The Worship Assembly: A Time of Encouragement
In our last segment, we looked at worship as a lifestyle. While it is true that worship is something that every Christian offers to God daily, there clearly are times where worship is a corporate experience. The importance of Christians assembling together is underscored by the fact that the word of God tells us to not forsake our habit of assembling together (Hebrews 10:25). A major point of emphasis in the passage is often overlooked as people generally are focused on the command: do not forsake the assembly. The point is that when Christians assemble they are to receive encouragement from one another (Hebrews 10:23-25). The idea of mutually encouraging one another necessarily involves community within the body of believers. Encouragement in spiritual formation and discipleship is accomplished within the body of believers, the family of God. As Christians, we are members of the body of Christ. Every aspect of our life as a Christian is a body issue. Being a part of the body necessit...