The question arises, "Can Christians, while travelling, stop by the roadside on Sunday morning and worship in their camper or must they instead make plans to worship at an established congregation?”
First, let us examine in detail a specific prohibition in the Scriptures that directly answers this question and then study a general, positive description of the Christian life that offers a broader perspective for understanding this question and related matters.
Sometimes it matters not how direct a negative command is, someone will try to skirt the issue and contend that the command does not apply in certain circumstances This fact is true of Hebrews 10:25 and its application to the "travelling church" concept Therefore a detailed study of the passage is required to demonstrate that it does apply to this question Paul writes, "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner, of some is, but exhorting one another:.and so much the more, as you see the day approaching" "Do not forsake the assembly" has the force of a simple straightforward charge. But many try to whittle away at the statement's power to weaken it enough to permit certain accommodations such as the "travelling church"
For instance it has been argued the the word "forsake" means to forsake completely and not simply momentarily. Thus, if every now and then Christians want to go on vacation and worship at their convenience at their campground or along the roadside or even not worship at all, they have not forsaken worship completely. It is true that the word forsake (which means "to leave off") can refer to a complete desertion. But the word is also used in a momentary sense such as when the Father forsook the Son for a time on the cross. The context determines the exact meaning of a word. Paul, though, does not qualify the word in Hebrews 10:25 by saying “Do not forsake the assembly completely" or even by saying "Do not forsake the assembly momentarily" Since. Paul did not qualify the word neither can we qualify it. Therefore it stands unrestricted: Do not forsake the assembly, whether for a time or for good, do not forsake the assembly. Someone might add, "well if the word is unrestricted in meaning then what about someone who is sick and bedfast?" This question does not alter the meaning of this passage nor any passage because God has never commanded man to do something that is absolutely beyond his physical power to perform.
Some make a different attempt to hack away at this verse by arguing that communing in a motor home in the mountains one Sunday constitutes an assembly and therefore no one has forsaken the assembly As anyone knows Jesus said "for where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them" (Matthew 18:20).
Jesus, however, was speaking about prayer and not about worshiping in the woods But grant, for the sake of consideration, that Jesus was talking about any gathering in His name, including worship. One point is clear and that is that the gathering must be in his name The phrase "in His name" of course is an idiomatic way of saying "by His authority."
If a police officer came to your door and announced that he was there in the name of such and such a county to serve you a summons he would mean that he was acting by the authority of that county. So the assembly must meet by the authority or authorization of Christ to guarantee His presence. For Christ's statement to include the "travelling church" its advocates must first show that Christ authorizes the "travelling church". What they do instead is go to Matthew 18:20 to authorize the practice. They are begging the question, assuming that which has to be proven.
In actuality the practice contradicts the worship Christ has authorized.Worship is congregational. Communion, for example, can only be performed with the proper meaning and intention that Christ gave it in a true congregational setting I Corinthians 10:16, 17 explains that one of the effects of the communion was to symbolize the unity of the congregation. The congregation at (Corinth had many divisions and Paul was reminding them that they were one body because they partook of one bread. The word "communion" means joint participation. It is an activity therefore that the congregation must perform together.
If we say that communion is not congregational and that a man and wife can celebrate the Lord's supper in their motel room then other practices could equally be authorized such as communion in the hospital room, night communion and ultimately individual loaves and cups. If communion is not congregational it degenerates to an individual exercise and individual is exactly the opposite of communion. Imagine if one Sunday a congregation comprised of five couples separated into five directions for worship One family went to the mountains, another family went to the beach, one family struck out across country, another stayed home and, of course, one couple met in the church building because someone has to hold down the fort." [Or, in the same way, they all could have stayed home, pdc]. Communion has effectively lost its simply but beautiful representation of the unity of the congregation. The point is that, since the "travelling church" contradicts the worship authorized by Christ, it is impossible for the "travelling church" to meet "in the name of Christ".
