Characteristics of the early church were spontaneity, freedom, and open participation in which every member participated.
The Protestant order of worship has roots in the Catholic Mass, which did not originate in the New Testament. The Mass didn’t begin until the fourth century, and Gregory the Great is the man largely responsible for shaping the medieval Mass in the late sixth century. It has changed little since then. The Eucharist, "to give thanks," remains the re-sacrificing of Jesus Christ.
Luther and the Protestants believed preaching, not the Eucharist, to be the heart of the gathering of worshipers. The pulpit rather than the altar-table ought to be the central element.
But Luther’s order of worship and Gregory’s liturgy are otherwise virtually the same, and neither has any biblical foundation. Both have borrowed traditions from paganism and, save for the priest or preacher, relegate the assembly to passive participation, but that is contrary to scripture. All believers are called to be priests and active members of the body.
A real, first-century assembly is one in which all are equals. Preachers need not apply for leadership position.
The Protestant order of worship has roots in the Catholic Mass, which did not originate in the New Testament. The Mass didn’t begin until the fourth century, and Gregory the Great is the man largely responsible for shaping the medieval Mass in the late sixth century. It has changed little since then. The Eucharist, "to give thanks," remains the re-sacrificing of Jesus Christ.
Luther and the Protestants believed preaching, not the Eucharist, to be the heart of the gathering of worshipers. The pulpit rather than the altar-table ought to be the central element.
But Luther’s order of worship and Gregory’s liturgy are otherwise virtually the same, and neither has any biblical foundation. Both have borrowed traditions from paganism and, save for the priest or preacher, relegate the assembly to passive participation, but that is contrary to scripture. All believers are called to be priests and active members of the body.
A real, first-century assembly is one in which all are equals. Preachers need not apply for leadership position.
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