Assembly Map

This site was helps believers from New Testament patterned assemblies find similar local churches when they travel or relocate. (Do not confuse our use of the term "assembly" with the Assemblies of God or other denominations.) Assembly is at times used as a more accurate translation of the New Testament Gr. word ekklesia, since it communicates the assembling or gathering of believers from the surrounding world more effectively than the english word church does.

If you visit you may notice: Each of the local churches on this map is autonomous and non-denominational. Like believers, they differ slightly in what they emphasize but have many core convictions that they share. Many of the local church (not all) share a loose connection with a historical movement known as the Brethren Movement (one of the earliest non-denominational movements, and a what some have called the second reformation as it involved a full departure from the vestigal clergy-laity system of post Reformation protestantism to a full blown priesthood-of-all-believers.

New Testament Patterned style of gathering. Many of the local churches on this map believe the patterns, not just the principles, of the early church can be effective today as well as they were 2000 years ago. You will notice that many of them implement some or all of the following aspects of the NT churche's practice:

• Breaking of bread/Lord's supper on the 1st day of the week.
• Shepherding by a plurality of Biblical elders rather than a hired pastor.
• Open meeting format during worship and/or ministry.
• Sisters wear a veil or hat during meetings of the local assembly.
• No denominational organization is submitted to as this is not seen in Acts 15 or elsewhere in the NT. Christ is seen as the head of each local assembly.
• Local churches are autonomous although not necessarily isolationistic.
• Names chosen often follow the pattern naming a local church based on its location (ie. the "assembly at Corinth",) which avoid implying the body of Christ is divided into denominational factions. Terms like church, chapel, hall, fellowship, and assembly are commonly found in names.
• Leadership, teaching, and verbal ministry are carried out by men (as a belief that this is commanded by the scriptures, not out of a belief that sisters are incapable of teaching or leading).
• While deep Biblical literacy is valued, gaining a degree from a seminary or Bible college is not seen as necessary for leadership int he local church.
• Service in the local assembly is based on giftendness, maturity, and and holiness, not on aquisition of a degree from a Bible training institution.
• Other than use of the title/term "elders" (as used in the New Testament) titles such as pastor, reverend, ministry, priest, father, bishop are avoided as this is seen to set up a false clergy/laity class (which is strongly avoided).
• Many local church on this map do not use musical instruments during one or more of their meetings (some do).
• Most tend to use what they feel are songs, hymns, and spiritual psalms during their singing (rather than contemporary praise choruses and band music).
• None of the assemblies on this map practice foot-washing, or holy kisses to my knowledge. If you wish to discuss why, please email me (jgentile @ assemblycare.org).

Again, not ALL of the groups on this map do all of the above, but most still do, and many, did at one time (if they happen to be shifting in their local practices). 

As there is no hard and fast rule for grouping churches - the NT avoids this as there is "one Body"( Eph 4). To this end we do not have a hard and fast set of rules that we use to include or exlude groups from this. Our general aim is to PROMOTE local churches that are attempting to head in the direction shown above rather than churches that are attempting to look like the traditional evangelical churches dotting the landscape today. For a practical tool that will help your local church rate the extent to which is looks like the New Testaments pattern for the church, please email Jesse Gentile at jgentile @ assemblycare.org

Basic Doctrine: Doctrinally, New Testament patterned assemblies are similar to many conservative Christian churches in  that they preach: orthodox doctrine (i.e. belief in the trininty, virgin birth, incarnation, two natures of Christ, etc..), salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, verbal plenary inspiration of scriptures, believers baptism, final judgment of unbelievers in a literal hell, the phyiscal return of Christ for the church (usualy pre-tribulational). Most assemblies on this map would not be reformed or covanental in their theology. They may range from moderately to not calvinistic in their soteriology (although they would affirm salvation is by grace alone and would reject the label of arminianism or antinomianism).

Other Doctrinal Points: To my knowledge, all of the local churches, camps, and ministries on this map are cessasionist towards sign gifts such as tongues, and prophecy. They tend to promote conservative Christlike living.