Ibada, Maagizo na Mahubiri ya Kibaptisti — Sehemu ya 2: Umbo la Ibada ya KibaptistiBaptist Worship, Ordinances, and Preaching — Unit 2: The Shape of the Baptist Service

Mstari MkuuKey Verse

"Nao walidumu katika mafundisho ya mitume, na katika ushirika, na katika kumega mkate, na katika kusali." (Matendo 2:42, SUV)"And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers." (Acts 2:42, NKJV)

Malengo ya KujifunzaLearning Objectives

Utakapomaliza kipindi hiki, uweze:When you finish this unit, you should be able to:

1. Kueleza kwa nini Wabaptisti hukutana Siku ya Bwana na kujibu pingamizi la wale wanaoshika siku ya saba.1. Explain why Baptists meet on the Lord's Day and answer the objection of those who keep the seventh day.

2. Kueleza mfano wa mkutano wa Wakristo wa kwanza kutoka Matendo 2:42 na kutoka maelezo ya Justin Martyr ya karibu na katikati ya karne ya pili.2. Describe the pattern of the early Christian gathering from Acts 2:42 and from Justin Martyr's description of about the middle of the second century.

3. Kueleza mpangilio wa kawaida wa ibada ya Kibaptisti na kutoa sababu ya kila sehemu.3. Describe a typical Baptist order of service and give the reason for each part.

4. Kueleza jinsi mafundisho ya Kibaptisti kuhusu ukuhani wa waumini wote yanavyoumba namna ambayo kusanyiko hushiriki.4. Explain how the Baptist teaching on the priesthood of all believers shapes the way the congregation takes part.

5. Kueleza mapingamizi ya makanisa ya kiliturujia na ya makanisa ya "wanaotafuta" (seeker churches) dhidi ya mfano wa Kibaptisti, na kutoa jibu la Kibaptisti.5. State the objections of liturgical churches and of "seeker" churches to the Baptist pattern, and give the Baptist answer.

Sauti ya Kozi HiiThe Voice of This Course

Kozi hii imeandikwa kutoka ndani ya mapokeo ya Kibaptisti, kwa wanafunzi Wabaptisti. Ni ya kihafidhina. Inashikilia kwamba Biblia ni Neno la Mungu lililovuviwa na linaloaminika, na kwamba ndiyo mamlaka ya mwisho kwa imani na mwenendo. Inaposema "sisi," inamaanisha Wabaptisti wanaokiri hayo. Mahali ambapo Wakristo wengine, au wanahistoria, wanaona mambo kwa namna tofauti, tunaeleza mawazo yao kwa haki kisha tunatoa jibu la Kibaptisti. Historia ya Wabaptisti ni ya Kozi ya 1, na mafundisho ya Wabaptisti ni ya Kozi ya 2; tunayataja hapa kwa ufupi tu.This course is written from inside the Baptist tradition, for Baptist students. It is conservative. It holds that the Bible is the inspired and trustworthy Word of God and the final authority for faith and practice. When it says "we," it means Baptists who confess this. Where other Christians, or historians, see matters differently, we state their views fairly and then give the Baptist answer. Baptist history belongs to Course 1, and Baptist doctrine to Course 2; we refer to them here only briefly.

Kanisa Huru Lenye MpangoA Free Church with a Plan

Wabaptisti ni watu wa "kanisa huru" (free church). Hatuna kitabu cha sala ambacho kila kanisa lazima lifuate, na hakuna askofu wala mkutano mkuu unaoliambia kanisa la mahali pamoja ni mpangilio gani wa ibada litumie. Kila kanisa linaongozwa na Kristo kupitia washiriki wake (tazama Kozi ya 3). Kwa hiyo hakuna "liturujia moja ya Kibaptisti."Baptists are a "free church" people. We do not have a prayer book that every church must follow, and no bishop or convention tells a local church what order of service to use. Each church is governed by Christ through its own members (see Course 3). So there is no single "Baptist liturgy."

