Friday, May 30, 2008

What If

What if it's wrong (translation: against God's law) to clap hands, raise arms, sing with instruments, have a kitchen in the church building or let a woman teach classes or lead a prayer? What if it's wrong to support orphan's homes or the Herald of Truth? What if it's wrong to use more than one cup for the communion, or to sing during communion, or to practice open communion, or to use wine at the communion table, or to let women serve communion....?

I have heard all of these "what ifs" in my lifetime, and frankly, I am tired of what ifs. As you can see, many of them deal with worship which is probably the least detailed command in the Bible. As folks in my fellowship have tried to fill in the blanks so that our worship is perfect according to God's will, we have trumped common sense with all our "what ifs" and have almost succeeded in sucking worship dry of its heart and joy.

I can't see those early Christians in Acts saying "What if... Instead they "devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to everyone as he had need. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people." Acts 2:42-47.

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