If we become myopic (i.e., nearsighted) by viewing everyone and everything in terms of our own God-given gifts, motivations and perspectives …

Or our own pet doctrines, understandings and sensibilities …

Or even our individual personality, including our hurts and achievements …

Then we will never understand or experience true church – ekklesia – as mandated in the New Testament.

Yet this is why most house churches become stiflingly insular and fail, and most legacy churches become stiflingly homogeneous and hierarchical.

To be Biblical, ekklesia must never be reduced to some gathering organized around someone’s particular ministry and vision, or some particular gift and calling …

No matter how good, anointed or otherwise legitimate it might be.

Nope, not, nada …

Not yours, not mine, not anyone’s.

Instead of being some mono-church, ekklesia instead is an organism:

The multi-part Body of Christ, with many different gifts, motivations and callings which find unity in diversity …

As we each build up and prefer one another – with our uniquely different perspectives and abilities – above ourselves.

Those who fail to embrace this will be perpetually frustrated over not finding true ekklesia, with ministry by one another to one another for the mutual building up of each other …

As actually intended and commanded in the New Testament.

Instead, they will remain stuck in the rut of “mono-church,” regardless of whether they now meet in a living room …

Or continue to meet in some special building adorned with a cross.