Benefits of Public Worship
“And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also He said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’” (Revelation 21: 5)
The text noted is prophetically addressed to the church regarding the end times. However, it is relevant today. The dawning of a new year is an ideal time to make a course correction. A distinct change is needed by Christians related to public worship. Empty pews indicate some believers are running on empty. Low worship attendance can’t in totality be blamed on COVID. Attendance had started declining before that. In the 90s the average church member gave three hours a week to the church. Now if at all an average is about 30 minutes.
There are several reasons for this. Foremost is that church has been placed as a lower priority for families with children. Crowded playing fields on Sunday confirm this. Children as players and parents as spectators have a new priority. Some youth are even on travel teams. Sports and school activities no longer defer to church time.
A second reason for a decline in public worship is people can stream a worship service in casual attire while enjoying a beverage. This too, began before COVID but has dramatically increased. Now, however, even that has declined.
Yet another reason is people have become insensitive to the need for public worship and have no conscience in missing. God is not responsible for guilt. Personal insensitivity to the urging of the Holy Spirit is the cause.
Some might simply say, “I don’t get anything out of church.” A lack of urgency and relativism is at times lacking. However, there is a great deal of Bible related preaching still offered.
However, even if worship did absolutely nothing for us, we still should gather to worship God for no other reason than He deserves it. A. W. Tozer said, “Sometimes I go to God and say, ‘God, if Thou dost never answer another prayer while I live on this earth, I will still worship Thee as long as I live and in the ages to come for what Thou hast done already.’ God has already put me so far in debt that if I were to live one million millenniums I could not pay Him back for all that He has already done for me.”
In addition to worship being an act of devotion and dedication there are spiritual/science benefits. In his book “How God Changes Your Brain,” Dr. Andrew Newberg provides evidence that worship can positively affect brain structure.
Even health science has taken note of this phenomenon. Newberg explains that faith placed in a loving God can prolong our lives, lower feelings of depression, anxiety or grief and give greater meaning to life.
Independently of its effect on the moral principles of the race, it tends to peace and order, it humanises and civilises, it strengthens the bonds of the social relation and brings out the best that is in persons.
Ministers would do well to rethink the form of public worship. Worship means to humble yourself respectfully before God. Emphasis on certain forms of music add little to this. Praise and worship music stresses praise, but adds little to worship.
In the dawning hours of this new year this is a grand time to renew your commitment to corporate worship.