Topical Encyclopedia
Definition and Purpose:In the biblical context, meetings refer to gatherings of individuals for worship, instruction, decision-making, or fellowship. These assemblies are integral to the life of the faith community, serving as opportunities for believers to come together in unity, to seek God's guidance, and to encourage one another in their spiritual walk.
Old Testament Context:Meetings in the Old Testament often revolved around religious observances and communal decision-making. The Israelites were commanded to gather for various feasts and holy convocations. For instance,
Leviticus 23 outlines the appointed festivals of the Lord, where the people were to come together for worship and celebration. The Tent of Meeting, also known as the Tabernacle, was a central place where Moses and the Israelites would meet with God.
Exodus 33:7 states, "Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, some distance away, calling it the 'tent of meeting.' Anyone inquiring of the LORD would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp."
New Testament Context:In the New Testament, meetings take on a more structured form with the establishment of the early church. Believers gathered regularly for teaching, prayer, breaking of bread, and fellowship.
Acts 2:42 describes the early church's devotion: "They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." These gatherings were essential for the growth and edification of the church.
The apostle Paul provides instructions for orderly meetings in
1 Corinthians 14:26, emphasizing the importance of edification: "What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up."
Types of Meetings:1.
Worship Gatherings: Central to the life of the church, these meetings focus on praising God, teaching His Word, and partaking in the sacraments.
Hebrews 10:25 encourages believers not to forsake assembling together: "Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have made a habit, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching."
2.
Prayer Meetings: These are dedicated times for communal prayer, seeking God's will, and interceding for others.
Acts 4:31 records a powerful prayer meeting: "After they had prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly."
3.
Council Meetings: In the early church, leaders would convene to address doctrinal issues and make important decisions. The Jerusalem Council in
Acts 15 is a prime example, where the apostles and elders met to discuss the inclusion of Gentile believers.
4.
Fellowship Gatherings: These meetings foster community and mutual support among believers. They often include shared meals and personal interaction, as seen in
Acts 2:46: "With one accord they continued to meet daily in the temple courts and to break bread from house to house, sharing their meals with gladness and sincerity of heart."
Significance:Meetings are vital for the spiritual health and unity of the church. They provide a platform for teaching, worship, and mutual encouragement. Through these gatherings, believers are equipped to live out their faith and fulfill the Great Commission. The biblical model of meetings underscores the importance of community and the collective pursuit of God's purposes.
Library
TheMeetings.
... THE VALUE OF A PRAYING MOTHER CHAPTER XXII. THEMEETINGS. The news of the goodmeetings
spread rapidly, and the attendance constantly increased....
Meetings for Prayer.
... LECTURE VIII.MEETINGS FOR PRAYER. Text... praying. Suchmeetings have been common
from the time of Christ, and even hundreds of years before....
Camp-Meetings in Various States
... Chapter XXI Camp-Meetings in Various States. While engaged in the work in Chicago
I had the privilege of attending camp-meetings in a number of States....
Of HoldingMeetings with the Donatists.
... The Sixth Ecumenical Council. Canon XCI. (Greek xciv.) Of holdingmeetings
with the Donatists. Of holdingmeetings with the Donatists....
1870-1871. Workers'Meetings at Home of Industry --Training Home...
... Workers'meetings at home of industry"Training home at Hampton opened"Personal
experiences"Welcome in Western Canada"Help for a Glasgow home"Scottish...
Begins Preaching at Beech Grove. Debates with Elder Hiner. Amusing...
... Debates with Elder Hiner. Amusing Incident. Holds manyMeetings. Debates with Elder
Frogge.... Sick Again. Holds moreMeetings. Begins Preaching at Beech Grove....
He Moves to Mt. Byrd. Debate with JW Fitch. Preaches at Madison...
... ProtractedMeetings at Columbia, Burksville, Thompson's Church, Dover, Germantown,
Pleasant Hill, Burksville again, Beech Grove, Dover again. He Moves to Mt....
We Ought to Detest These HeathenMeetings and Assemblies...
... Chapter XXVII. We ought to detest these heathenmeetings and assemblies?
We ought to detest these heathenmeetings and assemblies...
The Life of Mr. John M'Clelland.
... storm which forced them to return back to Ireland), he preached for some time through
the counties of Down, Tyron and Dunnegal in privatemeetings, till being...
Church Alliances and Federations of Churches.
... of the Reformed Churches, which held its first meeting in Edinburgh, 1876, and are
the following: 1. The Baptist World Alliance, withmeetings, London, 1905...
Thesaurus
Meetings (14 Occurrences)... Multi-Version Concordance
Meetings (14 Occurrences). Acts 11:26 He succeeded,
and brought him to Antioch; and for a whole year they
...Agape
... Paul's references to the abuses that had sprung up in the Corinthian church at the
meetings for the observance of the Lord's Supper (1 Corinthians 11:20-22, 33...
Synagogue (52 Occurrences)
... The oldest Christianmeetings and meeting-places were modeled on the pattern of
the synagogues, and, in Christian-Palestinian Aramaic the word kenishta' is...
Meets (17 Occurrences)
Worship (332 Occurrences)
... Synagogue-worship was probably not abandoned with Pentecost, but private brotherhood
meetings, like that in the upper chamber, and from house to house, were...
Vestry (1 Occurrence)
... 1. (n.) A room appendant to a church, in which sacerdotal vestments and sacred utensils
are sometimes kept, and wheremeetings for worship or parish business...
Nymphas (1 Occurrence)
... person of outstanding worth and importance in the church of Laodicea, for he had
granted the use of his dwelling-house for the ordinary weeklymeetings of the...
Justus (3 Occurrences)
... (2.) A Jewish proselyte at Corinth, in whose house, next door to the synagogue,
Paul heldmeetings and preached after he left the synagogue (Acts 18:7)....
Lawyer (5 Occurrences)
... To thesemeetings the youth interested in the study would be invited, that they
might memorize the formulas agreed upon and might clear up the points upon...
Wearing (43 Occurrences)
... (WEY). James 2:2 For suppose a man comes into one of yourmeetings wearing gold
rings and fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man wearing shabby clothes...
Resources
What is revivalism? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the value of a prayer meeting? | GotQuestions.orgWhy do some churches have a Sunday night/evening service? | GotQuestions.orgBible Concordance •
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