[Hope]

Dear brother and sisters on the forum,

I would like to share some current experience which may fit into the discussion here. In particular I have reference to practical application of spiritual reality and to the oneness of the body of Christ practically realized. Is the oneness of the Body of Christ manifested because we have an understanding of one church one city? I have also raised the matter of the headship of Christ being practically realized locally.

Last week, one of the dear ones with whom we gather passed away. He was in his middle seventies. He was saved five years ago after a miserable life as an alcoholic. He was a plain simple man but had developed a sweet relationship with young and old alike. Hardly a week passed and he did not call “Amazing Grace.” That hymn will never be the same.

Yesterday, Saturday, some of the brothers gathered, as whosoever will may gather, to seek the Lord, pray and fellowship regarding the Lord’s work among us and the meetings coming up on the morrow. During the fellowship, it was determined that we would have three sections of the gathering which was to be followed by a love feast. First we would have a memorial meeting. Then we would have the Lord’s Table and then some sharing.

The previous Friday and Saturday some fellowship had been released in a young people’s conference on Joseph and Sampson. The young people had shared some with the church of their enjoyment and realization last Lord’s Day.

The brethren who gathered yesterday felt that the burden was of the Lord for the whole church. Some were asked to be prepared to share with the whole church.

The memorial meeting began promptly at 10: A M. The church was informed as to the three parts of the meeting. The Lord’s presence was so strong during the testimonies regarding the life of the deceased brother. We were all deeply touched by the Love of God for this man and also for the Love of God for this man that was in the hearts of the saints. The memorial went on and on. Young saints and old saints, brothers and sisters, guests and family members all stood one by one and spoke of the wonderful love and compassion of Christ and what the Lord had done in our brother. The agenda went out the window. Christ, the Head, was directing things another way. The memorial ended at 12:15 P M. Then we passed the bread and the wine and dismissed for the love feast.

I was so impressed at the honor given to this seemingly weaker less honorable member. 1 Cor 12:22-25, On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; and those members of the body, which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our unseemly members come to have more abundant seemliness, whereas our seemly members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, that there should be no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. NASB

Christ was the Head of the church, not the elders, the brothers, some headquarters or some agenda. Christ directed the meeting. The Oneness was manifested due to the honoring of a less gifted member. The members functioned, not due to some rote formulas but due to their love for Christ and for the dear believer for whom Christ had died.

This brother is not the only one among us who has been saved from a profligate life. We have several. When you honor these dear believers at least as much if not more than some good material that is redeemed, the oneness seems to just happen. Add an assembly that is looking directly to Christ, not a headquarters, a tradition, an agenda or elders or to the ministerial team and you have the local administration of the glorious Head, the resurrected and ascended Christ.

Any genuine believer may join in and participate. The only lines of division drawn are belief in Christ. Yet we have unbelievers as guest in nearly every Lord’s Day gathering. Just this week a person from Nepal, a Hindu, professed faith in Christ and renounced the false gods of Hinduism.

We are like those in Zephaniah chapter three. Or maybe more like 1 Corinthians chapter one. 1 Cor 1:26-28, For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised, God has chosen, the things that are not, that He might nullify the things that are. NASB
We are the:
1. Not wise
2. Not mighty
3. Not noble
4. The foolish
5. The Weak
6. The base
7. The despised.
Yet, we do know something of a practical local church life. We are looking forward to seeing the manifestation of the One New Man more and more.

One brother read an email from Mindanoa, Phillippeans and shared photographs from the email. We rejoiced at the report of the Lord's blessing on a simple local church and their expression of gratitude for the gifts they had recently received.

After this report, a brother who cares for the offering box told how the deceased brother gave him a cash gift every month and said be sure half goes to India and half to the Phillippeans. We actually were able to see photos of poor children who were fed by the gifts of our brother and to see their parents being baptised. Glory!!!

Pray for us.

Hope, Don Rutledge
A believer who is seeking to be a true disciple.
John 8:31-32, Jesus therefore was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. " NASB