Hi Al,   Recently I read an article in January Gospel Advocate entitled Religious Revolution by Ken Joines.   In the article Ken mentioned "We need to keep our worship simple and biblical." I sent him a note and asked him why we consider what we do in our assemblies worship? He may answer eventually. Or maybe not.   I see nothing in the New Testament that commands or even suggests we worship. Jesus told the woman at the well, "... true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, ..." Paul said everything we do when we assemble must be for the building up of the "church."  Whoever wrote Hebrews said we meet to encourage each other to love and good works; nothing about worship except Paul's comment to the church in Rome that presenting our bodies a living sacrifice is reasonable service or worship. How is praying for the sick worship, or listening to the preacher worship (edification, hopefully) or how is singing to each other worship? Jesus told his followers to eat and drink in remembrance of Him. Remembering and worship are different functions, aren't they? We attend memorial services and do not consider that worshiping the deceased.   With the Christian Chronicle reporting the Church of Christ is shrinking it may be a good time to accept that our assemblies do not edify, do not encourage love and good works,  and  certainly do not encourage evangelism and have not done so for a very long time, if ever, since the first century.   If our assemblies were accomplishing what they should maybe our concerns would be different. Length of services is a subject of discussion in all denominations and sometimes heated discussions so in that area we are all the same, enough is enough.   Some of our neighbors in Ohio were German Baptists, Old Order. Sunday was their day. Their assembly would last 2, 3 hours. They would then adjourn to houses where they spent the day, together. They liked being together. They had to. They were a minority. If they were to see another German Baptist during the week they had to make an effort and they did. Some of us have Wednesday evenings. Most do not.   Do you ever wonder what the church could do if we really liked each other? At the GSMCOC specifically try to get three families together other than on Sunday. We do not have time for each other. Don't people who like each other make time to get together?   Maybe if we really understood the purpose of the assembly and the assembly accomplished what it was supposed to maybe our concerns would be different.   Sometime could you explain the verses that cause us to consider our assemblies "worship" and how much worship is not enough and how much is too much? Regards, John Jenkins 865-803-8179 cell Gatlinburg, TN Email: jrjenki@yahoo.com  Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com  Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/ Gregor Mendel Giving Peas a Chance Since 1856