The "unorganized-worship" fad has once again reared its ugly head and become the "in" thing. I imagine it began the way that it always seems to begin--someone "awakened" to the need for worship that contains something "more spiritual" than the traditional three songs and a prayer. Spurred on by their "awakening," the "awakened" set out to unorganize the organized worship service at the congregation where they attend.

Those who enter wholesale into this unorganized idea may even go so far as to claim that true, genuine worship can never be of the organized variety, but must spring spontaneously from each individual's heart. So if any "has a song," "has a lesson," let him go ahead and speak out. If this is what the Holy Spirit, working through Paul, had in mind, He certainly missed a golden opportunity to say so. In the very same chapter where the Holy Spirit speaks of an individual having a song, lesson, revelation, tongue, etc., He actually demands organization and order. "But all things should be done decently and in order." (1 Corinthians 14:40) Thus, the necessity for decency and order was laid upon even those who actually had miraculous spiritual gifts.

Quite often we talk and write about public worship and the error that can come of it when we allow it to become ritualistic and sacramental. It is unquestionably wrong for us to turn our worship service to the Lord into nothing more than a liturgical service, which we may unwittingly approach by vehemently clinging to the rigid traditional pattern of our prayers, songs, sermons, etc.

Changing the order of the service may, in fact, help with some of this. After all, it is not a sin to have the Lord's Supper before the sermon or after it, if that is a change. A congregation is not committing a grievous error against the Lord by having fewer or more songs than it now has before or after the sermon. The church is not breaking faith with the Lord if the elders change the time of the contribution. They are not even committing an abomination if they change the emphasis of a service. What do I mean? When was the last time you attended a genuine prayer service?

Having said all of this, I'd like to ask, "Why change for the sake of change?" In fact, change for change's sake comes from the exact same concept that makes ritual an error. Let's just be honest here. No amount of change to the order of worship is going to produce more spirituality in a person who is not spiritual; nor will it make the gathering more worshipful for the person who is really not that interested in worshipping in the first place. I have attended worship services where changes were made without informing and preparing most of the members. The unaware and uninformed do not know why the change has been made, and what you see is generally not a more spiritual and worshipful atmosphere. More often than not, there is confusion, a touch of disorientation, and when all is said and done, a fairly destroyed worship service. The one who felt the change was needed may feel better about himself; but very little thought is usually given to how the other members feel.

Brethren, how presumptuous and arrogant are they who claim that Christians do not sincerely worship by doing what is familiar-a certain number of songs and a prayer? Just because I find it difficult to keep my mind where it's supposed to be--on spiritual things-- without mixing things up a bit in no way gives me the right to claim that others cannot be sincerely worshipping because I'm not!

And further, it is absolute foolishness to think that switching from three songs and a prayer to a prayer and three songs is going to jolt hearts that are unprepared to worship and cause people to prostrate themselves before God. You know, a "reformer" may have decent enough knowledge of God's word but woeful ignorance of human nature, and the patience and instruction it takes to lead people to new and better ways.

There may be new and better ways of implementing public worship and work--ways and expedients wholly within Scriptural authority. We do tend to follow the traditional patterns which, when one puts some serious thought into it, may actually be the best ways after all, because they are time-tested. But if changes are going to be made, they must be made with the knowledge of all the worshippers and must be understood so all can follow without confusion. And everything must be done "decently and in order." All of the attempts to unorganize an organized worship become mere mechanical devices, good for manipulating the people on the outside, but doing no good for the heart, where it really counts.

Be very aware, brethren; a cry for a break from "church-of-Christ tradition" is many times, after careful study of the Scriptures, found to be no more than a cry for a break with doing things God's way. A person's inability to worship in "spirit and truth" is never a call for a "more spiritual worship service." It is a call for a change of heart and a cry for help, help that faithful Christians must always be prepared to give. Think about these things.

In recent years, I've heard and participated in this same discussion with some of our brethren. Some seem to fear doing things "the way we have always done them." Why? In my discussions with brethren, I haven't found anyone who really has an answer to this question-except, "We need to shake things up a bit." The change-for-the-sake-of-change concept leads to nothing but confusion.

Yes, we should look at ways of doing things that can be more edifying and encouraging to our brethren and those who visit. In recent years, I've attended a congregation that had Sunday evening prayers services--an entire service dedicated to offering prayers to God and for one another. Prayer is part of our worship. We have fifth-Sunday-evening singing services, and they are very edifying. We can change the "traditional format," if there is a purpose and aim for doing so. Let us not become so fearful that someone will think we've "gone liberal" because we do something different that we allow it to keep us from looking at ways to better edify one another. Yet, never forget that "all things must be done decently and in order." (KMG)