Lakini huru haimaanishi bila umbo. Paulo aliandika kwa kanisa lililokuwa katika hatari ya machafuko, "Lakini mambo yote yatendeke kwa uzuri na kwa taratibu" (1 Wakorintho 14:40). Katika Kipindi cha 1 tulijifunza kwamba vipengele vya ibada vinatoka katika Maandiko na mazingira hupangwa kwa hekima. Mpangilio wa ibada kwa kiasi kikubwa ni suala la mpangilio wenye hekima. Kipindi hiki kinauliza jinsi ya kupanga vipengele vilivyoamriwa ili Mungu aheshimiwe na watu wake wajengwe.But free does not mean formless. Paul wrote to a church that was in danger of confusion, "Let all things be done decently and in order" (1 Corinthians 14:40). In Unit 1 we learned that the elements of worship come from Scripture and the circumstances are arranged with wisdom. The order of the service is mostly a matter of wise arrangement. This unit asks how to arrange the commanded elements so that God is honored and His people are built up.

Siku TunayokutanaThe Day We Meet

Wabaptisti hukusanyika kuabudu siku ya kwanza ya juma, ambayo tunaiita Siku ya Bwana. Sababu zetu ni hizi:Baptists gather for worship on the first day of the week, which we call the Lord's Day. Our reasons are these:

• Yesu alifufuka kutoka kwa wafu siku ya kwanza ya juma (Mathayo 28:1; Yohana 20:1).• Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week (Matthew 28:1; John 20:1).

• Aliwatokea wanafunzi wake siku hiyo, na tena baada ya juma moja (Yohana 20:19, 26).• He appeared to His disciples on that day, and again a week later (John 20:19, 26).

• Kanisa la Troa lilikutana siku ya kwanza "kumega mkate" (Matendo 20:7).• The church at Troas met on the first day "to break bread" (Acts 20:7).

• Paulo aliwaambia Wakorintho wawekee akiba sadaka zao "siku ya kwanza ya juma" (1 Wakorintho 16:2).• Paul told the Corinthians to set aside their gifts "on the first day of the week" (1 Corinthians 16:2).

• Yohana anasema, "Nalikuwa katika Roho siku ya Bwana" (Ufunuo 1:10), na kanisa la kwanza lilielewa hii kuwa siku ya kwanza.• John says, "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day" (Revelation 1:10), and the early church understood this to mean the first day.

Ungamo la Pili la London (1689) na Baptist Faith and Message (Imani na Ujumbe wa Kibaptisti) vyote vinafundisha kwamba Wakristo huishika siku ya kwanza kama Siku ya Bwana.The Second London Confession (1689) and the Baptist Faith and Message both teach that Christians keep the first day as the Lord's Day.

Pingamizi la Wabaptisti wa Siku ya SabaThe objection of the Seventh Day Baptists

Baadhi ya Wabaptisti hawakubaliani. Wabaptisti wa Siku ya Saba (Seventh Day Baptists), ambao wamekuwa sehemu ya familia ya Wabaptisti tangu miaka ya 1600, wanashikilia kwamba amri ya nne bado inahitaji kupumzika na kuabudu siku ya saba, Jumamosi. Wanashikilia injili ileile na ubatizo ule ule kama sisi. Wanasema hakuna kifungu cha Agano Jipya kinachofuta Sabato.Some Baptists disagree. The Seventh Day Baptists, who have been a part of the Baptist family since the 1600s, hold that the fourth commandment still requires rest and worship on the seventh day, Saturday. They hold the same gospel and baptism that we do. They say that no New Testament passage cancels the Sabbath.

Jibu letu. Tunawaheshimu Wabaptisti wa Siku ya Saba kama ndugu katika Kristo. Lakini Agano Jipya linaonyesha kanisa likikusanyika siku ya kwanza, na Paulo anawaambia Wakolosai wasimwache mtu ayahukumu katika mambo ya sikukuu, mwezi mpya au sabato, ambazo anaziita kivuli cha mambo yajayo, lakini mwili ni wa Kristo (Wakolosai 2:16-17). Tunashikilia kwamba Sabato ilikuwa kivuli kilichoelekeza kwenye raha tuliyo nayo katika Kristo (Waebrania 4:9-10), na kwamba Siku ya Bwana, siku ya ufufuo wake, ni siku ya uumbaji mpya. Paulo pia anasema kwamba mtu mmoja huhesabu siku moja kuwa bora kuliko nyingine, na mwingine huhesabu siku zote kuwa sawa, na kwamba kila mtu na ashawishike kabisa katika akili yake mwenyewe (Warumi 14:5). Kwa hiyo hatuvunji ushirika kwa jambo hili, lakini tunafundisha siku ya kwanza kama mfano wa makanisa ya kitume.Our answer. We honor the Seventh Day Baptists as brothers in Christ. But the New Testament shows the church gathering on the first day, and Paul tells the Colossians not to let anyone judge them in matters of festivals, new moons or sabbaths, which he calls a shadow of things to come, while the substance is of Christ (Colossians 2:16-17). We hold that the Sabbath was a shadow that pointed to the rest we have in Christ (Hebrews 4:9-10), and that the Lord's Day, the day of His resurrection, is the day of the new creation. Paul also says that one person esteems one day above another and another esteems every day alike, and that each must be fully convinced in his own mind (Romans 14:5). So we do not break fellowship over this, but we teach the first day as the pattern of the apostolic churches.

