1.  A book that focuses on the oneness of believers based on the three items given by Jesus in His prayer in John 17.

Is there another book exploring John 17 that focuses on God’s people being ONE in the Trinity? ONEness being God’s eternal purpose for which Jesus Christ died; that through His death and resurrection three gifts were given resulting in the oneness of believers.

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2.  The glory that the Lord Jesus received from the Father and gave to the believers, in John 17, relates to His service to God as a man. Receiving this glory to become one means that believers become servants to serve in the Lord’s glory. (p. 23-26)

If believers are not serving God and man in the Lord’s glory, which is in humility, then pride will eventually surface to cause segregation among God’s people. This is the bearing of the cross in order to bear much fruit for God’s glory.

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3.  Keeping and arriving at ONEness in the body in Eph 4, mirrors the three gifts given by Jesus in John 17. (p. 34-35)

Seeing this gives believers confidence that Paul fully entered into the Lord’s prayer in John 17 and he labored to build up the body according to the Lord’s three gifts.

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4.  In Eph. 4:13, defining “the faith” to be the simplicity of the saving faith and the “knowledge of the Son of God” is to have the singular focus and seeking to know the infinitely vast Christ. (p. 35)

This makes clear that the mature oneness among believers is to receive one another based on the simplicity of the saving faith, and the unrelenting pursuit of both the understanding and experiential  knowledge of the Son of God.

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5.  A book developing the four essentials in order to have the growth of the spiritual life: nutrients, air (environment), exercise and sleep. (p. 39-40)

Providing a concise guide for believers to grow in their spiritual life by mapping the four essential ingredients of life for spiritual growth: nutrient, air, exercise, and sleep.

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6.  In Eph 4:18-19, the word “all” in “all the saints” is not referring to all numerically, but rather all kinds and types of believers. With this understanding, then even in a small home assembly where all different kinds of believers are present, the expanded dimensions of Christ can be apprehended. (p. 62-63)

It is easy for believers to group together according to various kinds: by doctrinal understanding (Calvinism or Arminianism), by practices (Pentecostal or cessationism), by ethnicity, by age group, etc. This can result in a one or limited dimensional understanding and experience of Christ. Therefore, Christians need to be in fellowship with all kinds believers. A home assembly with less than 20 believers from different backgrounds can be richer in the enjoyment of Christ than being with a 1000 believers that are the same in doctrine and practices.

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7.  In Rom 8:4-6, “think about the things of the Spirit” is applied to seeing Christ as the reality of all things in our environment. Having this “mind-set of the spirit” is life and peace and it is how we walk according to spirit. (p. 66)

This simplifies how believers can walk according to the Spirit. Rather than having our focus and the resulting accusations for not obeying the Spirit, we can simply focus on Jesus Christ being everything to us for our enjoyment no matter what environment we find ourselves.

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8.  According to Heb 5:11-14, spiritual exercise is to teach and feed others, Christ. (p. 73-75)

Every believer needs to exercise in order to grow and mature. By understanding that a major spiritual exercise is to teach and minister Christ to others, we know the reason why so many believers remain babes in Christ.

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9.  Referencing 2Cor 3:9 to show that the “word of righteousness” in Heb 5:13 is the ministry of the Spirit. (p. 74)

A spiritual babe is one who does not minister the Spirit in order to feed others. This person is only concerned with his/her own forgiveness of sins and not one ministering “bread and wine” as Melchizedek.

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10. Applying the verses in Heb 6:1-8, to believers needing to keep feeding others spiritually no matter their own condition. (p. 75-77)

Christians have been using this portion of the word to debate the doctrine of eternal security or whether believers can lose their salvation. This discussion taking it out of context. This portion is an encouragement for believers to continue to minister Christ to others even when they encounter their own personal failures.

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11. Using 1Tim 4:6-7 to show that spiritual exercise is to teach godliness as defined by 1Tim 3:15-16. (p. 78-80)

It is essential to recognize that every believer needs to exercise themselves by teaching others concerning godliness which is defined as Jesus Christ person and His work of building His body.

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12. The conscience of believers is now one with the Holy Spirit; therefore, the sense of their conscience includes whether they are living by the divine nature. This sense is the leading of the Spirit. (84-85)

This makes being “led by the Spirit” very practical and experiential throughout our daily living. Believers do not need to wait for a kind of special “speaking” from God, but their conscience is constantly leading them according to God’s divine nature in them.

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13. Defining various kinds of sufferings according to Scriptures: involuntary and voluntary. (p. 91-96)

It is important for believers to understand why they might encounter suffering: what is the source and for what purpose. It is also critical that more believers voluntarily suffer for the building of the Lord’s body.

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14. The way for all believers to experience the ascended Christ with the outpouring of the Spirit is by participating in fulfilling God’s purpose as part of the Christ. (p. 139-141)

Most believers are not able to distinguish between how to apply the Lord’s resurrection and ascension to their daily experiences. In fact, the majority of believers are missing the application of the Lord’s ascension with the outpouring of the Spirit because they are not participating in the same anointing as Jesus by actively working toward completing God’s eternal purpose.

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15. Why Oikonomia (economy) has to do with dispensing food based on the root word of “nomo” (law) which is “nemo”: law is for feeding. (p. 175-176)

The word “oikonomia” is prominently used in the New Testament in connection with God’s eternal purpose; therefore, it is critical to understand the meaning of this word. Without this understanding, ministers may minister something else other than Jesus Christ as food.

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16. The command by Paul in Rom 16 to greet other believers not normally associated within your own group of believers is critical in spreading the one fellowship of the assembly. (p. 224-228)

Believers usually only have fellowship with those in their own church or group.  This segregation is divisive. Intentional actions are needed to go visit and fellowship with believers that are not in their regular group. This greeting will grow the one fellowship of Jesus Christ which is the oneness of the body.

