What Qualifies Us to Speak in Church? 

When God is present and speaking in the church, He’s speaking (usually) through several different ones of His people, each according to his or her gifting.  According to the New Testament plan (which we’ll look at more in the next chapters), God likes spreading things around, keeping the holy monologues for a few special occasions. 

However, no matter how interested God is in getting everyone involved, our fleshly tendency is to grab the spotlight and hold on to it.  Or, for those who tremble at the thought of speaking up in church, the fleshly tendency is to stay out of the spotlight at all costs, out of fear or out of false humility. 

My weakness is the former (why else would I feel comfortable writing a book?).  But the mentor for our Texas homechurch wisely chose some of the less vocal of our group to be the leaders.  My wife was offended (temporarily), but I was happy with the arrangement because I knew I needed practice in shutting up and deferring to other people. 

When Paul tells us “let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself” (Philippians 2:3), his directions apply to our “ministries” as well.  Am I qualified to speak the things that God has given me to speak?  Well, yes.  But so is my brother over there.  And so is my sister over there, even though she’s so quiet we really have to strain to hear her. 

In the New Testament dispensation, whoever has the Spirit of God has the ability to speak to the church with authority, not just those who speak well, or loudly, or with education, or with theological training.  If we who have education and loud voices don’t practice shutting up and making way for other Christians to speak, then we will squelch whatever it is that the Holy Spirit wants to say through them.  If we squelch the Holy Spirit in that way, we also grieve the Holy Spirit and demonstrate that it’s our voices, not His, that we’re most eager to hear.  If we grieve the Holy Spirit enough, He will speak less and less, as do most people at a party where they’re constantly snubbed and ignored. 

Coming soon...Chapter 2:21:  Tips and Exercises in Shutting Up