Pews and Sermons

 

Church attendance is in decline. The younger generations are called Nones, with no affiliation to any one religion.  While the pews empty, there are Yoga studios a plenty. How is the Church to compete? Well maybe by doing what the Bible says and let ever member participate?:

“What then, brothers? When you come together, each one come with a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret. But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God. Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. If a revelation is made to another sitting there, let the first be silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged, and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets. For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. 

As in all the churches of the saints,.” (1 Corinthians 14:26-33). Oh but that would interuot the pastor’s ego and hard stidy of Scripture so he can earn those six figures to nine figures. Why break with the three song, one tithe prayer, and one hour sermon set up? Uh maybe because we don’t need sermons anymore? At least not like this. 

Sermons were created to educate people in Scripture. The reason in Middle Ages was few had access to the Bible, and few could read the copies that existed in Latin. After the Reformation, Martin Luther replaced the Eucharist or Communion which is the focus of the Mass service with the sermon; this makes sense because he was a theology professor and people did need to get educated in Biblical Christianity, however, the Communion was instituted by Christ, “do this in remembrance of me,” (1 Corinthians 11:24) with the Apostle Paul adding, “remembering His death until He comes.” (1 Corinthians 11:26); so Luther kept it in church services, however, many later Protestant denominations did not, relegating it to once a month and making the sermon paramount in importance. The problem is that in 16th century people needed to be taught Scripture, now we have Scripture available at a click and on apps, and we can access commentaries, Greek lexicons, and etc to study and find out what confusing passages mean. So why is the sermon paramount still in church services? The answer lies in ego and money. Pastors attempt to become celebrities, and people are lazy, they don’t want to read their bibles, they’d rather let someone else do it, like most things. 

Teachers matter, so sermons have a place in church gatherings, but honestly they arn’t paramount, and the lack of participation in churches is making youths seek it elsewhere, such as Tarot, Yoga, and etc.  If we are going to reduce the loss of saints, we have to equip them and value their input and participation in accordance with Scripture. Alas, the three song and sermon set up is not going away anytime soon. Amen