Seven Oaks Church of Christ
With a world of mass media, constant busyness, and rampant individualism many wonder why they should spend their time attending worship.
What is worship about? What should those who lead worship aim for accomplishing during it? There could be many answers, but I found this quote insightful by Eugene Peterson in Reversed Thunder a book on Revelation. This quote comes on p. 53 in his discussion of Jesus’ message to the Seven churches.
The church is the place where we come to find out what we are doing that is right; it is a place of affirmation.
The church is the place we come to find out what we are doing that is wrong; it is a place for correction.
The church is the place where we come to hear the promises; it is a place of motivation.
No Christian community can do without any part of this message.
We need affirmation, we need correction, we need motivation.
That is why a Christian should be in worship and a part of a congregation. Each child of God needs affirmation, correction, and motivation.
This process of these three things involves a Christians training. Peterson observes (p. 53):
The training takes place in seven areas (Rev. 2-3):
- to love (Ephesus)
- to suffer (Smyrna)
- to tell the truth (Pergamum)
- to be holy (Thyatira)
- to be authentic (Sardis)
- to be in mission (Philadelphia)
- and to worship, using things to praise God, receiving gifts to serve God (Laodicea).
The church should willingly submit to Christ in these seven areas pursuing excellence in them.
I hope you gather with God’s people for worship. Go with a heart that seeks encouragement (affirmation for what you are doing right), instruction (correction for what you are doing wrong), and promises (motivation and hope to inspire you to keep on keeping on)!
If you are not “getting anything” from church, then possibly you are not going looking and anticipating these three spiritual directions.
