# Church service



## Barney (Jun 30, 2022)

I'm learning about the 'Reformed' and 'Traditional Protestant' beliefs regarding how a Church operates for want of a better word.
So I understand that many believe that Scripture says/teaches only the Minister should read Scripture in Church.

1. So can anyone pray or read scripture at a prayer meeting?

2. Do Reformed churches hold prayer meetings?

3. If only the Minister can read scripture, what happens to the church if it is without a Minister for a season? Say he leaves, or goes to glory? How can a church have a Sunday service without a Minister?


----------



## Jake (Jun 30, 2022)

Regarding #3:

From my experience, most Reformed churches will delegate to an elder, deacon, or trusted church member appointed by the Session in absence of a minister for aspects of the worship service. In some traditions, without a minister, a sermon may be read by one of these folks or in some cases another officer or lay-person may be authorized to preach in occasional situations in absence of a minister. 

Only an ordained minister (teaching elder) can pronounce the benediction or administer the sacraments in traditional Reformed services.


----------



## Contra_Mundum (Jun 30, 2022)

Allowing the possibility of an exception I'm ignorant of, the Presbyterian and Reformed churches I know make a clear distinction between formal gathering for worship--a highly regulated, first-day (typically), God-directed event--and a less formal gathering of the church for collective prayer, though such a meeting may well be led, supervised, organized, and thus truly sanctioned by the church.

No ordination is required for a person to pray publicly (or read scripture) in a prayer meeting; the same being true in a Sunday School setting, a Bible study, etc.; again, even if these are ecclesiastically recognized meetings (the distinction being between a gathering the church has some "ownership" of, and a private Christian gathering). Just because a gathering is happening on church property, or is noted in the bulletin, or is attended by a person vested with church office, we're not bound to regard the gathering as "Church."

There are discernible "levels" of appropriate for oversight and personnel requirement. Ordination to office sets men apart for the most important duties having to do with ecclesiastical operations, namely: its worship and discipline. Within the latter, we can make distinction between the day-to-day governance, and special exercises of authority such as those we call "church discipline." So, "government, worship, and discipline" are sometimes what is defined as regulated categories.

The more a church views any meeting as "worship," the more I'd agree it must be tightly regulated, and the people engaged in leading it should be ordained to the position. The ministry of a church (it's officers) are functioning in such instances in the place of the church's ultimate, true Minister, Jesus Christ. But also because such a view elevates Lord's Day worship (and any other called assemblies answering the same end) above other gatherings, it relieves other gatherings of certain concerns (not to make them of no concern whatsoever). Since gatherings other than worship do not require tight regulation, those not ordained are more free to take up helpful roles.

So yes, prayer meetings are common in Reformed and Presbyterian churches.

The last question was fairly well answered by Jake. An ordained minister is needful for the total expression of a church's worship; but in some matters other ordained servants (elders and deacons) may suffice, or provide a comparable worship experience that is nearly full. If something is missing (if it should not be done apart from the proper authority) such enforced patience usually makes those waiting more aware of the blessing when they receive it.

How poor must a group of professing Christians be, who have not a single lay elder or deacon? Have they not even one legitimate candidate? Such a situation means essentially there is no organized church at all. In that condition, why not let anyone who can read the Bible read it. There's no visible government of Christ sufficient to violate his prescriptions, in this scenario. So, by all means have an informal meeting.


----------

