Brethren

Space for Worship: A Brethren View

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Noting that the New Testament does not advocate retaining the elaborate rites and liturgical spaces of Old Testament Judaism, the Brethren tradition emphasizes simplicity in its design of the worship space. The Table, with its bread and cup, are the only symbols present.

Christian Brethren assemblies heartily agree that worship is congregational, that architecture must not draw a distinction between “us” and “them,” and that all too often Protestant worship has been more of a talent show than a remembrance of Christ. Emphasis on symbolism in church architecture and in the form of worship will promote rather than attenuate both clericalism and sacramentalism.

The emphasis on symbolism is appropriate enough for Old Testament worship, as evidenced by the detailed instruction given to Moses regarding the tabernacle and the priesthood (Exod. 25–31). If the goal of church architecture is to incarnate the meaning of worship in space, as some have claimed, would not the Old Testament analogy lead us to expect some evidence or instruction along this line in the New Testament? The absence of New Testament examples is understandable, for the early church had neither the freedom nor resources to build cathedrals. The absence of New Testament instruction is another story.

In contrast to the detailed pattern given Moses, simplicity characterizes New Testament worship. “The hour comes and now is,” said Jesus, indicating a change from what had gone before, “when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23 KJV). Were he referring only to the Samaritan sanctuary, his words might be interpreted as an endorsement of the Jewish religion. His introduction, “Neither in this mountain nor yet at Jerusalem” (v. 21), implies not only the abandoning of a central religious shrine but also the significance of any building anywhere. “God is a Spirit,” and henceforth true worship must be in keeping with that truth (v. 24).

Shadows, examples, patterns, and8:5; 9:1–9, 23–24; 10:1), implying that the symbolic—like the rest of the Levitical system—was to be done away, replaced by a reality unrelated to man-made edifices (Heb. 10:19–25; 13:10–16).

So it is that the simple Table with its bread and cup appears to be the totality of New Testament symbolism in worship. The church buildings of Christian Brethren assemblies have been in keeping with this understanding of Scripture. Even the use of crosses as decorations has been avoided. Scripture texts will often be found on the walls, being truth itself, rather than symbols of the truth.

The pulpit will be on a raised platform for purposes of visibility and acoustics, but not as marking the exclusive territory of a clergy class. The Communion table will always be on the main floor, never separated from the people, even by an altar rail. The Brethren reject the distinction between clergy and laity, and the bread can be broken by (and so must be accessible to) any person in the congregation.

In earlier days it was common to rent rooms or halls for church services. Chairs were arranged in a square with the Table in the center for Communion services and Bible studies. They were arranged auditorium fashion for public preaching.

In recent years it has been more common to build attractive chapels, install pews, and place the Communion table at the front. But worship still centers on an hour-long Communion service. Meditative hymns are interspersed with prayers, Scripture readings, devotional messages, and even periods of silence. The goal is that the heart and mind should be fixed on the reality of Christ in keeping with his command, “This do in remembrance of Me.”

Moravian Brethren

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Among the pupils of Francke at Halle was the heir to a large estate in Saxony. Impressed with the spirit of the place and deeply influenced by the missionaries whom he met, Count von Zinzendorf became the moving spirit of the Moravian Brethren in the early part of the eighteenth century. When the Moravians, who had been widely persecuted for their pious convictions, did not know where to make a home, he welcomed them to his estate and became their friend and leader. Their settlement was called Herrnhut, and here they lived on the simple principle of a common love for Christ. He held them together, preserved the ancient succession of bishops, and maintained worship. The life of the people was semimonastic for they lived in groups, wore a distinctive costume, and were governed as a congregation under the superintendency of von Zinzendorf. In 1737 he was ordained bishop of the Moravian Church. Zinzendorf had the twofold purpose of spiritualizing the churches of Europe and undertaking to evangelize foreign lands. In pursuit of the former, he traveled widely in northern Europe, and the brethren spread into a number of different countries. Schools were founded, partly for the education of children and partly for the training of Christian workers. The Moravians did not try to proselytize among the Protestants of Europe but instead organized classes for Bible study and prayer, and to quicken and enrich the spiritual lives of the people.

