It's a sad commentary, but probably true more times than we care to admit. I must confess that I have reached boredom more than a couple of times during a worship service....and I am the Worship Leader!!
I would wholeheartedly agree with this quote our preacher, Mike Root, gives to the congregation frequently, "If you didn't come to church to give, then you didn't come to worship." My approach to the assembly is directly proportional to the level satisfaction I leave with. Usually, my lack of fulfillment was no one's fault but my own. I came looking to receive something rather than to give something. Whether I truly worshp or not depends on what I bring to worship. However...
You knew there was going to be a 'However' didn't you?
However, it is sad to me when individuals have to work so hard week after week to feel that they have worshiped acceptably, or to walk away charged up and ready to meet the next week head-on.
Dan Dozier said in his book, Come, Let Us Adore Him, p. 16, "Why should we tolerate services that demonstrate no planning week after week? We should insist on better!...Is it good that the congregation be subjected to an order that is so routine that people can go through it half asleep and never miss a beat?"
Here's my take on it. We can never stop exploring ways we can improve our worship. I know, I know, when we explore worship it has the potential to open a can of worms, take us places we don't want to go, and just makes people uncomfortable. Some people think it's threatening when we suggest we need to re-visit the current donctrinal stance or traditions of the congregation. But if we are unwilling to study the Scriptures with openness, we may end up being guilty of simply defending the conclusions of the ones who studied the issues before we did. If currently held positions are truly Biblical, they will stand up to any scrutiny, and we will be Biblically stronger for having had the study.
To NOT study this subject in the Scriptures is contrary to everything we teach. Wasn't it Paul who told Timothy to "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15, NIV) or in the KJV, "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
The mantra of the current Generation (Generation X) is, "Question Everything!" Wouldn't we be in a better position to answer those questions if we do an honest study of the spiritual beliefs we hold so dearly to. When this generation (or for that matter, my generation) asks the question, "Why do we do the things that we do in our assembly?", they will NOT accept, "That's just the way we've always done things around here" as a legit answer.
Study your Bible, friends, God may be waiting to reveal something faith-building to you.
Explore the Scriptures with a fresh look, you will be a better worshipper for the effort!
Peace
