Does this matter?
I have lots of discussions about worship. How long should it be? What songs should we sing? Are we contemporary because we use a guitar and drums? What is traditional? What is blended? Does style matter? Shouldn't we focus on God? Shouldn't we focus on new people? Should worship be evangelistic? Is worship for the believer?
This is an article that Bob Whitesel posted last week that has caused disconcertment in me as I have read it over and over... Yet, as a consultant he is watching growing churches and what is working. While I don't disagree with his findings, how could I, they are his. Isn't it just another form?
A few years ago, jokes were made regarding churches that used a plug and play:
Call to Worship
Invocation
Hymn
Scripture & Offering
Offertory
Hymn
Prayer
Special (that wasn't very special)\
Sermon
Response
Benediction
Will we not crack jokes in the future about the new plug and play?
I think the title bothered me the most: "The best celebration order to grow a church"
Here's what Bob said:
by Bob Whitesel, 2/4/15.
After almost 30 years consulting, I have noticed that growing churches have a similar and very concise worship order.
Here it is:
10:30 – 10:35, welcome and announcements
10:35 – 10:55, 20 minutes of uninterrupted worship
10:55 – 10:57, pastor comes onto the platform and asks people to pass the offering. There is no prayer, no special music, no bumper, just the offering being passed while the sermon begins. 10:57 – 11:17 sermon with two (maximum) take-away points
11:17 – 11:20 closing prayer
11:20 – 11:40 empty and refilling of the auditorium for another service.
Notes:
> A 50 minute service is the most common length for growing churches. > The hourly times are approximate.
> 10:30 AM on Sunday appears in my observations to be the time when most unchurched people still have available to attend church.
> These times are replicated regardless of what day and/or time the service starts: 8, 8:30, 9:00 AM, 5, 5:30, 6 PM, etc.
But, you get the idea regarding how fast-paced and concise the worship services are in growing churches that I have observed.
This is an article that Bob Whitesel posted last week that has caused disconcertment in me as I have read it over and over... Yet, as a consultant he is watching growing churches and what is working. While I don't disagree with his findings, how could I, they are his. Isn't it just another form?
A few years ago, jokes were made regarding churches that used a plug and play:
Call to Worship
Invocation
Hymn
Scripture & Offering
Offertory
Hymn
Prayer
Special (that wasn't very special)\
Sermon
Response
Benediction
Will we not crack jokes in the future about the new plug and play?
I think the title bothered me the most: "The best celebration order to grow a church"
Here's what Bob said:
by Bob Whitesel, 2/4/15.
After almost 30 years consulting, I have noticed that growing churches have a similar and very concise worship order.
Here it is:
10:30 – 10:35, welcome and announcements
10:35 – 10:55, 20 minutes of uninterrupted worship
10:55 – 10:57, pastor comes onto the platform and asks people to pass the offering. There is no prayer, no special music, no bumper, just the offering being passed while the sermon begins. 10:57 – 11:17 sermon with two (maximum) take-away points
11:17 – 11:20 closing prayer
11:20 – 11:40 empty and refilling of the auditorium for another service.
Notes:
> A 50 minute service is the most common length for growing churches. > The hourly times are approximate.
> 10:30 AM on Sunday appears in my observations to be the time when most unchurched people still have available to attend church.
> These times are replicated regardless of what day and/or time the service starts: 8, 8:30, 9:00 AM, 5, 5:30, 6 PM, etc.
But, you get the idea regarding how fast-paced and concise the worship services are in growing churches that I have observed.
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