The Apostolic Christian Church has maintained a church practice that is not found in many denominations today. That practice is separate seating, which means men sit one side of the sanctuary and women sit on the other side during worship. This seating arrangement was adopted when the denomination was founded  in the 1830's and has been practiced by the church ever since. However, this is not an Apostolic Christian Church invention, but something that goes back to the very beginning of the Christianity.

Seating In The New Testament Church

Based on the information recorded in the earliest church documents available today (outside the Bible), we can state categorically that there is no doubt that the very first Christians worshipped with men and women sitting in separate sides of the church assembly. This is significant because these churches were led by Christ's personally-chosen Apostles, along with Paul, his associates and the elders that they appointed.

It is probable that the first Christians chose this seating arrangement because it had worked so well in Jewish worship. According to the Encyclopedia Judaica, this practice hearkens back to temple worship when men and women were separated by a partition (a "mehizah"), which consisted of a opaque curtain or some type of latticework. Some Jewish scholars believe that the first instance of separation of the sexes during worship can be traced back to when Moses led only the men and Miriam led only the women in singing after their escape from Egypt (Exodus 15:20). An early Jewish book, the Talmud Succah, talks at length about the separate seating arrangement in temple worship. According to this book, the early rabbis pointed to Zechariah 12:12 as a precedent for this arrangement.

The practice of separate seating was also part of worship in the early synagogues and is still a custom of Orthodox Jewish gatherings today. An article in the New York Times (September 10, 1973) referred to worship services among the Orthodox branch of Judaism. It said, "According to 2,000-year old tradition, women are separated from men in religious worship".

The separate seating arrangement in the first Christian churches has been noted by scholars who have studied the early Christian church. For instance J. D. Davies said, "The sexes were strictly separated, with either the men in front, and the women behind; or the men on the right, and the women on the left."¹ Historian F. J. Doakes-Jackson wrote that men and women were separated during the worship service. On another note, he said that the doorkeepers looked after the men, and deaconesses after the women to insure quietness and attentiveness.² Edwin Voight also refers to the existence of this practice in the early church. The explanation given is that the early church needed sufficient procedural order so they could practice the holy kiss (see "The Holy Kiss" in our Library for details on this practice). This New Testament practice was observed during their actual worship service, so it was necessary and prudent to seat the sexes separately.³

Lyman Coleman points out, "The rules of the primitive churches required the separation of the sexes in the church, and this was generally observed. The men occupied the left of the altar on the south side of the church, and the women on the right, on the north. They were separated from one another by a veil or lattice. In the Eastern churches, the women occupied the galleries above, while the men sat below".⁴ Yet another historian, J. W. C. Wand, refers to this practice: "Within the church was the holy table behind which facing the people, and with his presbyters on either hand, sat the bishop. Men and women sat apart".⁵  Also, an early church document on church order (which could possibly date as early as 200 A.D. or even earlier), instructed parishioners how to assemble in the church building for services and stated that the women were to be seated separately from the men.⁶ And even Augustine made reference to this practice when he wrote, "The masses flock to the churches and their chaste acts of worship, where a seemly separation of the sexes is observed, where they learn how they may spend this earthly life."

This practice continued in the early Christian church, even after it evolved into the Roman Catholic Church, for at least 1,000 years. The Eastern Orthodox Church, which broke away from the Roman Catholic Church in 1054 A.D., preserved this ancient practice and many of their churches practice separate seating yet today (with the exception of the physical partition between the sexes).

During the Protestant Reformation, the Anabaptists revived this ancient church practice (though we are not aware of any physical barriers used between the sexes) and many Anabaptist denominations still use separate seating in their services. No doubt, Samuel Froehlich, the founder of the Apostolic Christian Church, learned of this early Christian practice from the Anabaptists he had associated with (click on "History" above for more on Apostolic Christian ties to the Anabaptist movement). Separate seating has been an integral part of Apostolic Christian worship ever since the denomination was founded; though, to be clear, like the other Anabaptists, the separation does not extend to young children, they may sit with either parent, regardless of their sex.

Benefits To Separate Seating

Although the historical precedent is reason enough to consider this early Christian tradition, probably the greatest reason in the eyes of the Apostolic Christian Church is what this practices adds to worship. The church has found that separate seating fosters a godly atmosphere during worship, namely order and freedom from distractions. Also, this seating arrangement is one where singles, widows and widowers and those without family in attendance do not find themselves alone and isolated (as opposed to seating arrangements in most denominations where families sit together). Lastly, this arrangement enhances a cappella singing in the church (another ancient Christian church practice).

Order: The church has felt that when believers gather in the house of the Lord for public worship, all cares and general matters pertaining to earthly life should be shut out, or relegated to the background as much as possible. All attention and thought should be focused entirely on the holy things of God. In such an atmosphere God's children can truly feel they are "sitting together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:6). By being being separated from the opposite sex, one can more readily concentrate on the spiritual matters at hand. For example, distraction from those of the opposite sex (whether one is single or married) is markedly reduced. Also, fathers and mothers with children may also get time away from distractions from their own young children because of this arrangement (fathers and mothers often take turns tending to their young children during services).

