Vertizontal – all about worship

I was looking forward to writing a post about our holiday Sunday. But, in the event, it was too painful.

As has become normal, we had our annual holiday in early June. We planned to spend the Sunday with a church I knew well, 25 years ago. I spent the whole Summer [of 1986] with this church. I haven’t been back since. I was excited as I drove the family there.

Twenty five years ago, the place was buzzing. It isn’t the biggest church building. It might hold 100 at a squeeze. But in those days it was packed full. Every age of person was present. People arrived with expectation. Young and old were gripped by the animated preaching. We all spilled out on to the pavement afterwards.

But now, drawing up outside, it all felt wrong. There were neither people nor cars in sight. The building – itself – looked sad. Inside, my first impression was – darkness. Perhaps they can’t afford electricity any longer? We were hardly 20 people. What’s happened? I didn’t ask. It was a sad and frightening Sunday.

I do remember the gist of the services that day. But my overwhelming thought [or feeling] was the contrast between then and now.

Back at home, we too are shrinking. Four years ago, the Sunday morning congregation was normally in the 60s and occasionally in the 70s. Now we are normally in the 50s and occasionally in the 40s.

What’s happening? It’s hard to tell when you’re in the middle of it.

What will we be in 25 years time?

We like to build our holidays around Sundays.

Our holiday location is guided by things like seeing old friends or relatives, being near a beach etc. But then there are always considerations like:

1 Preaching. Is there a preacher we’d particularly like to listen to? Let’s have a holiday near that church. This was particularly important when I was doing 80% of the preaching at Christ Church. I wanted to listen to really good preaching. Things have been a bit different since having our own Assistant Pastor. This year, Luke and I are taking [roughly] an equal share of the preaching. This means that, more than ever before, I am listening to preaching. I might say, really good preaching. And, therefore, I am less desperate when holidays come round.

2 Is there a small church we can encourage? – by being present, singing heartily, listening intently, and bringing back news of that church to our prayer meeting at Christ Church? Especially, a church we already know? So far this has always been in the UK but it would be lovely sometimes to encourage churches we know overseas.

3 Is there a big church it would be inspiring to join for one Sunday? We belong to a small church. Our children rarely taste being part of a great congregation with strong singing. Sometimes we’ve built a holiday around a big congregation to inspire the children – and ourselves.

I’m not saying these are the only considerations. Not at all. But I would encourage every Christian – my millions of readers for starters – to organise every holiday around Sunday and public worship.

we sailed from Philippi after the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and five days later joined the others at Troas, where we stayed seven days. On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight…     Acts 20:6-7

First hymn, Extra Tunes 1H, by Margaret Clarkson [all verses]

O Father, You are sovereign
in all the worlds You made;
Your mighty Word was spoken,
and light and life obeyed.
Your voice commands the seasons
and bounds the ocean’s shore,
sets stars within their courses
and stills the tempests’ roar.

Second hymn, tune Christian Hymns 198 Belmont. I don’t know where I found this hymn. The first 3 verses are by Charles Wesley. I added the fourth especially for our Summer of Prayer.

The Holy Spirit be adored,
who makes a church His home,
and bids us, each to each restored,
together seek God’s face.

Third hymn, Extra tunes 928, by Graham Kendrick [verses 1,2,4]

Please notice I think this is the first time we’ve sung this hymn in 2011.

The price is paid!
Come let us enter in
to all that Jesus died to make our own.

Fourth hymn, Christian Hymns 106, tune Rhyd – y – Groes, by Samuel Davies [all verses]

Great God of wonders! all Thy ways
are matchless, godlike and divine;
but the fair glories of Thy grace,
more godlike and unrivalled shine.
Who is a pardoning God like Thee?
Or who has grace so rich and free?

Sir Alex Ferguson wants to ban the journalist – who dared to mention Ryan Giggs – from the next press conference on Friday.

If he’s trying to protect Ryan – and cover a multitude of sins – all credit to him. But banning someone?!  For mentioning Ryan’s name? And, of course, it won’t be the first banning. What is he afraid of?

For a tough nut, Sir Alex is surprisingly insecure.

I hope, in the life of a church, there is room for anybody to ask anything. It’s the security of being family. Of having a Bible and the Holy Spirit. Of knowing that we are all works in progress.

Jesus Christ was very daring in His prayers. He knew He could say anything to the Father – like, “I’ve served You for nothing” [Isaiah 50]. We have Christ’s authority to be daring in our prayers.

If God will take daring questions from us – worms, we pastors and elders must learn to be unprickly and undefensive when we are asked challenging and uncomfortable questions by our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Of course, the stakes are much higher for the Church of Jesus Christ, than for a football club. Christ died for His church. But I hope we can be unprotective of ourselves [as individuals], even when we must protect Christ’s Church.

And what’s this got to do with worship? It’s a bit tangental – but I have never been asked so many questions about worship [and the whole of church life] – and why we do things the way we do. Sure, it can be uncomfortable. But it’s the uncomfortable questions which tend to matter most.

I’ve been invited to become a governor of our local Christian School called Bradford Christian School.

I’m all aflush with pride and importance.

The decision – whether or not to accept – will be made by the elders and the church. The main questions will be:

How much time and energy and adrenalin and excitement and imagination will be transferred from church to school?

If my pastoring is dented, should the church make that sacrifice for the school’s sake?

Is it good for the school to have a pastor or 2 on its governing body?

If so, why should another church make that sacrifice rather than us?

Will my ministry – and therefore the church – be enhanced by my involvement with the school?

Behind the questions is this:  We [Christ Church Bradford] believe that God intends every church to have at least one pastor who does nothing else. Whose life is given to the work.

“devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift..be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them..Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.”  -  1 Timothy 4: 13-16

The ministry of the word – the stuff of worship – is all-consuming. So I won’t be inserting my finger into a hundred pies and hobbies and committees around Bradford. My adrenalin is for one thing.

But is the Bradford Christian School a strategic exception? Watch this space.