When You Come Together

It's often said that it's good that there are many different styles of Christian worship because what suits one person may not suit another. But this places the emphasis on the preferences of the worshipper and ignores the possible preferences of the One who is being worshipped. So the question arises, Does God have anything to say about how he wants to be worshipped? This book is written from the understanding that God's will is revealed in his word, the Bible. It's based on the assumption that in the Bible God has something to say about how he should be worshipped, and the kind of things that should happen when Christians gather to do so. Dr David Petts says that the key to this is found in 1 Corinthians 14:26. A biblical believers' meeting will contain not only music and teaching, but also manifestations of the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit. He shows how Paul's teaching in Chapters 12-14 illustrates this and challenges church leaders to reevaluate the way their services are organised. Key principles to consider are variety, opportunity for everyone to participate, and the need for love which is expressed in seeking the edification of others. In this connection, detailed attention is given to Paul's teaching in Chapter 14 on the use of the gifts of tongues, interpretation, and prophecy, and how this teaching might be applied in churches today.