Mahali ambapo waumini hawawezi kukutana Jumapili asubuhi kwa sababu ya kazi au upinzani, kanisa linaweza kukutana wakati mwingine. Kanuni ni kwamba watu wake wakusanyike mara kwa mara na wasiache "kukusanyika wenyewe kwa wenyewe" (Waebrania 10:25).Where believers cannot meet on Sunday morning because of work or opposition, a church may meet at another time. The principle is that His people gather regularly and do not neglect "the assembling of ourselves together" (Hebrews 10:25).

Mfano wa Kanisa la KwanzaThe Pattern of the Early Church

Matendo 2:42Acts 2:42

Picha ya kwanza ya kanisa la Yerusalemu inatoa alama nne: mafundisho ya mitume, ushirika, kumega mkate, na sala. Katika mistari inayofuata tunaona pia sifa (Matendo 2:46-47). Huu si mpangilio kamili wa ibada, lakini unaonyesha waumini wa kwanza walithamini nini.The first picture of the Jerusalem church gives four marks: the apostles' teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayers. In the verses that follow we also see praise (Acts 2:46-47). This is not a full order of service, but it shows what the first believers valued.

Justin MartyrJustin Martyr

Karibu na katikati ya karne ya pili (karibu mwaka 150 BK), mwalimu Mkristo aitwaye Justin, ambaye baadaye aliitwa Martyr (Shahidi), aliandika utetezi wa imani kwa maliki wa Roma. Ndani yake alieleza Wakristo walifanya nini siku ya Jumapili. Tunaweza kuufupisha hivi:About the middle of the second century (around AD 150), a Christian teacher named Justin, later called Martyr, wrote a defense of the faith to the Roman emperor. In it he described what Christians did on Sunday. We can summarize it:

• Waumini wa mjini na wa vijijini walikutana mahali pamoja.• Believers from the city and the countryside met in one place.

• Maandishi ya mitume ("kumbukumbu") au maandishi ya manabii yalisomwa kwa muda ambao wakati uliruhusu.• The writings of the apostles ("memoirs") or the writings of the prophets were read as long as time allowed.

• Msomaji alipoacha, kiongozi alifundisha na kuwahimiza watu kufuata mambo haya mema.• When the reader stopped, the leader taught and urged the people to follow these good things.

• Walisimama pamoja na kusali.• They stood together and prayed.

• Mkate na divai iliyochanganywa na maji vililetwa, kiongozi akashukuru, watu wakasema "Amina," vipengele vikagawanywa, na kupelekewa wale ambao hawakuwepo.• Bread and wine mixed with water were brought, and the leader gave thanks, the people said "Amen," and the elements were shared, and sent to those who were absent.

• Wale waliokuwa na uwezo walitoa sadaka, ambayo ilitunzwa na kiongozi kwa kusaidia yatima, wajane, wagonjwa, wafungwa na wageni.• Those who were able gave an offering, which was kept by the leader to help orphans, widows, the sick, prisoners and strangers.

Maelezo ya Justin yanatoka katika wakati usio mbali sana na mitume. Sehemu kuu zilikuwa Maandiko, kuhubiri, sala, Meza ya Bwana na kutoa sadaka, karibu sana na vipengele vya Kipindi cha 1.Justin's account comes from a time not long after the apostles. The central parts were Scripture, preaching, prayer, the Lord's Supper and giving, very close to the elements of Unit 1.

Uzito gani utolewe kwa jambo hili?How much weight should this carry?

