PART 1 – John Dennison introduces a 3-part series of messages on the local assembly. In this introduction he looks at the first mention of the local assembly in the New Testament in Matt 18. He outlines the context of the passage, the concept of the assembly it contains, the crisis being resolved in the passage, and some characteristics of assembly found in the passage. Mr Dennison asks “What makes the local assembly unique?” He distinguishes it from the body of Christ, from Israel, from church buildings and from social gatherings of believers. On the last distinction, Mr Dennison explains that not every get together of believers is “an assembly gathering” – an important issue to understand. Readings: Matt 16:18, 18:15-20 (Message preached in Ballymena, Oct 2016)