Furthermore the word Paul uses in Hebrews 10:25, that is translated "assembling together”, proves that he has congregational worship under consideration. Thayer defines the word "episunagoge" as "a gathering together in one place" (See II Thessalonians 2:1). Congregational worship is that time that the saints gather together in one place to exhort one another. In fact this word is a form of the Greek equivalent to the word "congregation" Christians thus have forsaken the congregating of the saints when they choose to meet along the roadside for worship.
Another argument some have used to try to diminish the thrust of Hebrews 10:.25 is based on the phrase "as the manner of some is" This phrase can correctly be translated “as the habit (or custom) of some is" So some whose vacation cannot be accommodated to the regular worship claim that communing in their camper is not wrong as long as the practice does not become habitual. But the verse cannot be construed to say, "You may forsake the assembly as long as you do not make it a habit." Paul gives a clear unqualified prohibition, "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together," and then mentions the extent to which some had carried their neglect of the assembly, "as the habit of some is".
If something is inherently wrong about a practice, that practice is wrong whether it is committed once or habitually. Furthermore, the very idea of habit is so indefinite that the limits of habit can be very subjective. One fellow may say he only communes by the river side once a year during trout season so it is not his habit to miss the regular worship. But with any regularity at all, even if it is once a year, the practice has taken the form of habit. And, after all, what authorizes a practice one time will authorize a habit many times..
The full force of Paul's statement in Hebrews 10:25 becomes clear in view of the context in which it was written. Hebrews was written shortly before the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A. D. and alludes to the persecution the Christians were suffering. Paul's readers had "endured a great fight of afflictions" (10:32) and had taken "joyfully the spoiling of (their) goods" (10:34). Paul intended to encourage them to continue to stand steadfast despite the persecution because "yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry " (10:37).
This statement is a veiled reference to the approaching Roman legions led by Titus to destroy Jerusalem. In light of the context, when Paul states, "and so much more, as you see the day approaching," he was undoubtedly referring to the destruction of Jerusalem, (The "day" could not have alluded to the final day of judgement for they could not see" it approaching. Paul has taught in II Thessalonians 2:13 that the second coming of Christ was yet in the distant future.) Knowing that Paul was writing to Christians who were suffering persecution and warning them not to forsake the assembly despite persecution makes a fishing trip a pretty poor excuse to miss the, assembly.
It might have been easy for those early Christians to rationalize that they could stay home and commune without gathering with the congregation to avoid physical harm. But Paul forbids this because the Christians needed the company and exhortation of each other to remain strong. Christians today are hard pressed to find a reason to miss worship or accommodate worship to their individual circumstances that would compare with persecution. Thus, whatever quibbles people may offer to try to weaken this simple straightforward statement, Paul's words still stand.
But is all this minute investigation of a verse necessary to Prove that Christians must worship together? No, it is not, considering the many positive truths that sum up the Christian life in a comprehensive fashion. One such statement comes from the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6:33. "But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness." The kingdom of God of course was realized on the earth when the church was established on the day of Pentecost as recorded in Acts chapter two. Jesus then desires his disciples to seek first the welfare, edification and strength of the church. If each disciple put the Lord and His cause before self then questions like the "travelling church" would never arise. Someone who wonders if his priorities are in order, need only ask himself a simple question: “ Do I conform worship to fit my life --- or do I conform my life to fit worship”
When Christians devote themselves to applying the general principles of Christianity in every aspect of their life then the specific prohibitions in the Word will not seem so disturbing and threatening.
A friendly welcome awaits you. We do not wish to embarrass you in any way. You will not be asked for contributions. We assemble for Bible study and worship each Sunday morning and we welcome you to meet with us. We would be happy to talk to you about your questions and we want to be of encouragement.
If you have any comments or questions --- or would like the location and contact names of a congregation of the church belonging to Jesus Christ near you, please contact me at BibleTruthsToU@gmail.com or 253-396-0290 (cell). Thanks Dennis Crawford, editor. . Raymond Fox,753 Saucito A venue, Salinas, California 93906
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