When Participation Gets Messy: Order in the Midst of Diversity | Building up The Body of Christ: Everyone has Something to Give

Scriptures:

“How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.” — 1 Corinthians 14:26 (NKJV)

“For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.” — 1 Corinthians 14:33 (NKJV)

1 Corinthians 14 has provided the basis for our learning last week and for this series, which continues for the next few days.

The Apostle Paul wrote 1 Corinthians around A.D. 55, addressing the church in Corinth, a wealthy but morally troubled city in Greece. The church was gifted but deeply divided, struggling with issues of immorality, lawsuits, cliques, misuse of the Lord’s Supper, and especially chaos in worship. 

In chapter 14, Paul deals with their disorderly gatherings, where many were speaking in tongues and prophesying at once. His main point: spiritual gifts are valuable, but they must be exercised in order and love, so that the church is edified and God is glorified.

He begins in verse 26 by affirming the diversity of the Corinthian church: “each of you has…” That meant every believer had something to bring—a song, a word, a teaching, or a prayer. 

Each one of us is gifted. There is no need for me to compete with you. And you don’t have to compete with me. You have heard me say many times here, from the very beginning of this ministry: “More Connections, No Competition”.

The Corinthian church was diverse.  The church was alive with participation, and that was good. So diversity was not the problem. But diversity without order quickly becomes disorder. 

That is why Paul concludes in verse 33 by saying, “God is not the author of confusion but of peace.” 

The two verses work together because God celebrates diversity. But He commands order, because only ordered diversity leads to edification.

We have to recognize and honour that there are different gifts and voices within the body. The psalmist may not sound like the teacher, the prophet may not operate like the intercessor, and the encourager may not speak like the evangelist—but each has value. 

Romans 12:6 (AMP) reminds us, “Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let each use them accordingly.” 

So these differences are intentional, not accidental. They are divinely designed to complement one another, ensuring that no single gift is sufficient on its own, but together the body is strengthened and Christ is glorified.

However, problems arise when individuals try to force their expression, style, or position on others. Ever met anyone like that? At times, a gentle nudge can be helpful, but there are also moments when wisdom means stepping back, allowing space for others, and allowing the Holy Spirit to work in His own way and timing.

Back to Corinth…for we look to the past to learn how to operate in our today.

Corinth had a similar issue: everyone wanted to be heard at the same time, and the gathering turned chaotic. What was meant to build up began to tear down. 

Paul corrected them not by shutting down participation, but by calling for thoughtful order.

This is highly relevant today. 

In church services, on radio call-ins, or even online platforms, if everyone insists on speaking at once, or if one person dominates, ministry becomes unfruitful. 

God does not silence diversity, and I’m glad about that. Even here at ZJoyVI during these empowerment sessions, we hear the various ways different people make their presentations. 

What God requires instead is that diversity be exercised with humility and order. 

Philippians 2:3–4 (NLT) speaks to this spirit: “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.”

In Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706): Henry notes on 1 Corinthians 14 that the Corinthians’ disorder in worship “was not for edification but for ostentation”, meaning for a show. 

He emphasizes that God designed the gifts of the Spirit not to create noise and confusion but to build up the church in love and unity. Anything that produces strife, competition, or chaos, he explains, runs contrary to the Spirit of God, who is the author of peace.

 Paul’s teaching calls the church to a higher standard: Christlike humility, where each voice matters, but no one voice dominates.

So here is the lesson for us:

*Diversity is a gift, not a threat. We honour God when we value the different voices in the body.

*Order is the safeguard of diversity. Without order, diversity becomes confusion.

*Humility makes room for others. True maturity is shown not when we force our way, but when we allow space for others to contribute in their God-given role.

Family, this is such a serious lesson for all of us today.

When participation gets messy, let’s remember Paul’s balance: “Let all things be done for edification”, but also, “God is not the author of confusion”. 

Unity is not uniformity, meaning it does not require everyone to look, sound, or act the same. But neither is it chaos. It is ordered diversity—many voices working together in peace and harmony, under Christ as the head so that He alone is glorified.

Reference:

Henry, M. (1706). Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible. Hendrickson Publishers.