Hapa wanahistoria na makanisa hutofautiana. Baadhi ya makanisa ya kiliturujia hudai kwamba mfano wa mwanzo unaonyesha mpangilio uliowekwa na kukabidhiwa, ambao tunapaswa kuuweka. Baadhi ya wasomi hutukumbusha kwamba Justin anaeleza kanisa katika mji mmoja, na kwamba mazoea yalitofautiana mahali pengine.Here historians and churches differ. Some liturgical churches argue that the early pattern shows a fixed order handed down, which we should keep. Some scholars remind us that Justin describes a church in one city, and that practices differed elsewhere.

Jibu letu. Tunamsoma Justin kwa heshima, kama shahidi. Lakini Biblia peke yake ndiyo kanuni yetu. Kile Justin anachoonyesha ni kwamba makanisa ya mwanzo hayakuongozwa na maonyesho. Walisoma Neno, wakalifundisha, wakasali, wakashika Meza ya Bwana, na wakatoa sadaka. Ibada ya Kibaptisti, kwa njia yake huru, hufanya vivyo hivyo.Our answer. We read Justin with respect, as a witness. But the Bible alone is our rule. What Justin shows is that the earliest churches were not led by performance. They read the Word, taught it, prayed, kept the Lord's Supper, and gave. A Baptist service, in its own free way, does the same.

Mpangilio wa Kawaida wa Ibada ya KibaptistiA Typical Baptist Order of Service

Makanisa ya Kibaptisti hutofautiana, na yafuatayo ni mfano tu. Kila sehemu ina sababu yake.Baptist churches differ, and the following is only an example. Each part has a reason.

1. Mwito wa kuabudu na sala ya kufungua. Watu huelekeza fikira zao kwa Mungu. Zaburi mara nyingi hufaa hapa (kwa mfano Zaburi 95:1-2).1. Call to worship and opening prayer. The people turn their attention to God. Psalms often serve well here (for example Psalm 95:1-2).

2. Kuimba kwa kusanyiko. Kanisa lote huimba pamoja (Waefeso 5:19; Wakolosai 3:16). Kipindi cha 3 kinalichunguza hili.2. Congregational singing. The whole church sings together (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16). Unit 3 studies this.

3. Kusoma Maandiko. Kusoma Neno hadharani, kama Paulo alivyomhimiza Timotheo (1 Timotheo 4:13). Makanisa mengi husoma kifungu kirefu kuliko andiko la mahubiri.3. Scripture reading. The public reading of the Word, as Paul urged Timothy (1 Timothy 4:13). Many churches read a longer passage than the text of the sermon.

4. Sala ya mchungaji. Mchungaji huliongoza kanisa katika shukrani, kuungama, na sala kwa mahitaji ya watu na ya ulimwengu (1 Timotheo 2:1-2).4. Pastoral prayer. The pastor leads the church in thanksgiving, confession, and prayer for the needs of the people and the world (1 Timothy 2:1-2).

5. Sadaka. Watu hutoa kama Mungu alivyowafanikisha (1 Wakorintho 16:2; 2 Wakorintho 9:7).5. Offering. The people give as God has prospered them (1 Corinthians 16:2; 2 Corinthians 9:7).

6. Muziki maalumu au ushuhuda. Baadhi ya makanisa huwa na wimbo wa kwaya au wa mtu mmoja, au ushuhuda mfupi wa kazi ya Mungu.6. Special music or testimony. Some churches have a song by a choir or a person, or a brief testimony of God's work.

7. Mahubiri. Neno la Mungu hufunguliwa na kutumiwa. Hiki ndicho kitovu cha ibada. Vipindi vya 6 hadi 8 vinalichunguza.7. The sermon. The Word of God is opened and applied. This is the center of the service. Units 6 to 8 study it.

8. Jibu na mwito. Watu huitwa kujibu kwa toba, imani, ubatizo, au kujiunga na kanisa. Kipindi cha 9 kinalichunguza.8. Response and invitation. The people are invited to respond with repentance, faith, baptism, or joining the church. Unit 9 studies this.

9. Wimbo wa kufunga na baraka. Kanisa hutumwa kwa baraka ya Mungu (kwa mfano Hesabu 6:24-26).9. Closing hymn and benediction. The church is sent out with God's blessing (for example Numbers 6:24-26).

