The Church as a Physical and Singular Assembly of Covenanted Believers

Abstract The study of the church is a prominent issue among New Testament writers. Though the church has progressed and may look different in the twenty-first century than it did in the first century, its purpose and function described in the New Testament ought to remain the same. One such progression that many modern churches have promoted is the use of multiple locations. The multi-campus phenomenon of the church is a recent development in the history of Christianity. Even more popular and perhaps even more acceptable is the multiple gatherings of the church that occur in one place but at different times. In many ways, the multi-site and multiple-service church are an application of the hierarchical structure of the church which developed in the third century. Such practices compromise the principle of congregationalism, foundational to Baptist churches, for the benefit of pragmatic purposes. Therefore, this article will argue a necessary connection between congregationalism and the assembly to show that the local church is to be a physical and singular gathering of covenanted believers at one time and in one location.