1 Corinthians 14:26-32

1 Corinthians 14:26-32

“What then, brethren? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn; and let one interpret. But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silence in church and speak to himself and to God. Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. If a revelation is made to another sitting by, let the first be silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged; and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets.” RSV

What does your church look like? What does mine? I can tell you that we have been attending a local church for over a year and are involved very little in what happens there. We go. We sit. We sing (sort of; the worship is awful). We listen. We listen. We listen some more. And then we go home.

For thousands (millions?) of Christians, the experience is similar. Church has become a place where there is the “us” and “them.” “Us” sit in the pews, give money, give affirmation, and . . . sit in the pews. The “us” is many! The “them” stand on the platform, decide on the songs, decide on the sermon topic, perform . . . and perform.

No questions. No participation. No . . . nothing.

It reminds me of theater.

Have you ever gone to a play (or nowadays, to a movie), watched it, and come out confused? or disappointed because you knew there were things wrong? or you didn’t understand what happened?

Have you ever gone to church and not understood what the pastor was trying to say? or didn’t remember (by the end of lunch) the topic of the sermon? or didn’t have any idea how to implement what had been taught?

We used to pastor. And we used the traditional, audience-performer approach. And, to be honest, even though we pastored a very small church, there were still those there whose spiritual lives we didn’t know. Certainly, we didn’t allow “them” to tell “us” how to run the service.

Maybe we should have. Maybe if our congregation had had more buy-in, the church wouldn’t have collapsed on itself. Certainly, we would have had a better idea where everyone was spiritually and could have been better leaders, better pastors.

This scripture is so revealing: “Each one has . . . You can all prophesy . . . “ It is very interactive. Imagine going to church and knowing that everyone there expected you to bring something to contribute. And not only “something,” but a something that would be for edification of the others. We would have to prepare, to think and pray about the service all week. If the standard was the what was done, what was shared, must be for the edification of those attending, we would have to get to know each other (more than that morning handshake); we would become accountable for each other’s spiritual lives.

We would be a family, a spiritual family. And we would be stronger for it. Rather than living our lives in spiritual isolation, there would be true brothers and sisters holding us accountable, walking side-by-side with us as we struggled with temptation, overcame sin, grew in maturity as Christians.

There is a passage in Ephesians that talks about this. Unfortunately, the passage is often quoted out of context . . . and the context is important:

“And his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ; so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the cunning of men, by their craftiness in deceitful wiles. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every joint with which it is supplied, when each part is working properly, makes bodily growth and upbuilds itself in love” (Ephesians 4:11-16 RSV).
Notice that the Lord gives gifts and those gifts are the five-fold ministry: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. (Some people hold that pastors-teachers was one office). And what is the work of these?

• To equip the saints for the work of ministry
• For building up the body of Christ
• To mature to manhood to the measure of the fulness of Christ
• That we may no longer be tossed about by every wind of doctrine
• That we speak the truth in love
• That we grow up in every way into Him
• That we work together properly, growing the Church in love

Wow! Do we see churches doing that? Are there many congregations that are actually concerned about whether or not each member belongs? each member is growing to spiritual maturity? that the growth process exists in love?

Rather, I see churches advertising (which means competing against other churches for dollars and members). I see churches adding programs to attract people (again, competing). I see lots of performances.

I see little growth.

I’m, by trade, a teacher. My craft is one of teaching and then assessing whether or not learning took place. It requires that I know my students rather intimately and that I am involved in a face-to-face relationship. It requires that we all be able to ask questions, theirs for clarification, and mine to find out whether they actually “got it” or not.

Have you ever had a pastor question you to see if you actually understood his sermon? (Interesting thought.)

Perhaps as Christians we need to expect more from our churches. And, if we released our pastor from the responsibility of entertaining us on Sunday mornings, perhaps he could expect more of himself.