1 Corinthians 11 and 14 - descriptive or prescriptive?

Steve Senensig wrote:

“As I was talking in that discussion about biblical accounts of New Testament church activities being descriptive or prescriptive, a question came to my mind that I have not allowed myself to fully deal with in the past couple of years. It’s one of those “am I really being honest with the text here” questions, and I thought I would throw it out here for discussion.


“Many times in discussing principles related to simple church, I reference 1 Corinthians 14:26. Now, please understand that my beliefs about simple church do not all hinge on this one verse, so it’s not a “make or break” issue for me. Quite honestly, open participatory meetings are described throughout the rest of 1 Corinthians 14. However, I want to be honest in my dealing with this particular verse.


“Let me quote the verse here in various translations so that we can get a feel for it, and then I’ll ask my question:


What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church. (NIV)


What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation Let all things be done for edification. (NASB)


So here’s what I want you to do. When you gather for worship, each one of you be prepared with something that will be useful for all: Sing a hymn, teach a lesson, tell a story, lead a prayer, provide an insight. (The Message)


What then, brethren, is [the right course]? When you meet together, each one has a hymn, a teaching, a disclosure of special knowledge or information, an utterance in a [strange] tongue, or an interpretation of it. [But] let everything be constructive and edifying and for the good of all. (Amp)


How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying. (KJV)


Well, my brothers and sisters, let’s summarize what I am saying. When you meet, one will sing, another will teach, another will tell some special revelation God has given, one will speak in an unknown language, while another will interpret what is said. But everything that is done must be useful to all and build them up in the Lord. (NLT)


“Now, my question relates to the part where Paul says something to the effect of “When you come together….” Is this statement a description by Paul of what was currently happening in Corinth? Or is it what he is telling them should happen when they gather? In other words, were the Corinthians overemphasizing the idea that everyone could participate? Or was Paul saying that everyone should participate? Is it descriptive or is it prescriptive?


“In favor of it being descriptive, there is a similar use of the “when you come together” phrase in this same letter. That is in 1 Corinthians 11, specifically verses 18 and 20. (It also appears in verse 33, but that actually falls under the next idea of being prescriptive, so hold that thought.) In 11:18,20 it is obvious that Paul is describing their current condition. In fact, he even says explicitly in verse 18 that he has received word to this effect (“when you come together…I hear…”).

So, this would lend possibility to the idea that Paul is describing a current situation. In this case, he might be issuing a correction to them when he says, “Let all things be done for edification.”


“On the flip side, however, we have a prescriptive use of this phrase in 11:33 where Paul is correcting the problem identified in 11:18,20. In this interpretation, then, 14:26 would be seen as prescriptive. Additionally, we have the word “whenever” in 14:26, which does not exist in any of the uses in chapter 11. The uses in chapter 11 (from my very limited remembrance of Greek) carry the idea of “coming together…”, whereas 14:26 is more of a “whenever you do come together…” idea.


“An additional aspect of 14:26 which might possibly lend itself to understanding is the way the verse starts. Paul says, “What is the outcome then, brethren?” In other words, this verse ties in very much with what Paul had just discussed. In the context immediately preceding, Paul has discussed tongues and prophecy very specifically. And in the verses following 26, he is again going to speak about tongues and prophecy very specifically. Prior to verse 26, he uses the phrases “if all speak in tongues” (14:23) and “if all prophesy” (14:24). Verse 26 then provides a contrast very much in keeping with his discourse on the gifts in chapter 12. It is a description of the varied gifts that should all be exercised for the edification of the body.”

~ Steve Sensensig, 1 Corinthians 14:26 – Descriptive or Presecriptive?, Theologicalmusings blog

Participative’ worship

“It is unfortunately true that this open, free and spontaneous meeting, where joys can be shared and burdens can be borne, is sadly lacking in the contemporary church. There is a great deal of organization and formality, but little opportunity for open ministry and enthusiastic sharing of God’s gifts, and the result is that the majority of Christians have become silent spectators, contributing only the correct liturgical response and singing and occasional hymn.


