Worship #1 Why the Early Church Did Not Have Worship Services - revised

This presentation is an overview of Wadsworth's PhD dissertation, which investigated the "worship anomaly," i.e., the fact that Christian assemblies in the NT are not described as "worship," nor are any assembly activities described as "worship." The original video of Worship #1, which is also available on Wadsworth's YouTube channel, had several audio glitches. In response to several requests, this video is a remake of the same presentation but without the glitches.
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to the Series of 7 Episodes
05:26 Introduction to Episode #1
13:46 Review of Scholars on Worship
30:43 Church Meetings in the NT
36:13 Barriers to Understanding
44:50 Conclusion to Episode #1

[Caderdi]

Very good points. Something I've seen for years, and you put it into clear words. I'm a home church host. We love it. We eat together, sing, read the Bible, pray, for each other, and in praise to God. Everyone participates. We don't have a name. We just call it getting together.

[jefffoster]

Wow! I have been praying about this whole concept of modern "worship" and whether God is calling us in or out of the modern day "church". What a breath of fresh air this is! Makes me fall to my knees and ask God for direction and lead me to other like-minded individuals who are tired of "playing church". Thank you and blessings!

[claudiaa.]

We have been church planting missionaries for over 40 years. We have always emphasized home gatherings, discipleship and growth through evangelism. It is the closest to NT practice as far as we can see. Thank you for your teaching.

[itlupe]

I was born again at 46 so I was miles behind.
The first question I had (after a time) was if we are the "church) (people) how can we "go to church". When I questioned I received the "canned" answer: "Don't worry about it you will see as you grow."
The great thing about this is I was "thrown" into reading and researching the Bible.
I found MORE questions than answers. This was good. Now at 77 I am starting to scratch the surface. It's not that it is difficult to understand it is that there is SO MUCH.
The subject presented here is but a small part of the things I've learned learned during my research that people tend to pooh pooh.
The study also led me to the fact that I am saved by grace + nothing. Praise God.

[francescaposney]

When l first started attending church in an Evangelical church we had testimonies which l really enjoyed as it provided a 'connection' for identifying with brothers and sisters on a more human level.

[onemishelle]

It's always been interesting to me how many "Christians" do not observe the Sabbath, but insist if you don't go to church you will go to hell. Thank you for this teaching.

[reynaldodungca]

I realized this 15 years ago and thank God for being liberated from religious system.

[mariemilycraig]

The algorithm brought this video to my feed today. Thank you for putting into words what I have been thinking about and trying to articulate for years. Really looking forward to the rest of the series!

[DouglasJWilkening]

May I suggest another reason (actually two related reasons) why the “worship anomaly” doesn’t get any traction? When I came to evangelical protestantism from the Roman Catholic tradition, I noticed that the Evangelical origin myth goes something like this: “We are the true New Testament church. The Catholics added all of these medieval accretions to the faith, such as indulgences, Marian devotions, etc. The Protestant reformers stripped away all of those accretions and returned us to a pure New Testament faith.” If the worship anomaly is acknowledged, Evangelicals would have to admit that we just have a different set of latter day accretions, we have also added things to the pure first century faith, and so our cherished origin myth is false. Secondly, evangelical seminary training and the evangelical church service revolve around the sermon. The sermon is the centerpiece of our practice. If we were to acknowledge the worship anomaly, we would have to admit that the sermon, the core of our faith practice, is unbiblical. If both our origin story and the core of our practice (the sermon) are unbiblical, this would demolish our identity as the “bible-based” church, wouldn’t it?

[nomadsolos]

In the early 1970s, I was used of God to help spread the gospel in a mighty way, simply by just doing what HE commanded me to do :
HE simply was telling me to go to this youth Christian Outreach of which I had just started going being a young Christian. He told in in a still quiet voice the night before to go there and turn on an old Black & White TV set in their TV room.
The TV set only picked up three local channels. The rabbit ears antenna had tin foil on them to pick up the signals.
I turned on the TV and just as I did a Billy Graham Crusade came on. It was at 5PM on a Saturday Afternoon and no one was in the room but me.
By the time the crusade was over I was astonished to see a room full of people crying and weeping, convicted in their heart of their need for Jesus Christ. I did nothing but turn on a TV set - that day a new Christian fellowship was born. It happened because I did what God said and went there and turned on a TV.

[MicahStephenBell]

After 48 years of personal ministry, you are the first (besides myself) I have heard teach on 1 corinthians 14. It has been years to help folks do this, but what a difference it makes!

[judisonflower]

Thank-you Tom. At last I have found I am not alone. I am not an advanced scholar by any definition but I have held these views for most of my 70 odd years of life. In my definition of the assembly I would add that it was not only for building up but also for communion or remembrance. My statement I like to use with people is "Worship is not an event it is a lifestyle" it is or should be everything we are and do and the assembly is to encourage this. Your thoughts.

[thenexusagency]

So glad to see this - we need more of it. Never in the history of the Church era have we seen such a falling away. It's easy for people to fall away going to large 'worship' services where they are not active participants, and have no accountability or anyone involved in the details of their lives. We have a lot of emotionalism, but it is not true Christianity. The core heart of Christianity is relational intimacy - first with Christ and second with each other. It's simple. The church today is a business, and what a business it is. We need to get back to relational intimacy with Christ and each other.

[michaelferguson]

I've only watched 10 minutes of this but you think exactly like I do. It's somewhat overwhelming when God shows you just how far professing Christians these days have actually departed from what God says are commands in the Bible. It really is true: the more you seek Him for wisdom and revelation the more one feels isolated from not just the world but from the majority of people who calls themselves believers. 

I've got a busy day but will definitely be back to watch the rest of this and your other videos. Thank you for sharing the many truths herein- it's amazing just how many people either can't see these things, refuse to, or just pretend like these issues don't really matter to God at all.


God is shaking this world, and that includes everything man has invented in this place we call "church."

[robivy]

I have had my own personal feelings that we do a lot of non-biblical things in churches because of tradition. I have made the statement to others that they probably would not care to live for God the way the early church did. We are a pampered people that are used to being spoon fed and entertained. It is also why there is a lack of maturity and fruitfulness among modern christians.

[annaburns]

I appreciate your perspective and commentary on this topic. I was actually relieved to hear what you had to say. Going to church has never felt right to me and I always wondered what my problem was. What you are saying confirms to me that things are just not at they should be in our gatherings.

[AServant-yt]

Thank you, brother, Tom! God bless you! Knowledge will increase…

[LB-pxzo]

Excellent video! I came out of church in 2019 and haven’t looked back. My husband & I live at the Great Passion Play in Arkansas. We volunteer with a community of believers. I highly recommend getting involved in community life.

[pomegranate]

I'm a little shocked it took you 50 yrs to understand churches got it wrong .. 30 yrs ago when I walked in one and saw the way people were jumping around to loud music and calling it "worshipping" I knew right away I was in the wrong place.. demonic possession at it finest!

Church buildings should be used as community center to meet the congregation needs.. not the preachers!

Everyone brings something to the meeting like,
food, clothes cash or services like sewing, mechanic, handyman services and so on.. everyone had a talent to offer.. that someone else can use at different times ...
Thats how we take care of each others through out the years! As we spread Yeshua love and good news❤

Anyways, you're videos are very interesting even though there's WAY to many ads!
Be well✌️

[kimgrove]

Amen and Amen - thank you so much Tom. GOD has been challenging me about so many unbiblical rituals I have been following blindly in the evangelical church and so I am now following the biblical word of GOD instead. How one can be received into believing man made ideas! Rhank you JESUS for opening my eyes, heart, mind and spirit to the truth 😊