On the Consuming Worship blog, worship leader Jeff Miller asked for people's thoughts about 1 Corinthians 14:20-25. Well, I've talked about that one before, not just once but actually twice. My thoughts on that have progressed a good bit since then. So I'll quote a little more of it here, share some of my comments to the other blog, and discuss it a bit more.

Brothers and sisters, do not be children in your thinking; rather, be infants in evil, but in thinking be adults.

In the law it is written, "By people of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners I will speak to this people; yet even then they will not listen to me," says the Lord. Tongues, then, are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is not for unbelievers but for believers. If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your mind? But if all prophesy, an unbeliever or outsider who enters is reproved by all and called to account by all. After the secrets of the unbeliever's heart are disclosed, that person will bow down before God and worship him, declaring, "God is really among you."

What should be done then, my friends? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. If anyone speaks 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 them be silent in church and speak to themselves and to God. Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. If a revelation is made to someone else sitting nearby, let the first person be silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged. (1 Corinthians 14:20-31, NRSV)

As I discussed in Weekly Worship Pt. 2, I still think the key point of this passage is about being mindful of unbelievers in the context of our gatherings. They should be orderly, not chaotic. That's why there's a difference between one person speaking in tongues (with interpretation/translation if necessary) being a sign for unbelievers (vs 22) and everyone speaking in tongues making an unbeliever think that you're crazy (vs 23-24).

But even though that is the main point, there's something very important for the modern church to see in this passage. In House Church, Pt. 6 I said the following about vs 24-25:

Paul specifically states that unbelievers would be amazed at how God works through all the believers, and would become believers as a result. The only way Paul's scenario can play out in today's world is if unbelievers see God working through more than just the pastor and/or worship leader, and for people to learn how to follow God's leading and speak the things that God has laid on their heart. Open formats are about whether or not we're going to have one or two people control the flow of worship, or allow God to control the flow, through the Spirit, via whoever He wants to use. I choose the latter.

There's another way to say this - that the closed model of worship/sermon presentation is unbiblical.

I made that statement on Consuming Worship, and was asked for a clarification of open vs. closed. Here is what I said:

My definition of a “closed” format is that there are a limited number of people controlling the flow and format of a presentation. In any typical church, the entire gathering is controlled by the worship leader and the pastor. The worship leader sings songs and the pastor preaches. Those in attendance only “participate” by following what others are doing.

My definition of an “open” format is that the Spirit is in control. There is little to no agenda. The bulk of the gathering is open discussion, letting the God work through all of the people to take the meeting where He wants it to go. But in a nutshell, an “open” format is the way Paul describes it. Spontaneous, yet orderly.

In a closed format, we are teaching people to be passive spectators in their walk of following Christ. It breeds spiritual immaturity. In an open format, we are teaching people to be active participants in what God is doing, allowing them to speak and contribute as the Spirit leads them. It opens up room for spiritual maturity. It breaks down the walls between clergy and laity (something Christ said he *hates*). It trains them to follow the Spirit’s leading while out in the world.

Some people think I'm talking about small versus large gatherings here. While that is a worthy discussion, and open formats are far easier in small gatherings, I have read about large-sized open format gatherings. I think they're quite feasible, though culturally I think we're a long way from seeing that kind of thing happen in America.

The issue isn't size. The issue is who is in control. Is Christ a practical head of the church, leading individuals to speak or contribute through the Spirit? Or are men in charge of the church, setting an agenda, approving what is to be said, and limiting contributions to two or three people?

One commenter said this to me:

You have a valuable ministry that you are a part of, but please don’t allow it to become a belief that it is the “right” way or a way to prove that someone else’s way of doing something is wrong. I am not accusing you of this, I am asking you to not go there.

I totally appreciate the Spirit in which this is said. The reality is, though, that I'm simply looking at scripture and describing what I see there. You can't find what happens in modern churches today described in scripture. It doesn't exist. So it's not about right vs. wrong, it's about biblical vs. unbiblical. I can give example after example from the New Testament supporting open formats. Nowhere will you see an example from the New Testament supporting a closed format.

In House Church, Pt. 8, I shared about a popular blogging pastor who made some comments to me about house church. I withheld his name at that time, and didn't link to the conversation. But in the next post, I will discuss what happened and my reflections on it since.

Labels: church, house church, open formats