Impact: The Moravians were never ambitious to become a great church, but in proportion to their numbers they surpassed all other Protestant bodies in foreign missions. At a time when missionary work was scarcely conceived by other Christian denominations, they were undertaking the most heroic tasks in such difficult countries as Greenland, Lapland, and the West Indies, though they had small resources and their missionaries were mostly untrained. The time came when they had more than twice as many members on their foreign mission fields as in their home churches. America proved an asylum for the Moravians, as it did for so many other religious refugees. They mostly settled in Pennsylvania, where von Zinzendorf visited and organized them with churches, schools, and industries.

JESUS, THY BLOOD AND RIGHTEOUSNESS

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Jesus, Thy blood and righteousness
My beauty are, my glorious dress;
‘Midst flaming worlds, in these arrayed,
With joy shall I lift up my head.

Lord, I believe Thy precious blood,
Which, at the mercy seat of God,
Forever doth for sinners plead,
For me, e’en for my soul, was shed.

Jesus, the endless praise to Thee,
Whose boundless mercy hath for me—
For me a full atonement made,
An everlasting ransom paid.

O let the dead now hear Thy voice;
Now bid Thy banished ones rejoice;
Their beauty this, their glorious dress,
Jesus, Thy blood and righteousness.

About the writer: Count Nicolaus Ludwig Zinzendorf, the founder of the religious community of Herrnhut and the apostle of the United Brethren, was born in Dresden in1700. It is not often that noble blood and worldly wealth are allied with true piety and missionary zeal. Such, however, was the case with Count Zinzendorf. In 1731 Zinzendorf resigned from all public duties and devoted himself to missionary work. He traveled extensively on the Continent, in Great Britain, and in America, preaching “Christ, and him crucified,” and organizing societies of Moravian brethren. John Wesley is said to have been under obligation to Zinzendorf for some ideas on singing, organization of classes, and church government. Zinzendorf was the author of some 2,000 hymns. He died at Herrnhut in 1760.

Key Verse: Yet now God in his gracious kindness declares us not guilty. He has done this through Christ Jesus, who has freed us by taking away our sins. –Romans 3:24

Sunday Worship in Brethren (Plymouth) Assemblies

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The Plymouth Brethren are an independent evangelical movement that originated in the early nineteenth century. Weary of religious strife, clericalism, and the spiritual dryness of the Established church and the narrow attitudes of existing nonconformist churches, Christians from various groups began meeting informally for Communion, prayer, and Bible teaching. Shortly before and after 1830 centers were established in Dublin, Plymouth, and Bristol. From these beginnings the movement grew rapidly.

Their original principle of union was the believer’s love of Jesus rather than the oneness of judgment on minor things. Doctrinal differences and the question of church discipline, however, eventually split the movement in 1848. One group, known as “Exclusive,” departed from the open pattern of worship, accepting only their own members to Communion. The other group, the “Open” Brethren, retained the original pattern of worship and welcome all professing Christians to the Lord’s Table. While differences on admission to Communion exist between the two groups, the pattern of worship for both has remained basically the same and continues to be a central distinctive of Brethren churches.

The Centrality of the Lord’s Table

The central focus of corporate worship is the Lord’s Table, which is observed each Sunday. The Table, which holds the elements of bread and wine, is centrally located. Typically the service begins with a hymn, usually spontaneously given out. Customarily this hymn will set the theme for the entire service and is developed by other hymns and prayers and the reading of Scripture, which may or may not be expounded upon.

These flow out of individual silent reflection and prayer. In the silence of personal worship the Holy Spirit leads certain ones to share audibly. There is no reliance upon clerical leadership. Each one is encouraged to be personally led of the Holy Spirit in their private and public participation. The Holy Spirit takes the Word presented in the hymns, prayers, and Scripture publicly shared or privately reflected upon to lead the worshiper in remembrance of the Lord.

As the service progresses, one is led of the Spirit to give thanks for the broken body of Christ whereupon the loaf is broken, passed, and taken by those participating. Following this, another is led to give thanks for the shed blood, and the cup is then passed to all and taken. The service normally is concluded with either a hymn or prayer.

Traditionally for the Brethren, worship has consisted of thanksgiving and praise and the act of remembering the Lord in the breaking of bread. The object and subject of worship is the Lord himself, symbolically present in the elements of bread and wine. While some Brethren Assemblies limit the subject of worship to only the Lord’s death, in many others the whole life of Christ is remembered: his coming, living, dying, rising, ascending, interceding, coming again, and reigning.

