Our Time Together
If the average church worship gathering lasts 90 minutes
(that’s actually on the long side) that translates to less than 1% of our time
each week. Assuming we never miss a week over the course of a year, we will
have spent 78 of our 8760 hours worshipping together with other Christians. Of
course, this doesn’t account for other weekly Bible studies, or missional projects
that we gather for. In addition, there is any number of ways that we can
worship all week long, even when we are alone. But, this does emphasize just how limited our
time together is, and how important it is that we not take it for granted or
waste it.
As many times as the church gathers throughout the week or a
person worships privately, most of these will not have such intentional focus
as our Sunday morning gathering. When we gather in homes over meals or Bible
study, fellowship and discipleship are most often the modes of worship. Movie
nights for school kids, feeding the homeless, even evangelizing the lost all
provide great opportunity to serve and honor God. But, there are few other
times the church gathers with such an intentional vertical focus together. At
The Way, we take this seriously.
Not only are we being selective about the songs we sing, but
we are also being very particular about how we use our time together. The
methodology has changed as the church has changed, but we are no less
intentional today than we have ever been about our time in worship. As we
strive to organize each worship gathering, we strive to fill it with Gospel
proclamation and opportunity for each person to respond to God’s life giving grace.
This perspective informs everything we do. There is no moment of our time together, that
your leaders have not considered in light of our first priority. For example…
- We are a Gospel centered church. That means we exist because of the Gospel and are motivated by the Gospel. So, as we gather, we seek to proclaim God’s message of grace and life (the Gospel) over and over. The songs we sing proclaim the Gospel. The sermons preached proclaim the Gospel. Even the liturgy we follow, (A.C.T.S.) encourages us to respond faithfully; as we ADORE the Creator that became our Savior, CONFESS our sin and need of His salvation, THANK Him for the work He did on our behalf, and offer up prayers of SUPPLICATION (requests for His continued work) on each other’s behalf.
- We haven’t always taken Communion every week. Since we have, our time together has become that much more precious. We strive to proclaim the Gospel in our music and in our teaching as we seek to emphasize God’s unmerited good work on our behalf through Jesus’ sacrifice. But there are few words that paint a picture as clear as the observance of Communion. Each week as the sermon closes, our time together comes to the pinnacle when we are reminded what Jesus did so that God the Father could offer us so much so freely.
- Another example, we want families to be able to worship together, and we want parents to be able to model corporate worship for their children. So, we love that parents keep their children through the first part of the song service. However, we also recognize the importance of each person being able to respond without distraction. So, we sing more than one song after the preaching and encourage parents to let us serve them by keeping their children in KidsWay.
- One last example is passing offering plates during our time of response. Previously we would just accept tithes and offerings in the offering box at the back of the sanctuary. But, by actually passing plates during this specific time in the service, we emphasize our giving as an act of worship and not something that is just done without thought. Rather, it is an intentional act of worship in honor of the God who saved and to facilitate His mission in the world. You may give online but, passing that plate to the person beside you gives you opportunity that what you give is just as much an act of worship as those putting cash or checks in the plate.
Intentional plans are imperative in order for us to use our
limited time as wisely as possible, but they won’t accomplish anything without
intentional participation.
Your Part To Play
Do you remember how A.W. Tozer compared Christian worship to
piano’s that are all being tuned to the same tuning fork? Regardless of the
songs we choose or the detailed attention given to each moment of our time
together, one final component has to be fit into place, your intentional participation.
Showing up and checking a box on our list of tasks for the day, doesn’t do it.
Following the crowd around you, standing when they stand, sitting when they
sit, half-heartedly singing along, and even begrudgingly taking Communion, or
putting money in an offering plate out of guilt aren’t the same as intentional
participation.
God is going to be glorified, His name will be praised,
regardless of what we do. There will come a point in which every, not some, but
every knee will bow and tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. But, until that day
comes, Sunday Morning Missionaries recognize their opportunity to willfully
respond to God in worship because of the Gospel.
Sunday Morning Missionaries intentionally take part. They
celebrate together in worship, they give generously, and they observe Communion
gratefully, because they know this is the
mission. Sunday Morning Missionaries know that God gave us the Gospel
to reconcile our relationship to Him so that we could receive good gifts from
Him and offer real honest worship to Him. Evangelism exists to facilitate
worship. Discipleship exists to facilitate worship. Ministry exists to
facilitate worship. While these are modes of worship in themselves, the Sunday
Morning Missionaries know that to take part in God’s mission, we must also at
times intentionally set aside time to worship Him together. As we do this God
is gloried, we receive His blessings, and those among us who don’t know Him are
shown Him.
This Sunday morning whether you sing as loud as the person
next to you, or whether or not you raise your hands or clap, let me encourage
you to live for this moment in the mission. Come ready, come willing, come with
specific intention to direct your body, mind, heart, and soul to honor God in
the way He deserves. After all, this is what He created and saved you for, His
glory and your good.
