What type of worship is meaningful to you?

[Neil D]

Was reading the article that 20 and 30 somethings are not plentiful in our church due to the lack of meaning in worship....and I had to ask, What type of worship is meaningful to you?

Is worshipping of God something that you prise over EVERYTHING? If so, what makes it that way? If not, why not?

Is 'meaningful worship' something that should be prized over everything?

And what time of worship would be MORE meaningful to you? Define the phrase "meaningful worship" and give examples of both private and public 'meaningful worship".

[Robert]

Romans 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.

[phkrause]

Well I would say pretty good thinking dgrimm, most of what you mentioned I also enjoy. I actually prefer going earlier to church, like when they have early worship, around 8 in the morning, than we have SS. I do like SS more the the worship service. I think that we spent to much time with preliminary's and the sermon's get to be real long. I think even EGW says that sermon's should not be to long.

pk

[GreatLakesGramma]

One couple in our church now and then attends Sabbath services at the "Yahweh House of Prayer". Their entire morning service is a testimony service. All ages attend together, and everyone is allowed to share whatever God has laid on their hearts during that week, whether a testimony, a song, a praise, a poem, words of insight or exhortation, etc. Even the children and those who are, as this man told it, "one rung short of a ladder" are allowed and encouraged to take their turn.

To me, this would be the most meaningful worship there could be. This would build up and edify the church more than a thousand sermons. This is the kind of service Sister White said most of our church services should be, and if our church would follow this plan, I believe it would come alive. There would be no problem with keeping young people. So long as there were no pressure on the timid and shy to participate, we would only lose those who want only to sit comfortably in their pew and appear pious.

After the all-morning testimony service, the congregation has a light fellowship luncheon, then they have a preaching service. To me, this seems a bit too much, to spend the entire day indoors. If I had a choice, I'd opt for the testimony service and skip the preaching service most of the time. Sermons are good too, but not at the expense of spending more private time with family and/or close friends on Sabbath, especially out in nature.

Worship wasn't meant to be something we sit and passively observe. I don't actually feel like I'm worshiping sitting and listening to a sermon. My time alone with God is much more meaningful.

[GreatLakesGramma]

I think even EGW says that sermon's should not be to long.

pk

She also said that the prayers should not be too long, and that the sermons should be such that even children can understand them.

[Woody]

What worship is meaningful?

WEll ... I can tell you what kind it NOT.

My wife went to church today. Yes, I know it's Sunday ... but hey ... ya gotta check out the competition.

She told me that this Sunday church was so LOUD that the chairs were literally vibrating. And you could not hear yourself think. For certain the drums etc were so loud that you couldn't hear the words to the songs.

Now ... I may be liberal in some ways ... but I think that is a bit much. I don't go to church to get a headache.

If you can't hear the words to the music ... then it is most likely praising someone other than God in my book.

[phkrause]

Nothing wrong with that, that is going to church today. But I agree if you can't even hear yourself think or sing than the music is to loud. You get that at a rock concert or at sporting events. Its one of the things I dislike about the our worship service is the organ, its so loud that you can't even hear yourself sing!

pk

[GreatLakesGramma]

I couldn't agree with you more, Redwood.

Some people have the attitude - not accusing anyone here, mind you, but definitely thinking of certain individuals I know personally - that if you aren't calling out Amens during the sermon, being vocal and expressive about your faith, you aren't truly converted. That is a bunch of hogwash! (I hope that word doesn't get censored.) God doesn't change people's temperaments when they are converted. He made us all different, because He WANTS us to be different.

I am by nature a quiet and reserved person. It's no different with my relationship with God than with any other aspect of my life. Not even my husband and kids can always tell when I am excited, even very excited. I don't express myself that way. It's not natural for me. To say "amen" during a sermon, unless the pastor asks for it, feels to me like I am drawing attention to myself. So I don't do it. But sometimes I do some pretty vigorous head nodding.

I'm not trying to say that the church service Redwood told about is OK for people with more outgoing temperaments though. Stirring up intense feelings with loud music and a heavy, driving beat is not worship, it's emotional manipulation. It's a counterfeit.

[GreatLakesGramma]

PK, any time a church organ is so loud I can't hear myself sing, I can't tell if I'm hitting the rights notes or not, so I don't sing. Thankfully, that is never a problem in our church. Most of the time, we only have piano accompaniment for church. It's rare for someone to play the organ.

[phkrause]

I know this is not what you mean but I always enjoyed, when I lived in NY, going to African American churches from time to time. I enjoyed those amens and the soulful singing. The music was never louder than the singing. This does not take away from what you said.

pk

[GreatLakesGramma]

You're right. I don't have a problem with other people calling out their amen's in church. It just doesn't feel right for me.

[phkrause]

pk