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17. It is in the mutual greeting of believers that those causing divisions are exposed and Satan is crushed. (p. 229-230)

It is by obeying the command to greet other believers not associated within our own group that the oneness of the body is spread; those ministers that are only for building up their own following or church is exposed as divisive; and Satan is crushed.

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18. Defining churches today as ministries and the primary location of the assembly (ekklessia) being in homes. (p. 10-12; 36-37; 209-211; 233-238)

This brings clarity and openness among believers so that those attending institutional churches and those assembling independently in homes are not conflicting and can grow together in the one fellowship of Jesus Christ.

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19. Leadership in a ministry (church) different from leadership in an assembly. (p. 239-242)

Just about all Christians know the clear leadership structure of a ministry (by extension institutional churches). Although a hierarchical leadership structure is needed for a ministry, it is not ordained for an assembly. Applying the same leadership method to an assembly will paralyze the spiritual gifts in believers and will result in causing divisions.

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20. The 3rd commandment of not taking God’s name in vain means that believers manifest the enjoyment of riches of Christ as their husband. (p. 261)

Most Christians apply this commandment by not using God’s name to swear or cuss. The positive aspect is missed: that of being married to God to possess His name with all of His riches for the believers’ daily enjoyment.

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21. Using Luke 24 to show that asking questions and listening is a good way to cherish people in order to unveil Christ. (p. 312-313)

To unveil Jesus Christ in the Scriptures to others in the way of ministry, it is critical that one learns to ask prompting questions and listen. Jesus set an example of listening more than speaking in his care for those weaker in faith.

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22. Condemning the hypocrisy of religion allowed the Lord to cherish and comfort those hurt by religion. (p. 313-314)

It is almost universal that the faith of Jesus Christ is included as one of the many religions by people of the world. Yet, many have rejected religion due to its hypocrisies and in doing so they have also turned off to the message of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ set Himself uniquely apart from religion by openly condemning its hypocrisies in order to comfort those hurt by religion and open them to His message.

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23. Taking up the cross and denying the self is exclusively related to the building up of the assembly through the gospel and the ministering of Jesus Christ. (p. 314-317)

Many Christians consider that taking up the cross to deny themselves as an individual spiritual experience for their own individual growth. Whereas, the experience of the cross is a joy since it is directly related to our ministry to others, to see other come to Christ and grow for the building up of the one body.

 

24. ​1Cor 9:20-23 is an example of a person who is practicing denying himself for the gospel. (p. 317-318)

Paul didn’t deny himself, his culture, or his preferences just so that he could “suffer” to become more spiritual. He did it in order to gain people for Christ. This kind of denying of the self is also needed in order to fellowship with diverse believers.

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25. Luke 10 is the pattern not just for the gospel but for building up an assembly in a home. (p. 331-333)

God’s intention is not just to save individual people, but He is after assemblies in house after house. The Lord’s way of sending His disciples and staying in a house of peace leads to the continuation of the gospel and shepherding in that house resulting in His assembly in that house.

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26. Acts ended with Paul having his own home fellowship. This shows that the continuing pattern of carrying out the commission of building up the body of Christ is accessible for all believers to practice. (p. 334-335)

This established the way for the simplicity of all believers to participate in the on-going acts of participating in the apostolic ministry. Very few Christians can participate in the way of Peter in the beginning of Acts, but everyone with a home can participate in the way of Paul at the end of Acts by simply welcoming people into their home to teach and fellowship concerning Jesus Christ and God’s kingdom.

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27. Confessing that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is the teaching of Christ (2John 1:7,9), referencing this to 1Tim 3:16 to show that the teaching of Christ includes His body. (p. 341-343)

By linking these two sets of verses, it expands the “teaching of Christ” from the individual Jesus Christ to the corporate Christ which includes His body. This teaching is the unique truth. This understanding further supports that it is the truth that brings believers into ONE.

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28. Every home assembling in oneness represents the “whole assembly.” (p. 354-355)

This means that an independent home assembly has all the elements of the universal assembly. The authority of Christ is there, the full supply of the Spirit is there, all the gifts necessary for building is there among the believers. They are not short of anything that would hinder them to grow and multiply. Of course, the prerequisite is that they are ONE with all believers and they also go out to greet as in Rom 16.

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29. Prophesying is the unveiling of Christ and His body and can be in speech, prayer, and song. (p. 356-357)

By this understanding, it is easy to accept how normal it is for everyone in an assembly to prophesy. That all believers can seek and obtain such as gift for the building up of the assembly.

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30. The function of the 2 or 3 prophets in 1Cor 14:29 is to unveil Christ until those listening would receive fresh light and revelation so that they will want to interrupt the speaking prophet because they now have something to speak. (p. 358-359)

In an assembly, it should be normal that there are interruptions of the one speaking by another desiring to speak. In fact, the goal of the prophets is that their speaking will inspire more to speak because something of Christ was unveiled to those listening. These are the prophets that we need in an assembly, who’s speaking inspire others to interrupt with fresh seeing and more speaking of Christ. But peace should be maintained as they are to speak “one by one” without confusion.

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31. Connecting the priesthood of believers in their offering to God in Rom 15:16 with bringing the “unbelieving” and “uninformed” to the assembly as an offering. (p. 359-360)

If the believers are functioning as priests in their daily lives, then they should bring those that are receiving their ministry to the assembly. A normal assembly should regularly have new ones that are not yet saved as well as young and weak believers. If an assembly has the same people month after month, then there is not the offering to worship God and feed the saints.