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The Future Church – Greater Variety of Worship Experiences (#0047)

2009/11/05 By Greg

Looking into the Future: The Top 10 Changes for the American Church

5.    Greater Variety of Worship Experiences

Gone are the days when church growth simply meant adding more worship services. 

For years, the model was simple.  Churches held a single Sunday morning worship service.  If attendance grew beyond the comfort level of the leaders, then a second service was added.  The second service was a copy of the first.  The same was true for a move from two services to three or three to four.  If the number of services grew beyond what could be accomodated on a Sunday morning, then a building project was undertaken to construct a larger sanctuary, which would restart the cycle.  Within this model, some deviation between services was considered acceptable (i.e. different choirs or musical groups at different services), but the basic liturgy was unchanged. 

The new model is not a model in the traditional sense at all.  Instead, it is now and is increasingly becoming a different framework that contextualizes worship and emphasizes variety instead of uniformity of expression.  Even the vocabulary has changed from attending a worship service to engaging in a worship experience.  Rather than asking what the largest number is who can attend per service within the sanctuary, the focus is on keeping the size of each worship experience community under 200 people, which ensures that all are welcome to help plan or lead worship and all may participate in genuine fellowship.   Each of these small communities has great freedom, within the broad parameters set forth by the congregational mission and in working with the congregational leadership,  in crafting and continually adapting the worship experience.

So What?

Since worship is so central to the identity of a congregation, many are hesitant to consider change.  It is important to recognize the need for worship to be focused on mission rather than maintenance.  It is also key to note how this cuts across so many of the other changes in the top 10

  • 10 – Less Real Estate:  no longer are large sanctuaries needed that are used only for worship and for just 1-5 hours a week
  • 9 – Less Formal: the intimacy, focus on experience, and participation by many in leadership roles break down walls that formality constructs
  • 8 – More Relevant and Leading Edge: the rate of change and adaptation allows these experiences to remain relevant and to utilize leading edge ideas and technology in creative ways
  • 7 – More Functional (Ministry Teams & Task Forces): small teams of worship leaders, ideally that rotate, are essential
  • 6 – Inclusive: increased lay involvement in planning and leading of worship sets the tone for inclusivity
  • 3 – Relational: groups ranging from a few people to under 200 help facilitate genuine relational interaction
  • 2 – Experiential (Doing/Practicing the Faith): worship is about experience not attending (as we do a secular show or performance)
  • 1 – Discipleship (Not Membership): rather than counting worship participants, if counting is done it’s about those involved in creating and leading (living as disciples)

How often does your church evaluate its worship experiences? How many months (or years) has it been since a new experience emerged?  What do you believe is the purpose of worship? How do your existing and proposed or likely new worship experiences help fulfill that understanding?  What percentage of the disciples of Jesus who regularly frequent worship are involved in worship planning or leadership in a given calendar year? Is increasing that number a priority?

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Greg Smith

Greg is a follower of the Way of Jesus who strives to make the world a better place for all people. Currently, he serves as Chief Executive Officer of White Rock Center of Hope and as Interim Senior Pastor of Advent Lutheran Church. He has served ten congregations, taught religion to undergraduates for eight years, and helped three organizations provide quality healthcare to underserved populations. (Read More)

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