There’s no objective standard of worship that a service can be measured against. Worship is primarily and ultimately about God – and God is not scoring individual worship services. What may look like an appalling service might touch an individual or a community and transform them surprisingly. etc. And vice versa – what may appear a brilliant service may be be just that, an appearance…
OK – that were some of the provisos…
Do you ever (regularly?) reflect on your worship services? Video them? Discuss them as a community? Ask visitors for their reflection? Try imagining what it is like for a new person arriving (from your website, newspaper advertisement, notice-board, parking, welcomers, onwards…)…
The Great Wellington Church Hunt is a 2008/9 journey around a variety of Wellington church services. Services are ranked on overall vibe, liturgy, getting involved, sermon, worship, welcome, coffee, why go here, why go somewhere else.
Do spend some time reading the site. Imagine how your community would be written up…
They list six churches they still intend to visit – but there’s no sign of them continuing. Maybe they found the spiritual home they just couldn’t leave for even another Sunday. Maybe they lost their faith. (Maybe the experience was so disillusioning.)
It’s a bit in the style of the mystery worshipper of the Ship of Fools: “they ask those questions which go to the heart of church life: How long was the sermon? How hard the pew? How cold was the coffee? How warm the welcome?
The only clue they have been there at all is the Mystery Worshipper calling card, dropped discreetly into the collection plate.”
What do you think? Do you review your worship? How? What ideas can you add to these?…
G’day all,
I’m currently between churches (long story) and I’m currently visiting a different church each week (mostly Anglican). It is certainly interesting. Some seem to go through the motions, some I enjoy. Some are welcoming, most try to be welcoming. Some need a letter from Paul.
However it has been an interesting experience. I could try to record my experiences anonymously / pseudonymously – however there are some churches where I suspect visitors are far and few between and as I tend to wear my name tag, they’ll know who to blame.
… and to those churches who put the name tags out for people to collect on the way in, but no-one does, don’t bother – it just looks silly.
BTW. Welcome back Bosco – you’ve been missed. I pray that all is settling down well there now for you and your church.
Dear Revd Bosco, your blog – understandably – has been offline for a while, I hope you’re ok, God bless you and those around you.
Thanks be to God!
You are back online. I have checked daily. Did not wish to bother you with needless extra email.
Praying that all is well with you all.
Praying for folks in the Japanese quake and tsunami, and now the further possibility of also a nuclear disaster.
Welcome back – the prayers have been that you would be back
as well as for the needs of the world in NZ and Japan and Libya and Bahrain and…