How To Structure Churches Around God’s Manifest Presence
Stewardship of the Glory in the Church
I am increasingly convinced that the Church is supposed to be a dwelling place where the presence and glory of God is manifest and experienced by those who encounter her, especially in her corporate gatherings. You might think that’s an obvious thing for a charismatic leader to say. But I want to emphasize that I am gaining more and more clarity as I study the scriptures and consider Paul’s ecclesiology (the study of the church—its identity, purpose, and role in God’s redemptive plan). I am moved by Paul’s conviction to steward the presence of God in the assembly of the redeemed.
When considering Paul’s ideas of the church, you have to understand that Paul’s ecclesiology is thoroughly temple-centric, but not abstractly so. His apostolic burden was to see the corporate church become the living temple of God, a dwelling place for His manifest presence. He doesn’t simply teach about God’s omnipresence; Paul sees the local church as a place where God’s glory is expected to dwell as it dwelt in the Old Testament tabernacles and temples. And when we investigate His admonitions to the local assemblies, we find that he encourages cultivating space for the presence of God to manifest corporately. As both a theologian and a spiritual director of sorts, Paul stewarded this divine presence in the church throughout his apostolic ministry, using imagery and practices rooted in temple worship, prophetic order, and priestly language.
Here are four examples:
1. Church Discipline and the Authoritative Presence
1 Corinthians 5:4 “When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus…”
Paul presumes that when the church gathers, Jesus Himself would be tangibly present with power. The phrase “with the power of our Lord Jesus” functions not as theological rhetoric but as an expectation for the divine presence to be manifest in a significant moment of church discipline.
This passage suggests that Paul views church gatherings as places of divine encounter, where the risen Christ manifests tangibly and authoritatively. Paul was not attending this gathering personally, but he affirmed it spiritually, expecting God’s presence to manifest in real-time judgment and restoration.
Gordon Fee states:
“Paul’s theology of the gathered community assumes the real and dynamic presence of the Lord Jesus among His people… The church is not merely Christ’s body metaphorically but is the space where His lordship is enacted by the Spirit.”[1]
2. Prophetic Order and the Convicting Presence
1 Corinthians 14:24–25 “…he is convicted by all… and falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you.”
Here, Paul gives practical instruction on how prophetic gifts are to be administered to ensure clarity in the practice and that God’s presence is tangible and recognizable to outsiders. The goal of the gathered assembly is a divine encounter that leads to repentance and transformation.
Paul is stewarding the order of the gathering intentionally to maximize the experience of God’s presence for all. Presence is not a symbolic idea; it is an experiential reality that can be identified and “declared” even by the unbeliever.
“True worship, in Paul’s mind, happens when the presence of God is made manifest among His people, especially through the gifts of the Spirit which point to His immediacy.”[2]
3. The Glory in the Midst
Ephesians 2:21–22 “…in whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In Him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”
Paul uses temple language here to describe the multi-ethnic church as a sacred construction for God's presence. The church is not metaphorically like a temple—it is the new temple, built together for a singular purpose: to host God's glory.
Paul’s apostolic role is planting churches that are built as dwelling places for God’s glory. His ministry lays the foundation of Christ (1 Cor. 3:11) so that the Spirit may fill the house. His use of Old Testament temple imagery shows his intentional pursuit of presence-based ecclesiology. The Church as the new Temple is continuing God’s desire to dwell in manifest glory among His people.
4. The Glory That Transforms
2 Corinthians 3:17–18 “…where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom… and we all… are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.”
Paul draws on Moses’ experience of glory and transfers it to all believers, who now behold and reflect God’s glory by the Spirit. Worship, in this context, is engagement with the unveiled glory. This is the key to personal transformation, according to Paul. And this motif is clear-cut temple theology rooted in God’s glory dwelling among His people (cf. Exodus 34). Paul envisions worship as a corporate beholding of divine presence that shapes the church into Christ’s image. And contextually, it's evident that corporate beholding is to be an ongoing practice offering continual transformation.
