These are some things the Lord is teaching us and re-emphasizing, as we come together in the fellowship and love of our Lord Jesus:
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We must trust the work of the Holy Spirit to mediate all things among the saints: this is an exercise of faith–that we believe the Holy Spirit is able to teach us of all things–and to bring unity to His ekklesias by the power of His Spirit.
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God speaks to us as one body: therefore, when the Holy Spirit is conducting the symphony of the saints, what is revealed by their collective sound is greater than the music of their individual parts. No matter how helpful the faith and gift of any particular saint is during fellowship, the true significance of that contribution is best understood and revealed only when placed in context with what God is doing through all the assembled saints. Therefore, each saint is accountable before God for taking their place among the saints to speak and act as God leads. Understanding these things helps us to rightly discern the Lord’s body.
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If we believe that it is important for every saint to be a member of a healthy, functioning ekklesia in order to participate in what God is building among His saints, we also see the importance of every ekklesia having some form of relationship and fellowship with other ekklesias. Taken together, these practices emphasize the unity of the saints as one catholic [universal] body that is connected to and dependent upon the Head.
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While the foremost task of the Holy Spirit is to provide spiritual instruction, God also provides direction for daily living that enables us to live in the world without being dependent upon the world.
Mark Finger 