Different Gatherings, Different Focuses
The apostle Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 14:26 that when the church gathers together, everything is to be done for the strengthening of the church. This is how the different gatherings1 of Banstead Community Church aim to do this.
1) Sunday Morning Service
This is our key weekly gathering and time of corporate worship. It is the main feeding time of the church where there is an expository sermon preached along with Bible readings, hymns and songs, prayers, and once a month the Lord's Supper. This is also where catechesis for the whole church takes place.
2) Sunday Evening Service
This is our main equipping time. At this service the teaching in more seminar-like in style and doctrinal in content with the focus being on strengthening our convictions.
3) Weekly Prayer Meeting
This is our main family time, where individual needs, evangelistic opportunities, regular ministry, other local churches, national and overseas mission are prayed for. We begin by praying through a passage of God's Word (following The Big Read scheme).
4) Church Meetings
These are the main administrative times of the church where the vision is shared, plans and membership updates are given, elders are appointed, financial information discussed, so that the church runs in an orderly way.
5) EQUIP
These monthly groups for men and women provide opportunity for those who attend to instruct, encourage, and pray for one another to be godly men and women. They are purposefully intergenerational to help facilitate the kind of discipleship seen in Titus 2.
The hope is that by having a different focus for each of the 5 gatherings, the church receives a balanced diet, which under God’s grace, will lead health and maturity.
Field Notes
A reminder that every Saturday I send out a Substack with 10 links from around the web worth checking out and the latest resources I’ve produced at Blog of Dan (my online Notion page).
The idea for having different focuses for the different gatherings came from How to Build a Healthy Church by Mark Dever and Paul Alexander