David Canfield - Regarding the Ground

[OBW]

Originally Posted by ZNPaaneah

Maybe the better question is whether the NT supports the practice of two churches in one city?

So the only option is that the NT prescribes only one assembly, or it only prescribes two (or more) assemblies. If the only option was these two, then I would say that only one is prescribed. But I find neither prescribed.

Instead I find nothing on the subject. Or at least nothing that could be considered to rise to the position of a prescription.

The question being asked is whether the NT supports any practice as the singular way. And the evidence is "no." There are the general references to the church. And to churches by location. But those are not the only references. There are also references to church in a home, presumably within the same city to which a letter to the church in that city has been written. This would suggest that "church" is being used in more than one way. In one to refer to the Christians in a place, region, etc., and to specific gatherings (assemblies).

So, I might reasonably argue that the NT does, in fact, support but not prescribe the existence of two or more churches in one city, assuming that we are using the term "church" to refer to actual assemblies, whether large or as small as fitting in a house.