Last Updated on October 21, 2020 by Stacy Averette

I’m troubled by the trend among Christians of critiquing the church service—the form of corporate worship— as if we’re all judges on America’s Got Talent. But here’s the thing: Corporate worship isn’t a spectator sport and we’re not there to be entertained. I’m not saying the form of worship is irrelevant or should never be evaluated and examined, but I fear that we’ve become so focused on the form that we’re missing an opportunity to experience the living Christ when we gather as His bride in corporate worship.

Perhaps changes need to be made at your church, but before you decide to look for a new one or give up on corporate worship altogether would you consider reading this short post about 5 Ways to Find Joy in Corporate Worship?

Worshipping at church is an important part of the Christian life and should be a joyful experience. Let us as the Church be able to say with the Psalmist:  “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go into the house of the Lord!'” (Psalm 122:1)

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5 Ways to Find Joy in Corporate Worship

1. Pray

  • Intercede for your worship leader during the week.
  • Intercede for others who will be attending the service.

I find it very difficult to maintain a critical spirit when I’m praying. Prayer reminds me that God always knows what’s going on, that He cares more than I ever could, and that He alone is all-powerful. In other words, I can let it go.

“Worship and intercession must go together, the one is impossible without the other. Intercession means that we rouse ourselves up to get the mind of Christ about the one for whom we pray.” Oswald Chambers

2. Practice

  • Worship God privately every day.
  • Learn to practice the presence of God daily.
  • Pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
  • Play music that exalts Jesus and sing along when you can.
  • Meditate on Scripture, speaking it aloud or just whispering it to yourself throughout the day.

Richard Foster says, “All this will heighten your expectancy in public worship because the gathered experience of worship just becomes a continuation and an intensification of what you have been trying to do all week long.”

3. Prepare

  • Go to bed early on Saturday night.
  • Choose/prepare what you will wear.
  • Gather your Bible and notebook and any other items you might need.
  • Get up early on Sunday and make time to read scripture and set your mind on things above (Colossians 3:2).
  • Be on time for the service or better yet arrive a few minutes early to find a seat and sit quietly and expectantly.

“We don’t drift in good directions. We discipline and prioritize ourselves there.” Andy Stanley

4. Purpose

  • Keep your focus on Jesus during the worship service.
  • Apply 2 Corinthians 10:5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
  • Accept distractions with gratitude.

“The secret of joy in corporate worship is not only preoccupation with Jesus and his glory — but also the happy awareness that we are not alone in having our souls satisfied in him.” David Mathis

5. Participate

  • Show up even if you don’t “feel” like it.
  • Sing to Lord no matter how you think you sound.
  • Sing along until you know the new songs and the old by heart.
  • Engage your mind’s attention and your heart’s affection on Christ.

“Worship has been misunderstood as something that arises from a feeling which ‘comes upon you,’ but it is vital that we understand that it is rooted in a conscious act of the will, to serve and obey the Lord Jesus Christ.” Graham Kendrick

May we always be ready to speak these words to our Friend and Savior, Jesus:

 

What helps you find joy and gladness in corporate worship?

Do you dread church on Sunday? Are you bored and distracted during the service? Has it become easy to find fault with the music, the environment, the leadership? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, will take a few minutes and read this post?

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