30 Minute Worship

Friends,

While traveling through one of the larger cities of our fine state, we saw two big signs hanging from the eaves of what appeared to be a prominent church. As the title indicates, the signs said -- in big, bold letters -- "30 minute worship." Now, I wish this was the first time I have seen such signs, but I saw a similar one a couple of weeks ago, so it must be a growing phenomenon...and what a sign of the times, if ever there was one. It just took me back to my high school psychology class, where Mr. Bolz, as we were are getting ready to leave at the end of class, would say, "Now we have another example fo the herding instinct -- moooove 'em in, moooove 'em out." Keep it clean and tidy...and quick. No loitering in church in THIS society. And we complain about 3 songs and a prayer, etc. Can you even get the three songs in (in 30 minutes with prayers, announcements, and preaching)??? By the way, many places don't believe in preaching in anymore -- no time for such nonsense. Now it is more of a 5 to 10 minute devotional in many places (if that...mostly just singing), even though, historically, it has been proven over and over again that no church culture can or will exist for long without a solid message from the Word of God. What's a person to do? As I have said, as Christians and churches, we need to be more in tune with our postmodern culture, but this is a prime example of a "Christian" postmodern worship mindset and practice "selling (out) short." What's next? A 15 minute, poke your head in the door, say "hi" to the preacher and brethren and then...on my way, gotta go, too busy. Why bother? Unfortunately, this is what a lot of folks in our society already do. The most meaningful times that our family has spent in worship are the times when "Noon o'clock has been dismissed," because there have been more meaningful songs, prayers, message, or perhaps something special, like a baptism! Of course, many people get upset if we "don't keep the Lord on the clock," so to speak, as if He doesn't have the time for our worship...besides, we don't dare allow the other religious folks to beat us to the cafeteria
:-). The problem is not God -- it's us. We don't have or make enough time for communal worship and study, and it is just getting worse. I am not advocating a return to a 19th century, three hour to all-day-long worship experience. No way!...not now -- since we have been well-trained by our 8-minute-interval media ravaged society. What we do need is to be more vibrant, spiritually discerning in our worship, but when we make it "a rush" we are diminishing the worship experience. That's it and that's all for now. Forgive the facetiousness ;-), but, there is just a perfect time and place for it -- long live satire!

Don