Ubatizo na Meza ya Bwana huingizwa mahali panapofaa, kwa kawaida baada ya mahubiri au pamoja nayo. Vipindi vya 4 na 5 vinavichunguza. Matangazo ni bora yakiwekwa mafupi na mahali ambapo hayakatizi ibada. Makanisa mengi pia yana Shule ya Jumapili au saa ya funzo la Biblia, ambayo ni msaada kwa kufundisha Neno na ni mazingira, si kipengele, kwa maana ya Kipindi cha 1.Baptism and the Lord's Supper are inserted at suitable points, usually after or in connection with the sermon. Units 4 and 5 study these. Announcements are best kept short and placed where they do not interrupt the worship. Many churches also have a Sunday School or Bible study hour, which is a help to the teaching of the Word and is a circumstance, not an element, in the sense of Unit 1.

Kwa nini mahubiri ni kitovuWhy the sermon is central

Mapokeo mengine huweka meza ya Bwana kitovuni mwa ibada, na mengine huweka mahubiri. Wabaptisti kwa kawaida wameweka Neno kwanza. Maagizo ya kanisa si madogo; Kristo aliyaamuru. Lakini imani huja kwa kusikia Neno (Warumi 10:17), na maagizo ya kanisa huonyesha kwa picha ujumbe ambao Neno hutangaza. Paulo alimwambia Timotheo, "Lihubiri neno; kaza uwe tayari, wakati ufaao na usiofaa" (2 Timotheo 4:2). Mahali ambapo Neno halihubiriwi, maagizo ya kanisa hupoteza maana yake.Some traditions place the Lord's table at the center of the service, and others the sermon. Baptists have usually placed the Word first. The ordinances are not small; Christ commanded them. But faith comes by hearing the Word (Romans 10:17), and the ordinances picture the message that the Word proclaims. Paul told Timothy to "preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season" (2 Timothy 4:2). Where the Word is not preached, the ordinances lose their meaning.

Ibada nzuri ina mdundo: Mungu huzungumza katika Neno lake, nasi tunajibu kwa sala, sifa, kutoa na utii. Mchungaji anayeelewa hili ataweka usomaji, mahubiri na mwito kwa uangalifu, na atachagua nyimbo zinazopatana na kifungu.A good service has a rhythm: God speaks in His Word, and we answer in prayer, praise, giving and obedience. A pastor who understands this will place the reading, the sermon and the invitation with care, and will choose songs that fit the passage.

Ukuhani wa Waumini Wote Katika IbadaThe Priesthood of All Believers in the Service

Wabaptisti hufundisha kwamba kila mwamini ni kuhani kwa Mungu (1 Petro 2:5, 9; Ufunuo 1:6). Mchungaji hasimami kati ya watu na Mungu kama kuhani anayefanya jambo kwa ajili yao huku wao wakitazama. Anaongoza, nao wanaabudu pamoja naye. Kwa hiyo ibada ya Kibaptisti si onyesho kwa watazamaji.Baptists teach that every believer is a priest to God (1 Peter 2:5, 9; Revelation 1:6). The pastor does not stand between the people and God as a priest who does something for them while they watch. He leads, and they worship with him. So the Baptist service is not a performance for an audience.

Hili huonekana kwa njia kadhaa:This shows in several ways:

• Watu huimba. Ibada nzuri ya Kibaptisti ina uimbaji imara wa kusanyiko. Kwaya au bendi inapaswa kulisaidia kusanyiko, si kulichukua nafasi yake.• The people sing. A good Baptist service has strong congregational singing. A choir or a band should help the congregation, not replace it.

• Watu husali. Katika makanisa mengi washiriki hushiriki katika sala, kwa sauti au kimya mchungaji anapoongoza. Paulo alitegemea watu waseme "Amina" kwa sala (1 Wakorintho 14:16).• The people pray. In many churches members take part in prayer, either aloud or in silence as the pastor leads. Paul expected the people to say "Amen" to the prayers (1 Corinthians 14:16).

• Watu husikiliza kwa makini. Huleta Biblia zao, kama watu wa Beroya, ambao "walichunguza maandiko kila siku, waone kama mambo hayo ndivyo yalivyo" (Matendo 17:11).• The people hear actively. They bring their Bibles, like the Bereans, who "searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so" (Acts 17:11).

• Watu hutoa na kutumikia. Kutoa ni ibada, na karama kwa ajili ya kujenga mwili hupewa wote (1 Wakorintho 12:7; 14:26).• The people give and serve. Giving is worship, and gifts for the building up of the body are given to all (1 Corinthians 12:7; 14:26).

