Great post. Well written and thought out. Let’s Pray that there are courageous Leaders who will take these ideas and implement them so the Church can function as it should.
Excellent! You clearly described the problem and what we need to change. But you missed the Biblical answer about how to do this in our normal church services.
The only place scripture talks about how to run a church service is found in 1 Corinthians 14. Paul starts with a lot of practical advice on prophecy and tongues. But then he focuses on how to run a church service. It gets explicit in verses 26–33.
"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. For God is not a God of confusion but of peace."
I believe Paul would be appalled by our modern spectator religion with the leadership on stage with special lighting, amazing audio, and deafening music, and all the other junk like smoke. A Biblical church service is clearly defined as a time where every member of the church brings something to share. It's much closer to what we know as a spirit-filled Bible study. We are to give the service into the hands of the Lord, and the leadership is charged with recognizing what the Lord is doing—working to help and encourage that [as a different type of spiritual gift].
My wife, Pat, and I started a church in Albuquerque in the nineties and the early millennium. She had the call to lead the service. I was called to help her keep things on track and focused on Jesus—and pray. The Spirit showed her how to handle a word from the Lord, no matter what it was.
—————∆∆∆†∆∆∆—————
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.
_________________________
The key is LET THE OTHERS WEIGH WHAT IS SAID.
When we had a word given, she would stop the service, and say. "That appears to have been a word from God Almighty. That is important. So, we need to stop right now and talk this out. We need to discern what was said, and why the Lord wanted it said—or not.
Then we would have a whole congregation discussion in which all were welcome to participate. Our goal was to decide if the word was from the Lord, or if parts of it were from the flesh. We told people that this was something we needed to learn how to do well. We encouraged new people to speak prophetic words, promising that we would discern it to help everyone learn how the Lord worked—in an atmosphere of love so people could learn how to manifest the gifts. We were convinced that the Lord would make things clear. We were to determine to whom the message was directed—a person, persons, small group, or the entire church—for today or for the future.
We discovered that the Lord would be very clear about it. We were able to explain to new believers what had just happened. We were shown what was from the Lord, from the flesh, or if it was simply in error. Normally, that took a few minutes. But sometimes it would take quite a while. I'm pretty sure that at least once, it took the rest of the day. When we were done, the elders would talk with Pat and I. Then Pat would tell everyone, "This is what the Lord told us and what we are to do about it. Is everyone satisfied with what we have discerned?"
It became a wonderful time of fellowship with our Messiah—for all of us.
Peter is no different than any other follower of Christ. If he is called to be a leader then he is a servant of all. Not above but beneath. That's precisely the point of my article. Even if you subscribe to the idea that Peter had a gift nobody else has, that would make him that much more the servant of all.
And let me add, if you are Catholic, this will not jibe with your theology. Not trying to argue Catholic theology or convert you. I am talking from a Protestant, Charismatic perspective.
In matters of doctrine and order yes. Closer to God, no. That is the system Jesus came to destroy. I am thoroughly convinced there is no mediator between God and man other than the man, Christ Jesus.
Great post. Well written and thought out. Let’s Pray that there are courageous Leaders who will take these ideas and implement them so the Church can function as it should.
Just read about your surgery. Praying for a full recovery.
Stronstad’s “Prophethood of All Believers” seems appropriate here.
It is also holding us back from being Kingdom focused people in the sense of living as new creations and able to walk in the image of Jesus
You are right. Do much could be added to this list.
Excellent! You clearly described the problem and what we need to change. But you missed the Biblical answer about how to do this in our normal church services.
The only place scripture talks about how to run a church service is found in 1 Corinthians 14. Paul starts with a lot of practical advice on prophecy and tongues. But then he focuses on how to run a church service. It gets explicit in verses 26–33.
"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. For God is not a God of confusion but of peace."
I believe Paul would be appalled by our modern spectator religion with the leadership on stage with special lighting, amazing audio, and deafening music, and all the other junk like smoke. A Biblical church service is clearly defined as a time where every member of the church brings something to share. It's much closer to what we know as a spirit-filled Bible study. We are to give the service into the hands of the Lord, and the leadership is charged with recognizing what the Lord is doing—working to help and encourage that [as a different type of spiritual gift].
My wife, Pat, and I started a church in Albuquerque in the nineties and the early millennium. She had the call to lead the service. I was called to help her keep things on track and focused on Jesus—and pray. The Spirit showed her how to handle a word from the Lord, no matter what it was.
—————∆∆∆†∆∆∆—————
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.
_________________________
The key is LET THE OTHERS WEIGH WHAT IS SAID.
When we had a word given, she would stop the service, and say. "That appears to have been a word from God Almighty. That is important. So, we need to stop right now and talk this out. We need to discern what was said, and why the Lord wanted it said—or not.
Then we would have a whole congregation discussion in which all were welcome to participate. Our goal was to decide if the word was from the Lord, or if parts of it were from the flesh. We told people that this was something we needed to learn how to do well. We encouraged new people to speak prophetic words, promising that we would discern it to help everyone learn how the Lord worked—in an atmosphere of love so people could learn how to manifest the gifts. We were convinced that the Lord would make things clear. We were to determine to whom the message was directed—a person, persons, small group, or the entire church—for today or for the future.
We discovered that the Lord would be very clear about it. We were able to explain to new believers what had just happened. We were shown what was from the Lord, from the flesh, or if it was simply in error. Normally, that took a few minutes. But sometimes it would take quite a while. I'm pretty sure that at least once, it took the rest of the day. When we were done, the elders would talk with Pat and I. Then Pat would tell everyone, "This is what the Lord told us and what we are to do about it. Is everyone satisfied with what we have discerned?"
It became a wonderful time of fellowship with our Messiah—for all of us.
Peter is no different than any other follower of Christ. If he is called to be a leader then he is a servant of all. Not above but beneath. That's precisely the point of my article. Even if you subscribe to the idea that Peter had a gift nobody else has, that would make him that much more the servant of all.
And let me add, if you are Catholic, this will not jibe with your theology. Not trying to argue Catholic theology or convert you. I am talking from a Protestant, Charismatic perspective.
In matters of doctrine and order yes. Closer to God, no. That is the system Jesus came to destroy. I am thoroughly convinced there is no mediator between God and man other than the man, Christ Jesus.