Church Today Is Comfortable

Well, my brothers and sisters, let’s summarize. When you meet together, one will sing, another will teach, another will tell some special revelation God has given, one will speak in tongues, and another will interpret what is said. But everything that is done must strengthen all of you. No more than two or three should speak in tongues. They must speak one at a time, and someone must interpret what they say. But if no one is present who can interpret, they must be silent in your church meeting and speak in tongues to God privately. Let two or three people prophesy, and let the others evaluate what is said. But if someone is prophesying and another person receives a revelation from the Lord, the one who is speaking must stop. In this way, all who prophesy will have a turn to speak, one after the other, so that everyone will learn and be encouraged. Remember that people who prophesy are in control of their spirit and can take turns. For God is not a God of disorder but of peace, as in all the meetings of God’s holy people. Women should be silent during the church meetings. It is not proper for them to speak. They should be submissive, just as the law says. If they have any questions, they should ask their husbands at home, for it is improper for women to speak in church meetings. Or do you think God’s word originated with you Corinthians? Are you the only ones to whom it was given? If you claim to be a prophet or think you are spiritual, you should recognize that what I am saying is a command from the Lord himself. But if you do not recognize this, you yourself will not be recognized. So, my dear brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and don’t forbid speaking in tongues. But be sure that everything is done properly and in order. [1 Corinthians 14.26-40] 

Paul gives a clear order for believers to follow when meeting together. How in the world did we get from the protocol Paul describes above to where we are today in our meetings?

It might be argued that our current protocol for meeting together is a logical evolution of practicality. However, there is one important ingredient of the "meeting," as Paul described it, that is missing: orderly group participation. Most pastors I know are afraid to yield the floor (and more so the pulpit) to others on any regular basis. After all, they are the pastor!

And then, there is the touchy and delicate matter of women remaining silent but asking questions of their husbands back at home. Once again, today's church is almost completely dysfunctional in this regard as far too many men in attendance cannot or will not even participate themselves, let alone have enough (if any) encouragement and spiritual maturity to help their wives in the way Paul described in the privacy of their own home. And, even if they did, the dangerous women-empowerment movement of our day undermines the functionality of such an arrangement. Oh yeah, then there is the overwhelming condition of divorce and the single mother...

It all comes down to the basic refusal to 'do church' the way the Bible teaches us to. What we see today is man doing man's way with no regard for God's way. Man has created for himself and his own convenience a protocol for meeting together that largely avoids all the difficulties of dealing with people. This 'way of man' has become yet another of many idols that the Church has adopted and begun to serve. The Church service effectively follows the protocol of the world where the CEO's word is 'final say' (the pastor being the CEO).

The basic breakdown of God's way of doing church is found in the Church being more interested in numeric growth than spiritual growth. Let's face it, even small churches today need corporate structure (like the world) to maintain "order." And then, there is no way a large church can operate in Paul's described protocol - it's understandably not possible. The consequence of the world's corporate structure is that Biblical spiritual growth is stymied.

Just like religion today offers a perfectly palatable explanation for Jesus' demand to give up our own way take up our cross and follow Him, so it offers a perfectly palatable and workable alternative for meeting together that in no way resembles what the Bible actually teaches, but it works for man and everybody is content with it. It's comfortable.

Hmm...

One thing we know for sure, "comfortable" won't cut it as end times progress.

Father, help us to scrap our idea of comfort in our meetings. Whatever that means, help us to get it right so that our meeting together serves the purpose for which You designed it: spiritual growth. If we must discard everything we've grown to know about church services today, may we find grace to do so and encouragement to return to Your plan. So be it.