Hata hivyo Wabaptisti hawaruhusu machafuko. Uhubiri wa kanisa unaongozwa na mchungaji au wale ambao kanisa linawateua (tazama Kozi ya 3). Washiriki wenye karama hushiriki katika sala, ushuhuda na usomaji kwa namna ambayo kanisa linaikubali.Yet Baptists do not allow confusion. The preaching of the church is led by the pastor or by those the church appoints (see Course 3). Gifted members take part in prayer, testimony and reading in the way the church approves.

Mikutano Mingine ya KanisaOther Meetings of the Church

Asubuhi ya Siku ya Bwana si mkutano pekee. Makanisa ya Kibaptisti kwa kawaida pia huwa na mkutano wa maombi wa katikati ya juma, kwa kufuata kanisa la kwanza (Matendo 12:12), na wakati mwingine ibada ya jioni ya Siku ya Bwana. Katika nchi nyingi ambako makanisa yanateswa au majengo ni haba, kanisa hukutana katika nyumba, kama kanisa la kwanza lilivyofanya (Warumi 16:5; Filemoni 2). Kanisa la nyumbani ni kanisa la kweli likiwa na Neno, maagizo ya kanisa, na washiriki na viongozi wake mwenyewe. Arusi na mazishi ni mada ya Kipindi cha 10.The Lord's Day morning is not the only meeting. Baptist churches usually also hold a midweek prayer meeting, following the early church (Acts 12:12), and sometimes a Lord's Day evening service. In many lands where churches are persecuted or buildings are scarce, the church meets in homes, as the first church did (Romans 16:5; Philemon 2). A house church is a true church if it has the Word, the ordinances, and its own members and leaders. Weddings and funerals are the subject of Unit 10.

Mapingamizi na MajibuObjections and Answers

Pingamizi la 1: Liturujia iliyowekwa ni bora zaidi. Waanglikana, Walutheri, Wakatoliki wa Roma, na Waorthodoksi hutumia mipangilio ya ibada iliyoandikwa. Wanasema liturujia iliyowekwa inalinda kusanyiko kutokana na udhaifu wa mtu mmoja, inaliunganisha kanisa na historia ndefu ya watakatifu, na inawazuia watu wasiwe chini ya huruma ya hali za mchungaji.Objection 1: A fixed liturgy is better. Anglicans, Lutherans, Roman Catholics, and the Orthodox use written orders of worship. They say a set liturgy protects the congregation from the weakness of one man, joins the church to the long history of the saints, and keeps the people from being at the mercy of the pastor's moods.

Jibu letu. Hizi ni nguvu za kweli, na Mbaptisti anaweza kujifunza kutoka kwao. Sala iliyoandikwa au imani inayosomwa kwa sauti haijakatazwa, na baadhi ya makanisa ya Kibaptisti huzitumia vizuri. Lakini hakuna kifungu kinachohitaji liturujia iliyowekwa. Maumbo yaliyowekwa yanaweza kurudiwa bila moyo; maumbo huru yanaweza kuwa ya kutojali. Jibu la Kibaptisti ni mpangilio huru, uliopangwa kwa sala na funzo. Tunamwamini Roho anayefanya kazi kupitia mchungaji aliyejiandaa na kusanyiko lenye ufahamu, ambao hupima kila kitu kwa Neno.Our answer. These are real strengths, and a Baptist may learn from them. A written prayer or a creed read aloud is not forbidden, and some Baptist churches use them well. But no passage requires a fixed liturgy. Fixed forms can be repeated without heart; free forms can become careless. The Baptist answer is a free order, planned with prayer and study. We trust the Spirit working through a prepared pastor and an informed congregation, who test everything by the Word.

Pingamizi la 2: Ibada ya Kibaptisti ni mhadhara wenye nyimbo. Makanisa ya kisakramenti husema msisitizo wetu juu ya mahubiri hufanya ibada kuwa darasa kupita kiasi na mkutano na Mungu kidogo mno.Objection 2: The Baptist service is a lecture with songs. Sacramental churches say that our emphasis on the sermon makes the service too much a classroom and too little a meeting with God.

