“Once people begin to probe this matter of worship, they will discover a richness and a depth to their spiritual experience that they never imagined. Once they catch a vision of the raised Christ in glory and are transported to sing with the angels, it will become harder and harder to remain in lifeless and uninspiring services.” (Allen P. Ross, Recalling the Hope of Glory, p. 66)My husband and I have both been in church leadership. We know about the folks who complain about the ‘worship service’ saying the music is too loud, or the wrong kind. We know about those who become annoyed about something or other and leave. Some of them come back after realizing other church services are flawed too. Others find another place that suits them better, and a few sadly stay home on Sunday morning.
I’m fairly certain that none of these people have studied worship and have been “transported to sing with the angels.” Nevertheless, they sense something is missing in their experience and since this awareness is related to church, then the church must be at fault.
They could be right, but they forget one thing; the church is not “all those other people” but all of us, together. As a local congregation and as part of the universal church, each of us are members of the Body of Christ and members of one another. True, some will worship in different places for various reasons, but God made us one in Christ Jesus, and Jesus Himself prayed in John 17 that we know and reflect that unity.
But what happens if the church I attend happens to deteriorate into those “lifeless and uninspiring services” that Ross is talking about? I can think of a couple of things I need to remember.
The first is that getting disgruntled may or may not be because I’ve been “transported” into the recognition that our worship could be improved. All human beings are prone to complaining about their lot in life, and I’m not an exception. Sometimes the only difference between a so-so service and a great one is my attitude.
Second, I could be right. Our local church could become lifeless and uninspiring, but leaving isn’t necessarily God’s idea. Hebrews 10:24-25 say, “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”
I’ve a responsibility to care for and protect the Body of Christ just as I do my own body. If one finger was broken and bleeding, I’d be quick to nurse it, not be made at its failure to perform and cut it off. If the Body of Christ is sick and losing energy and impact, I’m to give it the same attention, not just up and leave.
Pulling out because things don’t meet my expectations is selfish and contrasts the idea of “consider one another.” If others are not loving, I’m supposed to stir them up. If others are not doing good things, I’m to motivate them. I can neither do that from home, nor do it complaining about the things I don’t like.
Suddenly I feel the weight of this. If I don’t like something about my church, leaving would be easier than exhorting, and I understand why some just leave. Yet this is sad. We need one another, and even more as the Day of Jesus’ return draws near. I doubt if anyone, even those who complain the most, wants to be in the wrong place or doing something they would be ashamed of when they see His face.
I wonder what Sunday morning would be like if all those who left the church for whatever reasons decided to come back to encourage those who stayed. Would they be welcomed with gladness? No doubt, but first the rest of us might have to be picked up off the floor.
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