“Having gathered the multitude together, they handed them the letter. And when they read it, they rejoiced at the consolation” (Acts 15:30-31). These verses tell us that when Paul and his companions arrived in Antioch, they gathered the saints together to read to them the letter written by the apostles and the elders in Jerusalem under the leading of the Holy Spirit. This indicates that we also may need to meet together occasionally to read the word of God in the Bible.
In Colossians 4:16 Paul says, “When this letter is read among you, cause that it may be read also in the church of the Laodiceans, and that you also read the one from Laodicia.” This verse also refers to a gathering for reading the Word of God.
In the church we also may gather together for listening to messages. According to the record in Acts, this kind of gathering is not frequent. One verse that refers to such a gathering is Acts 20:7. “When we gathered together...Paul discoursed with them, about to go forth on the next day.” On that day, the believers in Troas met together to listen to Paul discoursing with them concerning the spiritual things of God so that they might be edified and established. This indicates that sometimes we also should meet to listen to spiritual messages spoken for God by the Lord’s minister of the word that we may be edified and established.
Another kind of gathering is the gathering for preaching the gospel. Acts 5:42 refers to this kind of gathering. “Every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and bringing the good news of Jesus as the Christ.” Here we see that the apostles preached the gospel in the temple and in the houses of the believers. Today we should follow this practice of gathering to preach the gospel from house to house.
Finally, there is the gathering for fellowship regarding God’s move. Acts 14:27 says, “Having arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done with them, and that He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.” Here we see that after Paul’s first journey of ministry, he came back to Antioch, called the church together, and related to the church what God had done through his ministry, telling them of God’s move. This indicates that we may sometimes gather together to have fellowship regarding God’s move.
We have covered seven categories of the gatherings of the church: the gathering for the Lord’s table, the gathering for prayer, the gathering for edification by exercising the spiritual gifts, the gathering for reading the Word of God, the gathering for listening to messages, the gathering for preaching the gospel, and the gathering for fellowship regarding God’s move. These are the only kinds of gatherings of the church mentioned in the New Testament.
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