Jibu letu. Neno si somo la darasani. Maandiko yanapofunguliwa kwa uaminifu, Mungu mwenyewe huzungumza na kanisa humkuta. Lakini tunapaswa kuisikia ukosoaji huu kama changamoto. Mahubiri bila sala, sifa, na maagizo ya kanisa ni ibada duni. Kanisa la Kibaptisti linapaswa kushika Meza ya Bwana kwa uangalifu na kuipa mahali pake panapostahili (Kipindi cha 5).Our answer. The Word is not a classroom lesson. When Scripture is faithfully opened, God Himself speaks and the church meets Him. But we should hear this criticism as a challenge. A sermon without prayer, praise, and the ordinances is a poor service. A Baptist church should keep the Lord's Supper carefully and give it its proper place (Unit 5).

Pingamizi la 3: Ibada inapaswa kubuniwa kwa ajili ya wasioamini. Baadhi ya makanisa katika miongo ya hivi karibuni yamebuni ibada yao kuu ili kuvutia watu wasiohudhuria kanisa. Wanafupisha usomaji wa Maandiko, wanabadilisha nyimbo za kusanyiko kwa maonyesho, na wanaepuka mafundisho magumu. Wanataja 1 Wakorintho 14:23-25, ambapo Paulo anafikiria mtu asiyeamini akiingia katika kusanyiko.Objection 3: The service should be designed for unbelievers. Some churches in recent decades have designed their main service to attract people who do not attend church. They shorten the Scripture, replace the congregational hymns with performance, and avoid hard doctrines. They point to 1 Corinthians 14:23-25, where Paul imagines an unbeliever coming into the assembly.

Jibu letu. Kweli Paulo anamfikiria mgeni. Lakini kinachomtia hatiani katika kifungu hicho ni kwamba kanisa linatabiri, yaani linasema Neno la Mungu, naye anaanguka kifudifudi na kusema kwamba "Mungu yu kati yenu kweli." Mgeni anaguswa na kanisa la uaminifu, si kanisa lililobadilika. Tunawakaribisha wageni, tunaeleza tunachofanya, tunasema kwa uwazi, na tunahubiri injili katika kila ibada. Lakini mkutano mkuu ni ibada ya kanisa, na hatuna uhuru wa kuondoa vipengele ambavyo Mungu aliviamuru ili kuwafanya watu wastarehe. Wabaptisti hutofautiana kuhusu kiasi cha kurekebisha; kipimo ni kama vipengele vilivyoamriwa vinadumishwa.Our answer. Paul does indeed imagine the stranger. But what convicts him in that passage is that the church is prophesying, that is, speaking God's Word, and he falls down and says that "God is truly among you." The stranger is moved by a faithful church, not by a changed church. We welcome visitors, we explain what we are doing, we speak plainly, and we preach the gospel in every service. But the main gathering is the worship of the church, and we are not free to remove the elements God commanded to make people comfortable. Baptists differ on how far to adapt; the test is whether the commanded elements are kept.

Pingamizi la 4: Kwa kuwa tuko huru, kila kitu kinaruhusiwa. Baadhi ya makanisa ya Kibaptisti hayana mpangilio hata kidogo.Objection 4: Because we are free, anything goes. Some Baptist churches have no order at all.

Jibu letu. Paulo aliamuru utaratibu katika sura ileile ambamo aliwapa watu uhuru wa kuchangia (1 Wakorintho 14:26, 40). Mpango uliotayarishwa mapema si adui wa kazi ya Roho.Our answer. Paul commanded order in the same chapter where he gave the people freedom to contribute (1 Corinthians 14:26, 40). A plan prepared in advance is not the enemy of the Spirit's work.

Matumizi ya KichungajiPastoral Application

Mchungaji mpya katika kanisa la kijijini anakuta kwamba ibada ya Jumapili asubuhi huanza kwa dakika ishirini za matangazo, haina usomaji wa hadharani wa Maandiko, na huisha kwa mahubiri ya dakika kumi kwa sababu watu wamechoka. Kanisa lina uchangamfu na linampenda, lakini anaona kwamba Neno linapewa nafasi ndogo.A new pastor in a rural church finds that the Sunday morning service begins with twenty minutes of announcements, has no public reading of Scripture, and ends with a sermon of ten minutes because people are tired. The church is warm and loves him, but he sees that the Word is being given little room.

