Allow Participation? Or Continue To Prohibit It?

There is no Scripture passage describing a monologue sermon during a church gathering. If you can think of even one verse, please tell me. But several verses describe allowing participation in church during the teaching of the Bible rather than prohibiting participation, such as...

1 Corinthians 14:26 "What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up... 29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. 30 If a revelation is made to another sitting there, let the first be silent. 31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged... 37 If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord."

Colossians 3:16 "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God."

Romans 15:14 "I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another."

Such participation, described above as happening in the main gathering of the church, is prohibited in most churches today.

It would be difficult to allow time for such participation in a church with more than, say, 25 adults. A church that permits participation could meet in a church building. However, the expense of securing a sanctuary would not be necessary if larger living rooms or basements can be used. Francis Chan talks about house church in this 11-minute video.

In the Arab world, persecution is an added incentive to gathering in private homes. Would you pray that some mature Arab believers from a Christian background would consider planting private house churches so that they can experience and model churches that believers from a Muslim background can attend and also reproduce?

The More The Words

While in Cairo last month, my young Egyptian friend was telling me about a disagreement between him and an American worker. (We say "worker" rather than "missionary" for security purposes, and also because Jesus said that the harvest is plentiful but the "workers" are few.) The American worker had encouraged a mutual friend/believer from a Muslim background to be more open about her faith. My Egyptian friend argued that she should be quieter. He wanted to know what I thought, so I told him that every MBB's situation is unique, so it needs wisdom.

I carefully suggested to my Egyptian friend that the issue may not be the issue at all. The problem might be that he shares his options too quickly and talks too much. This was the fifth time I had met him. I reminded him that I told him he talked too much near the end of the third time that we met. I tried to help him understand that God has given him a very social personality, but that doesn't mean he can't learn how to engage others with questions and then patiently listen rather than always speaking his mind. He received it with humility.

A few minutes later in the conversation, he opened his phone to show me his 5-star Uber rating. To his surprise, it had become a 4.9 because his most recent passenger had written, "Driver talks too much"! I couldn't help laughing out loud when he said, "It's a sign from God!" Later, I sent him these verses....

Ecclesiastes 6:11 "The more the words, the less the meaning, and how does that profit anyone?"

Proverbs 10:19 "When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent."

James 1:9 "Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger"

Would you pray for my friend to have more humility in his relationships, to be patient as he listens to others, and to continue to share the gospel boldly with many Muslims, as he is doing? He truly does have compassion for the lost and a passion for Jesus to be worshiped among all Arabs.