The fact that the family does not sit together during worship in church does not drive a wedge between them or threaten to weaken their unity. In fact, aside from a few hours of separation at church, they have the opportunity to be together for the balance of the week. And certainly plenty of opportunity exists during the week for family devotional periods such as reading God's word, singing, and praying together. Really, if a family's unity is dependent on where they sit in church, then it's probably on shaky ground to begin with.

Fellowship And Brotherly Love: When a family unit attends church on Sunday morning, rather than remaining in their own tight circle and sitting together, separate seating allows them opportunity to enjoy wider fellowship with all people attending church services. By sitting apart from family (men together and women together), the individual is more likely to get to know the brothers, sisters and friends of the church. As a result, deeper and more comprehensive relationships result. This, in turn, contributes toward greater unity and oneness in a body of believers.

Separate seating is a vehicle which assists in perpetuating the love of God, particularly with respect to the widows, widowers, the unmarried, and those who are alone in life. The church mercifully recognizes that, for the most part, many persons are alone during the week, and perhaps have to contend with isolation and its frustrations all week long. Many are burdened by their aloneness and are deeply sensitive about it. Yet, when these persons come into the house of the Lord for worship and the opportunity is provided for women to sit with women, and men to sit with men, their isolation and aloneness immediately disappears as they are blended in with the balance of the congregation. They are no longer prone to be reminded of their situation in life, whether being alone, or single, or whatever, and it becomes indistinguishable as to who is married and who is not. All are as one, and are as brothers and sisters in Christ. By dispensing with the family seating arrangement common to most denominations, the Apostolic Christian Church frees one to sit with those who are perhaps in need of special love and attention. In this way a deeper and more permanent bond of Christian love and brotherhood can be established, nourished, and maintained.

This practice has been considered beneficial in maintaining an orderly atmosphere during a worship service. The Bible unmistakably refers to the matter of good order. The Apostle Paul wrote, "Let all things be done decently and in order" (I Corinthians 14:40). The Apostolic Christian Church, too, believes in the maintenance of godly order, and has found this practice to be a viable means to this end; and it has proven to be a great blessing as well.

Congregational Singing: The church considers singing an essential part of the worship service. Of course, this practice dates back to the early church. The church employs no musical instruments during the worship service (see our article, "Bringing Devil Music Into The Church?" for a detailed review of Apostolic Christian a cappella singing practices); it is felt that instrumental music can erode the heartfelt singing and audience participation so essential the worship service. Also, instrumental music has the tendency over time to turn worship into entertainment as more emphasis is placed on the instrumental music and professional musicians and singers; something that would have been totally foreign to the early church.

To sing a hymn in a manner worthy of praise to the Almighty, it is most helpful to have all women and all of the men sit together. It is much easer to sing your part of the harmony (soprano, alto, tenor or bass) when there is an adult in close proximity singing the same part of the harmony. Accomplished a cappella hymn singing can be impressive in its simple beauty and dignity. This natural and serene form of worship is a treasured part of the service for all Apostolic Christians and most visitors find it quite beautiful and moving.

Summary

The Apostolic Christian Church, in recognizing the need for a godly and reverent atmosphere during worship has retained an early church practice that the modern world, for the most part, has discarded. The church has not maintained this custom merely for the sake of custom, but because it has been beneficial for the church. The value of practice can best be understood when joins the singing himself in an Apostolic Christian worship service and becomes one of the many voices ascending to heaven with heartfelt praise and thankfulness. Have you experienced this for yourself? If not, stop by the church nearest you (click on Locations above) and find out what you have been missing!

References:

1 Davies, J. D.; The Early Christian Church; Holt, Rinehart, and Winston.

2 Doakes-Jackson, F. J.; Studies In The Life of The Early Church, George H. Dorn and Company, page 170.

3 Voight, Edwin; Methodist Worship In The Church Universal; Graded Press, page 29.

4 Coleman, Lyman; Antiquities Of The Christian Church; Baker and Scribner, page 184.

5 Wand, J. W. C.; A History Of The Early Church To A. D. 500; Methuen and Company, page 92.

6 Apostolic Constitutions, compiled c. 390 A.D. from from earlier documents; "Let the women sit by themselves, they also keeping silence."

Note: Parts of this document were adapted from Separated Seating: Apostolic Christian Church Practices Bible Study Series.

Bringing Devil Music Into The Church? Find out why the Apostolic Christian Church prefers a cappella music in their worship services.

The History of the Apostolic Christian Church Find out more about the history of the Apostolic Christian Church and the Anabaptist movement.

Related Links On Separate Seating Read articles from other sources on the reason for separate seating during worship.

Related Links On A Cappella Singing In Worship Read articles from other sources on this New Testament worship practice.