Hatangazi mabadiliko yoyote katika mwezi wa kwanza. Anasali na kutembelea. Kisha anakutana na mashemasi na kuwaonyesha kutoka 1 Timotheo 4:13 na Matendo 2:42 kile kanisa la kwanza lilichothamini. Anapendekeza hatua ndogo: matangazo yachapishwe kwenye karatasi, usomaji wa Maandiko kabla ya mahubiri, na wimbo unaochaguliwa upatane na andiko. Baadaye anaomba kanisa lifikirie mpangilio kamili zaidi, na washiriki wanapiga kura, kama ilivyo njia ya Kibaptisti. Hadhihaki kamwe mazoea ya zamani. Kanisa linafikia kuona kwamba mpangilio mpya si mabadiliko ya imani bali ni mpangilio bora zaidi wa yale wanayoyapenda tayari.He announces no changes in the first month. He prays and visits. Then he meets with the deacons and shows them from 1 Timothy 4:13 and Acts 2:42 what the early church valued. He proposes small steps: announcements printed in a bulletin, a Scripture reading before the sermon, and a hymn chosen to fit the text. Later he asks the church to consider a fuller order, and the members vote, as is the Baptist way. He never ridicules the old habits. The church comes to see that the new order is not a change of faith but a better arrangement of what they already love.

MuhtasariSummary

Wabaptisti ni kanisa huru, lisilo na liturujia ya lazima, lakini hupanga ibada zao kwa uangalifu ili mambo yote yatendeke kwa uzuri na kwa taratibu. Tunakusanyika Siku ya Bwana, siku ya kwanza ya juma, kwa sababu Kristo alifufuka siku hiyo na makanisa ya kitume yalikusanyika wakati huo; Wabaptisti wa Siku ya Saba huishika siku ya saba na wanabaki ndugu zetu. Matendo 2:42 na maelezo ya Justin Martyr ya karibu mwaka 150 BK yanaonyesha kwamba kanisa la kwanza lilijitoa kwa Neno, sala, Meza ya Bwana, ushirika na kutoa sadaka. Mpangilio wa kawaida wa Kibaptisti huenda kutoka mwito wa kuabudu, kuimba, kusoma na sala, kupitia sadaka na mahubiri, hadi mwito na baraka, huku Neno likiwa kitovuni. Kwa sababu kila mwamini ni kuhani, kusanyiko hushiriki kikamilifu. Tunajibu madai ya makanisa ya kiliturujia, ya wale wanaosema ibada ni mhadhara tu, na ya makanisa ya mtindo wa wanaotafuta kutoka Maandiko, na tunawajibu wale wanaosema kila kitu kinaruhusiwa kwa wito wa Paulo wa utaratibu.Baptists are a free church, with no required liturgy, but they plan their services with care so that all things are done decently and in order. We gather on the Lord's Day, the first day of the week, because Christ rose on that day and the apostolic churches gathered then; the Seventh Day Baptists keep the seventh day and remain our brothers. Acts 2:42 and Justin Martyr's account of about AD 150 show that the early church gave itself to the Word, prayer, the Lord's Supper, fellowship and giving. A typical Baptist order moves from call to worship, singing, reading and prayer, through the offering and the sermon, to the invitation and the benediction, with the Word at the center. Because every believer is a priest, the congregation takes an active part. We answer the claims of liturgical churches, of those who say the service is only a lecture, and of seeker-style churches from Scripture, and we answer those who say that anything goes with Paul's call to order.

Usomaji ZaidiFurther Reading

• Ungamo la Pili la London (1689), sura ya 22.• The Second London Confession (1689), chapter 22.

• Justin Martyr, First Apology (Utetezi wa Kwanza), sura ya 67, bila hakimiliki (public domain).• Justin Martyr, First Apology, chapter 67, public domain.

• J. M. Pendleton, Church Manual (1867) (Mwongozo wa Kanisa), bila hakimiliki.• J. M. Pendleton, Church Manual (1867), public domain.

• Charles H. Spurgeon, Lectures to My Students (Mihadhara kwa Wanafunzi Wangu), bila hakimiliki.• Charles H. Spurgeon, Lectures to My Students, public domain.

• James Leo Garrett Jr., Baptist Theology: A Four-Century Study (2009) (Teolojia ya Kibaptisti: Utafiti wa Karne Nne).• James Leo Garrett Jr., Baptist Theology: A Four-Century Study (2009).

• H. Leon McBeth, The Baptist Heritage (1987) (Urithi wa Kibaptisti).• H. Leon McBeth, The Baptist Heritage (1987).

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