Ask a Christian if they trust the Holy Spirit to lead them in their life and way of life. Almost every Christian would say why of course. Why then do we not trust the work of the Holy Spirit to lead us in worship? He is either competent to lead in both areas or neither one.
If we trust the Holy Spirit to lead in worship there is freedom. (2 Corinthians 3:17) There is freedom to allow God’s Holy Spirit to speak and lead his Holy people the ecclesia. Jesus chose to call his people ecclesia which literally means the gathering of people. (Matthew16:10) It was a term that was first used by the Greeks. The term means a political gathering of people to discuss and decide political matters. These gatherings were open to all men to speak, listen, dialogue and debate.
Why did Jesus chose this term to describe his people? He chose this term because he wanted his people to have open meetings where they could all freely talk and participate. No wonder the early church allowed open participation for all believers that gathered. Why then did the church around 300 AD moved away from open meetings where all believers could participate and one person was put in charge of meetings. The answer is simple fear.
Church history has multiple examples of some of the house churches going off the rails and developing unchristian unscriptural beliefs. The only good news about that is when a small house church group goes wrong their ideas will probably dry up and die with them.
The assumption is that hierarchal led churches maintained biblical beliefs and practices. If that was so why did infant baptism become normative, the Lord’s supper which was a meal become a ceremony, priests began to lead Christian worship and the worship of Mary begin. None of these beliefs and practices were a part of the early church and have no Biblical basis. When hierarchical systems go off the rails they can take thousands of people with them.
When people are afraid the result is control. Fear caused people to step in and stop participatory means and put one person in charge of worship. Believers started to put their faith in other men instead of trusting the Holy Spirit. This trust in other men continues to this day in many churches. A scholar pointed out that almost every heresy began with a dynamic leader. It is the following of a man that leads people a stray and not following the Holy Spirit. No wonder Paul constantly warned the church about leaders who would cause them to go astray. 3 John 9-10 mentions the only named local leader in the New Testament, Diotrephes and he was leading others astray by demanding others do what he said. Another man named Demetrius was leading by being a good example and this is the way the New Testament churches were lead.
Why is a good man even a godly man more trustworthy than the Holy Spirit? Jesus told his followers that the Holy Spirit would guide them into all truth. (John 16:12-15) Why do Jesus’s people not believe our Lord?
It is time for believers to return to trusting that the Lord Jesus will show up at the gatherings of his people. Is the Lord not there? Is the Lord not capable of speaking to his people? Are his people not competent to minister to each other? Do they not have the Holy Spirit with in them? Have they not been given gifts of the Spirit to encourage one another.
Scripture tells us that where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom. (2 Corinthians 3:17) When a people gather who love Jesus, desire to be led by the Holy Spirit and taught by the Holy Scriptures there will be unity and peace. This does not mean that unscriptural ideas and beliefs will not get expressed at meetings. However when there is open dialogue going on between all believers, there will be a consensus amongst the group about what the Lord’s will is. Believers are to speak the truth to one another in love. (Ephesians 4:15)
Ephesians 4 and Ephesians 5 talk about grieving the Holy Spirit and being filled with the Holy Spirit. We in the west read these verses and assume they are talking to us as individuals and how we personally can grieve the Holy Spirit and how we can be personally filled by the Holy Spirit. What we miss is the fact that the context of these two verses fall into a public or communal context. Believers grieve the Holy Spirit when they say things that do not build other people up.
Believers become filled with the Spirit when they speak to one another with songs and hymns and give thanks unto God. Hebrews 10:25 says we should go to church to encourage one another. Encouragement of believers was one of the primary reasons why Christians gathered and should gather. Believers should trust the Holy Spirit to create consensus around right belief and cooperate with him to speak rightly with one another. Gathering and being critical of one another will grieve the Holy Spirit. Gathering to encourage one another will result in God’s people being filled with God’s Spirit.
So the question becomes what are God’s people trying to accomplish when they gather. Make everyone believe alike and worship alike or to encourage one another and so be filled with the Holy Spirit?
Guess what? You get to choose the people you regularly gather with. What are the people you gather with doing? Some gather to be entertained. Some gather to be taught and get right beliefs. Some gather to have an emotional experience. The Early churched gathered to be in Jesus’ presence and to encourage one another.
If the last time you were with God’s people and you were not allowed to speak, ask a question, or share a thought how could that be encouraging? Your thoughts didn’t matter and were not wanted. Probably the only thing that was wanted was your money. If you find that encouraging continue.
If you want to be in a place where you are encouraged find a house church and better yet start one for your neighbors, friends and family. Why am I confident you can do it?
If you are a believer in Christ it is because you have the Holy Spirit who is the greatest Encourager of all.