God created people for worship. Worship was built into our DNA. When we are saved by Christ, that purpose is restored. In the heart of every saved person should be an intense desire to worship. As such, the church is first and foremost a worshiping community. Every church should have a vibrant worship that defines who it is. That vibrancy is a result of individual believers whose heart’s desire is to come together as a body to lift up the name of Christ. I think that a good metric of health for any church begins with its worship. Everything else the church does flows from that point. It’s the epicenter of the church’s life, and it is the best indicator of church health.

However, when the worship of a church begins to fade, then soon will every other ministry

“Preacher, your long winded! I’ve got lunch plans, and your preaching is interfering!” So said the anxious church member who thought a twenty-minute sermon once a week was all the church needed, because “No one remembers what you say anyhow!” I hope his chicken and dumplings were memorable. Church life has its share of twists and turns. But, such encounters raise the question, “What is the real purpose of preaching?” Every preacher knows that the closer they get to the 12 o’clock hour, the more fidgety the people become. Pass that sacred time threshold and worship becomes something else altogether.

Over time, it’s easy to forget why something was started. And what had a specific purpose becomes obscured over time. Church worship services sometimes fit into that category. Many people attend church every week, and if you were to ask them what the purpose is, they would most likely say, “To worship.” On the surface, that sounds good. But then ask, “What is worship, and why do we do it?” At that point, the answers become thin and vague. The reality is that many people who attend church don’t really understand the church’s purpose.

When Christ created his church, he was very specific in its purpose. Over time, his vision for the church has been obscured. Today, people think the purpose of church life is to attend church. It’s not uncommon to find people who believe attending church on Sunday morning is what God desires. Bring up the topic of church life, and it’s not uncommon for people to say,

What motivates people to come to church? I recently had this conversation with a person who attends church every time the doors are opened. We recently began a men’s group for the express purpose of promoting and encouraging men to be followers of Christ. The conversation began as a response to our men’s discipleship group. I was told, in effect, that the group was useless as it does not give men answers to the problems they face in daily life. Right. It is not meant to. It was designed for the express purpose of encouraging men to be disciples.

But, the conversation was very productive. I was asked what my goal for the church was. I explained that I want the church to become a place where people are saved (come to know Jesus as Savior), and where they learn to be disciples (learn to follow Christ), and where they are sent out as servants with the gospel of Christ. The response I received was very revealing. It began with a sigh, a lowered voice, and a slumping of the shoulders. Considering that non-verbal’s account for 93% of communication, that was a loud expression of disapproval.

Next came the statement, “I was hoping you would understand why people come to church.” Essentially I was told that the reason people come to church was to find answers for their problems. “Everyday life beats people up. They come looking for answers to their addictions, personality disorders, family problems, relational problems, etc. etc.,” I was told. In effect, I was being informed that I was out of touch with people. There was not a complaint that I had not addressed an urgent need in ones life, but just the general sense was given that I did not understand people. Hmm.

Immediately after that conversation Continue reading →

As a church, we need to lose the concept of “Church Membership.” Nowhere in scripture are we called to church membership. Instead, with acute clarity, scripture makes it clear that we are to be followers of Christ (see Matthew 4:19).

The word “membership” carries with it ideas that are contrary to the spirit of being a disciple. When one seeks membership to an organization, she is seeking the entitlements and benefits of that organization. With membership comes perks. However, with discipleship comes obligations and duty. Members seeks to have needs met. Disciples seek to serve.

In any given church, you have people who match the description of each type. Those who joined the “membership” expect a return on the dues (tithes) they pay into the system. Their contributions earn them the right to receive the benefits of membership. I recently spoke with a man who was an amateur artist.  At best, his works were tolerable. Some of them expressed nice sentiments. One such picture attempted to communicate the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Christ – very nice thoughts. As a picture it failed. The man told me that he was very upset that a staff member of his church would not place the painting in the sanctuary during worship, and he even expressed annoyance that his pastor did not use the painting as a prop in his sermons for Christmas. As he explained this, he dropped the clue that he was involved in “membership,” and therefore expected his rights to be met. He said, “I’m going to the deacons since the staff member won’t use my painting!” Whoa! He saw the deacons as the governing board that makes sure members rights are seen to.

In contrast, a servant does not seek Continue reading →