Ideas for What "Building Up" Might Look Like for 'Everyone Else'

In our most recent Sunday morning message, we looked together at what the Apostle Paul taught us in 1 Corinthians 14 about Sunday morning itself; specifically, the Sunday morning gathering of God's people and the priority that every believer, "when you come together", strive to excel in "building up" (v. 26) their brothers and sisters. As we heard in the message, that ambition to speak "to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation" (v. 33) is the very thing Paul emphasizes over and over again in this chapter, as well as an important mark of genuine Christian maturity (v. 20). 

But from one perspective, our Sunday AM gatherings seem to only involve a handful of people in those formal and familiar positions that allow them to build others up (for example, someone praying up front, the worship leader, the pastor, etc.). And yet, acknowledging these examples, we should also ask, "What might 'building up' look like for everyone else?" Let me share some practical ideas, beginning with how the Apostle himself answered that question in this same chapter.

First, Paul describes a gathering in which every believer is engaged in word-centered ministry. When you hear a phrase like "word-centered ministry", it's very easy to think of a pastor preaching or an evangelist sharing the Good News. But listen to Paul's description of a worship service in Corinth:

What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. 

In contrast to ways we often serve others with our hands or feet, did you notice how all these elements are word-centered? And Paul clearly mentions "each one" (i.e., each believer) bringing something to the gathering, even telling them a few verses later, "For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged" (v. 33). In addition to these examples of word-centered ministry, Paul has already mentioned gifts like "the utterance of wisdom" and "the utterance of knowledge" in 12:8. We can't be sure exactly what gifts like these looked like, and whether or not they are still operational in the church today, but we can feel confident that all of these activities communicated encouraging truth that exalted Christ and glorified God. 

And that's the most important point when it comes to your word-centered ministry. But in addition to that idea, please don't miss from these examples that word-centered ministry can express itself in a variety of ways. Let's think about what this variety might look like at Way of Grace on a Sunday morning. So...

Second, before and after our time of shared worship, it may be helpful to think of your word-centered ministry as more conversational. We know that we don't become brothers and sisters in Christ only when the clock strikes 10:00am on a Sunday, or that our call to loving partnership in the gospel is rendered obsolete at noon. That means the informal conversations we have with one another before the service begins and after the service ends are just as relevant to this conversation as any other opportunity for encouragement. Consider some examples of natural pathways toward building others up in these conversations:

• Bob: Good morning, Tom. How are you doing?
• Tom: Glad to be here, that's for sure. It was a crazy week.
• Bob: I hear you. I had a week like that recently. How are you doing personally after that craziness?
• Tom: Honestly, I'm still a little stressed.
• Bob: Sounds about right. If it's useful, Philippians 4:7 always helps me when I'm feeling that way. It talks about how "the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." I love that promise of peace. 
• Tom: Yeah. That really is encouraging.

Or it could be as simple as something like this... 

• Stephanie: Hi, Carla! We missed seeing you all last Sunday.
• Carla: We missed being here. Everyone came down with something.
• Stephanie: I heard about the sickness. Yuck. So glad you're all feeling better. We were praying for you. I know God has been so faithful in your lives, through all sorts of ups and downs. 
• Carla: He definitely has. Thank you for praying. Even on my worst day, I still felt encouraged in my faith. 

Third, during our time of shared worship, it may be helpful to think of your word-centered ministry as more complementary. Even if you are not praying or reading or teaching or leading a song from upfront, you can still complement those elements in a variety of ways (ways that really do encourage others). For example, just giving your full attention to what is being said or sung or prayed can encourage others to give their full attention as well (just as distractedness can also distract). When we sing together or read together out loud, doing so with sincerity and conviction and joy can also be incredibly encouraging. Finally, if some truth touches your heart during our time together, sharing an "Amen!" or "Praise God!" is often a blessing to the rest of the body. The point here is not that we manufacture certain behaviors in order to be 'more spiritual'. The heart behind these encouragements is simply to inspire the heart that really is seeking to honor God and build others up; to inspire such hearts with new ideas for how we can bless one another in our times together on Sunday. 

Fourth, and finally, in our life groups each Sunday, it may be helpful to think of your word-centered ministry as more collaborative. Life groups provide us with a formal (but informal) opportunity to contribute in a 1 Corinthians 14:26-ish kind of way. Whether we are sharing thoughts and encouragements in light of the morning message, or describing something God taught us in our weekly readings, or talking about some experience or struggle through which God has been working, life groups are a wonderful place to point our fellow believers back to the greatness of Christ and our gospel hope (and to be 'pointed back' in return). And as individuals share, the group can collaborate together on that goal of building one another up through thoughtful questions, gracious feedback, related insights, and offers to pray. Ask yourself this about being proactive in light of this weekly opportunity: "If I know some of the unique challenges my brothers and sisters are facing, am I listening in the morning message, or looking in the weekly readings, or attentive with any other resources to truths that might especially bless a specific individual?" 

If you have taken to heart God's word through Paul to "strive to excel in building up the church", then ask Him to stir you in light of these thoughts. If these ideas are helpful, think about this upcoming Sunday. How might you (before the service, during the service, and in a life group) communicate encouraging truth that exalts Christ and glorifies God? Pleasantries and chit-chat are not bad things, but we should want our interactions with God's people to be about more than small talk. As I've attempted to demonstrate, this kind of upbuilding encouragement can be shared in a variety of ways. But it's important to remember this: such building up always draws from two wells: some knowledge of God's word, and some knowledge of the person we aim to build up. That knowledge may be limited at first, but as we personally seek Christ as grateful disciples, may God grow us as listeners; to those around us, but most importantly, to the One above us.