SUNDAY THOUGHT-20

SUNDAY THOUGHT-20 Individual Participation in worship Christians generally gather on Sunday for church meeting in which a significant amount of time is given for worship. But a majority will leave the meeting having a satisfaction of 'seeing' the worship. This is due to the fact that there is no scope for individual participation in most worship meetings. This is true not only in nominal Christian churches but in protestant evangelical churches as well. I had opportunity to witness different kinds of worship meetings. One kind is where only the 'leader' alone leads the entire service. The people are mostly silent spectators of what the leader does. They might say 'amen' at the end of what this leader say. Another kind is just opposite to this, where everyone collectively raises their voices and praise and worship God together. And most often few among the group give the 'motivating push' for the mass of people. The result is that each one is engaged with his own way of worshipping God and leave with the satisfaction that 'I did worship, but I do not know about him or her". No one is gaining any edification from each other in this kind of worship meetings. There is a third kind of worship style where only a group of 'assigned people' do all activities of the service and others just watch and hear what these assigned ones might do or say. And a fourth one is where there is no particular person as the 'leader of the service' and almost every one is involved in worship by exercising various gifts they have resulting in praising, thanksgiving, singing and exhorting each other for worship one by one. The absence of a leader does not lead to confusion or commotion rather orderliness and decency are visibly maintained. From the New Testament we cannot draw a specific pattern for worship, but this fourth kind I described seems a better and meaningful pattern for worship meetings. When the church gathers together, everyone is important and has significance as members of the church. The priesthood of believers is a correct teaching of the N.T. Therefore, every saint redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ has the right and privilege to worship God and offer thanksgiving. Our worship meetings /services should be planned in such a way that every believer can express his/her worship to God in a meaningful manner. Paul had plenty of things to correct in the Church at Corinth as to their practices. But one thing he did not correct rather accepted was their participation in church meetings. Their problem was an improper and disorderly exercising of gifts by the believers. But they were very active in participating in the church meetings. He says: "How is it then brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, and has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification (1Cor. 14:26). Paul here thinks about any gathering of the saints at any time: Notice the 'whenever'. Any gathering of the saints at any time is a time to worship God as well. Not only on the first day of the week when the church gathers specifically for worship. I would say that it is the responsibility of the leadership of each local church to make sure that all the saints does actively participate in worship. (By Participation I do not mean mere attendance in meetings or that we join with others to sing songs. Rather taking turn individually to praise god or to give thanks). To those who need motivation for this it should be given. Those who need encouragement it should be given. To those need guidance or training it should be given. Our individual participation in praise and thanksgiving would help other brothers and sisters to be strengthened in faith or bring edification or even correction for them. Letting people continue in silence will not do any good to the individual nor the church and therefore to be discouraged. Different denominations do have their self developed patterns or systems of worship. But any pattern that does not allow participation for every believer is not a proper pattern. Worship meetings of the nominal Christian churches where the 'priests' does everything for people(as in Judaism of the O.T.) is against the New testament teaching about worship and therefore we reject as not acceptable to God. But if the churches which claim allegiance to the N.T. do not give openness for all believers to participate in worship, then it is wrong. Some of the contemporary churches who are "seeker sensitive" try to adopt "attractive features" into the worship services to keep the crowd 'happy' and 'feel good.' Sometimes these turn to be entertainment programs than worship services. This, I would say, is contrary to the spirit of true and acceptable worship. A worship service is not to make us 'feel good' rather to honor God the father. When every believer has an opportunity to participate in worship based upon each one's spiritual enablement, the result will be genuine edification of the body. There is another potential issue and seemingly controversial as well, which I cannot bypass when individual participation is discussed. That is about sister's participation in the worship session of the church. Can they praise God the father openly and publicly as the male believers do? Recognizing the controversy over this issue and its sensitive nature, I would deal with this in detail in a later article in Sunday Thought (probably in the next one). But as we prepare to worship God this week, let's not be silent spectators rather participate individually in praising God and giving Him honor and thanks . Yours in The gloriuos ministry of God Joji George Abraham