47
votes
How do churches that have indefinitely suspended in-person services understand Hebrews 10:25?
Let us start this answer by pointing out that while churches have stopped in-person meetings "indefinitely" according to the technical usage (which means "for an unknown time period&...
- 31.5k
45
votes
Is there any biblical support for the Church to allow governments to close churches and prevent public worship?
From your comments you are asking about the case where governments have made regulations in response to a pandemic (Covid19) preventing in-person meetings, or limited their size, and not given ...
- 31.5k
19
votes
Accepted
Why did John Newton oppose Handel's Messiah?
Newton did indeed have issues with Handel's Messiah, so much so that in 1784–85 he gave a series of 50 sermons at his own church (St. Mary Woolnoth) in response to the oratorio being played at ...
- 42.3k
17
votes
Accepted
Why do some Christians object to images of Jesus?
Those who argue against images of Jesus do so primarily in two ways: (1) that any image of Christ is necessarily inadequate and false and (2) that images of Christ inspire worship and devalue the Word ...
- 42.3k
15
votes
Accepted
What is the basis for forbidding prerecorded music in worship services?
Clear statements against the use of prerecorded music have been made by the National Association of Pastoral Musicians ("On the Use of Pre-Recorded Music in the Liturgy") and Paul S. Jones (...
- 42.3k
14
votes
Did Jesus command His Disciples to Worship Him?
TLDR:
The Disciples worshiped Jesus on at least two occasions (Matthew 14 & 28).
Studying these two stories is the most logical place to look to see if Jesus commanded them to worship him.
Their ...
- 11.4k
11
votes
Accepted
What is the origin of hands lifting in worship?
It goes all the way back to Genesis 29:35 at least with Leah raising her hands in praise to YHWH in naming Judah. As a Biblical Hebrew professor thinking in Hebrew, I find the Old Testament full of ...
- 126
9
votes
Is there any biblical support for the Church to allow governments to close churches and prevent public worship?
I found a quote I like from an online news source called The Week (emphasis mine).
Like everything else in this world, Romans 13 makes sense within its broader context. And in the New Testament, this ...
- 3,814
8
votes
How do churches that have indefinitely suspended in-person services understand Hebrews 10:25?
We live in an age where "meeting together" doesn't have to mean face to face services. I noticed in the comments you said:
But that depends on getting what is so important about meeting ...
- 316
8
votes
Do Muslims pray like Christians should?
Nehemiah's posture is only one of many recorded in the Bible.
Among the others:
Moses bowed low in reverence, and so did many others, but he also prayed with arms outstretched. (Exodus 9:27)
Abraham ...
- 31.5k
8
votes
Accepted
What is the basis for calling God's love "reckless"?
It's best for Cory Asbury himself to explain the meaning. From SongFacts website entry of his song:
"When I use the phrase, 'the reckless love of God,' I'm not saying that God Himself is ...
- 22.2k
7
votes
Do the reformed theology adherents believe that a believer should not "converse with" or "pray to" or worship the Holy Spirit?
Reformed theology maintains the full deity and personality of the Holy Spirit, so that there is no inferiority attached to the Holy Spirit that would result in the kind of subordination that the ‘...
- 27k
7
votes
Accepted
Do the reformed theology adherents believe that a believer should not "converse with" or "pray to" or worship the Holy Spirit?
Anne's answer covered the reason WHY the Holy Spirit is full Deity in accordance with the Trinitarian doctrine, thus showing that the Holy Spirit is worthy of worship, which the true Reformed ...
- 22.2k
7
votes
Accepted
Does any non-Catholic denomination maintain Altar Lamp, following Lev 6:12-13?
Does any non-Catholic denomination maintain Altar Lamp, following Lev 6:12-13?
The Orthodox Churches have vigil lights, just like Catholic Churches to indicate that that Christ is present in the Holy ...
- 68k
6
votes
Accepted
Is there a specific purpose in placing a hot coal to your lips?
That is a reference to the commission of Isaiah (Isaiah 6). When he suddenly found himself in the immediate presence of the exalted God (likely Jesus), he was undone and fully aware of the separation ...
- 121
6
votes
How do Christians turn Sunday into the Lord's day?
Some terms might not be defined in Scripture, but this doesn't mean their meaning wasn't known or taught to the first Christians, as if the Apostles only taught by their letters, contrary to 2 ...
- 8,260
6
votes
Is there a good alternative word to “performance” to describe an evangelical worship team's actions?
Set is an acceptable musical term and doesn't carry as many negative or "performance" overtones as other words may. It can be used of a final production in front of people, a studio session ...
- 14.8k
5
votes
Accepted
In RC doctrine, when is pop culture, like Bernstein's Mass, appropriate to tell sacred messages?
What the Bible says
For starters, the Bible says in (Psalm 100: 1,2)
1 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.
2 Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
RC ...
- 6,707
5
votes
Accepted
What is the justification for reciting creeds in public worship according to the regulative principle?
Those who hold to the Regulative Principle of Worship and recite creeds in public worship typically base this practice on two types of biblical evidence:
Biblical commands to confess one's faith
New ...
- 42.3k
5
votes
How do Christians turn Sunday into the Lord's day?
“The Day of the Lord” usually identifies events that take place at the end of history and they always identify a span of time during which God personally intervenes in history, directly or indirectly, ...
- 29.8k
5
votes
Accepted
Is there any biblical support for the Church to allow governments to close churches and prevent public worship?
It is easy to make decisions when one chooses between two paths, one of which is obviously right and one which is obviously wrong. One puts aside any inclinations of greed or other fleshly motivation ...
- 23.8k
5
votes
Is there a good alternative word to “performance” to describe an evangelical worship team's actions?
the set
your set
the music set
the musical portion of the service
the service
the praise
the worship
might all work, depending on your congregation.
Comment: If you are playing along with loops/...
- 149
4
votes
What is the Biblical support for a distinction between veneration and worship?
To approach this question we must first cut through terminology.
The Catholic Dictionary defines worship as
Acknowledgment of another's worth, dignity, or superior position.
So worship is not, ...
- 7,852
4
votes
Did John Calvin discourage harmonies in congregational singing?
Did John Calvin discourage harmonies in congregational singing?
He did not discourage congressional singing, but it seems that John Calvin did discourage congressional singing in harmony.
In the ...
- 68k
4
votes
Accepted
Connection between the Jesus Prayer and chanting "Jesus!" during worship?
The Jesus Prayer referenced comes from believers within a structured liturgical tradition - principally the Eastern Orthodox Church - so there would be no connection with the use of the prayer in the ...
- 5,637
4
votes
According to Jesus in the New Testament, where by name are the three places one ought to worship God?
The reference is presumably to this passage in the Gospel of John:
Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you [plural—i.e., the Jews] say that the place where people must worship is in ...
- 8,513
4
votes
Hallelujah vs Alleluia
Hallelujah is used 4 times in the NT, all of which are in Revelation 19:1-6 (see GotQuestions). The Greek word used is Ἁλληλουϊά, which transliterates most directly to Hallélouia or also to Hallelujah....
- 1,262
4
votes
What exempts a Catholic from going to Mass on Sunday at church?
The first precept of the Church is to
go to Mass and refrain from servile work on Sundays and holy days.
Grave inconvenience can exempt one from observing a precept of the Church. Grave ...
- 38.6k
4
votes
Do Christians foresee contradicting Government requirements in prolonged 'lockdown' conditions?
Christians around the world have been forced to meet in secret at various times and places throughout history, and even today there are many countries where Christians must hide to avoid persecution.
...
- 1,040
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