Should we have multi-voiced worship?
Many Christians are questioning whether our present-day worship is lacking in reality.
Many non-churchgoers perceive church services as being irrelevant, powerless and out of touch with reality.
So people are starting to have the desire to return to early church worship and message.
How can we get to that and what would this be like in practice?
Table of Contents:
1. What was the early Church worship like?
We can at times feel dissatisfied with set Christian worship services.
It can become just like a performance that we attend and then leave with no real involvement.
What was it like in the early church, what did they do when they met together?
We have much less information about the conduct of worship in other first-generation churches, so we cannot be certain that Corinth was typical.
‘Multi-Voiced Worship’ By Stuart Murray Williams. Anabaptist Mennonite Network. 1
But multi-voiced worship seems coherent with the conviction of the early Christians that at Pentecost God had poured out his Holy Spirit on all – young and old, male and female from many ethnic groups (Acts 2).
It also fits well with the teaching in various New Testament passages about the church as a body comprised of many members, each of which contributes according to their gift and each of which should be honoured (for example, Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4, 1 Peter 4).”
Multi-voiced worship is what used to be called ‘open worship’ or ‘body ministry’.
The New Testament indicates that the early churches were multi-voiced, participative and expected that the Holy Spirit to speak through all the members of the community.
‘New Book: Multi-Voiced Church’ Andrew S M Clark 3
First-generation renewal movements through the centuries have typically also been multi-voiced, recovering this New Testament characteristic.
But creeping institutionalisation has persistently eroded this so that many aspects of church life become mono-voiced or restricted to only a few voices.
From the Bible we can see that the early Church worship consisted of:
- Celebrating Communion, but not exclusively in a church service:
See an article on: What is Communion and the Seder Passover Meal?
For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”
1 Corinthians 11:26 NIV
- An important part of the early Church worship was having the Bible read aloud.
Also, it was important to have preaching AND teaching:
Preaching, the Greek is ‘paraklesis’ which means an exhortation, or consoling and comforting word.
Teaching, the Greek is ‘didaskalia’ which means ‘that which is taught’ – doctrine, teaching and instruction.
Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.”
1 Timothy 4:13 NIV
- The early Church sometimes fasted.
There could be the imparting of a gift or blessing by putting a hand on someone’s shoulder or head.
Notice that the offices of prophets and teachers were plural:
Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers:
Acts 13:1-3 NIV
Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul.
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said,
‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’
So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.”
- In early Church worship, they often lifted their hands in worship. Paul wrote:
Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing.”
1 Timothy 2:8 NIV
- Part of the early Church worship was donating money to the poor and supporting those who studied the Word and itinerant teachers:
On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.”
1 Corinthians 16:2 NIV
An article on how many millions of pounds are spent on executives of certain charities – see the good and the bad.
Also a look at many of the charities that Christians donate to.
- Also from the above verse, we can see that they were gathering on the first day of the week, the Sunday.
The day on which Jesus rose from the dead, the Sunday became the day to gather together:
On the first day of the week we came together to break bread…”
Acts 20:7 NIV
The early Church worshippers were exercising spiritual gifts in their meetings:
Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.
1 Corinthians 14:26-29 & 39-40 NIV
If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret.
If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God.
Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said…
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.
But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.”
See these articles: Did Signs and Wonders die out with the apostles? Are manifestations in revivals a recent phenomenon?
Be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Also issues with using the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
And during, what was known as the Toronto Blessing it became difficult to question what was going on because it was seen as criticising the Holy Spirit.
The early Church worship included music and singing. Paul wrote:
be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit.
Ephesians 5:19-20 NIV
Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
2. The rise of a select few ministers and clergy.
Most church worship services consist of one minister or a leader running through the different elements with one, or a few others, reading a set Bible passage, prayers, etc.
Sometimes there can be a worship leader.
Generally, the congregation has no input although they can ‘join in’ with the worship.
The congregation can become onlookers and passive.
