A Seemingly Slow Death: The Increasing Neglect of Congregational Participation in Worship - a podcast by Jonathan Michael Jones

In a consumerist society, the Christian
subculture has most certainly been affected. I confess, as a minister, that it
is difficult to keep society from affecting at least some of the practices of
the church, though often, we should strive for such a goal. One of the effects
of consumerism (I think) is the neglect of congregational participation in
worship. Recently, I visited a local church and noticed not just a few but many
people entering the doors late, texting while entering, drinking coffee, and sitting
in a casual position as if to be entertained. Those actions are not evil in and
of themselves. Nonetheless, they could be indicative of a greater issue: a
hedonistic attitude. John Piper has effectively turned the word, hedonism, into
a good thing for the glory of Christ, i.e. it is okay to be a hedonist if we
seek our pleasure through the satisfaction found only in God. That is not that
to which I am referring here.

            Let
us separate the good of political and societal individuality from the negative
impacts of individuality in the church. While God has made us and loved us as
individuals, 1) we are part of a larger body, and 2) we should not seek our own
desires but first and foremost the desires of God and then the desires of
others. The self-seeking attitude to which I refer is largely responsible for a
negation of congregational participation in worship. Rather than seeking what
one can do for the church, often, people seek what the church can do for them,
which has contributed to churches craving entertainment.

            Worship,
in its nature, is participatory since the corporate body is involved. Rather
than seeking entertainment and self-satisfaction (except in Christ), we should
strive to participate in the worship of God. It is not as though we have anything
of worth to give God; yet, he gladly accepts our offerings of worship and works
in us to conform us to his image. I intend to provide three foundations for
congregational participation here: a biblical foundation, a theological
foundation, and a historical foundation. My aim is that God’s people realize
the importance of participation found in the fact that the local church offers
worship to God, not just the leaders.

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