Episode Overview

Podcast: Dufresne Ministries Podcast
Title: Building A Strong Local Church, Part 1 – Edwin Anderson | Holy Ghost Meetings 2021
Date: January 10, 2021
Summary:
This episode features Pastor Edwin Anderson teaching on the vital role and nature of the local church within God’s plan. With heartfelt personal stories and scriptural insight, Anderson emphasizes the spiritual significance of gathering, the unique identity of each congregation, and the believer's call to both participate in and honor the local body. He discusses lessons from decades of pastoring, addresses challenges faced by churches, explores the biblical basis for the local church, and calls for renewed reverence and spiritual contribution within church assemblies.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Personal Journey and Call to Teach on the Local Church

• Anderson’s Background
  • Shares how his return to faith in the early 1970s was profoundly influenced by materials from Kenneth Hagin and Kenneth Copeland (00:10 – 01:55).
  • Felt led by God to write a book on the local church to share his insights beyond his usual circles, believing the broader body often lacks revelation about the local church’s role (02:30 – 03:50).

2. Lessons from Pastoral Experience

• Learning Through Challenges

  • Pastoring brings recurring challenges; wisdom and approach must grow with experience and spiritual maturity (05:05 – 06:40).

  • Recounts a crisis with church members attempting to cause division—handled it directly by faith and matured later to recognize the importance of credibility and Spirit-led diplomacy (06:40 – 09:25).

    “What I’m saying is God will lead you according to your maturity and your spirituality and your experience in ministry… you have to be led by the Spirit.” – Edwin Anderson (09:00)

• The Inward Witness

  • Emphasizes that successful pastoring is rooted in following the “inward witness” of the Holy Spirit, in line with scripture, especially when facing church storms. Sometimes, no prior example exists, so direct leading is essential (04:00 – 05:35).

    “All I knew to do was to pray and follow the inward witness… in times when the devil tried to bring big discord in my church, I followed the inward witness and a hundred out of a hundred times, the inward witness has proven to be the right thing.” – Edwin Anderson (08:20)

3. Defining the Local Church: Scriptural and Historical Perspective

• Biblical Foundation (Matthew 16)

  • Explains Jesus’ declaration: “I will build my church” and clarifies misunderstandings around the term “church” (23:00 – 27:40).

  • Describes the Greek term “ekklesia”—rooted in Jewish and civic assembly traditions, always a literal physical gathering, not simply a “universal” body.

    “When Jesus used this word ‘church,’ they were very familiar with this… Every time that word was used in the Old Testament it referred to the actual assembling of Israel.” – Edwin Anderson (26:00)

• The Local vs. Universal Church—A Shift in Understanding

  • Shares his journey from seeing the “universal” church as paramount to realizing the New Testament overwhelmingly emphasizes local churches, citing personal study and scriptural references (35:00 – 41:50).

    "There’s a, by a 4 to 1 ratio, God has a whole lot more to say about the New Testament local church than he does the universal church by a long shot. That was a huge emphasis to me." – Edwin Anderson (41:30)

4. The Sacredness and Supernatural Nature of Church Assemblies

• Not Just a Natural Gathering

  • Warns against reducing church to a natural habit or “something fun,” emphasizing it is a supernatural summons by God every time (47:00 – 49:30).

  • Illustrates the difference between natural explanations and the spiritual reality experienced by believers when anticipating assembly.

    “The reason we come to church two or three times a week is because God tugs on our heart… there’s an anticipation, an excitement and a draw. That’s the ekklesia. That’s the calling of God to assemble together.” – Edwin Anderson (49:10)

• Dangers of Neglect and Natural Thinking

  • Defines “neglect” (in the context of Hebrews 10:25) as “abandonment,” cautioning that absence robs not only oneself but the whole church of each member’s supply (53:00).

    “Every time you come to church, you either raise or lower the spiritual temperature… We all have a contribution. We all bring our supply and we all help or hinder the Holy Spirit.” – Edwin Anderson (60:10)

5. Reverence and Preparation in Assembling

• Sacred Assemblies in the Old & New Testaments

  • Asserts that assemblies are sacred and should be approached with respect—not with the same casual attitude as attending a movie or informal event (55:10 – 58:00).

    “You cannot respect God coming in looking like you just left a casino or something… There needs to be some honor and respect in how we present ourselves.” – Edwin Anderson (58:30)

• Cultural Trends Toward Casualness

  • Laments the trend of “hyper-casualness” and loss of reverence, drawing analogies from scripture and historical church practice, urging recovery of awe and seriousness in gathering.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Using Humor and Anecdote

  “[T]he bird sermon… My congregation looked at me like, ‘Who is in the pulpit this morning? What are you even talking about?’ It was a disaster.” (18:40)

  • A lighthearted moment when Anderson shares about trying to imitate another preacher’s sermon style, reinforcing the point that ministers must be themselves and Spirit-led.

• On the Move of the Spirit

  “Some people think a Spirit filled church is a church that believes in being filled with the Spirit. That’s not a Spirit filled church. A Spirit filled church is a church that is filled with the Spirit… From the front row to the back row, we yield to the Spirit of God.” (61:05)

• On the Call and Contribution of Every Member

  "God has called you. Glory to God. He has put abilities, He’s put a supply in you... Your presence—there’s a spiritual presence. When we come together, we all bring a supply. We're members. The Bible says we’re members of one another." (59:00)

Important Timestamps & Segments

• 00:10 – 01:55: Anderson’s spiritual awakening and the influence of Kenneth Hagin and Kenneth Copeland.
• 03:50 – 06:00: The intent behind his book and approach to teaching pastors and laypeople.
• 06:40 – 09:25: Handling church division early in his pastorate; lessons on credibility and Spirit-led confrontation.
• 23:00 – 27:40: Exegesis of Matthew 16 and the meaning of “church.”
• 35:00 – 41:50: The New Testament’s emphasis on local churches; personal revelation.
• 47:00 – 49:30: The supernatural calling to assemble; spiritual anticipation for church.
• 53:00 – 55:10: The harm in neglecting church attendance and robbing the body of one’s presence.
• 55:10 – 58:30: The sacredness of assembling and the need for reverence in church gatherings.
• 60:10 – 61:05: The contribution of every member and what makes a Spirit-filled church.

Flow and Tone

The episode balances deep teaching and pastoral warmth, blending personal stories, scripture, lived wisdom, and humor. Anderson addresses both fellow pastors and laypeople, sometimes shifting seamlessly between practical church challenges and theological reflection. He reinforces both the dignity and responsibility of church life—eschewing casualness without falling into legalism, and championing the real, supernatural role of the local church in God’s ongoing work.

Conclusion

This episode sets the stage for a series on the local church, urging believers to recognize their potent calling, invest themselves with reverence, and realize the supernatural nature of their assemblies. Anderson’s reflections, scriptural grounding, and lived experience help recenter the local church at the heart of God’s plan and the Spirit’s present work.