For those of you that lean toward more of a simple church model without a corporate worship service, I have a question for you. I have been seeing a trend lately in people who just have a strong desire to be part of a corporate worship service of some kind—a gathering bigger than one of our house church meetings. They want to feel that they are part of something bigger and they want to see how God is at work outside of themselves and their closer relationships. They seem to draw some specific type of encouragement to keep moving forward from a corporate worship service.
Have you noticed this trend in your churches? How have you responded? What did you do to help people feel that they are part of something bigger (which, of course, they are). Possibly something is missing in the way we do our worship. Possibly something needs to shift in the mindset and culture of our people. I don’t yet know. I’d love to hear any insights you have along these lines.
Bob, I see several issues involved here: 1. We engage in worship for God’s, sake not our own. 2. Simple organic church does not mean we do not engage in corporate worship; in fact, it’s our key activity! 3. As we network with other simple churches, we find time about every two to three months for larger corporate worship gatherings. 4. Occasionally, folks from our smaller groups will visit worship services in larger churches – for the experience and to demonstrate unity within the overall body of Christ. 5. What turns some folks off, on the other hand, is the staged professionalism and showmanship in some big worship events.
We used to have periodic combined worship in a park or other venue to network and feel we were part of something bigger than our house church in Maeda, Okinawa.
Mike Wilson
Asian Access
Church Multiplication Catalyst