True Worship, True Church
My thoughts on Sunday Morning Worship:
I've been in several churches that view Sunday worship as a time simply to receive from God. You know, get fed (spiritually...and sometimes physically) and go home. I don't think that's what Sunday worship should be. I mean, yes, of course we should be open and listening for God to speak into our lives...but not only that! If you look at the early church, you'll notice that when they gathered together, it was a celebration! Not a gas station!
Yes, I think we can receive great ministry from God at church, but that shouldn't be the only focus goal. To me, Sunday worship should be a celebration of the church! We should gather to bless the Lord, celebrate our salvation, glorify God, and edify each other! Let the Word be preached to encourage, rebuke, teach, strengthen, and give God glory. Sunday worship should be a big, fat, crazy, party - where we give God praise & are challenged to a deeper walk with Him. That walk shouldn't manifest itself each Sunday UNLESS it's also present in our Monday through Saturday lives. Praying at the altar is GREAT, but if it doesn't flood into the rest of our lives outside the church, what point is there in it?
My point is, too many people depend on Sundays to get them through the week. What poor, weak, faithless Christians that would make. We need to grow closer to God everyday through prayer & devotions. And THAT is true worship.
My thoughts on The Church:
I don't really know a lot of the people at my church. They all dart in for church, and dart out after it, to get on with their lives. We don't hang out with people in our church. We want to - desperately, but everyone is busy - including us. And what I've learned is, we must make time for each other! The disregard for the necessity of "family" in the church has led to a terrible breakdown. Christianity, in many cases, has been diluted to an activity on the family calendar, not a way of life.
Acts 4:32-35 gives a wonderful picture of what church should look like. I won't quote it here. Crack open your Bible and read it for yourself!
What a beautiful thing it would be for the bride of Christ to worship in spirit & in truth, and love one another as Christ loved us!
-Elgin
