What I learned going to a different church for worship:
As a pastor I do not take a lot of time off but when I do, I do love to attend worship at other churches that are different than the one I currently pastor.
There are reasons for this. First, to not get bogged down in the liturgy of the church that I am already familiar with. I want to get lost in the worship. Second, I want to be fed up entirely spiritually in a different way than what I am used to. I want to be challenged and pushed in my beliefs so that I can have a greater understanding of other viewpoints on different texts. Third and one that is very important to me is I get to sit with my family. I get to worship alongside them. I get to experience the Holy Spirit with them by my side.
What I learn during these times is important to me in my own ministry. Things that I see could work where I am. Other ways of using a facility to have a more welcoming environment, more space to worship, and how worship differs in each place God is lifted in their own special way.
We each worship in our own ways. We may be part of a denomination like we are here at Silsbee Methodist under the Global Methodist church, or we are from a different denomination or from no denomination at all but within these speres of influence we each bring a different aspect of how God is working in and around us.
- For the man who enters with a mohawk greased down covered in tattoos he looks for an authentic place to not just hear about God but to come experience God moving and a place for acceptance and not judgement on his outward appearance.
- For the single mother tired and in need of a much-needed break as you can read it on her face, she comes for her children to see and hear about the community of faith that is eager to pour not just into her but her children also.
- For the worship leader that even though his life has completely changed recently, and the word family has changed for him, he finds comfort in his church family and sings of his Father’s glory, grace, and love for his children.
- For the person that comes into the back and finds the closest chair to sit in because they do not know what this church thing is all about and they do not know if they would be accepted, they sit and listen in hopes that they can hear they are loved and have meaning- but most especially urning to be acknowledged for who they are.
But what about me… What about you…
Is church more of a routine? Something we grew up doing and give it little thought too? Do we sit and think I have heard this text preached on so many times, just get to the points I need to know so I can be on my way.
I hope we come to be fed. To be encouraged. To be challenged to really think what does God what me to do with this?
I have pastored many churches, each different and each offering different spiritual and life lessons. Each I left with a different viewpoint of How God is at work.
May I be bold enough to say with the utmost clarity that we need to be refreshed from time to time. Attending a different church occasionally is not cheating on “our” church, it is experiencing a different way to worship, a different group of people being used to bring the gospel message to their communities. We do not go to church we are the church.
As a pastor I also learned when you say you are going to take a Sunday off to attend a church somewhere else be prepared! Be prepared for the questions. Be prepared for the whispers in the hallways. Most of all… Be prepared to come back rejuvenated and Fed-up to the top of your head spiritually to lead God’s church in a more powerful way. We all need to be fed all the way up, yes even us pastors.
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