In one of my classes, we were asked whether or not unbelievers could serve alongside believers in worship ministry. In the example given, someone by the name of “Mark” has a desire to play drums in worship, but has no interest in following Christ. Should he be allowed to serve?

The obvious answer is “no.” But unfortunately, many students answered in the affirmative. I believe this goes to show how far evangelical ecclesiology has come from historic, biblical, Christianity.

Below is my response to the prompt.

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In the situation provided in the prompt, I believe one thing is abundantly clear: Mark must be barred from all forms of the ministry until he is a baptized and chrismated member of the Church in good standing.

The rationale for this is twofold. 1) The nature of the Church and 2) the nature of worship. Starting with the nature of the Church, it is important to establish that attendance on Sunday does not make one part of the Church. In order to be part of the Church, one must be baptized into the mystical body of Christ. In other words, the Church is exclusively for those who are united by faith to the person and work of Jesus Christ. Those who are not baptized and born again, do not belong to Christ, and thus cannot belong to his body. Furthermore—and in direct reference to the nature of the Church—those who do not belong to the body, cannot participate in the heavenly worship of the Church. Every time Christians gather, they are entering into participation in the heavenly liturgy. Because this worship, while physical, is of a spiritual nature, it is impossible for an unbaptized unbeliever to participate in it. For these reasons, Mark cannot, by his ontological status, participate in Christian worship in any sense.

Scripture is clear on these points.

"Those who are in the flesh cannot please God" (ESV Romans 8:8).

"The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Cor. 2:14).

"Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?" (2 Cor. 6:14-15).

“Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God" (John 3:5).

"Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps, and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth" (Rev. 14:1-3).

Finally, in terms of how this situation should be handled, Mark should be approached and told exactly what has been written. It should be clear that until he professes faith and is baptized, he does not belong to the Church and is therefore disqualified from participating in her worship. Worship is spiritual participation in heavenly places, not rock band practice. These truths should be balanced with the beautiful invitation of the Gospel: "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:28). The Church, by her nature is exclusive. But the Church, by her nature, invites all men and women everywhere to repent of their sins, entering into the fellowship and life that is Christ Jesus. The inclusivity of Christ is real, but it involves true faith and repentance on the part of sinners. Without that, sinners are on the outside, and that must not be challenged.

Works Cited:

The Holy Bible. English Standard Version. Crossway Bibles, 2016.