It is Sunday. A crowd has gathered at the church for the regular weekly meeting. The service begins with a song or two and the pastor takes the floor - it is time to welcome the people. "Glad to see Mrs. Gumbert out today - we surely missed you. Deacon Arbuckle, are you feeling better after your hospital stay? Brother Darby has his sister visiting with him today..." ad infinitum. After several minutes of this, he opens the scripture and reads, following with his pastoral prayer. Another hymn, and next - -announcements! "Monday, the Boy Scouts meet. Tuesday, the missionary society has a luncheon. Wednesday, prayer meeting - our attendance has been falling off lately; let's all turn out this Wednesday. Thursday, visitation night - ya know, when we go they come. Friday, the deacons' board meets. Saturday, we clean the church. And don't forget next Sunday - everyone bring one...etc., etc." When all else is done and the preacher finally gets around to preaching, everyone is looking at the clock - it's time to go home!
What do they call this meeting? A "worship service!" But was it a worship service? Christian worship is "the act of paying divine honour to God." Who is honored in the "service" described above? Mrs. Gumbert, Deacon Arbuckle, Brother Darby's sister, the Boy Scouts, the missionary society...man, man, man!
The words used in the Old Testament Scripture for "worship" speak of a "bowing or falling down." But in the typical "worship service" there is a spirit of exaltation of man, a constant standing up, moving around (to "shake hands with all the visitors"), looking about. Do these things suggest a frame of humility before the Almighty?
In Christian worship, only God is praised and the flesh is abased. In the common "worship service" there is some praise for God (in hymns, prayers, and sermon), but a strange praise is added - to the flesh (insongs, promotions, entertainments, announcements, recognitions, and more).
Worship is the response of a grateful heart toward God. It is difficult to maintain such an attitude when the service is interrupted by songs that edify the flesh, speeches that are aimed at the motivation of the flesh, and entertainments and recognitions for the gratification of the flesh. A real worship service must be directed toward nothing but God's glory.
Many "worship services" are not much more than religious pep rallies with the motive of larger crowds, bigger budgets, more baptisms (they aren't called conversions anymore, maybe because we know we are baptizing the unconverted), and more impressive numerical reports. Oh, that men would WORSHIP GOD!
Can a church have a true worship service? Most certainly it can, I am sure. I know I am no expert, but I do think I have found some good suggestions that will help.
1. Have a whole-service worship. Not snatches of worship sandwiched between promotions and frivolities. Let God's glory be the theme from the first hymn to the final benediction.
2. Eliminate all excess baggage. Anything that interferes with the worship of God must go. How will the people know when to meet if we do away with the announcements? Use the bulletin! Put the announcements in print (and don't insult the intelligence of the people by reading the bulletin to them). How will the visitors know they are welcome if we don't recognize them? Strangely enough, they know whether or not they are welcome BEFORE you sing them a song, shake their hands (at a special time), or hand them a card.
Won't the enthusiasm die if we do not promote and build it up? Spiritual enthusiam is in the gospel, of the Holy Spirit, toward Christ, and all to God's glory. A smile on the face does not necessarily produce or reflect a smile in the heart. Enthusiasm, faithfulness, or generosity stirred by any other means but the gospel itself is not genuine and will sour, not enhance, true worship.
3. Stick to the gospel. Error in music is as bad as error in preaching. A hymn or special music that is not thoroughly consistent with the gospel is out of place in Christian worship. Anything short of the gospel does not belong in a worship service. Even the prayers should be filled with the gospel. It is amazing what the gospel will do for men when it is the sum and substance of their worship.
4. Let worship have life. This life is not the artificial kind mentioned before, but is that warmth with which the Spirit of God often stirs in the hearts of true worshippers. Deliberate deadness is as bad or worse than false enthusiasm. Worship may not be measured in decibels (many or few), but it is expressed, and with vitality. The truly grateful heart speaks forth with exhuberant praise - but with genuineness. The tunes need not be difficult nor somber. The words need not be laborious to pronounce or understand. The spirit need not be morose nor subdued. The gospel deals with a VITAL UNION, not a sad face and a lifeless spirit. Let there be LIFE.
One of these Sundays, sing some well-selected hymns (full of the gospel), read from the Word of God, pray earnestly and genuinely, preach the gospel, and leave everything else off. Let the worship of God go uninterrupted from start to finish. See if God's people won't express real joy at the difference. See if worship won't take on new meaning and significance to all.
Oh, that men will WORSHIP God!
jw