1 Corinthians 14:23 KJV
If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?
Here is an interesting passage and one that I doubt many of us really even consider putting into practice. We who are independent Baptists disdain the concept of preparing planning and conducting church services with the lost or unchurched in mind. The current movement that advocates surveying the unchurched in an area to find out what sort of church they would attend if they did attend church and then basing our church format on the message of that survey is completely repulsive to us.
Neither are we in favor of those we label as progressive because they make the services modern and comfortable to the unchurched and lost by
Dressing in more casual ways
Using more contemporary music and
Preaching messages that have to do with the focus of our day rather than on the Word of God itself.
I agree. Our goal is to bring the lost and unchurched into our community, not to change our community to fit theirs.
Still, there is sound wisdom for us in 1 Cor 14:23. When the lost and unchurched do attend our services, would they have any idea what we are up to?
If a person who has no concept of church at all visited our church, would they be completely lost?
The key to making them more welcome in our church is not to change our church to fit him. The key is to be sensitive toward him when he is there.
Are there people in the services who would guide them through the service?
Is the service conducted in a manner that is easy to follow for a visitor who is unlearned in our ways?
Are there things in our services that have slipped into our own traditions but that are plainly disorderly to an unfamiliar observer?
When the unlearned and unbelievers come in to our services they should hear the truth and witness worship that is uncompromised by this world and untouched with modern culture. They should experience something in our services that is totally otherworldly. At the same time, they should also witness a service that is orderly, understandable and beneficial to even the most unlearned of attendees.
If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?
Here is an interesting passage and one that I doubt many of us really even consider putting into practice. We who are independent Baptists disdain the concept of preparing planning and conducting church services with the lost or unchurched in mind. The current movement that advocates surveying the unchurched in an area to find out what sort of church they would attend if they did attend church and then basing our church format on the message of that survey is completely repulsive to us.
Neither are we in favor of those we label as progressive because they make the services modern and comfortable to the unchurched and lost by
Dressing in more casual ways
Using more contemporary music and
Preaching messages that have to do with the focus of our day rather than on the Word of God itself.
I agree. Our goal is to bring the lost and unchurched into our community, not to change our community to fit theirs.
Still, there is sound wisdom for us in 1 Cor 14:23. When the lost and unchurched do attend our services, would they have any idea what we are up to?
If a person who has no concept of church at all visited our church, would they be completely lost?
The key to making them more welcome in our church is not to change our church to fit him. The key is to be sensitive toward him when he is there.
Are there people in the services who would guide them through the service?
Is the service conducted in a manner that is easy to follow for a visitor who is unlearned in our ways?
Are there things in our services that have slipped into our own traditions but that are plainly disorderly to an unfamiliar observer?
When the unlearned and unbelievers come in to our services they should hear the truth and witness worship that is uncompromised by this world and untouched with modern culture. They should experience something in our services that is totally otherworldly. At the same time, they should also witness a service that is orderly, understandable and beneficial to even the most unlearned of attendees.
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