It should come as no surprise to anyone that worship attendance is declining. This applies to most mainline Churches in general and to The Episcopal Church in particular. We're even beginning to see worship attendance decline in evangelical megachurches. Given the fact that participation in corporate worship is almost universally regarded as of the utmost importance among Christians, this downward trend seems odd. What's wrong with this picture? Let's review the teaching that has been handed down to us.
Scripture – The First Commandment is “You shall love God with all of your heart, all of your soul, and all of your might.” The Second Commandment tells us to “love your neighbor as yourself.” This is the foundation for the biblical conviction that the life of faith begins in and is sustained through Divine Worship. Love for our neighbor stems from our love for God. Such love is costly. It requires something of us. So has God's love for us. In divine worship, we respond to God's love for us and reaffirm our desire to love others in the way that God has loved us. In order to love like that, we need God's help and the primary source of that help comes through the experience of corporate worship. That is a thread that runs through the biblical revelation from cover to cover.
Tradition – The Episcopal Catechism describes weekly corporate worship as a “duty of all Christians” in which “we unite ourselves with others to acknowledge the holiness of God, to hear God’s word, to offer prayer, and to celebrate the sacraments.” In The Baptismal Covenant, we vow with God’s help, to “continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers.” The canons of The Episcopal Church make the expectation very clear: "All persons within this Church shall celebrate and keep the Lord's Day, commonly called Sunday, by regular participation in the public worship of the Church, by hearing the Word of God read and taught, and by other acts of devotion and works of charity, using all godly and sober conversation" (Canon II.1).
Why is our worship so important to God and what does worship do for God? It is impossible to say. However, it is not impossible to say what worship does for us. Archbishop William Temple said it this way: “This world can be saved from political chaos and collapse by one thing only, and that is worship. For to worship is to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God, to feed the mind with the truth of God, to purge the imagination by the beauty of God, to open the heart to the love of God, to devote the will to the purpose of God.”
Reason – People instinctively assign values, attach loyalties, and establish priorities. As we mature we expand upon those instincts and become more and more intentional through the operation of reason and the human will. It is natural, normal, and healthy for people to worship. Martin Luther said that whatever our heart clings to and relies upon is our god. Everything on Archbishop Temple's list of benefits of worship is necessary for a healthy life and vital faith. Whatever else we may decide to do on a Sunday, nothing benefits us more than corporate worship. Likewise, our private daily prayers sanctify the time, life, and space we share with our neighbors.
Experience – I should also mention that there is strength in numbers. The Greek word for Church in the New Testament is ekklesia. We usually say it means "assembly." It does, but even more it means a"n assembly that has been summoned out." God has summoned us to assemble in worship, yet on an average Sunday in America, approximately one-third of the members are in worship and that is slipping. Empty or less-than-half-full houses of worship speak for themselves. And what do they say? Take your pick from a wide array of possibilities, all of which suggest a weakening of fervor and devotion among Christians. What difference will that kind of message make to the enemies of God or to those who are seeking a deeper relationship with God? It just makes sense that full churches send a different message; one of strength and vitality.
So, what's the problem? – If scripture, tradition, reason, and experience call us to worship God and show us the benefits for the living of our lives, why is worship declining? Here are a few thoughts about that.
Dominence of Culture – Perhaps we have given our culture with its emphasis on consumerism, entertainment, status, and options too much power over our worship habits. We excuse ourselves or place the blame on various aspects of our secular culture: soccer, two-career households, visiting out-of-town relatives, T-time at the golf course, fatigue from a stressful week at work, the only day to sleep in, and the list goes on.
Erosion of Christian Identity – The Incarnate Christ calls us “Light” “Salt” and “Leaven” meaning we are expected to transform culture, not the other way around. Our influence starts when we refuse to compromise our allegiance to God, starting with corporate worship. Who we are and whose we are is defined and refined week by week as we gather in worship.
