In this series, we have drawn from Dr. Tom Wadsworth’s exhaustive research on early church gatherings. What have we learned? Studies of five Greek words (proskuneo, latreuo, leitourgeo, sebomai, threskeia) translated as “worship” reveal that worship is an imprecise term. Unlike the five Greek words which have very specific meanings, worship is ambiguous and can mean different things to different people. When we encounter “worship” in the Bible, what does it refer to? Using only our English Bibles, the reader doesn’t know exactly what is meant by worship!
Depending on the underlying Greek term, “worship” could be referring to prostration, offering sacrifices, doing the work of a priest, piety, or religion/religious rites. This places a burden upon serious Bible students when we encounter the word “worship.” To understand a Bible author’s intent, we must identify the word in the original language which is behind the English word “worship.” Then, we need to consult a reliable Bible dictionary for its meaning.
Imprecise translation
So you see, the Bible translators have done us a disservice by not being more precise! The imprecision of the word worship carries significant risks for how we understand and practice our faith. Regrettably, this is exactly what has happened—we’ve misunderstood. We gather for the purpose of worship when, in fact, the New Testament shows that the early church met for mutual edification. As a result, we have become very good at “worshipping” but have fallen short in producing mature disciples. This is why it’s not unusual to encounter Christians who have been “disciples” for decades but remain selfish and spiritually immature. Of course, this is not always the case, but one does not need to look far to find examples.
How did the early church view their gatherings?
In his research, Dr. Wadsworth examined numerous New Testament passages with a goal of understanding how Christians in the New Testament period viewed their gatherings.1 What terms does the New Testament actually use to describe early church gatherings? If the focus wasn’t on “worship,” then what was it? The research reveals that instead of focusing on worship, the early church’s assemblies centered on gathering together for mutual edification and encouragement.
The terminology of early church gatherings passages
The New Testament uses simple, specific words to describe how early Christians met together. Dr. Wadsworth found five key Greek terms in the New Testament.
- The most common word is “synagō,” which means “to gather.” It appears nine times when describing church meetings. If that sounds familiar, it is where the word “synagogue” comes from.
- “Synerchomai” means “to come together” and shows up twice in passages about church gatherings.
- The familiar word “ekklesia” appears three times. While we often translate it as “church,” it actually means “assembly” or “congregation.”
- In Hebrews 10:25, we find “episynagōgē,” another word that simply means “assembling together.”
- Finally, Acts 12:12-17 uses “synathroizō,” which also describes people gathering in one place.
Summary of Assembly Passages2
These passages reveal something important: the early church never called their meetings “worship services.” They used straightforward words about people coming together.
The absence of worship terminology for early church gatherings
Another critical finding is the absence of Greek worship terms in assembly contexts. Common Greek words for worship include proskuneō (to prostrate), latreuō (to serve as a priest), and leitourgeō (to perform a priestly religious service). While these words appear in the New Testament, it does not use them to describe the activities of church assemblies.
For example:
- In Acts 13:1-4, the term leitourgeō appears, but it refers to the ministering of prophets and teachers, not congregational activity.
- In 1 Corinthians 14:25, proskuneō describes the prostration of an outsider, not the actions of the assembly.
- In 1 Timothy 2:10, theosebeia is better translated as “godliness” rather than a specific act of worship.
These distinctions confirm that the New Testament does not use worship terminology to describe early church gatherings.
The direction of activities in early church gatherings
Dr. Wadsworth’s research highlights the horizontal and vertical dimensions of early church gatherings. Horizontal activities focused on encouraging and edifying one another. These included teaching, exhortation, and mutual support. Vertical activities, such as prayer and singing, were present but secondary to the primary goal of mutual edification.
For example:
- In Acts 2:42-47, the believers devoted themselves to teaching, fellowship, breaking bread, and prayers. These activities reflect both horizontal and vertical elements.
- In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul emphasizes that all activities in the assembly, even prayer and singing, must edify the group.
- Hebrews 10:23-25 ties the assembly to encouraging one another and spurring each other toward love and good deeds.
No assembly described in the New Testament focuses exclusively on vertical activities, such as praising God. Instead, horizontal activities dominate, aligning with the goal of building up the body of Christ.
The absence of liturgy or ceremony in early church gatherings
The findings also indicate that meetings were not liturgical in nature. There is little evidence of structured rituals or formal ceremonies. The only potential exception is the Lord’s Supper in 1 Corinthians 11:17-34. While this passage includes instructions for partaking in the Supper, it does not suggest a detailed liturgy. Similarly, some may consider the “Amen” mentioned in 1 Corinthians 14:16 to be a responsive statement, but it does not point to a highly structured ceremony.
Instead, the gatherings were informal and focused on practical edification. The absence of liturgy underscores the relational and participatory nature of these meetings.
Implications for modern church practice
These findings challenge how most churches operate today. While we structure our gatherings around “worship services,” the early church focused on building each other up. This suggests we should rethink our approach and consider making these practical changes:
- Have smaller breakout groups such as in a Sunday School or Bible class setting.
- Make these gatherings a time for believers to share their experiences and encourage one another
- Create opportunities for real discussion during Bible study, not just one-way teaching
- Plan activities that help members use their gifts to strengthen others
- Measure success by how members grow in maturity and love, not by the quality of the worship service
The early church shows us that Christian gatherings work best when we focus on helping each other grow and mature spiritually. While the vertical components (from disciples to God) of our gatherings remain important, our primary goal should be horizontal (from disciple to disciple) just as the New Testament describes. God desires for us to build a community where everyone participates in strengthening the faith of others.
References
- Wadsworth, Thomas Richard. “A Worship Service or an Assembly: An Investigation of the Terminology Used to Describe Church Meetings in the New Testament,” 2022. 115-180.
- Wadsworth, Thomas Richard. “A Worship Service or an Assembly: An Investigation of the Terminology Used to Describe Church Meetings in the New Testament,” 2022. 179-180