We all have some type of
device to track time. On our phone. Our watch. A clock on the wall. Some even
spend great sums of money to have a grandfather clock to chime the top of the
hour as well as each quarter hour.
Time matters. We schedule
events for a particular part of the day based on time. Our favorite television
program or educational classes are at a specific time each week. We have meetings,
briefings, and other functions all have a set amount of time they last.
However, when it comes to
the life of the Church, we have a tendency to expect it to be regulated to a
certain amount of time as well especially the Sunday worship service. We have
allowed social norms to dictate worship to a one hour service.
People have grown accustomed
to that hour and now naturally expect that all church services to be one hour
and no more. Through that understanding there has grown a population in the
church that struggles to accommodate more than one hour. They become fidgety and
restless the moment the service gets to the 61st minute. They simply
cannot go “overtime.” Can we do something about this? Yes. All of us can.
We’ve heard the saying many
times, “Start on time, end on time, do
the right things in between.” There is
a basic expectation to start on time, but also not to waste the time.
Meaningful and thoughtful worship, well managed, can take place within an hour
that helps everyone encounter the Living God.
However, let’s be fair here.
The spirit of worship can be deadened, thrown off course, and greatly hindered
when announcements, exceptionally long sermons, and other parts of the service
are drawn out or “added in” at the last minute.
I’ve heard it said that “The mind can only comprehend what the seat
can endure.” Let’s face it; there are limitations to anyone’s ability to
sit still for a long period of time. Plus, there are some who have physical
disabilities and health concerns that challenge lengthy sitting in the pew and
even a comfy, padded chair.
There is much to consider
when church leadership doesn’t recognize or commandeer the clock on the wall.
Although we don’t want to rush, we must move along in a steady rhythm so as not
to lose purpose and meaning of worship. Sloppy, thoughtless, and mechanical
worship is horrific (if not blasphemous) regardless if it is within an hour or goes
over an hour.
1 Corinthians 14:26,
“What then, brothers? When you come
together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a
tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.”
We can all contribute and come into worship with the idea of participation,
engagement, and willingness to “give and take” despite the “exact minute”
displayed on the clock. Together, with everyone participating, we can make
worship both meaningful and within the hour. There is always an awareness of
time, but it still doesn’t dictate the moving of the Holy Spirit working
amongst the congregation in worship.
Having a clock on the wall
in the sanctuary is both a blessing and a curse. It has been a source of
contention for every generation amongst believers once the clock strikes
“12:01PM” and “we’re not done yet.”
You can trust that the
Pastor and worship teams are fully aware of the time and have your best
interest in mind when planning worship. However, understand that worship is not
regulated to 60-minutes, while, at the same time, it doesn’t enhance anything
by routinely going 20-30 minutes over the expected and usual end time. It is a
delicate balance that needs to be embraced with grace and mercy.
We must honestly evaluate
our hearts and examine the depth of our faith if it pains us to endure an
entire hour of worship on Sunday. If it seriously angers you or you begin to
build a hatred or resentment toward your pastor(s) when services end a few
extra minutes over a one hour time period or when something special happens and
the benediction is delayed by 15-20 minutes, then the problem is not the service….it is you. It has been
said, “If the service is too long it is
because your love for God is too short.”
I have found that the ones
who complain the most about “going over” are usually the ones who are “checked
out” before they even come in the sanctuary. When you arrive for worship just
make sure you are there fully prepared and ready to engage in the worship of
God and not distracted by “self” and the clock. We have to decide what is more
important…the clock or encountering our Living God (Joshua 24:15).
Don’t allow the clock and
“what time is it?” to become an idol that turns your attention and heart away
from God. Deuteronomy 29:18, “Make sure there is no man or woman, clan or
tribe among you today whose heart turns away from the Lord our
God to go and worship the gods of those nations; make sure there is no root
among you that produces such bitter poison.”
There are 168 hours in the week. That means that
one hour, plus a few extra minutes, in worship on Sunday gives us no reason to
complain when considering there is still 166-167 hours left for our use. A
worship service that goes into “overtime” is not worth losing our minds over.
Come to Church to worship and focus on God; not the clock. You have time, so
make that time count.