Principles of Worship

At least three leading principles underlie Brethren worship. First, worship is fundamentally a spiritual exercise that is dependent upon the leading of the Holy Spirit. Therefore it is believed there is no need for liturgical directions; the Holy Spirit is competent to lead. Second, it is believed that worship is the prerogative of all believers as individual priests before God. Therefore there is no need for clerical leadership. And third, corporate worship flows out of the silence of private worship. True worship means quiet waiting on the Spirit of God. As worship rises in the quietness of each heart, the Holy Spirit moves and leads certain ones to momentarily break the silence with a hymn, prayer, Scripture reading, or personal word of thanksgiving or praise. Such audible contributions supplement the silent worship.

New Elements of Worship

Although this pattern of worship has characterized Brethren throughout their more than a century-and-a-half history, new elements have been introduced along the way. Initially, no musical instrument was used during the service. All singing was done a cappella. Today many Assemblies (especially among the Open Brethren) employ the use of organs and pianos, and some have introduced additional instruments such as the guitar.

Hymns used within the “Breaking of Bread” service (the name commonly given to their time of worship) generally have been limited to the Brethren’s own collections and are little known outside the movement. The hymns themselves were selected with the Lord’s Table in view and are limited in range. Because of the morbid and pedestrian nature of many, in recent years other additional hymnals and praise choruses have been introduced. While some continue to resist these innovations, many have enthusiastically welcomed them.

As noted above, the Breaking of Bread service is intentionally unstructured, that is, a predetermined theme is not given nor is the service conducted from up front, but is led by the congregation as the Spirit leads. This continues to be the general practice of most Assemblies. However, some Assemblies have begun to introduce one or both of these practices. Objections have been raised, however, that the introduction of a set theme or a worship leader derogates from the role of the Holy Spirit and unduly infringes upon the right of the individual worshiper as a believer-priest to be led of the Holy Spirit in their manner of participation.

While other tensions exist within the context of Brethren worship, one needs mentioning here. It has been the position of the Brethren since the beginning that during the corporate worship meeting women are not permitted to participate verbally except to join in corporate hymn singing. While this remains the dominant position both of the Exclusive and Open Brethren, recently this has been challenged by certain Open groups. The issue is especially sensitive and in cases has led to division.

In spite of the open and spontaneous nature of the Breaking of Bread service, Brethren worship has often been accused, even within their own ranks, of being solemn and gloomy with hymns sung like a funeral dirge. Those situations where the subject of worship is limited to Christ’s death tend more to exhibit this quality, though it certainly is not limited to them. Since there is an awareness of this (particularly among Open Assemblies), efforts are being made to recapture the vitality and vibrancy of their worship by encouraging thanksgiving and praise and introducing new and more robust hymns and songs. Still the basic principles remain the same: Spirit dependent, congregationally led, and spontaneous.

Sunday Worship in United Methodist Churches

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The United Methodist Church has a complex heritage that has predisposed it toward an eclectic style of worship and given it an openness to influences from many Christian traditions and contemporary worship renewal movements. The denomination was formed in 1968 by the union of the Methodist Church with the much smaller Evangelical United Brethren Church, the latter having been formed in 1946 by the union of the Evangelical Church and the United Brethren in Christ.

Formative Influences on Worship

The Methodist Church arose from a movement within the Church of England led by a priest named John Wesley (1703-1791). When this movement took root in America and organized itself as the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1784, Wesley sent an adaptation of the Anglican Book of Common Prayer that he entitled Sunday Service of the Methodists in North America. In a letter accompanying this service book he wrote, “I also advise the elders to administer the supper of the Lord on every Lord’s day” (John Wesley’s Sunday Service of the Methodists in North America, with intro. by James F. White [Nashville: United Methodist Publishing House and United Methodist Board of Higher Education, 1984], ii)—this at a time when quarterly Communion was the norm in Anglican parishes. On the other hand, Wesley frequently led informal services characterized by hymn singing and extemporaneous prayer and testimonies. In the letter with his Sunday Service he also wrote that the American Methodists “are now at full liberty, simply to follow the scriptures and the primitive church. And we judge it best that they should stand fast in that liberty, wherewith God has so strangely made them free” (Ibid., iii).

