Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Do you get much out of worship?

Scripture: Isaiah 6:1-3; Revelation 4
A new report seems to suggest that half of people who go to church aren't getting much out of it. A Huffington Post report notes that about 50% of churchgoers says going to church has no effect on them. The articles goes on to observe three fifths of responders to a recent survey got no new "religious insight from their last church visit." Yet the article reports two thirds of the respondents had felt a real connection with God while attending church.
This leaves me wondering what the article was trying to say and more importantly wondering how we measure whether going to church matters. I certainly wouldn't measure worship's worth in terms of gaining religious insight or knowledge. Though that can be a result and appears to be the goal of some churches, to me the aim of worship is greater than mere insight. The hope of worship is more than you will leave better equipped to be a better spouse or more wise financially or the like. While those are fine values, they are not the intent of worship. Successful worship can't be measured by new religious insight. How is it possible to measure being in the presence of God?  
Here's another way to put what I think of this article and what we get out of worship: It's not about you! Worship is about God. As you probably heard it said: God is the audience of our corporate worship. Worship is about being who we were created to be in the presence of God. Worship matters. Worship does affect us, but in ways often beyond our comprehension.
Questions:
What do the Scriptures above teach us about worship?
How do you prioritize corporate worship?
What was your most memorable time in worship?

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