…Much has been said in recent worship literature about ‘participative’ worship. In my view, some authors identify participation too narrowly with scripted congregational prayers and responses. Participation is something much more than that; it is a whole attitude toward the service. In my opinion, that attitude may well be lacking in churches that have elaborate patterns of responsive sentences, and it may be intense in churches that have a relatively simple pattern of singing, prayer, and sermon.”

~ Gary Inrig, Life in the Body 71

Worship as trinitarian participation

For paid clergy and worship leaders, worship as trinitarian participation means their contribution is measured by the extent to which worshipers are equipped to become participants. If pastors and worship leaders take this role seriously, then the church will continuously reevaluate the accessibility and theological veracity of worship.

Following the Reformers’ model, a contemporary plan of ‘education and adaptation’ would be a regular feature of worship life. While adaptation can and does lead naturally to contemporizing worship, education reminds us that the meaning and significance of some of the most basic elements of the ser-vice of worship (Lord’s Supper, doxology, ‘passing of the peace,’ Lord’s Prayer, giving, etc.) will need to be continually taught.

~ Ted Bolsinger, It Takes a Church to Raise a Christian, p.97

We must open up our meetings says one pastor

“In order for us to obey Paul’s clear teaching, we must open up our meetings so that people can share their burdens, or rejoice together in God’s blessings. In many churches, if a brother comes to a meeting with a wonderful blessing from God he wants to share, he must scurry around after the meeting, in order to communicate it to five or six others before they drive home. Similarly, in most churches, if someone’s heart is breaking with sorrow, there is no place in the meeting for them to unburden their hearts and receive the prayer and ministry of the body. Why not open our meetings so that the whole church can rejoice with us in our blessings, and minister to us in our sufferings? In this way, all may be encouraged by the joyful, and minister to the sufferer.”

~ Brian Anderson, Discovering Participatory Church Meetings, Milpas Bible Fellowship

Church among the Waodoni

In the book End of the Spear by Steve Saint, I came across something that jumped out to me. It would likely have been breezed over if I had not been doing this on-going study. Steve wrote:

When the Waodoni get together to discuss ‘God’s thing,’ they don’t have a formal program. They just let what happens, happen. Sometimes people will tell how their lives have changed since they started walking God’s trail. Other times someone will lead in chants or translated songs with outsider’s melodies — rough facsimiles of those melodies. Others tell stories from God’s carvings about God followers from long ago. No one is ever in a hurry to end the meetings, which often go on for hours.

~ Steve Saint, End of the Spear, p. 206

Unbelievers and church meetings

Tim Keller writes about unbelievers coming to the church gathering:

A look at both Acts chapter 2 and 1 Corinthians 14.24-25 will teach us the following:


1. Non-believers are expected to be present in Christian worship. In Acts 2 it happens by word-of-mouth excitement. In 1 Corinthians 14 it is probably the result of personal invitation by Christian friends. But Paul in 14.23 expects both ‘unbelievers’ and ‘the unlearned’ (literally ‘a seeker’ — ‘one who does not understand’) to be present in worship.


2. Non-believers must find the praise of Christians to be comprehensible. In Acts 2 it happens by miraculous divine intervention. In 1 Corinthians 14 it happens by human design and effort. But it cannot be missed that Paul directly tells a local congregation to adapt its worship because of the presence of unbelievers. It is a false dichotomy to insist that if we are seeking to please God we must not ask what the unchurched feel or think about our worship.


3. Non-believers can fall under conviction and be converted through comprehensible worship. In 1 Corinthians 14 it happens during the service, but in Acts 2 it is supplemented by ‘after meetings’ and follow-up evangelism. God wants the world to overhear us worshipping him. God directs his people not to simply worship, but to sing his praises ‘before the nations’. We are not to simply communicate the gospel to them, but celebrate the gospel before them.”


~ Tim Keller, Worship Wars, Evangelicals Now site (http://www.e-n.org.uk/)

Don't stifle fellowship

The tendency of leadership is to stifle fellowship — which means, “to share in common” — by gravitating toward vertical rather than horizontal relationships; professor and student, teacher and disciple, pastor and parishioner.”

~ Howard Hendricks, Some things Every Church Must Do web article