Our Feast of Dedication which we celebrate today we are celebrating because it was 103 years ago—that is, on the 19th of November, 1922—that this church was consecrated as a true and canonical local church by Bishop Cameron Mann, Bishop of the then-diocese of South Florida, which included geographically the land of New Smyrna Beach and the surrounding communities. We have the original document of dedication and consecration. One of the statements in the document reads this way: “We do hereby pronounce and declare, that St Paul’s Church, New Smyrna, Florida is consecrated accordingly, and thereby separated henceforth from all unhallowed activity, worldly, and common uses, and is dedicated to the Worship and Service of Almighty God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, for reading and preaching His Holy Word, for celebrating His Holy Sacraments, for offering to His Glorious Majesty the Sacrifice of Prayer and Thanksgiving, for blessing His People in His name, and for the performance of all other Holy Offices, according to the usages of His Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.”

What these words of consecration and dedication spell out is the purpose of this house. This place now consecrated now belongs to God alone, forever. It is quite clearly not to be a den of robbers (which is the symbol of “unhallowed activity, worldly and common uses”). Instead, the purpose of this house is to be a Christian house of prayer: prayer in all its forms: a house for reading and preaching God’s Holy Word, for celebrating His Sacraments, for the offering of our Sacrifice of Prayer and Thanksgiving, for blessing and all other Holy Offices. There are to be no money-changers here; there is to be no one selling pigeons. There is one purpose for being here, and one alone: God. The one purpose is to be here for God, for the Holy Trinity, for God the Father, His Only-Begotten Son Jesus Christ, and His Holy Ghost. We are here to be taken up by the power of the Holy Ghost, Who bears witness to Christ the Eternal Word, Who as God’s Son reveals the Father Almighty, God Himself. This space is for prayer, for relationship, with God: that the desire of the human soul to enter into the courts of the Lord might be met—that our heart and flesh rejoice in the living God, Who in His heavenly reality is present, active, and glorious here.

When this church was consecrated in 1922, we changed our name. Whereas up to then we were Grace Church, New Smyrna Beach, upon consecration we became St Paul’s Church. It is fitting to hear today Paul’s teaching on speaking in prophecy. I say it is fitting because while it is meet and right on this anniversary of this church’s consecration to look back over our past, to savor and celebrate God’s mighty action in this place (whether it be in our current location, or in the original location of this church on the corner of Downing St and Palmetto St), it is also meet and right to look to our future, and what we should be doing to ensure lively worship of God by a lively congregation of Christians. For that the teaching of Paul is very important. In fact, 1 Corinthians chapter 14 provides the only teaching Paul gives on how to grow numerically.

Let me unpack his teaching. Paul presents us with a scenario where outsiders and unbelievers enter the church. For us, we call such people “visitors.” And what might the visitors experience? Paul contrasts speaking in tongues with speaking in prophecy (that is, prophesying). Paul is concerned about how to act in church, so that the visitors will want to come back and worship again with us. And on this, he could not be clearer. Paul writes, “In church I would rather speak five words with my mind, in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue.” So where Paul falls is clear: in church, in our parish fellowship and worship, we are to prophesy, not speak in tongues.

But what do both of these mean? To keep things simple, Paul defines these actions from the perspective of the experience of people hearing someone speak in tongues and the experience of people hearing prophesy. He writes that when people hear someone speaking in tongues, “no one understands him.” And, Paul says, if no one understands the person speaking in tongues, it is like speaking into the air (Paul’s words) instead of speaking to a person’s head and heart. But about prophesying, Paul writes this: “He who prophesies speaks to men for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation.” And Paul writes, “He who prophesies edifies the Church.” Which leads Paul to conclude: “He who prophesies is greater than he who speaks in tongues.” Paul’s teaching reaches its climax in the portion of 1 Cor 14 we heard in our Epistle today. He writes: “ If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your minds? But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you.” And which do we want visitors to experience? Do we want visitors to say about us that we are mad? Or do we want them to worship God and declare that God is really among us?

If we want people to think we are mad, then let us speak amongst ourselves in a confused way. Let us speak about our relationship with God in a confused way. Let us be unclear about our purpose of being here. Let us find other reasons for being here than “Worship and Service of Almighty God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.” Let us be no different than any social club.

Now, if we want people to declare that God is really among us, then Paul says, “You can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged.” For Paul, to prophecy is to speak about how God has been active in our lives—active in revealing Himself, active in guiding, active in transforming, active in directing; whether personally, or in one’s family, or in one’s parish congregation. To prophesy is to build up, encourage and console: and what builds up, encourages, and consoles than to hear a person’s own words about how God has shown Himself in their life? Paul teaches that prophesying is something each one of us can do. And if we want visitors to worship with us, and come back, then we must prophesy, each one of us. This is the only numerical growth strategy Paul teaches, and as far as I can tell, it is the only growth strategy taught anywhere in the Bible.

So let us say clear: in this place, in this holy house set apart from all unhallowed activity, worldly, and common uses, here, and here only, for the Worship and Service of Almighty God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost—we know ourselves to be truly with God. We know ourselves to be led by Him, and we know ourselves here to receive His mercy which heals us, strengthens us, guides us, and ennobles us for the Mission we are to do here in this place, Mission which includes prophetically speaking about how God has shown Himself in our lives. To all people who come to worship here, we say with Jacob: How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven! All through Jesus Christ, Who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

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