(A) Introduction. (Read the reference)

The passage under consideration is interesting because it indicates how the early church worshipped. Paul wrote about what happened at Corinth when they came together. v26. The way they worshipped did not meet with his wholehearted approval! He gave them advice on how to improve their worship. This helps us to see the ideal format for the early church and, possibly, some shortcomings in the way our services are conducted.

(B) A guide to collective worship.

(1) Participation. When you come together, everyone has .... v26.

Lots of people took part in the church services at Corinth. Worship was not a one man band - dominated by a professional leader. This tends to be the case today in many churches. This morning the only contribution the congregation made to our worship was to sing the hymns. Sadly, this suits the vast majority of people. It is far easier to sit back and do nothing than to actively participate in proceedings. I agree with what William Barclay writes in his commentary on Corinthians: It may well be that the Church lost something when she delegated so much to the professional ministry and left so little to the ordinary Church member; and it may well be that the blame lies not with the ministry for annexing those rights, but with the laity for abandoning them, because it is all too true that there are many Church members who think far more of what the Church can do for them than of what they can do for the Church, and who are very ready to criticize what is done but very unready to take any share in the Church's work themselves.

I do attend services where a lot of different people make a contribution, namely prayer meetings. This is particularly the case where several churches meet together for prayer. Different ones highlight items for petition and praise, a short message is delivered and good number of both sexes engage in prayer. It is significant that the sermon is displaced from its usual dominant position at these meetings. It cannot be right that in any hour long service one man so monopolises proceedings that he preaches for 40 minutes!

(2) Variety. Everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation ... v 26.

The services at Corinth had a very varied input. Consider what happened: a sister brought along a song she had composed to be sung to a well-known tune, the leader used some sayings of Jesus to drive home a few important lessons, a young man had a word of testimony to God's goodness in helping him find work, a lady prophesied - bringing a few words of comfort and encouragement to slaves being given a hard time by their owners, the congregation sang a much loved hymn, several engaged in public prayer, an elderly gentleman spoke in tongues and his son interpreted and so on.

Most of the services I attend lack variety. Very often the sermon takes up half the allotted time. This is what so many churches are used to and there is little prospect of change occurring. The situation is better in the Church of England where the congregation participates in the set prayers, recites the creed together and the choir sing. I found my brother Paul's farewell service very uplifting because of the great variety of items. Several gave a word of testimony, different groups in the church sang, tributes were paid, prayers offered and a short message given to round proceedings off. My brother chaired the meeting and ensured everything went smoothly. I do not usually enjoy long services but on this occasion time went quickly.

(3) Spontaneity. And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. v30.

If someone had a crucial spiritual insight as someone else was holding forth he could indicate a desire to speak and the other speaker should give way. This doesn't happen very often in my church! However, it did occur during my teaching career. I can recall teaching about tourism in Languedoc, France, when a pupil put up her hand. I didn't wave the girl aside and continue talking. I stopped and said, "What is it Stephanie?" "Mr Reed I once had a holiday in Languedoc. We stopped at Cap d'Agde," she said. "That's interesting Stephanie," I replied, "Perhaps you would like to tell us what you did on your holiday." I would have been very foolish to have discouraged the occasional spontaneous contribution from a pupil.

The only meeting I attend where there is any spontaneity is the prayer meeting. The prayers are spontaneous and sometimes my enthusiastic friend, Peter Chaffey, will be so stirred up that he will interrupt the speaker or add something at the end of the message. This is a good thing - when it is done graciously!

(4) Edification. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church. v26. For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. v31.

I dealt in the preceding exposition with what it means for a church to be edified. See: 'The two gifts'. Those who participate in a church service should not do so to:

(a) Entertain. If we take part in a church service it is important to give of our best. Preachers should not be boring and tedious but interesting and inspiring. But no contributor should aim simply to titillate, amuse or captivate. Our aim should be to build up the church - to improve the congregation's understanding of spiritual things, to raise morale and stimulate good works.

(b) Boost their egos. There is a huge danger of this where one man dominates the services in a well attended church. The popular preacher is at the centre of attention. What a temptation to show off, exert personal influence, revel in the congregation's admiration and rejoice in a growing reputation. I think Jesus might say of some celebrity speakers, as he did of the Pharisees, "They have received their reward in full." Mt6v2.

(c) Promote a cause - whether it be a doctrinal position, factional interest or social concern. I am never happy when some of the leading figures in our Grace Baptist Association of Churches talk proudly of establishing a Reformed witness in a town. I think Jesus expects us to provide a Christian witness! I am afraid that if a charismatic Christian finds himself in a non-charismatic church he tends to push, push, push for everyone to be like him - baptised by the Spirit and endowed with supernatural gifts. This does not usually build up the church. We had an old man who attended our prayer meeting who tried, without success, to convert us to his peculiar views in his long prayers. Jack prayed along these lines, "Dear Lord please open the eyes of my friends to the error of their ways. Help them to understand the truth. Show them that it is wrong to worship you on a Sunday ..... ." We did not find Jack's prayers edifying. People began to get very tense in the meetings.

(5) Discrimination. Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. v29.

Not everyone has to participate in a service but those who don't should listen with discrimination. We need to apply four tests to whatever is said or sung in church:

(a) Is it in accord with Scripture?
(b) How does it compare with what others have said or written? Does a message conflict with the opinion of most reputable scholars? If so can the speaker justify his viewpoint?
(c) Does the teaching match experience? See: 'The prayer of faith.'
Our former pastor, Simon Ladd, always omitted this verse when we sung, 'When we walk with the Lord':
Not a shadow can rise
Not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt nor a fear,
Not a sigh nor a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

He had a point!!

(c) Is it reasonable? This is a very important test! Is it reasonable that God made the earth and everything on it in 6 days and left plenty of evidence to make it appear millions of years old? Is it reasonable for God to elect a group of people to salvation before the foundation of the world using no criteria whatsoever? Is it reasonable that salvation is a lottery?

(6) Self control. The spirits of prophets are subjected to the control of prophets. v32. If there is not interpreter, the speaker (in tongues) should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God. v27.

Paul did not accept that anyone was so carried away by the Spirit that they could not stop speaking but had to go on and on. The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. Prophesy, or indeed speaking in tongues, was not the same as babbling in a trance like or hysterical state. This was a feature of some pagan religions but was not to be a characteristic of Christian worship.

It is not unknown for preachers to get carried away - intoxicated by their own eloquence. They don't want to stop. They might even say that they cannot stop. But this is not true. Preachers who enjoy the sound of their own voices need to exert some self-discipline and stop before they weary their congregations. I think the same could be said of repetitive, almost hypnotic, singing. I have heard very elderly folk complain that they stand so long singing the same chorus over and over again that their legs ache!

(7) Order.

Paul saw the need to impose some order on the chaotic church services at Corinth. This is the main emphasis of this passage:

If anyone speaks in a tongue, two - or at most three - should speak, one at a time .... v27. Two or three prophets should speak .... . v29. For you can prophesy in turn ..... . v31. For God is not the a God of disorder but peace. v33. But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way. v40.

At Corinth people spoke for too long. Far too many tried to speak. Very often more than one person was speaking at once. The services were disorderly and dishonouring to God. Paul set a limit on the number of participants so that the meetings did not last too long. He insisted that church members speak one at a time.

We certainly have order in our church at Brockley. We have a set order of service and speakers are told to stick to time. However, our worship lacks many other desirable ingredients. The knack is to combine order with spontaneity, variety and participation. One way to do this is to have someone lead the service who arranges for different individuals to take part but also allows for a certain amount of spontaneity. This can be achieved by walking around the congregation with a microphone asking for a prayer, a testimony, a word of encouragement, a favourite hymn and so on between the more formal and prepared contributions such as the message or singing item.

(8) The role of women. As in all the congregations of the saints, women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. If they want to enquire about something, they should ask their husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church. vs33to35.

A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. For Adam was formed first, then Eve .... . 1Tim2v11to13.

It is true to say that these passages distress the authors of all the modern commentaries I consult. Some, like Jerome Murphy-O'Connor, argue that Paul never wrote these verses but that they were inserted later by a copyist intent on keeping women in their place. The trouble with this line of reasoning is that we can use it of any teaching of which we disapprove.

There does seem to be a contradiction between Paul's insistence that women should be silent in the church and his tacit acceptance of men and woman praying and prophesying together as described in 1Cor11v5. Even in the pre-Christian period women had a voice. Anna was a prophetess. See Lk2v36. She spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. v38. Philip the evangelist's four daughters all prophesied. Acts21v9. Priscilla, she is always named before her husband, Aquila, taught Apollos the way of God more adequately. Acts18v26.

I do not think that Paul could have stopped women in the church from using the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Peter quoted the prophet Joel to explain what happened on the Day of Pentecost: Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.... . Acts2v18. How could Paul rule against the Holy Spirit?

We are left with the difficult task of deciding what Paul meant when he wrote: Women should keep silent in the churches. He meant something!! I think he was addressing a particular problem in the church rather than laying down a general principle. This is my suggestion:

(1) The people who exercised authority in the early church were men. There is no doubt about this. The apostles were all men - by Christ's choice. The elders of the church were also men. See 1Tim3v1. It is highly significant that the qualifications of an elder given in Paul's letters to Timothy and Titus are dominated by qualities of character rather than the gifts of the Spirit. Both male and female members of the church were expected to submit to the leadership. Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you. Heb13v17.

(2) There is no doubt that Christianity liberated women. I don't think Paul could object to women taking part in the services - praying, speaking in tongues and prophesying. It is possible that the freedom women enjoyed went to their heads! Perhaps, they were getting unruly - talking among themselves, asking one another questions and challenging speakers. Paul's comment is a very, very, strong one: For it is disgraceful for a women to speak in the church. I don't think he would say something like this of a woman praying for her children or a woman speaking words of comfort to abused slaves. If he thought it wrong he might tell the women it was inappropriate but surely not disgraceful. However, if women were causing a nuisance by chattering and shouting out comments he might well use strong language and tell them to be quiet. I used to tell girls who carried on a conversation while I taught Geography just how rude they were. In my experience girls were more likely than boys to show contempt for the teacher in this way.

(3) Women who carried on talking to each other during the service and interrupted speakers did not accept the authority of the man in charge of the meeting. They were not submissive to the elder's authority. This would be unacceptable in men as well as women! However, it appears that it was a particular problem amongst the ladies. Paul told them that they had to behave, stop disturbing the meeting, desist from causing trouble, leave off stirring things up and accept the authority of the elders. If a married woman was puzzled about something she could discuss it with her husband at home. The women could exercise their gifts but under the authority of the male leaders - decently and in order.

(4) Today, if we accept the New Testament model, church leaders will be men. Women should be allowed to exercise their abilities so long as they submit to the authority of the male elders. Christians who argue that Jesus and Paul were culturally conditioned where women were concerned and decide to ignore their example and teaching are, in my opinion, taking a big risk!

(C) Conclusion.

Paul concludes his teaching on spiritual gifts with some words of warning:

(1) The Corinthians should not forget the testimony of the apostles. Paul wrote: Did the word of God originate with you? v36.

The life and witness of all Christians should be shaped by the testimony of the apostles as recorded in the New Testament.

(2) The Corinthians were not the only Christians. Paul asked: Are you the only people it (the word of God) has reached? The Christians at Corinth needed to take into account the practices and beliefs of other churches. So, too, should we. Many of us are far too insular. No denomination, let alone individual church, has all the truth!

(3) The spiritually enlightened will recognise sound teaching when they hear it. If anybody thinks he is a prophet or spiritually gifted let him acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord's command. v37.

(4) Those who reject the truth will have to accept the consequences. Paul appears to be saying: If after all my efforts you ignore what I have taught you'll just have to remain ignorant. He tells them, "On your own heads be it!"