Life Together
The purpose of this is to describe a congregational gathering that will not be a full Divine Service, but will incorporate the "other" elements of Christian life as described in the Pauline Epistles and historic Lutheran sources. Special focus will be on the mutual conversation and consolation of the brethren. The setting will be less formal than at the Divine Service.
Elements:
From Psalm 102:18-22 (ESV)
Let this be recorded for a generation to come,
so that a people yet to be created may praise the LORD:
that he looked down from his holy height;
from heaven the LORD looked at the earth,
to hear the groans of the prisoners,
to set free those who were doomed to die,
that they may declare in Zion the name of the LORD,
and in Jerusalem his praise,
when peoples gather together,
and kingdoms, to worship the LORD.
Luther argued from this passage that God's Word and prayer should be found whenever his people gathered together.
From 1 Corinthians 14:26b-33 (NASB)
When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. If anyone speaks in a tongue, it should be by two or at the most three, and each in turn, and one must interpret; but if there is no interpreter, he must keep silent in the church; and let him speak to himself and to God. Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others pass judgment. But if a revelation is made to another who is seated, the first one must keep silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted; and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets; for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.
From "The German Mass" by Martin Luther
For in no wise would I want to discontinue the service in the Latin language, because the young are my chief concern. And if I could bring it to pass, and Greek and Hebrew were as familiar to us as the Latin and had as many fine melodies and songs, we would hold mass, sing, and read on successive Sundays in all four languages, German, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew. I do not at all agree with those who cling to one language and despise all others. I would rather train such youth and folk who could also be of service to Christ in foreign lands and be able to converse with the natives there, lest we become like the Waldenses in Bohemia,? ? who have so ensconced their faith in their own language that they cannot speak plainly and clearly to anyone, unless he first learns their language. The Holy Spirit did not act like that in the beginning. He did not wait till all the world came to Jerusalem and studied Hebrew, but gave manifold tongues for the office of the ministry, so that the apostles could preach wherever they might go. I prefer to follow this example. It is also reasonable that the young should be trained in many languages; for who knows how God may use them in times to come? For this purpose our schools were founded.
Luther's Works, vol. 53, p. 63.
From Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
The followings are subheadings under the chapters "The Day with Others" and "The Day Alone."
The Day with Others
- The Day's Beginning
- The Secret of the Psalter
- Reading the Scriptures
- Singing the New Song
- Saying our Prayers Together
- The Fellowship of the Table
- The Day's Work
- Noonday and Evening
The Day Alone
- Solitude and Silence
- Meditation
- Prayer
- Intercession
- The Text of Meditation
The following passage comes from the section "Singing the New Song" listed above:
"For practice in unison singing we should adopt first the Reformation chorales, then the hymns of the Bohemian Brethren and those of the ancient church. Starting here, one's judgment as to which hymn of our hymnbooks lend themselves to such rendition and thos which do not will be formed quite of itself." Life Together , p. 61
From The Open Church by Rutz
Now what about singing? Some of your people...no, all of your people will want to announce songs this way: "May we sing NUMBER 21?"
Don't let this happen.
The bolder ones will say it this way: "NUMBER 21!"
Don't let this happen, either.
Show your people how to announce a song. (This single instruction will revolutionize your meetings! ) When you want to sing a song, do not ask everyone's permission! And do not announce the number. Just begin singing ! We will join you!
Some will say, "I can't start a song." No problem. Poke your neighbor, point to the song, and say, "Start this song." (Neighbor, start the song!)
James H. Rutz, The Open Church , pp.87-88
From Body Life by Ray Stedman
read Body Life pp. 139-143
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