This is probably the form of worship that most people are used to and is generally the default one.
This corporate worship is mainly expressed by a few dominant voices and probably often only one per congregation.
It relies on a leader who prefers to restrict participation to themselves or a few selected people.
In its strictest form, it can be known as ‘mono-voiced worship.’
3. Is monologue preaching fruitful?
In many Evangelical churches, preaching is central to the worship service.
It is often seen as being THE thing that God wants in the meeting, but is it rather different from the everyday preaching and teaching of the New Testament?
In the early church, this preaching was more likely to be less formal and much more open to interaction.
The author Jeremy Thomson, traces the emergence of the modern sermon from the theology of the reformers – like Martin Luther and John Calvin, and later people like Karl Barth (1886-1968), Martin Lloyd-Jones and John Stott, who elevated the sermon to a central place in worship, effectively making the sermon ‘the Word of God’. 4
The conclusion is ‘Does God address us from a distance and not invite our response and interaction? Or are we invited to dialogue with him?’
A more extensive critique of the sermon is offered by David Norrington, whose book ‘To Preach or Not to Preach’ examines evidence from the New Testament and the early centuries of church history.
‘Interactive Preaching’ By Stuart Murray Williams. Anabaptist Mennonite Network. 5
He argues on the basis of careful and thorough investigation that monologue preaching was present in this period but was used only occasionally rather than regularly.
Much more common were discussion, dialogue, interaction and multi-voiced participation.
Drawing on both the New Testament and patristic texts, Norrington concludes that the normality and central role of monologue preaching in many churches today has no biblical precedent or support from the post-Apostolic period.”
Our society has changed, the majority of people receive bite-sized pieces of information from many sources.
One person talking for twenty minutes or more is now questionable as to how much information can be remembered.
How fruitful and profitable is this style of monologue preaching?
Can we accept, or allow, a more flexible style of preaching where questions can be asked and others are allowed to contribute from their experience and Bible knowledge?
Our belief that monologue preaching is the biblical way is based on centuries of tradition and we cannot see anything other than this.
Are we able to explore this alternative where people can ask questions and where some can contribute to the Bible teaching?
4. Why did worship become restricted to a few dominant voices?
The early Church worship can be known as multi-voiced worship.
But in about the 3rd century, mono-voiced worship became dominant.
The reasons for it becoming the default position of worship are varied:
- Large congregations made it more difficult for many people to contribute.
- New converts from pagan backgrounds could result in no contributions or inappropriate ones.
- Charismatic gifts were dropping away at this time which meant fewer contributions being made.
- The power of the leaders increased thus creating ‘clergy’ and a passive ‘laity’.
How did clergy vestments come about and are they relevant today?
5. Does multi-voiced worship always degenerate?
Multi-voiced worship can gradually slide into mono-voiced worship when fewer people contribute, or more powerful personalities take over.
It may theoretically be possible for all to participate in multi-voiced worship, but in practice relatively few do, so the worship time has to be encouraged and worked at because it cannot be just left as a void.
Also, some may often participate but in a very predictable way which varies little at every meeting.
Multi-voiced worship can therefore become dull, boring, uncreative and unedifying.
Different people can guide a meeting giving space for different contributions, but as the size of the congregation increases that becomes more difficult.
Even when we look at these negatives it has been the instinctive approach of numerous renewal movements over the years who have attempted to restore biblical principles to church worship.
6. What is multi-voiced worship?
Multi-voiced worship anticipates that God may speak through any member of the church:
you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”
1 Peter 2:5 NIV
Christians are a kingdom of priests all of whom are anointed with the Holy Spirit and are gifted to contribute.
No one person, nor just a few, has a monopoly on giving godly input into the meeting, but that doesn’t mean that everyone has to contribute.
Multi-voiced worship is not necessarily spontaneous worship.
The worship meeting may be prepared by several people in advance.
Teachers of the Word need to study and prepare for sharing a teaching.
Other things can be planned before a meeting.
