Does a great series make a great church?
I’ve been wondering that recently.
We put a lot of work into the different Sunday series. We lay it out for titles that pop, visuals that capture, music that moves, and, hopefully, messages that connect.
Some of the ones I feel best about over the last couple of years include Oddballs, Loved, There’s An App For That, and The Fight Of Your Life. And I’m delighted with the way that the current Text Message on Sunday mornings has led to ConTXT on Sunday evening.
But does all that effort (and for the music and visuals, at least, all that skill) lead to a stronger, better, more holy congregation? Do folks know the Scriptures better and live them out accordingly? Are they better spouses, parents, children, and neighbors as a result of what happens in our Sunday gathering?
I suppose I’m really wondering this: does what happens on Sunday in our Worship Center really matter?
Some days, I answer all those questions affirmatively.
Other days, not so much.
This day, I’m sort of in the middle.
But I think as we listen ever more for the Spirit’s call, the questions are worth asking.
There are 5 comments
Unforunately our schedules have caused us to be out of town on several recent Sundays and that continues for the next couple of weeks. Let me assure you, what happens in the Worship center matters and is missed when we cannot attend.
The thoughts and changes that take place because of your messages are not replaced in individual worship or simply at another church.
Missing, empty, unfulfilled, guilty, a Sunday with less meaning. Those are the thoughts I have when not being able to “be there”.
The lack of large attendence swings further proves that your leadership and the worship teams efforts matter…a lot. Thanks.
I think I pushed “enter” too fast! That last comment was from Tom Walker,
It does matter. Every ounce of effort put forth by church staff and volunteers to make a series come to life allows people to experience Jesus. There is such beauty in each of the details that come together in a series, those details reflect Jesus Christ. They give people an opportunity to focus on what really matters—the message. The whole point of church is for people to join together in fellowship to experience Christ through worship and His word, and while a good series doesn’t always make a good church, I believe that in the case of Good Sheperd it does. Not because there are good series at Good Sheperd but because the intent behind each series is obvious, to feel, taste, and see that the Lord is good.
I have wondered why we do the series thing with all the banners and fancy bullitens, etc. I just wonder if it’s necessary. I just love your messages and what you have to say that it wouldn’t matter to me if it were in the series or not. You really have a way of making it all “make sense” in you messages. So personally I don’t think it matters if it’s a series with all the extra stuff or not. I look forward to Sunday mornings as if it were a Friday afternoon. I love to be there so for me yes Sunday mornings matter to me and my family. Does all the fancy extra stuff matter to me? Well it’s nice and entertaining, but if you didn’t have the message pulled from the bible no it would not. I’m more interested in what I learn on Sunday mornings that is what helps me grow in my faith.
I think those things really add a lot and in an environment such as Charlotte, NC where people are used to professionalism and even in a generation who enjoys the “glitz” I do not think it hurts to show that the church can be relevant in God’s Word AND put forth a professional feel.
On another note, I found this great article regarding a reference in your message “Ding.” Below is the link:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2009/aug/20/joseph-stephen-kimani-nganga-maruge/