“Leeman’s work was influential in our church’s decision to move from multiservice to a single service.”
—Ryan Kelly, Pastor of Preaching, Desert Springs Church, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Maybe you have been there: you’re running late to church, and you know it will be hard to find an empty seat. This is an all-too-frequent experience in a growing church. For churches experiencing this dilemma, a common solution is to add another service or location. This seems like a cost-effective fix. Besides, no one wants to turn away non-Christians. But is it the best option?
Jonathan Leeman presents a series of biblical, theological, and pastoral arguments to help reorient our minds to a scriptural definition of church. He makes the case that maintaining a single assembly best follows the Bible, fulfills the Great Commission, and furthers our partnership with other churches.
176 pages
Series Preface
Special Thanks
Introduction
1. A Church Is the Geography of Christ’s Kingdom
2. A Church Is an Assembly
3. A Church Should Be Catholic
Appendix 1: New Testament Uses of Ekklēsia/“Assembly”
Appendix 2: Does Acts 9:31 Refer to a Regional “Church”? (Anne Rabe)
Notes
General Index
Scripture Index
“Many churches take multiple services as a given. Increasingly, churches are embracing multisite models. With the boldness, courage, and zeal of a reformer, Jonathan Leeman invites us to submit our assumptions and practices in ministry to the scrutiny of what the Bible says about the church. Even if you don’t agree with everything that One Assembly concludes about the church, Leeman is surely correct to call the church to build her life, worship, and service upon the foundation of Scripture alone. Let One Assembly provoke you, challenge you, and, above all, drive you to God’s word.”
--- Guy Prentiss Waters, James M. Baird Jr. Professor of New Testament, Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson, Mississippi
One Assembly: Rethinking the Multisite and Multiservice Church Models is in the following collections: