Your Sons & Daughters Shall Prophesy - Prophetic Gifts Today In The New Testament Church

When Bishops Replace Prophets

The seven deacons appointed in Acts 6 to administer a food program are an ideal example of believers given ecclesiastical position and author ity by the laying on of the apostles' hands. Yet they were men "full of the Spirit and of wisdom" (verse 3) and demonstrated spiritual power in their lives. They took over a job performed originally by the apostles, but they were not to carry on a routine program; they were to maintain the apos tolic spirit and function. Every ministry in the church should seek to emulate these servants who did their duties while evidencing the power of the Spirit. Remember that one of the seven, Stephen, performed signs and wonders by the Spirit, preached the great sermon recorded in Acts 7 and died as the Church's first martyr. Although he accomplished his appointed tasks, he refused to be put into an organizational box that would stifle the work of the Holy Spirit. I think those first servants of the Church are meant to be role mod els for the rest of us. People arriving early at my home church find people praying around the altars and see this announcement on the projection screen in the sanc tuary: You have just entered a HOUSE OF PRAYER for all nations. Please come in and join us in the front or be seated. Feel free to pray individu ally until further instructions are given. Greeting people is important, of course, but beginning a worship serv ice with prayer is vital. Sometimes we can be so concerned with church image and visitor friendliness that we forget what we are there for! Let everything be done appropriately and correctly, and everyone, including children and visitors, will profit. Prayer should envelop our church services and activities. Prayer before, prayer during, prayer after. Concerts of prayer, meetings to pray, praying over people and requests, praying for the missionaries. Using every type and form of prayer possible, we should seek to fulfill Isaiah 56:7 (the "house of prayer" Scripture). Such prayer activity, especially when "in the Spirit" (Ephesians 6:18; see Jude 20), will keep the form and struc ture of our churches alive with the Spirit as we focus on Him. 5. Maintain a Strong Church Prayer Life

6. Provide a Flexible Worship Structure

Our worship service should not be for spectator sport but for partici pation in experiencing God. A happy, reasonable casualness will allow worshipers to enjoy God and one another. Contemporary worship styles 261 •