In any traditional church that I know of the setting is basically the same: we dress up in our best, go sing a few songs, listen to announcements, and listen to a man give a message. Everything is so mechanical and there is little ministry, it is more of a performance. There is no room for any type of interaction in this type of service regardless of what you may have on your heart. You are a spectator and you are expected to sit quietly and listen to this person deliver what is supposed to be inspired and be edified regardless of its content. There are some smaller churches that may have a "testimony" time in which you are allowed to express something brief. The fact is that in these types of structured services you are nothing more than another face in the crowd. The service would be exactly the same with or without you.

You would be hard pressed to find the structure that we witness today in our churches in the Bible. The first church was not accustomed to this type of service and it is evident in the story of the Acts of the first church. Notice what Paul said of what he felt was expected of people when they came together:

   Paul knew that each person had something to contribute to the service and each person could contribute to the edifying of the saints. Paul gives instructions to the church to keep it from getting out of control as the church of Corinth apparently did. But nowhere in his instructions are we told to sit like lifeless puppets and become the great spectators of Christianity. In fact you will see that Paul's message was not to criticize their involvement but rather to ensure that it was beneficial and edifying. I am convinced that the first church met in houses along with the Temple services and there was active involvement among them.

   The problem did not start with the church in Acts but afterwards about 300 years. It was around 313 when the emperor of that time Constantine issued the "Edict of Milan" officially ending the persecutions of Christians and establishing the "approved" church. Church leaders of that time got involved in government and public offices including popes and bishops and the church seemed to be on the right track. About 15 years later "church" buildings started being erected and the once interactive body became and audience of spectators. Modeled after what was known in Rome at the time churches became capable of holding hundreds of people. Unlike the intimate gatherings in the homes of the first church, now there were large crowds gathering. The small groups that felt comfortable sharing with each other and openly and freely worshipping were now in large groups of people that were to become "organized." In the small setting if God had laid something on your heart there was ample time and freedom to share with the others. With this new forum it would not be convenient to allow everyone to do this so structures were set in place to change this.