national culture.
They are not fearful, but gloriously free from intimidation and threat. They know that their security is not from the Government or their employer but from God, and if that should dry up, the Lord has alternative sources, and if it pleases Him not to provide for them, then they will prefer to die in faith than that they should subsist and prolong their bodily life by initiating out of ourselves some course of action."
I also think we need to change WHAT our ideas of a "gathering" is.--->Why I hate the doctrines of grace Flee from Babylon… AKA Modern American Christianity
"...To put it another way, where one man stands and preaches every Sunday there is a lack of grace to some degree. I know what I am writing applies to many well meaning Godly men, some even used mightily of the Lord despite their falling short in this area, but this does not make it any less true. A local Church may make up for this lack by way of being strong in other areas, but there is a lack none the less.
Looking at the clear, living, and powerful word of God, we see that Christ has not only led captivity captive, but He also gave gifts to men. These gifts do not only included teaching, but also prophesy, speaking in tongues, exhortation, giving, healing, evangelizing, and so forth. This differs greatly from the reformed crowd that teaches that Christ has led captivity captive, but has only given a teaching gift – and that to the senior pastor. What’s worse is when senior pastors come right out and say they believe the other gifts to the church have ceased. So instead of the grace of God being manifest through the many membered body, the focus becomes on expository preaching, performed by a senior pastor that holds an unbiblical position. How such a senior pastor can stand and teach that all other gifts have ceased besides his make believe super teaching one is beyond me.
The need of the Church is not expository preaching
The Church arguably needs expository teaching, with gifted elders who labor in the word, but not expository preaching. Preaching in the New Testament is primarily for the open air and in church planting, not for the weekly meeting until the end of time. Yet one of the major focuses of those who promote the doctrines of grace is on the expository preaching of these doctrines to the church. This is accomplished by standing at a pulpit and dominating the church meeting week after week with such. The thinking must go something like this “I will mature the body of Christ by preaching great truths, even at the expense of retarding the body of Christ by refusing the means of truth by which God has ordained to mature it”. Read that last sentence again