Worhip Takes Preparation

Every worship service in our church is an event. If it is truly worship there will be an encounter between God and the people present. That encounter may inspire and motivate, anger and infuriate, challenge and confront, or lead to a life changing transformation. If we have truly encountered the Living God, we may feel very good about the experience, or we may not. It depends upon our response to the call of God's presence.

It is possible to attend a worship service and not personally have an encounter with God. It is possible that only one or two people will be touched by God's presence in a significant way, on any given Sunday. The measure of the significance of a worship service is not that it made us feel good, or that it was entertaining. If during a worship service, we totally withdraw into ourselves we miss an important part of worship.

When we come to participate in public worship: We can either “spend” our time in Worship, or we can “invest” our time in Worship. Time “spent” in worship is gone forever. Time “invested” pays dividends of enduring value.

Spending time is passive. Investing time will transform our lives and the lives of the others around us. Spending time in Worship is to come just hoping that something will be important to us. Investing time in Worship means coming prepared to learn and to give. Investing time makes Worship a participation sport.

The most powerful worship experiences occur when the participants create an environment of praise, celebration, meditation, and personal decision. That environment gives God glory. It touches our hearts. It links us with the saints of the church throughout the centuries. It lifts us in the presence of the Living God. We know that something important has happened. We know God is with us.

For some in Ankeny Christian Church, this kind of vibrant worship happens frequently. For others, it is less common. A few never experience it, at all.

Here are some suggestions to make Worship an investment:
1. Prepare. Read Scripture text. Write the check for your offering. Think about what you can do to encourage those who will be around you to see God. Think about the needs in your life. Is God at the top of your list of needs? What kind of person have you been since the last time you worshiped? Come to worship prepared to give and to learn.
2. Participate. Sing the songs. (or at least open the book and look at the words.) Try the new songs. (OK, some really are pretty bad, but many are wonderfully good. Most grow on you.) Take notes. You'll learn more from the sermon. If you feel moved, say an “Amen”. Listen for God's call. Feel his Spirit moving among his people. Rejoice in being there. Expect a blessing.
3. Open up to God. Open the door to your heart for Him. Resolve to change the things that you can change. Accept those things you cannot change, and turn them over to Him. Look for doors He has opened for you.