In 1792 the American Methodists, led by Francis Asbury (1745-1816), officially abandoned Wesley’s Sunday Service as the norm for weekly worship, substituting a simple set of directions for a Service of the Word that reflected the Puritan and free-church worship style of the American frontier. The texts in the Sunday Service were, however, retained with adaptations for the Service of the Table, baptism, matrimony, the burial of the dead, and ordinations. The Lord’s Supper became an occasional service, sometimes monthly and sometimes quarterly. This reduction in frequency was due to a severe shortage of ordained elders that caused most services to be conducted by lay preachers, the influence of Puritan worship patterns prevailing in America, and the uncongeniality of the printed text used for the Service of the Table to frontier worship.

At about the same time movements similar to Methodism were arising among German Americans. The Evangelical Church was formed under the leadership of a Lutheran lay preacher named Jacob Albright (1759-1808). The United Brethren in Christ organized under the leadership of a Reformed pastor named William Philip Otterbein (1726-1813) and a Mennonite preacher named Martin Boehm (1725-1812). These denominations adapted their inherited traditions to the Puritan and free-church worship styles of the American frontier.

The specific historical context of the traditions represented by the United Methodist Church is highly significant, for in it one can see the basis of the varied influences on worship in the denomination today. Each tradition arose as a reformation within Protestantism in the eighteenth century rather than as part of the sixteenth-century Protestant Reformation. They give United Methodists roots in all four major branches of the sixteenth-century Protestant Reformation—Anglican, Lutheran, Reformed, and Anabaptist/Mennonite. All were shaped in their formative years by Puritan and free-church traditions that had grown up between the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries, while at the same time inheriting Wesley’s desire to follow the early church and broader catholic traditions.

In the early nineteenth century the churches that now form the United Methodist Church generally worshiped in a frontier style; but during the century that followed they increasingly worshiped in church buildings, with organs and choirs, and with orders of worship that included acts such as anthems, recitation of the Apostles’ Creed, and responsive readings.

From the 1920s through the middle years of the twentieth century pulpit-centered auditoriums designed for preaching evangelism gave way to altar-centered nave-and-chancel “sanctuaries” designed for the worship of a God who was “high and lifted up”; and services increasingly became free adaptations of Episcopal Morning Prayer and Sermon—a relatively formal service of praise and prayer followed by announcements and offering and concluding with the sermon (framed by hymns).

Ecumenical Renewal

Since the union of 1968 the United Methodist Church has moved dramatically in the direction of the ecumenical worship renewal. Its Commission on Worship (after 1972 the Section on Worship of its General Board of Discipleship) conducted twenty years of study and development that led to the adoption of The United Methodist Hymnal: Book of United Methodist Worship in 1989. The Sunday services in the hymnal follow the ecumenical pattern of Entrance, Word, Table, and Dismissal. The full eucharistic pattern of Word and Table is treated as normative, but provision is made for the great majority of congregations that do not celebrate the Lord’s Supper every Lord’s Day. Within this pattern, there is a wide choice of old and new prayer texts and hymns, with encouragements given for extemporaneous and spontaneous praise and prayer. The new texts for the Lord’s Supper are far more joyous than the old ones and celebrate all God’s mighty acts in Christ rather than Christ’s death alone. The services of daily prayer, baptism, marriage, death and resurrection likewise follow ecumenical worship patterns and understandings.

Whereas lectionaries were rarely used a generation ago, now the ecumenical Common Lectionary is officially endorsed and is used at least some of the time in the majority of congregations.

Also in the last generation there has been increasing affirmation of the diversity within the denomination. Patterns representing every period of the denomination’s history survive and often flourish. A growing number of congregations celebrate the Lord’s Supper weekly, though usually not at the main Sunday service. There is both a strong liturgical movement and a strong charismatic renewal movement. Such practices as spontaneous thanksgivings and intercessions, clapping, hand-raising, the exchange of the peace, chanting, drama, sacred dance, and use of visual arts are found in many congregations. African-American, Asian-American, Native American, and Hispanic worship traditions are encouraged. Sensitivity to women’s concerns is growing under the leadership of an increasing number of female pastors. All this is affirmed and facilitated by the new hymnal and also by a supplemental book of worship for planners and leaders of worship published in 1992.

As the denomination looks to the future, there is widespread openness to the leading of the Spirit. An increasingly large proportion of pastors have studied and been trained in worship in seminary. Additional resources and training opportunities are offered each year. Joy increasingly pervades worship services, reflecting a firm trust in the living God through the risen Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit.