Why It’s Important//

Sunday meetings are a special time devoted for believers to gather together to worship, pray, and fellowship with one another. While of course following Jesus is a lifestyle that goes beyond attending church on Sundays, these gatherings are intended to encourage and edify the church, to build up the body of Christ and strengthen unity and faith between us. Beyond encouraging and equipping believers, church gatherings also can serve as a witness to those who may not yet have a relationship with Jesus. As a church we need to carefully consider how we carry out these gatherings in a way that aligns with scriptural instruction so that the gifts of God’s Spirit are used in a way that builds up the church and serves as a testimony that Jesus is Lord.

What It’s Talking About//

Written by the apostle Paul to the young church in Corinth, this first series of letters addresses many of the moral issues Corinthians wrestled with: marriage and divorce, paganism, lawsuits and sexual immorality…In a world (then and now) where values are based on sinful desires and popular opinion, how should the church (and the people in it) live in accordance with God’s will? 

In this passage, Paul teaches the Corinthians how to approach spiritual gifts, especially in the context of public gatherings, where the whole church (including unbelievers) are present. In thinking about when we should speak in tongues or prophesy, we need to consider who is present, how we are carrying ourselves, and whether or not what we say or do is building people up in faith or distracting from it.

1 Corinthians 14:22-33  NIV

22 Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is not for unbelievers but for believers. 

23 So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and inquirers or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind? 

24 But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, 

25 as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!”

26 What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. 

27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. 

28 If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God.

29 Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. 

30 And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. 

31 For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. 

32 The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. 

33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.