Seeker Sensitive Worship

Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults. In the Law it is written: “With other tongues and through the lips of foreigners
I will speak to this people, but even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.”

 

Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is not for unbelievers but for believers. So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and inquirers or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind? But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!”

 

What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.  If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God.

 

Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people. I Corinthians 14:20-33

 

The church was born on the Day of Pentecost when 3000 people were saved after hearing the disciples speak in other tongues (Acts 2). Pilgrims from all over the Roman world heard the praises of the disciples in their own language, even though those who were speaking were all from Galilee.

 

Tongues are a sign for the unbeliever that God is at work. In addition, prophecy also is beneficial for unbelievers as it reveals the secrets of their heart. But neither of these are signs if they are practiced in an atmosphere of chaos. How can an unbeliever hear something in their own language if everyone is talking all at the same time? How can a prophecy cut to their heart if they can't discern the one meant for them amidst the noise? When gifts are practiced in an orderly manner, it becomes a situation where an unbeliever can find God more readily.

 

Some would say that controlling the way gifts are exercised is dampening the flow of the Spirit. Paul refutes this by saying that God is not a God of confusion, but a God of peace. It is for the purpose of bringing peace to the hearts of men that the Holy Spirit is at work in the world. Let us not hinder His work with our pride and quest for attention for ourselves.

 

The Harmony of Mind and Spirit

Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction? Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the pipe or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes? Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air. Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and the speaker is a foreigner to me. So it is with you. Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church. For this reason the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. Otherwise when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an inquirer, say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since they do not know what you are saying? You are giving thanks well enough, but no one else is edified. I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue. I Corinthians 14:6-19

 

What is appropriate in private is not necessarily appropriate in public. The spiritual gift of tongues is a mysterious and beautiful gift from God. It aids the spirit to find words for what the heart cannot put into words. Speaking in tongues is like playing an intriguing piece of music, but it should only be a solo when one is solitary. When in community, spiritual gifts are a symphony. Each gift has it's distinct tone that contributes to the overall movement. Tongues are only beautiful to the ears of others when they are interpreted so everyone can enjoy the benefits.

 

The spirit and the mind are not enemies. They both respond to God in their own way. The mind embraces understanding and wisdom of those things which can be fathomed by the human intellect. The spirit embraces the mysteries of the kingdom that are incomprehensible. We must engage the spirit in order to accept a God whose ways are above our ways and whose thoughts are above our thoughts. Yet God created us in His image as intelligent beings. We cannot hunger and thirst for righteousness without feasting on the Word of God and digging for the gems of truth found therein. Knowledge, wisdom and understanding from God are invaluable tools to guide the believer in life, love, worship and service.

 

The mind without the spirit is cold and calculating. The spirit without the mind is flighty and fickle. Both are needed to balance out the believer and create stability, sustainability, life and breath to our faith.