Volume 46   Number 1                                                         September 2003

From a study of 1 Corinthians 14:26-40, several things become apparent:

1. Corinth was experiencing confusion in the Lord's day assembly, hence Paul's instructions, and his admonition: "Let all things be done decently and in order" (40);
   
2. Many members customarily played a public part in the Lord's day assembly: "How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation" (26); and
   
3. Paul had no intention of depriving them of this mutual ministry-he intended only to order it: "For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged." (31).

Clearly, Paul was pleased with a plurality of participants in the assembly. Despite the fact that such an arrangement came with potential hazards, he wrote nothing to discourage the Corinthians from their mutual edification. Instead, he communicated a few helpful guidelines, thereby affirming its practice. An assembly in which many had the opportunity to bring a song, offer a teaching, or exercise a miraculous gift was, in the eyes of the apostle, a good thing.

Sounds strikingly dissimilar to the practice of many of today's churches, doesn't it? What are we to make of it? Were Paul's instructions to the brethren at Corinth unusual? No. Paul stated four times in his letter to the Corinthians that what he taught them he taught everywhere else (1 Corinthians 4:17; 11:16; 14:33; 16:1). Perhaps, Corinth was an isolated case, then, and stood out among the New Testament churches because of her mutual ministry meetings? From a careful examination of the New Testament Scriptures, we can offer a definitive "no" on that question, as well. What was true at Corinth, was true elsewhere.

"Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers..." (Acts 13:1). As at Corinth, God had inspired more than one individual. And, as at Corinth, along with the prophets, there were multiple uninspired "teachers" (1 Corinthians 14:26). Even when an apostle was present there, many members shared the role of edifying, as evidenced by Acts 15:35: "Paul and Barnabas also remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also." It was not Paul's-nor the church's-prerogative to put the "best man" in the pulpit, if even there was a pulpit. There were many with the ability, so many participated.

The same practice existed at Ephesus. Though Timothy, the evangelist (2 Timothy 4:5), was there, he shared the work of public edification. Paul began his first epistle to Timothy by stating, "remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine" (1 Timothy 1:3). His job wasn't to do all the teaching, but to make sure that others' teaching was sound. The same idea is emphasized in Paul's second epistle to this young evangelist: "And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also" (2 Timothy 2:2). Was Timothy the resident exhorter? Did the brethren come every Sunday morning to hear him? The Scripture doesn't lead us to that conclusion.

Finally, there is the cumulative message of various other passages. In Romans 15:14, Paul declared, "Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another."

To the Ephesians, he wrote, "speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head --Christ-- from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love." (Ephesians 4:15,16).

Paul also said that members possess the gifts of teaching and exhorting (Romans 12:7-8). According to Peter, those who possess gifts are to use them: "As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen." (1 Peter 4:10,11). The assembly is one place to do just that (Hebrews 10:25).

With all of the above in mind, can there be any doubt that the apostolic church permitted and encouraged multiple persons to be involved in its assemblies?