It's evident when taken all together that Paul’s theology of the Church is not merely structural or ethical—it is presence-centered. His letters show that he not only believed in God’s indwelling presence among the believers but also actively structured, governed, and ministered in such a way that God's glory could dwell and manifest in the church. Whether in discipline (1 Cor. 5), worship order (1 Cor. 14), church planting (Eph. 2), or devotion (2 Cor 3), Paul viewed his entire apostolic life as a priestly vocation (Rom 15:16), cultivating the new temple for God's habitation.
From Paul to Today
With the conviction that we should intentionally structure church life—and especially our gatherings—to welcome, honor, and respond to the manifest presence of God, here are some frameworks inspired by Paul’s vision of the church as the new temple.
1. Structure Your Gatherings to Anticipate an Encounter
(1 Cor. 14:24–25)
Design your services with space for response, awe, and Spirit-led flow. Don’t just plan for excellence—plan for encounter. Whether through worship, prophetic ministry, teaching Scripture, or even silence, the goal is to create space for God to move.
Helpful Practices:
Train worship teams to follow the Holy Spirit, not just a setlist.
Prioritize prophetic inspiration and order over pre-planned service flow.
Make room for God to move—moments where people may “fall on their face” in reverence.
2. Prioritize Building a Dwelling Place, Not Just a Functional Church
(Eph. 2:21–22)
Don’t just see the church as an organization, but as a spiritual house being built for God’s presence. Today’s church leadership must prioritize community formation, relational unity, and corporate sanctification—because the Spirit dwells in a holy, unified temple.
Helpful Practices:
Foster deep, open, and vulnerable relationships.
Teach that unity and holiness are prerequisites for God’s dwelling.
Make spiritual formation central to leadership development.
3. Cultivate Leaders Who Minister to the Lord Before They Minister to People
(Acts 13:2; Rom. 15:15–16)
Leadership should be priestly before it is organizational. Paul viewed his ministry as an offering sanctified by the Spirit. Presence-centered leaders are intercessors, worshipers, and ministers to the Lord before they are preachers or planners.
Helpful Practices:
Establish rhythms of corporate prayer among your staff.
Train leaders in the language of priesthood—offering, sanctifying, interceding.
Normalize a weekly day of fasting and ministering to the Lord.
Lead corporate seasons of prayer where ministry to God is the focus.
4. Embrace the Prophetic as a Vital Expression of God’s Manifest Presence
(1 Cor. 14)
Paul expected prophetic ministry to be both normal and fruitful. Prophecy reveals the nearness and heart of God to the church and outsiders. Steward it carefully—but do steward it.
Helpful Practices:
Teach prophecy as a loving, edifying gift that all can pursue (1 Cor. 14:1–5).
Equip and empower trusted voices to prophesy in humility and accountability.
Debrief prophetic moments to grow the church in discernment.
5. Make the Altar the Center, Not the Stage
(Rom. 12:1)
Paul calls the church to become a living sacrifice—a vision that echoes altar-centered worship. In presence-centered churches, the altar becomes a space of surrender and encounter.
Helpful Practices:
Normalize response moments that involve physical acts—kneeling, lifting hands, coming forward.
Teach that worship is about yielding our lives, not just singing songs.
Guard against personality-driven platforms; elevate presence over performance.
6. Expect Transformation as the Outcome of His Presence
(2 Cor. 3:17–18)
God’s presence is not just for emotional experience—it is for transformation. Those who encounter the Lord should be changed into His likeness. Celebrate fruit more than feelings.
Helpful Practices:
Share testimonies of transformation regularly.
Disciple people who’ve had powerful encounters—help them walk it out.
Teach that sustained change is a sign of healthy discipleship and culture.
Final Thoughts
Paul’s vision of the church as the temple of God provides a powerful framework for leaders who long to host God’s manifest presence. His epistles teach us that the manifest presence of God among the redeemed is the very essence of the church. Cultivating that presence takes apostolic clarity, priestly devotion, prophetic alignment, and Spirit-sensitive leadership.
“God is really among you” (1 Cor. 14:25) wasn’t wishful thinking for Paul—it was his apostolic goal. And it should be ours too.
This content was originally published here: Part 1 and Part 2. The articles were republished with permission from Billy Humphrey.
[1] Pauline Christology by Gordon Fee, p. 178
[2] David Peterson, “Engaging with God” p. 224
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