1 Corinthians 14:29-40 “Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. (30) But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. (31) For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. (32) And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. (33) For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. (34) Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says. (35) And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church. (36) Or did the word of God come originally from you? Or was it you only that it reached? (37) If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord. (38) But if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant. (39) Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues. (40) Let all things be done decently and in order.”
The first epistle to the Corinthians is very enlightening for us, because in it the apostle Paul gives the church some guidance as to how we are to conduct our meetings, and the above passage of scripture forms part of those instructions. Paul goes on to say that these instructions are in fact the commandments of the Lord. In other words, we should not deviate from them. I want you to notice from this passage, the emphasis that Paul places on the word of God in our meetings, for he does not sanction any disruptions to the word when it is being spoken. In dealing with prophecies given, he says that each prophet must speak in turn and they are not to interrupt one another. That same principle is applicable to the word of God when it is being taught, i.e. there should be no interruptions allowed. Paul even addresses women speaking out loud in the church that may disrupt the word of God being spoken at the time. He then goes on to say, that God is not the author of disorder, but that rather our meetings should be conducted in decency and order. In other words, there is a place and time for every aspect of our church meetings, and one aspect should not disrupt another, particularly the preaching of the word. Some churches have taken Paul’s admonition of decency and order to the extreme by quenching the Spirit, and not allowing any move of God in their midst, and they eventually lose the anointing and their meetings are reduced to a series of religious practices.
Michael E.B. Maher
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