Gathering of the Church

Joan Boney... apostle/prophet

The apostle Paul said ... This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.  II Cor. 13:1

Paul is not speaking of 2 or three different people speaking the same thing.  Paul is saying that he will repeat the message 2 or 3 times in order to establish that message.

The following is a message concerning the gathering of the church.  It is important to speak it multiple times because it is violated over and over in church groups.  And the things that Paul wrote concerning the gathering of the church and what should happen when we come together as the church are the commandment of the Lord ... But these are ignored today by the vast number of churches as churches just copy one another instead of structuring their gathering by scripture.

 Paul, speaking by Spirit of God, told us what we are to do when we come together in the church gathering.

I Cor. 14 ...Paul said ...

26How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.

edify means:  instruct, build up, strengthen

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When the Spirit of God is speaking at the gathering of the church through whomever HE will, it is one of the most exciting things that can happen in our life.

But all too often the Spirit of God is greatly limited due to the modern structure which denies what Paul instructed for the gathering of the church. Today's church meetings are usually structured so only a few "approved" speakers speak.

We see in above scripture "every one of you" hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation.  (freedom for Spirit of God to speak through whom HE will)

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Then Paul said ...

²⁷If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. ²⁸But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.

²⁹ Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. ³⁰If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace. ³¹For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. ³²And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. ³³For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

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And what about the following instruction for the gathering of the church?

Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. ³⁵And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.  I Cor. 14

<sup>Back in the mid-70's when I saw I was called to be a minister, I was horrified.  Women can't speak in the church.  I wouldn't even pray with a man in the room.  So I told God HE would have to clear this up for me if I was to share things from the Spirit of God in the congregation.

Here is what God said to me:  "Look at what these women were doing ..."

I read the above passage and could tell these women were asking questions under the guise of learning ...Thus Paul said, And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church I Cor. 14

Then God reminded me of Philip's daughers ...
8And the next day we that were of Paul’s company departed, and came unto Caesarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him. 9And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy. Acts. 21

Prophesy is for the church.  To do prophesy, Philip's 4 daughters would have to be able to speak in the gathering of the church.

And I was reminded of Anna ..
36And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; 37And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. 38And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.  Lk. 2
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By this time I was persuaded, I believe by the Spirit of God, that women can speak things by the Spirit of God in the gathering of the church. 
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In the gathering of the church, the key point is the Spirit of God is free to speak as HE wills through whom HE wills ... It was not supposed to be a group of men on platform with all in the congregation limited to just these specific men.

If Jesus returned in such as case they might not allow HIM to speak that day to the church.  He might need to first prove Himself to the approved men on the platform before He could speak.

If we have the Spirit of God, we know that which is spoken by God when we hear it so we can judge if the word spoken is of God. 

I've heard many things not of God spoken from the men who are on the platform and approved to speak.

I have numerous examples ... here is one example.
One time, I was visiting a non-denominational church and the pastor began speaking to about 200 in the congregation.  He said, "When the woman taken in adultery was brought before Jesus for judgment in Jn. 8, she was naked from the waist up."

I was shocked.  I grabbed my Bible while pastor continued speaking and I re-read Jn. 8.  There was no mention of her being naked from waist up.

The next day I called and talked to this pastor, asking him about this.  He first told me he couldn't remember where it said that in the Bible.

I was polite but I did ask him to look for it and have his secretary call me and tell me where it is because I just couldn't find it.

Then he countenance changed and he became angry and with very harsh manner replied, "Okay, it's not in the Bible ... where do you go to church? (trying to accuse me of wrong doing)"

Concerning those who heard the pastor that night that he spoke of the woman taken in adultery ... I'm not aware of anyone showing shock at what pastor said.  I didn't see anyone take a Bible to "prove" this word that was spoken by pastor.
10And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Acts. 17

The Bereans checked the scriptures even to see if what Paul spoke was true.
12Therefore many of them believed; Acts. 17

I never went to a church meeting looking for wrong.  If I thought there would be wrong, I wouldn't go there.

But I am awake and alive and when wrong is spoken the Spirit of God in me is shaken.  And each time I have gone to the person who has spoken wrong and have asked him to show me in the Bible.  I didn't do this in mean spirit but I did it in Spirit of God.  But I do believe God has an anger over wrong doing inside the congregation.  I think of the anger of Jesus when the money changers worked in the temple.  I'm certain Jesus is angry when a person speaks the word of God wrongly or adds to the word of God.---------------
But above all the church gathering should be set up according to the actual "commandment of the Lord" as is set forth in the following.</sup>

26How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.  I Cor. 14

At the end of I Cor. 14, Paul even says ...

37If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.  I Cor. 14

It is "the commandment of the Lord" that the gathering of the church today is set up according to the words Paul spoke in I Cor. 14.

But these commandments are broken over and over week by week as the various church groups gather by the tradition of men rather than by the instruction of the holy scripture.

But Paul also said ...
38But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant. I Cor. 14

I might speak once to those in charge ... and then I just leave that church group.  I don't sit in a church group when there is no repentance over the mis-use of scripture.  They are following "anti-christ" when they do opposite from that which is instructed in Bible.