When was the last time 1 Corinthians 14:26 was fulfilled in your church?
If most were to answer this question honestly, the answer would be, “In a very long time, if ever.”
I have been in church since I was a few days old—55+ years. I do not recall this EVER being fulfilled.
Outside of a few special events, everything we do in church is focused solely on a single person or, at best, a tiny group of people. But is that how scripture directs the gatherings of Jesus’ followers to be?
What then is the outcome, brothers? When you come together, EACH has a hymn, a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue, an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.
1 Corinthans 14:26 (Mounce)
Paul writes to the Corinthian congregation and instructs them about gifts and how they should or should not function in the gathering. Then he writes verse 26, where he says that when you gather, EVERYONE of you has a role to play in the gathering. Not just a particular person or all of you in a cacophony. Each of you has a role to play, and the purpose of that role is to build up the entire body.
Years ago, when I was still functioning in the church system as a pastor, I began to see that Jesus’ purpose for us was not for me to preach excellent sermons, have outstanding music, or have a great presentation and show on Sunday morning. It was to equip EVERYONE to be effective in the ministry that God had given them.
During one season, I spent several weeks sharing this concept, trying to get people off their pew-butts and begin doing what scripture directs. Everyone was to come with a song, a word, a tongue, and so on so that everyone would be edified or encouraged–not by the so-called pastor but by the entire Body.
Sadly, I do not believe that was ever accomplished. Those who would participate usually made a woe-is-me plea for people to pray for them or attempted to preach a sermon on the evils of their lifestyle. Very little was ever edifying to the body.
Regretfully, the church system has taught us that the center of our life as followers of Jesus Christ is attending church on a given Sunday. With that at the center of our lives, our responsibility is solely to attend, listen to the message preached by a skilled orator, the man-o-god, and give an offering to perpetuate the organizational church system, all so we can do it again next week.
The sole responsibility for having a word from heaven, an edifying message, is placed solely on one who has been set up as the leader, the pastor, the bishop, or some other honorific title that the system dreams up.
Sadly, and sometimes even comically, the result is that most of those who attend that sanctified hour dart for the parking lot as soon as the final Amen is spoken, with little having been done to edify them.
Why? Jesus’ plan wasn’t for us to gather to hear really great sermons but to become living witnesses. But how can that ever be done if all we do is listen to lectures?
The church system (I call it Churchianity) has placed all that responsibility on a person we commonly refer to as “Pastor.” He or she is the person in charge. He or she is the one God speaks to, so we can have a really good Sunday sermon. He is the one designated to edify the body.
But is that what scripture says?
Unfortunately, we don’t read the Bible with a pure view of scripture–without any preconceived ideas or opinions. We read the Bible with our church glasses or, even worse, our denominational glasses on. We read scripture the way we have been taught it means rather than see it for what it says. We even elevate footnotes, section titles, and book headings to the position of Holy scripture because that is what we’ve been conditioned to do.
Jesus’ plan was for His Body to gather frequently, and everyone was to contribute, not just in tithes and offerings, but in ministry. Their lives were to be ministry, not just volunteers.
Jesus called every follower a Priest and King, but the church system has made people into little more than spectators and hopefully volunteers— but not ministering parts of the Body.
I started this article by asking when the last time 1 Corinthians 14:26 was fulfilled in your church was. When was the last time that EVERYONE was allowed to share something God was revealing to them? Or ask questions? Or pray for someone? Or, church forbid, provide a prophetic message and interpretation?
Unfortunately, if you felt led by the Spirit to do something for Him during most church system services, you would be greeted by a couple of ushers and asked to leave, as this is out of order. Or is it?
The church system has fallen far from what Jesus intended it to be. The church service has become like a restaurant when Jesus intended His Ekklesia to be a family meal (and much more).
If you showed up to your favorite restaurant and asked to help cook the meal, you would be laughed at. Why? That is not your role. You are a patron, a customer, a guest. But if you showed up at a family Thanksgiving dinner, you would probably be asked or told to set the table, peel the potatoes, or help make the dressing. Even if you were a new guest, you may ask, “Is there anything I can do?” And in many settings, you would be given a task just because you’re part of that family.
Churchianity is a business. Some are hired to do the important, spiritual stuff. Everyone else is just a spectator. If you’re really dedicated, you become a donor, and if you are truly unique, you are allowed to be a volunteer and help park cars or make coffee. A few may be knighted to a position of praying for others, but this is even a smaller percentage. Unfortunately, you are never really a part of the family.
I’m sure there are some limited exceptions to this worldwide, but I doubt there are many in the organized system of churchianity. But just because that is the way it is, doesn’t mean that is the way it should be. Just because this is the way churchianity does it, doesn’t mean we look the other way when we realize something is awry in scripture. No, it’s time to address, fix, and reform it.
As a pastor, I tried to equip the saints for their ministry. I believe some were equipped, but most were pew warmers. Today, I see there has to be more than just church attendance.
Churches work every week to get more butts in their pews, not to equip the saints but to perpetuate the church. Pastors talk about church growth but do not speak about equipping and improving the individuals in the Body of Jesus. They speak about getting more butts in the seats and more dollars in the plate.
It’s Time To Change
It’s time to change. It’s time to return to the original form of gathering, where EVERYONE has a word, a psalm, a tongue, or an interpretation. It’s time to go back to the place where EVERYONE is involved–not just a super leader with a few personally picked followers.
Does that mean there won’t be full gatherings where a more select group of leaders teach? No, I believe that is still part of it. There are times in Acts when Paul came to gatherings to teach. Sometimes, he taught all night. But that isn’t all there is, and that wasn’t every Sunday morning at 11, week after week after week after week after week after week…
So Many Benefits
If the focus was changed back to being the Ekklesia of Jesus and less like the churchianity system of men, then the trillions of dollars spent on buildings, programs, and salaries could be used to perpetuate the gospel of the Kingdom of Jesus rather than focusing on the kingdoms of men.
So think about it. When was the last time you experienced 1 Corinthians 14:26 fulfilled in a church service? If you can’t think of a time, maybe it’s time to rethink how you do church.
