reflections on gathering together
One of the hardest habits (or addictions?) it seems for an organic believer is to break free of our liturgical behaviour when we gather together. As soon as we get together we automatically assume there must be some praise and worship songs sung. We often expect that we should open in prayer, have a time of prayer. The big part of our liturgy is that a ‘special’ person chosen for the day shares ‘the word of God’. We quickly compartmentalise everything and expect it to be over in less than two hours. When we are so used to doing ‘church’ we quickly behave and do what we did in our home group / cell group settings. The fact is many organic believers and churches once again slip into institutional church behaviour except now its being done on a smaller less effective scale!
Wolfgang Simson points out that the liturgy of the church service hardly differs between denominations, whether Pentecostal, Catholic, Orthodox, Evangelical etc. He also points out that it is not based remotely on the New Testament but on what they did in the Synagogue which was an invention of man not God (remember there is not one single prophecy or mention by God for the Jews to establish synagogues in the Old testament). And as Wolfgang who is Jewish points out if you go into a synagogue today you will see basically the same liturgy.
So what should you do when you gather together? Well you need to work that out for your selves. I suggest you read 1st Corinthians and see if the themes in that book are being reflected in your own groups. I ask this of myself as I write these words.
Are people coming ready to share a prophecy, a song, a testimony, a revelation from the word of God.
I really try and remind people when they gather that they should spiritually and physically (eg food) give something to the gathering and take something from the gathering. If everyone does that it is a powerful time in Christ.
Even though things are a lot more casual and ‘real’ when we gather, as individuals we still need to before hand have prepared spiritually as an athlete prepares for the Olympics as Paul says. Slackness in our personal walk will equate with slackness when we gather.
Avoid ‘discussing’ what people share. Talk it through if there is lack of agreement or uncertainty but otherwise focus on applying what is shared to your life instead of wasting words with impressing one another with your ‘knowledge’ and your stories.
The great thing with attempting to model your gatherings on the New Testament is that you can use the NT as a manual in guiding what you do. The Bible with the hand of Jesus Christ is your final authority not men’s ideas.
(Please don’t email me asking about 1 Corinthians + women + church I don’t want to even go there!!!J)
