The following notes were written by David to accompany a seminar he delivered at our recent church Weekend Away. This is the second article in a series about the Weekend Away. You can read the first one, “A Story Worth Sharing” by clicking here.
David’s seminar discussed the question…
“How can I serve well when I gather with the church?”
Every Church member has an important role, not just those up front. Remember the emphasis in 1 Corinthians 12 about the body of Christ.
We are not like passengers on a bus, ship or plane, sitting back and having everything done for us. We are all here to serve!
Our serving starts before the service begins! For example…
- Prayer for the preacher and other leaders:
– as they prepare through the week.
– for good health.
– as they exercise their ministry during the service. - Prayer for ourselves, that we will be open to what God has to teach us through the various aspects of the service, especially through His word. Prayer that we will be obedient to God’s word.
- Prayer that I can be a blessing to others.
- Read ahead of time the passage which is going to be preached on.
- Arriving at church before the service begins:
– so as not to disturb others by coming late.
– so that I will be settled, ready to meet with the Lord.
– so as to be able to speak with others. - Making church a priority in our week, missing only when really necessary. (Hebrews 10:24-25) When we are away, we deprive others of our fellowship & encouragement & we miss out as well.
When we arrive…
- Look around to see who may be new, and be ready to welcome them.
- Decide where to sit, for the sake of others, not to catch up with best friends.
- Some members have the pattern of being quiet when they sit down; to pray, read the Bible and prepare themselves to meet the Lord. For some, that has been a long standing tradition. And that’s fine!
During the service…
- Pay attention to what is happening, particularly the reading of God’s word and the sermon. Have a Bible open.
After the service…
- Talk to someone you haven’t spoken to for a while, or ever before.
- If you speak with a new person, consider catching up through the week.
- Try and mention something in the sermon. Perhaps, “I found this challenging or helpful in the sermon….….How about you?”
- Stand away from the food table, so as to let others in.
- If you have small children, keep an eye on them.
- Do something towards the tidying up before you go home.
At home after the service…
- Consider sending some feedback to those who have ‘presented’ during the service: the preacher, Kid’s spot, Bible reader, pray-er, musos & others.
- Consider going on a roster for welcoming or morning tea/supper.
- Keep revising the level of your giving to the ministry through our church and then, missionary and other ministry support.
Some questions to reflect on include…
- What did I look for or would look for coming to a new church for the first time?
- How seriously do I take the church service I’m part of?
- How can I best honour the Lord when I first arrive at church and during the service?
- How can I serve the Lord after the service and when I get home?
Two books worth reading (Available at Koorong Warners Bay)…
“How to walk into church” by Tony Payne. ($10)
“The book your pastor wishes you would read, but is too embarrassed to ask” by Christopher Ash. ($14)
