Americans have a problem with worship. The problem? They may be going to church, but they are not connecting with God.
A survey by Barna Group a couple years ago showed that while most people can recall a “real and personal connection” with God while at church (66 percent), they also reported that these connections are “rare.” Among those who attend church every week, less than half (44 percent) say they experience God’s presence. And one-third of those who have attended church report never feeling God’s presence in a worship gathering.
But “experiencing God” is a wishy-washy, emotional, and subjective idea, you might argue. We’re in the business of transforming lives. Well, the Barna study has a dose of reality for you, too.
The survey also probed the degree to which people say their lives had been changed by attending church. Overall, one-quarter of Americans (26 percent) who had been to a church before said that their life had been changed or affected “greatly” by attending church. Another one-fourth (25 percent) described it as “somewhat” influential. Nearly half said their life had not changed at all as a result of churchgoing (46 percent).
Looks like the church has some work to do! Or maybe what is needed is a change in expectation of those who attend church.
A telling revelation from these “disconnected worshipers” is that the driving motivation behind their attendance at worship is to have “a pleasing experience.” In other words, the purpose of worship is to satisfy or please them, not to honor or please God. Worship is something they do for their own personal benefit and pleasure.
“Good worship” is defined by this group in numerous ways, but mostly people cite things such as singing songs or hymns they like, hearing a good sermon that they understand or rate favorably (it is comforting or helpful), getting to interact with friends, or having successfully placated God through their voluntary attendance.
Amazingly, few pastors surveyed gauge the value of worship by outcomes such as “sensitivity to the Spirit of God,” or “facilitating a worshipful environment,” or “fostering God’s presence.” The typical pastor (according to the survey) is most concerned about the perceived value of the sermon.
The survey indicates that most people attend worship events expecting to experience outcomes such as comfort, predictability, professionalism and satisfying interpersonal relationships. Very few are looking for divine confrontation.
I was taught that the purpose of worship is to please God, that “good worship” grows out of our thirst for an encounter with God and an eagerness to express gratitude and praise to our Creator. I go about planning worship constantly reminding myself that through this experience we open ourselves to an encounter with God that brings to light possibilities for service in ways we often would never identify on our own, or perhaps even resist. Of such is the power and promise of worship.
If some are “missing” the connection with God in worship, perhaps the problem is with their expectations going in.
The Rev. Frank Everett is pastor of Greenfield Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). This weekly column is written by local clergy members.
