Questioning Sunday Morning Worship

As I stand out front most Sunday mornings and greet you before worship, I have often wanted to do a 'man-on-the-street' style interview, catching you unguarded, and ask what's going on in your mind as you come to worship this morning.  What's your attitude coming in?  What are you hoping this morning will be all about?  What will make this a good day in worship for you?

I want to challenge us all as we come into worship (or any church event, for that matter) to consider how our attitudes, perceptions, and expectations may change if we walk in with hopeful, anticipatory attitudes that ask, "What is it that God has got to say today?"

This may be hard, because we have been conditioned to think that what makes a 'good' worship service is 'if we like it' or 'if I get something out of it' or 'if it's the right style, music, and preacher that I want.'

Honestly, I think it gets down to how we view the reality of the resurrected Lord.  Are we inspired to expect a miracle that is far beyond our imagination, or are we trapped in a mindset that says there's no way the tomb could be empty, because dead people simply don't rise?  Mary Magdalene initially missed Jesus at the tomb because she wasn't expecting to see him there.

What are we missing on Sunday mornings (and at other times when the faithful gather) because we are caught up in what 'should happen' as opposed to 'what is it that God is going to do that we couldn't possible imagine?'

It's an important question to keep in mind as we journey through this next season of our shared life together.

Grace and Peace, Lamar