The Health of Our Church Is More Important Than Our Size and Comfort

I found this interesting and insightful perspective on worship written by Pastor Jason Robertson who was pastor at Murrieta Valley Church, Murrieta, CA. and posted on his blog, Fide-o.

Jason is now pastoring at Milldale Baptist Church and Conference Center in Louisiana.  

 

Blessed with One Worship Service

"About a year ago our church decided that we would no longer have two worship services on Sunday mornings. We made this decision based on our ecclesiology. We knew that having two worship services had caused a division in our church body and had robbed the body from enjoying the gifts and blessings of all of the members. Furthermore, we worship with the Lord’s Supper every Sunday and it was important for us to do so as one congregation.

So we did away with both our 8:00 am service and our 10:45 am service. We now only have one which starts at 10:15 am. In this one service our congregation is united in worship, Scripture reading, the ordinances, preaching, prayer, giving, and fellowship.

We knew this would cause seating issues and parking issues for us, but the health of our church was more important to us than our size and comfort. Six months later God blessed us with a move to a larger facility so that we could continue to meet as one body. The health and unity of our congregation has increased in ways that only can be understood by those who are in attendance.

I will write more on this subject in the future. But for now, I hope to at least draw the attention of pastors to this important issue of single vs. multiple worship services."

Go here for a little further reading from "The Deliberate Church" by Mark Dever.


Imagine that - a church that determines its practices based on biblical doctrines.  I found Pastor Robertson's second paragraph especially gripping.  You might have noticed; there is no drama, no dancing, no entertainment, no light shows, and no Starbucks coffee.  Those very things that congregations are supposed to do when they come together, (worshiping, Scripture reading, baptisms, believer's communion, preaching, prayer, giving, fellowshiping) are universal and those are the things that unite the body.  None of those activities require a church to offer different styles of services to engage and hold the attention of different demographic groups.  In fact, dividing a congregation by age or interest would be inimical to biblical worship.