Perhaps a church meeting should be like a joyful song, with many notes sounding out together. I dream of churches letting all of God’s people openly share the notes that He has put on their hearts!
Since 1517 Protestant church services have focused on “hearing the Word.” However, the Bible says that we should be doers of the word and not just hearers. When you hear the word, but then don’t do it; you never know how tremendously powerful it is!
Perhaps the 21st Century church will make the shift from “hearing” church services to “doing’ church services, where everyday people are free to obey the New Testament “one anothers,” such as, “instruct one another,” “carry each other’s burdens,” “exhort one another,” and “encourage each other.”
Perhaps church should be a gathering where ordinary people can say and do! James 1:22 clearly states that we should be doers of the Word and not just hearers. We strive to obey this verse at The Salvation Army Berry Street.
Every Sunday morning we give people the opportunity to obey that Scripture. Rather than requiring that people just sit and listen to one man speak, we allow anybody present to do and to share whatever the Holy Spirit prompts her/him to. Check it out — 10:45 am., 225 Berry St., Nashville 37207.
Frank Viola puts it this way: “The church is called to gather regularly to display God’s life through the ministry of every believer. How? Not by religious services where a few people perform before a passive audience. But in open-participatory meetings where every member . . . functions, ministers, and expresses the living God in an open-participatory atmosphere.”
