I have a great deal of respect for your website and the articles on it. However, I don’t agree 100% with everything. I have worshipped in congregations that have and don’t have a fellowship hall; neither bothers me.<\/p>\n
The congregation installed elders and deacons, which has caused some problems. I have a question about something happening that I never thought was an issue until now.<\/p>\n
Can a non-Christian serve in worship? In this case, a youth who is not yet baptized is allowed to read Scripture in worship. When we confronted the deacon, we disagreed and his response was that he was going to keep doing it. It was placed on his heart, and he wanted to encourage the young man. To me any type of service has always been a blessing that comes with being a baptized child of God and in the Lord’s church.<\/p>\n
I look forward to your thoughts.<\/p>\n\t
I’m more than disappointed with the deacon’s answer. Since when do we take personal feelings and claim that they are from God? Whether he is aware of it or not, that is what he is doing. He is claiming because he feels that God placed this feeling in him, he is going to continue the practice. As God told the Israelites:<\/p>\n
“I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy falsely in My name, saying, ‘I had a dream, I had a dream!’ How long? Is there anything in the hearts of the prophets who prophesy falsehood, even these prophets of the deception of their own heart<\/strong>, who intend to make My people forget My name by their dreams which they relate to one another, just as their fathers forgot My name because of Baal? The prophet who has a dream may relate his dream, but let him who has My word speak My word in truth<\/strong>. What does straw have in common with grain?” declares the LORD<\/em>” (Jeremiah 23:25-28).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
This matter should be brought to the attention of the elders.<\/p>\n
The reading of Scripture is a part of a church’s worship (I Timothy 4:13).\u00a0However, there is a lack of command, example, or inference that youth participated in worship before becoming a Christian in the New Testament. I agree that the youth should be encouraged, but they should do this in a proper environment, such as a Bible class. I understand that Bible reading appears “safe” because the passage is selected for the youth. There isn’t much of a way to introduce false ideas. However, it should also be considered that those involved in worship represent the congregation. A non-Christian doesn’t represent the congregation.<\/p>\n
I Corinthians 14 contains regulations on how a church’s worship services are conducted. The rules are for when “the whole church comes together in one place<\/em>” (I Corinthians 14:23). Things are to be done in a decent and orderly manner (I Corinthians 14:40). Because the church had come together for worship, the command was “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. 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<\/em>” (I Corinthians 14:34-35). Worship by the church is only to be conducted by the male church members. Women are not allowed to lead a congregation in worship because that would be usurping authority not granted to them (I Timothy 2:12). If women are not permitted to do such things as leading a congregation in reading, then what right does a congregation have to allow young children, who have yet to obey Christ, to lead the same group in reading? Where can we find authority for such a practice?<\/p>\n
Paul points out that the church is designed to build itself up. “And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; … from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love<\/em>” (Ephesians 4:11-12,16). A non-Christian is not a part of the body, and so cannot contribute to the building up of the body.<\/p>\n\t
Response:<\/h2>\n
Hi,<\/p>\n
I don’t remember if I thanked you for your reply. I agree 100%. Thanks so much.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Question: I have a great deal of respect for your website and the articles on it. However, I don’t agree 100% with everything. I have worshipped in congregations that have and don’t have a fellowship hall; neither bothers me. The congregation installed elders and deacons, which has caused some problems. I have a question about…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[20],"tags":[84],"class_list":["post-69287","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-worship"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":44869,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/can-non-christians-worship-god\/","url_meta":{"origin":69287,"position":0},"title":"Can non-Christians worship God?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 16, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Should a Christian invite his neighbor (who is not a Christan) to \"come and worship with us\"? I believe I can and should invite him to come and attend with us, but a person who is not a Christian can not worship God as the Bible commands. A person\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":51840,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-everything-we-do-worship\/","url_meta":{"origin":69287,"position":1},"title":"Is Everything We Do Worship?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 2, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"by Harold Hancock A Christian should try to please God in everything he does, but everything a Christian does is not worship. For instance, a Christian may travel, work, rest, and sleep with God's approval, but he is not worshipping God when he does these things In the New Testament,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":54903,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/isnt-a-baptized-person-a-member-of-the-local-congregation\/","url_meta":{"origin":69287,"position":2},"title":"Isn’t a baptized person a member of the local congregation?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 23, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I am a bit confused. My understanding has always been that if an individual were visiting us, and they obeyed the gospel while here, I would direct them to a sound church in their area. They would not be a member of the local church here, although they obeyed\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":53739,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-can-a-christian-serve-god-when-the-military-rules-are-not-conducive-to-serving-god\/","url_meta":{"origin":69287,"position":3},"title":"How can a Christian serve God when the military rules are not conducive to serving God?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 22, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: My husband is a soldier in the military. Currently, he is on a 14-month deployment (technically, he's overseas for 9 months and training during the other time). He is adamant about not reenlisting being that he has not been able to worship, nor will he be able to unless\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":31789,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/can-you-be-saved-and-in-a-denomination\/","url_meta":{"origin":69287,"position":4},"title":"Can you be saved and in a denomination?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 16, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I understand that the word \"church,\" as used in scripture, has two meanings: (1) the universal church - consisting of all redeemed souls that have obeyed the authorized steps of hearing the Word of God, believing (that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and our Savior), repenting (change\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":14318,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-it-okay-to-listen-to-instrumental-christian-music-outside-of-worship\/","url_meta":{"origin":69287,"position":5},"title":"Is it okay to listen to instrumental “Christian” music outside of worship?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 11, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Someone asked me this question and I would like your opinion. I looked on your great web site but didn't see it addressed. A young lady asked me if it is okay to listen to \"Christian rock\" or instrumental (\"Christian\") songs outside of worship. 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