Does anyone really believe that listening to the preaching of the Word of God in an unworthy manner can fail to come under judgement? Ergo: no one should be permitted to go to church until they have proven to the session that they are able to discern the message.
First you have to go to a special class called the “Sermonicants’ Class”, in which you must learn:
a) The Books of the Bible
b) An outline of each book
c) The organizational structure of a three-points-and-a-poem sermon
d) The Top 100 Sermon Illustrations of all time.
e) How to highlight significant passages during a sermon
f) How to nod attentively even if you’re really thinking about yesterday’s game
I was reminded that Ligon Duncan recomnded this article by Don Whitney on improving worship. In it he warns that it’s a serious violation to have worship led by the unconverted. And that this means children’s choirs are verboten, unless *before* worship.
“Since only those who have the Holy Spirit (that is, believers in Christ) can “worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24), only believers should be given leadership roles in worship. How can an unbeliever lead a believer to “worship in spirit and truth” when an unbeliever is incapable of such worship? …
While this obviously debars unconverted people from singing a solo or leading the congregational singing, this standard also prohibits unbelievers from singing in the choir or playing an instrument, for these are worship leadership roles too, even if secondary to other positions. …
The more difficult application of this in many churches will be with the children’s choir or other involvement in worship by young, unconverted children. Because they are so cute and because the parents love to see them singing (“performing” might be a more appropriate word), this can be an emotional issue. Remember, however, that our worship is the worship of God, and anything that distracts us from God has no place in worship. One way to accommodate the children’s role without compromising your conscience or disrupting the congregation’s focus on God is to have the children sing at the very beginning, before worship actually starts.”