Common Excuses for having less than great worship... and my responses to them.
That's the goal.
But first, please, if we've not met personally, I want you to know that I am a person of grace. I extend it in huge doses and in myriad ways. I have a deep concern that my comments not come across as insulting. That is the farthest thing from my heart. So if I offend you in any way, please let me know so I can have the chance to repair the offense.
That said, here are the excuses I've heard most when it comes to making worship gatherings great:
1) I'm just a volunteer. This one is easy to debunk in two ways:
a) I hope that's not the attitude of the volunteer fire fighter if you live in a small community and it's your house that's on fire. Don't you?
b) If you think of yourself as "just a volunteer" then you may not be in the right spot in your church. Whatever God calls you to is a high and holy calling. I can't imagine Paul, who worked "9 to 5" as a tentmaker saying to the folks around him, "I'm just a volunteer." Can you?
2) There's only so much time. This one is really, really hard in our culture. We thrive on busy-ness. In fact, if you are as addicted to busy-ness as me, the worst part of your day is when you don't have anything left to do.
The longer I walk with Jesus the more I'm convinced that if I did only what God wanted me to do, I would always have as much time as I need. This is not a "time management" tip, this is a spiritual discipline admonition. If you're too busy to do what God has asked you to do, you're too busy doing stuff God has not asked you to do. (I'll bet I'm worse at this than you are!)
3) We don't have the resources/money. Think of it this way instead: lack of money is a tremendous motivator for creativity. We once made it snow in our sanctuary as part of a dramatic presentation tied to the release of the movie The Chronicles of Narnia. We decorated the whole space to look like we were in that magical land. We built a wardrobe big enough for 4 teenagers to stand behind coats. Total budget? About $300. And it was great. If God guides you to do something, I have no doubt, He can provide what you need. It may be through friends, through stuff in your garage or basement, or through a donation. And, of course, it may be from your budget. But there are ways to do what you probably don't think you can do... IF God is in it.
4) It's just church. I've heard this so, so many times when folks would donate something that was not worth using in their home any more. I've also heard people say this in comparison to a theatrical production or to their workplace. It is as if we are giving God the leftovers instead of the first-fruits. Maybe this would be a good time to re-read pt. 3. God's requirement for our offerings... that they be without blemish.
5) It's just a normal Sunday. We worship Jesus on Sundays because Jesus rose from the dead on a Sunday.
Don't fly by that. Jesus of Nazareth was dead, then was alive. It was a Sunday. That's why, historically, Sundays have been "little Easters" throughout the Christian year.
You know what else? I can't find a single thing about encountering God the Father, Jesus the Son, or the Holy Spirit that is normal. Every Sunday is an opportunity to encounter the eternal God of the universe. Every Sunday.
If you've heard other excuses, share them. I'd be glad to see if I can offer a thoughtful response!
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