To corporately experience the dispensing of the Divine Trinity in the church, we need to function in the church meetings. The proper church life depends upon proper church meetings. Proper church meetings are unique in two matters—in mutuality and in speaking for the Lord. Whenever we meet together, we need to have mutuality in our speaking, rather than only one or two persons speaking. Every saint should have the same right and opportunity to speak of Christ, to speak for Christ, and to speak forth Christ. Depending on others to speak, to pray, and to call the hymns is a tradition that kills the church life, because it annuls the function of the members of the Body of Christ. We should not follow this traditional practice; instead, we should function in the church meetings in the way of mutuality. This will edify, improve, and develop the ability to function of all those who attend the church meetings.
In every meeting of the church we should keep the principle of mutuality. According to the New Testament, Christian meetings are altogether meetings in mutuality. In 1 Corinthians 14:26 each one has a psalm, a teaching, a revelation, a tongue, and an interpretation. All these things are done in mutuality. Not only one or a few should function; on the contrary, everyone should function in mutuality. Hebrews 10:25 encourages us not to abandon our own assembling together but to exhort one another. This indicates that Christian meetings should be carried out in mutuality. Mutuality is the basic principle of church meetings. A church meeting without mutuality is wrong. In our meetings, speaking the divine word should be done in mutuality, not individualistically. Mutuality, not individuality, should be our general practice.
Meeting and speaking in mutuality is the way ordained by God. God created this way, and no one can improve upon it. Hence, we must forsake the traditional practice of having only one speaker, or several speakers, and recover the way of mutuality that the Lord has ordained. We need to fully return to the way of meeting as ordained by God. Even when the entire church comes together, we must practice mutuality. First Corinthians 14:26 indicates that when the whole church comes together, there should be the practice of mutuality. The matter of speaking in mutuality is clearly revealed in 1 Corinthians 14. In the New Testament there is no hint that only one or two persons should speak in a church meeting. The meetings of the church should be open to all who attend so that all may function.
In 1 Corinthians 14:26 Paul says, “Whenever you come together, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.” In this verse the word has is very important. According to Paul, whenever we come together to meet, each of us has something. Paul does not say “shall have” or “should have”; he speaks in the present tense to emphasize the fact that each one of us has something. Furthermore, he does not say that just a few have, that many have, or that most have; he says each one has. He then speaks of five things in the following sequence: a psalm, a teaching, a revelation, a tongue, and an interpretation. This list is not all-inclusive, but it is illustrative.
In 1 Corinthians 14:26 Paul first speaks of having a psalm. A psalm is somewhat equivalent to a hymn; it is for praising the Lord. The fact that Paul speaks first of a psalm indicates that in the church meetings praising the Lord is primary.
After saying, “Each one has a psalm,” Paul goes on to speak of having a teaching. A teaching must be according to the teaching of the apostles. In the church meetings we need a word of teaching. This teaching should minister Christ with the church as His Body.