Decently and in Order — question 219
Allow me to cheat a little with this one. This one didn’t come into tentpegsquestion@yahoo.com but, rather, was asked of me by a sweet sister in Christ last night. I am presenting a series on Re-Imagining the Church here in Indiana for the next couple of days. When this church heard how free and joyful our worship is back at Rochester, this question came up…
How does all this work with the rule that worship has to be done “decently and in order”?
My response to this question was the one I always make first. “What do you think that verse means?” In every single case — and I am 52 years old, people, so I’ve done this a few times — the questioner freezes, thinks a moment, and says something like “I’m not really sure.”
I then take them to the context of the question. We find it in First Corinthians 14. That’s our first clue. The church in Corinth had members who weren’t sure there ever was a resurrection, that their might be other gods, that visiting prostitutes was a-ok, that a guy having sex with his stepmother was okey-dokey, that suing your fellow church members was a great indoor sport… you get the idea. They had turned the Lord’s Supper into a competitive picnic where the poorer members were literally starving while food went to waste, all in the name of display and position. People competed with each other in singing and preaching, too, not waiting until others were done before they launched into a new song or sermon… and each had their cheering section to build them up while shouting others down.
The most amazing thing about the whole book is that Paul still called them the children of God and treated them as brothers and sisters in Christ. I have brethren that will disfellowship you for raising your hands or letting a woman pass a communion tray, but Paul was able to fellowship the Corinthians. Hmmmm.
As I’ve said before, the New Testament not only doesn’t give us rules about worship, it doesn’t even describe one! The mentions of songs are almost entirely admonitions to fill our daily life with singing… not rules about corporate singing. The mention of songs in Corinthians is a blessing of singing in our gatherings, but a call to do it “decently and in order.” What does that mean? He really defines that by chapter 13 — love each other. When you love each other, you give space and place to each other. There is no rush to grab the microphone, no scrum to gain the pulpit. You let each person who has a special song sing it and you let each person who has something to say, say it. You take time to hear from each other and to be with each other. THAT is worship done decently and in order. It has nothing to do with sitting facing forward, quietly, while being talked to. It is about love.
Love makes things decent. The scripture says it covers a multitude of sins, overlooks faults, and binds us together. When love rules the assembly, each person lays aside their preferences — and anything that offends them — and is concerned only that their brothers and sisters are lifted up, free to worship, free to speak, and free to listen.
October 23rd, 2009 at 1:21 am
Thanks Patrick. I think we have misplaced the ability to talk about these things in the Church of Christ these days. I have been around members of the church who when asked, “What does decently and in order mean?” they say that refers to not wearing flip flops to church!
Thank you for your ministry. I am very encouraged by your words and your courage.
October 23rd, 2009 at 4:23 am
We all need more joy and love in our worship!
October 23rd, 2009 at 1:17 pm
Isn’t it amazing what the Bible actually says in contrast to what some people actually say it says?
The funeral home atmosphere of some churches is an insult to God and the Bible.
Royce
October 23rd, 2009 at 2:16 pm
as long as the drama team keeps their blocking straight and their lines memorized, as long as the liturgical dancers stay in sync, if the praise team sings on pitch and at the proper tempo, the preacher speaks clearly enough for the mp3 to get recorded, and everyone else sticks to the written program, then everything is in order… why would anyone question that?
but i have seen a little too much ankle lately, THAT is what needs to be addressed!
October 23rd, 2009 at 2:29 pm
As always, you nailed that one!
Thanks brother!
DU
October 23rd, 2009 at 2:40 pm
Most who glibly quote that verse would faint if they were in a church service modeled after 1 Corinthians 14.
Grace and peace,
Tim Archer
October 23rd, 2009 at 4:57 pm
I must take umbrage (a word that used to mean to sit in the shade!) with Brother Royce Ogle’s comment. I was yanked up in the churches of Christ, was a song leader before they became worship leaders … the difference being a song leader flips through the hymnal between Sunday School and worship while a worship leader had to plan ahead so as to get the songs on slides! … a youth minister and, for 30 years, a preacher. The past 3 years, I’ve been a full time funeral director in our family owned business. I’ve seen far more joy and celebration at the funeral home than I did in most of those churches where I grew up!
Oh, and your blog, Patrick? Excellent! We were assured “decently and in order” simply meant whatever the elders dictated on any given question of decorum.
October 23rd, 2009 at 8:31 pm
Folks may say, “I don’t really know,” when you ask them what that verse means, but what they usually have in mind is what they grew used to 30 years ago.
October 24th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
I like your reference to I Cor 13 as being the only “rule” for worship. I also think it is interesting that of the three groups Paul told to be silent, (tongue speakers, prophets/preachers and women) that it may be the preacher who has the most difficulty sitting down – even to defer to a direct revelation from God! Preachers have been groomed to feel they are the center of worship – that their performance is really why the crowd is there. Truly having decent and orderly assemblies, I am afraid would make more than a few preachers obsolete!
October 27th, 2009 at 1:13 pm
I also never notice in scripture where it states that in order to offer a song I have to first try out for the praise team.
Absolutely right.