This blog is not about finger snapping, hand clapping, knee slapping, toe tapping, and/or armpit playing.  It’s about the church, the body of Christ, functioning as God’s symphony.

The New Testament teaches that the church is like a human body and that each person is a member of the body and needs the other body parts to function.  However, in spite of the Bible’s analogy, church meetings have been traditionally set up where only one body part, called the pastor, priest, preacher, or minister, does all of the functioning.

Back to the human body analogy, this is like a person who is completely paralyzed except for his mouth.  Obviously, that person is severely restricted compared to how he/she is meant to be.  The same with the church.

Church is meant to be God’s symphony, conducted by the Holy Spirit, where many parts play many instruments, not randomly or independently, but as led by the Conductor.  What a tragedy that instead of a glorious symphony, church has been traditionally set up to be the same instrument solo, week after week, year after decade after century.

Perhaps it’s time we break out of the mold and let the church be what the Scriptures teach that it is — the freely functioning body of Christ.  One person starts a song, one gives a testimony, one prays a prayer — we’re all God’s symphony!

If you live in Nashville, you can experience this first hand at The Salvation Army Berry Street, 225 Berry Street, 37207, on Sunday mornings at 10:45.