A Gathered People reviewed

A GATHERED PEOPLE
"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another -- and all the more as you see the Day approaching" (Hebrews 10:24-25).

A Gathered People is the third book by John Mark Hicks, this time with co-authors Johnny Melton and Bobby Valentine (1). This book’s subtitle is "Revisioning the Assembly as Transforming Encounter." The book is a study of the assembling of God’s people. In churches of Christ there has been two views of the assembly: 1) as a legal duty and 2) as mutual edification (2). In recent years these two views have been in conflict with charges of legalism, traditionalism, progressivism, and entertaining worship against each other. Is this the message we want to portray about our time together?

In my view, we have too often looked at the church (assembly) as an institution that must be controlled in every detail and that any violation is unacceptable to God, and therefore to us. In this scenario, the "church" is "perfect" and what matters is what particular leaders place on it, mostly attendance and giving. Little freedom is found because there is only one way to look at things. The idea that the assembly is a family gathered together for encouragement and strength is foreign to the organizational model.

Hicks and company addresses this in a thought provoking way. They see both views as extreme, though they lean much more to the edification model. Rather, they are attempting to make a corrective as to how we should see the assembly as an encounter with God. We have, in the edification model, tended to see worship as an unimportant aspect. We worship everywhere but the assembly. While not the first to suggest this corrective, they are the first to organize it in a systematic way, combining both Biblical and historical sources in understanding the assembly.
Chapter one discusses the conflicts between the two views of the assembly.

We have an assumption that we can skip two thousand years of history and culture and return to the way the church was in the first century. What we do not realize is that we have been affected by both history and culture. Reading through this book, one will see the changes that have occurred in the assembly. Most of us would not want to meet all day on a Sunday, listening to lengthy readings from scripture followed by exposition and singing. We have enough difficulty with going an hour before wrestleness sets in. We have been impacted in a number of ways by those who have gone before us. I knew a professor of architecture at the University of Illinois who told me once that most church buildings have been following the same pattern since the 1400s. The authors mention that some of the early Restoration preachers would rather gather around a table than have a pulpit, certainly a challenge to our mindset today.

In chapters four and five, the authors examine briefly various influences throughout the centuries on the assembly. We can see where those who have gone before us have influenced us in a number of ways. Of course, some will sneer at this, but it is the reality. Culture affects us! Chapter four looks at various aspects of the assembly, including the way it was conducted, from Rome, Eastern, Reform and Puritan traditions. One can see the emphasis and also the changes that occurred. Chapter five looks at Restoration history and how we too have changed since the early 1800s. Some today would be shocked that there is a vast difference over the years. Eventually it led to the five acts of worship that we know today: preach, sing, give, pray, and the Lord’s Supper. Among the changes that occurred are those of song styles, from the more classical to the country sounding Stamps-Baxter, to contemporary music of today.
The foundation of the assembly is discussed in chapters two and three. Chapter two examines God meeting with His people in the Hebrew scriptures. We can see fellowship in Eden in the very presence of God. But after the Fall, we see people beginning to worship and the development of fellowship through worship. When Israel comes to Mt. Sinai, God comes into the presence of the nation. He would be their God and would be with them as seen in the Tabernacle. In Exodus 24, Moses and Aaron and seventy elders are called up to meet with God. Twice it is stated that they see God and they all live (3). In summing up this event, the authors state that "Three themes dominate. First, the passage beings with the invitation and ends with the experience of divine presence. Second, the word of the Lord, both spoken and written, is shared. Third, both altar and table are present" (4). This develops as the theme throughout the chapter as they look at various texts briefly to show these ideas of the presence of God.
Chapter three examines the New Testament view. They approach with the idea of what the gospel or good news is. The text used is Luke 4:18-19 in which Jesus says:

"The Spirit of the Lord is one me, because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim
freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor."

This text serves as the theme throughout the book, being referred to at least ten times. They see it as the message of the early church, both preaching and living. The assembly lives out the good news in its coming together. Corinth was ignoring the poor when they assembled and took the Lord’s Supper which violated the good news of Jesus (see 1 Corinthians 11:17-31). Even today, we build our fancy buildings and drive our fine cars, we have our creature comforts, padded pews and air conditioning, and our Sunday best in dress. But what message does this send to the outsider such as the poor? In bemoaning this, they state:
"Unfortunately, our gifts are often more dedicated toward our buildings and support staff
than they are to the poor. Could the church treasury at least tithe to the poor so that our
benevolence ministries are not the last budget item but the first?" (5).

They go on to say that our buildings can be a hindrance to others who find themselves humiliated because of their economic situation. This should not surprise us because humility is one aspect of our lives that seems to be in short supply. Paul challenged the Philippians with this by describing the humble life of Jesus (Philippians 2:5-11).

Chapter six discusses the importance that when we come together, God comes as well. He is not a spectator looking on or judging us by how well we sing. Nor is He the recipient of our praise and focus, though that certainly has a role to play. Rather He is an active participant in our assembly, sharing with, comforting, and accepting praise. Two important texts are discussed in this chapter. One is John 4:23-24 where Jesus states that we worship God in Spirit and in truth. What exactly does this mean? Traditionally we have seen this as worshipping in "the inner being and according to the Bible" (6). They see Spirit as the Holy Spirit and truth as the new reality in Jesus, the new Temple as seen in John 2, not a building but a redemptive fellowship.

