Public Worship or ?

Society is too busy to reflect and think. Benjamin Franklin often spoke of discussion groups he participated in on various topics of the time. You might be surprised how many of the authors I have read write about regularly scheduled discussion groups they participate in to discuss subjects of interest both professional and personal. Such groups expose one to new ideas and possibly cause the participants to consider other ideas than only those they come up with.

On the subject of elders, preachers, and worship what we practice cannot be found in the Bible and when challenged, we claim expediency or tradition without really exploring the subject. Examples are: the church is experiencing a dearth of preachers but suggesting men may want assistance to go and preach to the lost instead of being a hired hand to preach to the already comfortably saved and to run the local congregation, by proxy if elders are involved, is not tolerated. There is a similar lacking of men seeking to be elders, but suggesting that men do not find it appealing to be saddled with total responsibility of running a local congregation and all of the accompanying stresses is possibly even less tolerated. People do not want to consider anything other than what they already "know" to be "the truth."

"Public Worship" (on Sunday) is not a Biblical theme. John 4:23-24

" … But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."

does not command us to worship God. That text assumes that people will choose to worship God. The commandments in that text deal with how to worship God (in Spirit and truth). The woman at the well is obsessed with an ancient issue about where to worship --- at the ruins of a temple on Mount Gerizim or at the temple in Jerusalem. Jesus said the time is coming when the issue of where to worship will be irrelevant. Where will not be an issue, rather how to worship.

Most of our people have never explored worshiping God in spirit and truth. The phrase "in spirit" in John's gospel means the emotional dimension of worship:

John 11:33

When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled.

John 13:21

After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, "Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me."

while the phrase "in truth" means the rational / intellectual / factual dimension of worship (John 14:6)

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Most members of the church of Christ are opposed to emotionality in worship (no clapping, no lifting of 'holy hands', no "Amens", etc.). We favor a rational-only approach to worship. So, we need to explore John 4 in greater detail and let Jesus guide us into a balanced approach to worship.

Nowhere does the Bible say "Go to church to worship God." But 1 Corinthians 14:26

What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.

(in its context of verses 23-25)

If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your minds? But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you.

we are told that everything that happens in the assembly must contribute to the goal of building up the local congregation. Hebrews 10:24-25

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

tells us the assembly serves the purpose of mutual encouragement and motivating one another toward love and good deeds.

Community worship is one of the ways we encourage one another. But in an assembly context we do have five acts of worship. Preaching is not worship. 50% of most assembly time is preaching. Singing is not always worship (examine songs like Soldiers of Christ, Arise / Send the Light / Angry Words, etc.) Most prayers are not worship (70% of most public prayers is seeking God's help for sick people).