Competing Loyalties – Most important of all, the heart of our worship has to do with our relationship with our Savior. I remember a poster that was popular in the 1970's. It had a glass of wine and loaf of bread sitting atop a white cloth and the inscription, "Jesus of Nazareth cordially invites you to a banquet given in his honor." Our relationship with him is nourished and sustained through Word and Sacrament at a banquet at which he himself is our host.
Is that so strange or difficult to understand? Do you share meals with your family and friends? Is it important to them for you to show up at those meals? Does it impress them that you have excuses for your frequent absences? Do you think they might eventually begin to believe they are not as important to you as other people, pursuits, or possessions?
Relationships require something of us, especially the most important ones. Our actions provide the evidence of the truth of what we say about those relationships. "Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action" (I Jn. 3:18). Worship is "walking the talk." Your family and others who are watching how your faith is expressed in your life will know if you are telling the truth.
Skirting the Issue – One of the best selling religious books of our era is The Purpose Driven Life, by Pastor Rick Warren. Pastor Warren guides readers through a forty-day spiritual journey in search of life's purpose. The first words he has to say on the first day of the journey are these: "It's not about you." The rest of the journey is dedicated to the biblical revelation that we were born by God's purpose and for God's purpose. Along the way, he describes the necessity of worship, the heart of which is surrender to this God and his purpose for our lives.
This message is bound to rub people the wrong way. That may be a good thing because that reaction may prompt reflection on values and priorities. Even though I'm in the company of a best selling author, I am aware that the Prophets were run out of town and stoned for calling God's people back to worship. Jesus was crucified for saying things like, "The hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him" (Jn. 4:23).
Most of us who have been in ordained ministry for awhile have tried all of the less direct, "kid glove" approaches and they are not effective. We've tried to fix our sermons, our music, and our wardrobe to make things more "convienient," "appealing," and "entertaining." We've set attendance goals, assumed much of the blame for the behavior of people given into our care, and tried numerous gimmicks to coax the faithful to worship. And still, worship in our churches continues to decline.
So, let's try the direct approach. We have not been completely honest and we have not served the flock of Christ well by shading the truth. One of the most important and helpful things a pastor can do is tell you this:
God wants you to adjust your life so you can be there when your Church gathers for divine worship!
God will be pleased, it will strengthen the Church, it will enrich you spiritually, and it will help you love others. There is no substitute for worship.
How to Get Started – If you are still with me and have concluded that worship needs to be a greater priority in your life and that of your household, you may be wondering how to proceed. Here are some ideas.
Some may be able to simply decide to be there every Sunday unless prevented by some major physical difficulty like illness, disability, or you're snowed in.
- Others may make a commitment to make a more gradual change during the next year. For example, If you attend corporate worship once a month, try twice; if you worship twice a month, try three times; or, just decide that you will worship twice as often.
- Some may have a job or signficant obligations to others that make Sunday morning attendance extremely difficult or impossible. If changing your job or work schedule or finding a substitute for a couple of hours most Sundays is not possible, let your pastor know you'd like to help start a service at another time. Most of us will listen and try to find a way to make that work!
- Most church members could double their worship attendance and still not be there every Sunday of the year. I'm not a mathematician, but I believe I'm correct in suggesting that if places of worship are typically two-thirds empty and we doubled attendance, our churches would then be two-thirds full. Scripture, Tradition, Reason, and Experience tell us that would be a good thing for God, for the People of God, and for the world God so loved that he sent his only begotten Son. It could be the beginning of another Great Awakening in the hearts and minds of Christians.
Whatever you do to improve your participation in corporate worship will be a step in the right direction. It is time to reverse the trend and it has to start with a new commitment on the part of the believer. This is a call to worship.
Therefore, I join St. Paul in extending this invitation to those born of water and the Spirit, who bear the Name of Christ: “I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God – what is good and acceptable and perfect” (I Cor. 12;1-2).
