A Gathered People: Revisioning the Assembly as Transforming Encounter (Paperback)

by John Mark Hicks (Author), Johnny Melton (Author), Bobby Valentine (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
As a companion volume to COME TO THE TABLE and DOWN IN THE RIVER TO PRAY, this book completes a trilogy on the three ordinances; of the Stone-Campbell Movement. A GATHERED PEOPLE is an in-depth biblical, historical, and theological study of the Christian assembly or Lord's Day. It examines Hebrew assemblies in the Old Testament, Christian assemblies in the NT, the changing nature of assemblies in Christian history, and the assembly in the Stone-Campbell heritage. It concludes with a theological argument about the nature and purpose of the assembly, and reflections on Christian assemblies today. Alexander Campbell taught that there were three ordinances in the Christian faith ... The Lord's Supper, Baptism and the Lord's Day. This series revisions those ordinances and helps us better understand our relationship to our Father God. The other two books of this series are: Come to the Table: Revisioning the Lord's Supper by John Mark Hicks and Down in the River to Pray: Revisioning Baptism as God s Transforming Power by John Mark Hicks and Greg Taylor.

About the Author
John Mark Hicks is professor of theology at Lipscomb University, Nashville, Tennessee. He holds a Ph.D. in Reformation and Post-Reformation History from Westminster Theological Seminary. Johny Melton has ministered with churches in North Carolina, Mississippi, and Indiana for 35 years. He holds a D.Min. from Erskine Theological Seminary. Bobby Valentine is a minister in Tucson, Arizona. He holds an M.A. in church history and an M.Div. from Harding Graduate School of Religion.

Product Details

• Paperback: 190 pages
• Publisher: Leafwood Publishers; 1st edition (September 30, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0891125507
• ISBN-13: 978-0891125501
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #745,119 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great study of Worship in the churches of Christ, November 15, 2007

By	Matthew Morine (Castle Rock, CO) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I have been looking forward to reading this book for some time. John Mark was almost a professor of mine, I do not know Johnny, and Bobby Valentine is a friend. Once again this book will cause some controversy, but it is not really controversial. It is a great work on the development and background of worship in the churches of Christ. The authors trace worship from Israel to Acts-Luke on to the early centuries into the reformation, and onto the Restoration Movement. At the end of the book, there is a coming together of the theology of worship. It deals with the regulative principle, the connection of the temple and worship, and mostly the sacramental nature of worship. Worship is beyond five acts and edification, but it is about being transformed in the image of God. The book addresses some of the neglected aspects of the past, an emphasis on the poor, tolerance of worship styles, to kneel or not to kneel. It highlights the need for communing around the table of the Lord's Supper. This book enlightens those who read it into the past and possible future of Christ-Like worship.

5.0 out of 5 stars a conservative christian, June 1, 2009

By	D. Swayne "Going back to the unpolluted" (Union Blue in Arkansas, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is the third in a trilogy of very thoughtful works centered around the thinking of John Mark Hicks [conservative intellectual Bible scholar]. Very insightful and well supported in the biblical text. Hicks and associates are doing a great job of finding the roots in the TANAK for the New Testament. If you can only afford one purchase buy the first volume in the series, "Come to the Table". I recommend all three for the complete view. Read wisely!

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Gathered People, Revisioning the Assembly as Transforming Encounter, April 1, 2008

By	Jerry A. Carter - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

John Mark Hicks provides an interesting insight into the purpose of "the asembly" and how it is approached. It points out that assembly is more than just fellowship, more than just edification, and more than an "X" marked in the legalistic box "went to church this week". If you want to think about why you go to church, read this book.