According to Paul, multi-voiced worship can be deeply attractive to outsiders, communicating the reality of God’s presence to them.
The apostle Paul taught:
But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare.
1 Corinthians 14:24-25 NIV
So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming,
‘God is really among you!’ ”
The idea of corporate worship is expressed through many people.
This is what the Apostle Paul taught:
What then shall we say, brothers and sisters?
1 Corinthians 14:26-33 NIV
When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation.
Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.
If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret.
If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God.
Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.
And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop.
For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged.
The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets.
For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.”
7. When lots of people contribute is that dangerous?
The Corinthian church is renowned for excess and disorderly conduct.
So what does Paul do?
Does he restrict who may participate?
No! He gives guidelines to still enable maximum participation from as many people as possible.
Obviously, multi-voiced worship can stray into misuse, bad teachings and no real content.
But according to Paul that is not controlled by choosing just a few people to contribute.
8. Paul’s guidelines for multi-voiced worship
Here are a few of the Apostle Paul’s guidelines:
I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy.
1 Corinthians 14:5 NIV
The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be edified.”
So what shall I do?
1 Corinthians 14:15-16 NIV
I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding;
I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding.
Otherwise when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an inquirer, say ‘Amen’ to your thanksgiving, since they do not know what you are saying?”
But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.”
1 Corinthians 14:19 NIV
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.
1 Corinthians 14:39-40 NIV
But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.”
9. Practical thoughts on multi-voiced worship.
- Multi-voiced worship happens more easily if the seating is not in rows but more circular.
- Reinforce the idea of multi-voiced worship.
- Discuss together the practicalities of multi-voiced worship, good and bad. Take note of what works and what doesn’t.
- Don’t forget to keep informing newcomers about multi-voiced worship.
- Keep encouraging all to contribute.
- A mix of liturgy including different and familiar encourages people to contribute.
- An absence of leadership is not good. It takes skilful leadership to encourage and steer the meeting.
- A leader who hogs the time will stifle the meeting.
- A leader needs to explain things and correct them if necessary but not in an authoritarian manner.
- Encourage individuals to avoid becoming stereotyped.
- Create an atmosphere where there is no fear or criticism. Build trust within the group.
- Encourage people to pause after a contribution to reflect on it and ‘weigh it’.
- All contributions need to agree with the Bible. If it’s not it needs to be gently corrected from the Bible.
- Some people need to have some boundaries if they start contributing a lot and for the sake of it.
- Try to have a balance between contributions that are directed towards God and contributions directed towards the church.
- Other forms of artistic worship can be expressed. This may include art, dance, video, mime, drama, pictures, poetry, story-telling, etc.
- Don’t get insular, keep in mind the mission to the world, workplaces and local community.
Not everyone can teach in multi-voiced worship.
The Apostle Paul believed in the plurality of leadership. He wrote:
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”
Ephesians 4:11-13 NIV
All are plural.
Notice that ‘teachers’ are in this list.
Obviously, young converts cannot teach from the Bible – but they can share something that has spoken to them.
Also, many people are not gifted to teach.
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.
1 Peter 4:10-11 NIV
If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God.
If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.”
More detailed articles covering:
What does it mean to worship – part 2
What is the Gospel message?
What is church doctrine? Go Shake Your World With It!
References and credits – open in new tabs:
‘Multi-Voiced Worship’ By Stuart Murray Williams. Anabaptist Mennonite Network. ↩
The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Print Collection. “Christ washing the disciples’ feet” The New York Public Library Digital Collections. ↩
‘New Book: Multi-Voiced Church’ Andrew S M Clark 24 May 2012. ↩
‘Preaching as Dialogue: Is the Sermon a Sacred Cow?’ By Jeremy Thomson. Grove Books. ↩
‘Interactive Preaching’ By Stuart Murray Williams. Anabaptist Mennonite Network. ↩
The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Picture Collection. “Pontefici, Vescovi &C.” The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1823 – 1838. ↩