The other text is the book of Hebrews. We meet not just with those who gather on Sundays but with a host of beings, from God to angels to those who have gone before. God’s rule has broken in to the presence and we share together as we look forward to the future "Eden" when we will walk in the cool of the Garden with God (7).

Chapter seven is the application of what has been said. Our assemblies should shape Christ in us as well as bring glory to God. Here is how they define it. "First, does it glorify God?…Second, do we please ourselves or others?…Third, do we point the unbeliever to God? (8). The assembly, they conclude, should "encounter God, profess our faith and encourage each other" (9).

There is an interesting appendix of things they did not discuss which can be controversial to many people. They explain that it would take much more exploration to discuss those issues, and while they can be important, a foundation is necessary before such discussions can begin.

The above is a very brief review and the explanations are very short from a book that has much to offer to the student of the Bible who wishes to enhance the assembly. So let me say the following.

One, this is an important book, in my opinion, as a corrective to the assembly as edification model. The authors are supportive of this model but want us to see that God is involved with us when we come together and that worship and praise to Him, while to be done in all things (see 1 Corinthians 10:31), should also be seen as part of the assembly. Involved in that as well is the good news as expressed by Jesus in Luke 4:18-19.

Two, the two types of assemblies discussed have been part of what is known as "worship wars," briefly mentioned in the book. Part of the problem is the attitude that we can skip two thousand years of history and culture, thinking that we are not affected by it. We live in a changing culture, both in society and in the assembly, and this needs to be recognize. I have heard some say that we do not want to be like other groups but if you ever visit or watch their television programs, surprisingly we might not be all that different. We sing the same songs, emphasis the pulpit, and have a similar order of assembly. We need to understand the influences that have led us to where we are.

Three, for some this book will be controversial because it challenges cherished traditions. It will be one of those books that can affect our spiritual lives (10). I hope so! We need to revisit our assembly tradition and see the importance of coming into the presence of God in the Holy of holies, and all that means. Among the controversies will be how we see the assembly, the Holy Spirit, the use of lament which is an important though brief discussion in the book, and a number of other ideas. A complain in a review of another book of the authors complained that they used too many big words. This book is not a devotional, it is meant to be studied. It will challenge us!

Finally, I want to say something about their use of the Old Testament, the Hebrew scriptures. For far too long we have had an attitude that the Old is not as important and does not need to be looked at. I have been told on more than one occasion that I have spent too much time in the Old. This is changing and I am thankful that the authors began with the Hebrew scriptures. We forget, and I think some do not realize, that the Bible of the first century church was the Old Testament. From there Paul taught about the assembly, as this book shows, and that he himself stated that he said nothing more than what the Law and the prophets said.

An interesting study in the book is that of the Jewish feasts (11). They look at the seven Jewish feasts and there importance for the Jewish people when they gathered together. Five come out of the Law of Moses, the names of which we heard throughout the year. There is Passover, the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost, Rosh Hashanah or the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and Yom Kippur. We hear of them but what do they mean? The sixth feast is that of Purim found in the book of Esther. Then there is the Feast of Dedication or Festival of Lights, known today as Hanukkah. Each had meaning for the Jewish people.

This then raises a question. How much did the Hebrew scriptures and Jewish culture affect the early church? That is a question that is being explored more today by various writers (12). I think that we do not realize that the Jewish influences are deep and rich for the first century church, and that having ignored the Old for so long, we have missed important understandings of scripture. Simply saying that since we are New Testament Christians, we do not need to look at the Old except when it supports some case of ours, no longer is a valid idea. Jesus and Paul and most of the other writers lived in a Jewish culture and were influenced and affected by it (13).

I would encourage you to pick up this book. It is thought provoking, challenging, and will help enhance our time together.

George B. Mearns







(1) The other two are Come To The Table and Down To The River To Pray, all published by Leafwood Publishers, Abilene, Texas.
(2) p. 13f
(3) I think that we need to reevaluate our understanding of this text with other texts that state that no one can see God and live. I do not think this is a figurative or spiritual experience, but a eye opening event in the lives of these people. How we see God is important. The legal aspect of the assembly would lean more to an unapproachable God, which I think influences our assemblies.
(4) p. 41
(5) p. 165
(6) p. 134
(7) see John Mark Hicks and Bobby Valentine, Kingdom Come, Leafwood Publishers.
(8) p. 154
(9) p. 166
(10) Several years ago a leading publication of the churches of Christ came out with a list of books that would affect one’s spiritual life. The author intended it as a warning to the dangers found in those books. I read most of them and found that to be true; if followed they would draw us closer to God in Christ.
(11) p. 45-50
(12) Among them is the leading conservative theologian today, N.T. Wright and a number of others. From churches of Christ, Jim McGuiggan, a teacher of mine, has spent much time studying the Old Testament and writing challenging thoughts. John Mark Hicks and his co-authors have been opening an understanding of New Testament texts and ideas with studies in the Old, as this book shows. I am thankful that we have these scholars looking into the importance of the Hebrew scriptures.
(13) Bobby Valentine is examining this on his blog, http://stoned-campbelldisciple.blogspot.com