Church ali | 11 May 2008
No, no, no, no, no!!!
I found this 1993 article in the archives of the Briefing called, Why, Where and How should Christians Meet? (Reproduced from Evangelicals Now).
Under “Characteristics” the writer of the article states this:
There are no set New Testament patterns for Christian meetings, but there are many hints about the sort of things that should characterise them. For example, Christian meetings are to be Spirit-filled (Eph 5:18); Bible-centred (Col 3:16); congregational (Heb 10:24); varied (1 Cor 14:26); characterised by praise and thanksgiving (Eph 5:18); intelligible (1 Cor 14); done decently and in order (1 Cor 14:40), and they should include the breaking of bread (1 Cor 11) and teaching and intercessions (Acts 2:42).
There are no set New Testament patterns for Christian meetings? Hello!!!!!! What about 1 Corinthians 11, 12 & 14 - especially chapter 14?????
I’m glad the writer found the hints that he did - it was a worthwhile exercise - but everything he discovered can be taken straight from those three 1 Corinthian chapters (even the “hints” found that do not come from texts about Christian meetings)! Let’s have a look at the verses that give us those hints.
Spirit-filled (Eph 5:18)-21 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
I had to add the next three verses to show how it could relate to a meeting. Nothing specific about meetings there, though it is fair to say that if our daily life is to be described this way, so should our meetings.
Bible-centred (Colossians 3:16) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
Same sort of thing. Good, valuable, and to characterise every part of our Christian lives. These are truly hints, because they do not specifically address meetings at all.
Congregational (Hebrews 10:24)-25 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
I’m pretty sure the writer meant verse 25 because verse 24 doesn’t illustrative “congregational” quite as well. Still, it actually does refer to meetings, so that’s great! (Though, the “hint” that a Christian meeting involves Christians meeting really doesn’t add much to the conversation!)
Varied (1 Corinthians 14:26) What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.
Aha! An instruction on how meetings should work. Is it too much to call it a pattern? And look, it’s in ye ole 1 Corinthians 14!
Characterised by praise and thanksgiving (Eph 5:18)-21 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Wait a minute! Haven’t we looked at that already? And verse 18 (which ends at “but be filled with the Spirit”) doesn’t address the point being made either! You have to read on to verse 19 and 20! Again, it doesn’t necessarily speak of meetings, but it’s reasonable to use it as a “hinted” characteristic.
Intelligible (1 Cor 14).
Far too long to reproduce here, but this is the very place where a pattern for worship can be found! Not suprising it’s included, just suprising that it’s only considered a “hint”!
Done decently and in order (1 Cor 14:40) But all things should be done decently and in order.
A good hint, but again, not suprising in the same section of Scripture that is actually telling you how to meet together!
The breaking of bread (1 Cor 11).
Again, far too long to reproduce, but this also is part of the section of Scripture that gives instructions on how to meet together (1 Cor 11-14)! Support for breaking bread during Church meetings can be found many other places also.
Teaching and intercessions (Acts 2:42) And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
Non-Charismatics love to say that Acts is not normative. Why then take this as a normative “hint”? This is not describing a weekly meeting but rather a lifestyle. Still 1 Corinthians 11-14 does include teaching and prayers in the pattern it gives.
Am I being snarky? Sure. It really gets me going when I read the totally unfounded statement that there is no New Testament pattern for meeting. Not only do these hints easily and mostly explicitly fit into 1 Corinthians 11, 12 & 14, it is in those three chapters that a pattern can be found!!!
I’ve lamented about this before, and received some encouraging responses, but I still find it completely astounding that claims are still made that there is no pattern for meeting in the New Testament - back in 1994 right up to today!
Maybe God will use me to do something about it one day.