I Will Build My Church, Preface, Foreword, and Introduction, by James Gunn

Writing by James Gunn
I will Build My Church.
There are 12 chapters in this series.
In the New Testament, we get adequate instruction for the individual life of the Christian. In the same book, we find guidance for family life. Many beloved brethren in Christ would agree with this, but when they come to the third area, church gathering, they say that the New Testament plan cannot work today. This amazes me. Why would the Holy Spirit fail to give us workable principles for church gathering? How can we say the guidance He gives is inadequate or positively wrong? What alternative source of guidance do we go by? Human wisdom, tradition, modern psychology? In what other areas have these succeeded in helping the Christian?

No, we can be sure that God the Holy Spirit will enable us to carry out in all humility the precepts of Scripture. Beside precepts there are precedents. The Lord does not put everything on the basis of a positive command. We should look for suggestions in Scripture. Love seeks all means of pleasing the Beloved. Following little suggestions from His Word might bring pleasure to His heart.

I am grateful to the Lord for a worthy contribution to this subject from the pen of Mr. James Gunn. Mr. Gunn brings to the Scriptures a keen mind and habits of careful writing. I commend this book to all who wish to know what the Scripture says in regard to church gathering.

R. Edward Harlow