The Worshiping Church: An Orderly Church

A few years ago a brawl broke out at a Baptist church in Memphis, Tenn. The details are not fully clear, but apparently it started when someone was struck with an umbrella!

The phrase “decently and in order” has often been used to describe the worship style of Presbyterians, usually with a measure of good-natured derision. But the phrase originally appeared in Paul’s directives to the Corinthian church about their worship practices (v. 40). The phrase is a corrective aimed at the way the Corinthians behaved when they came together as church.

The church in Corinth had a highly participatory service, in which many people were expressing their gifts in the public context of corporate worship (v. 26). But this in itself was not wrong. Rather, Paul identifies two other issues.

First, there was difficulty in the way the Corinthians exercised their spiritual gifts, especially those that involved speaking. They did so with impatience. This is essentially the same criticism he gives of their observance of the Lord’s Supper. Each goes ahead without waiting for the others (see 1 Cor. 11:21). Everyone wanted to be the first to exercise their gifts. Nobody was willing to give way to others.

The second problem with Corinthian practice was not just the method but also the motive: “Everything must be done so that the church may be built up” (v. 26). In their worship and ministry as in their observance of the Lord’s Supper, the church was not putting others first. Each one was looking out for his own interests. Whether the goal was to fill their own bellies or seek their own glory, they were not interested in building up the church.

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Today and tomorrow, please pray for those dedicated people at Moody Radio who coordinate and produce programs that bring God’s living Word to many: Chris Papendick, Dan Anderson, Chris Segard, Dan Craig, and Jon Gauger.

BY Dr. John Koessler

John Koessler is Professor Emeritus of Applied Theology and Church Ministries at Moody Bible Institute. John authors the “Practical Theology” column for Today in the Word of which he is also a contributing writer and theological editor. An award-winning author, John’s newest title is When God is Silent: Let the Bible Teach You to Pray (Kirkdale). Prior to joining the Moody faculty, he served as a pastor of Valley Chapel in Green Valley, Illinois, for nine years. He and his wife, Jane, now enjoy living in a lakeside town in Michigan.