I had a unique experience last Friday: I left a "Leadership Summit processing lunch" a very troubled man. I’m not at all used to that because typically I'm flying high after our team discusses what we learned! So why was I so troubled? First, because I didn’t effectively manage that particular meeting. Poor execution really bugs me and there was nobody to blame but myself. Second, because of a theme that emerged from a conversation we had about inviting others to our corporate worship gathering. We as a group of leaders seemed to flounder, even to the point of (apparent) division, over the issue of whether or not every one of us should invite the unchurched to our corporate worship gathering. As I left the meeting this observation came to mind (an observation that I hold to tentatively and then only to help me think): Many, maybe most, Columbia Ridgers experience little or no impulse to invite the unchurched to weekend worship; some, maybe many, may actually have an impulse not to invite thinking that it isn't their role or that it may be detrimental because it sends the wrong message. [NOTE: I don't believe that this is because Columbia Ridgers just don't care... I think there are other reasons for this that I'll explore here and in an additional post.] Others will have to assess for themselves the validity of the observation. I won’t argue with any who disagree because I’m only raising it to show how this particular ball got rolling in my mind. True or not, I’m glad I had the thought because it caused me to think more deeply about the entire issue. As Pastor of this exceptional church family, I am called to pay careful attention to the theology that shapes my own life and our local church, a church I have been called to nurture toward maturity (Acts 20:28; 1 Timothy 4:16; Ephesians 4:11-13). Thus, I reflected... and in reflection this question came to mind: Have I left us with an inadequate theology of worship? Just having to ask the question gave me a sinking feeling. I’m not sure that we understand that authentic worship in a healthy church is simultaneously an act of grace for those in Christ and a witness to those who are not. Paul dealt with an issue in the Corinthian church that points to this fact.

²³If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your minds? ²⁴But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, ²⁵the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you. ²⁶What 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. 1 Corinthians 14:23-26 (ESV)

Notice several important things here:

1. Paul expects that unbelievers (those opposed the gospel) and outsiders (the uninitiated, not opposed to the gospel, yet not accepting it to that point) will be in attendance at the regular worship gathering of this local church (v23).
2. Paul claims that an unbelievers/outsiders will be drawn toward God if the believers gathered together enter into authentic worship in an orderly, understandable, and orderly manner (v25: “…he will worship God and declare that God is really among you”).
3. Each believer of the body will have a special role in the worship gathering as they share the light that God has given to them (v26). This doesn’t happen exclusively on the platform, it happens as we move with each other in fabric of community before, during and after the ‘service’.
4. The end result of this will satisfy Paul’s command: “Let all things be done for building up” (v26).

Bottom line: We must understand that we are missing out on something remarkable if we rely solely on ourselves to witness to unbelievers: the power of the Holy Spirit moving in the gathered local church. The healthy church, gathering for corporate worship, is perhaps the strongest witness we could offer to someone. Because of this, it may actually be unkind not to do everything we can to bring our unbelieving friends to our weekly gathering (and once there, we can let God be God and do what he will with his word and the fellowship and worship he empowers). While I can always identify things that I wish we had done with greater excellence during a corporate gathering, I cannot think of any service that I didn’t wish that all of my unbelieving friends were in attendance. I can’t think of a single one because I have seen how God works in and through our congregation when we gather. I can’t think of a single one because the Christian life is a hollow shell apart from the local church, at least for me. I can’t think of one because I believe God’s word doesn’t return void (Isaiah 55:11). I can’t think of a single one because apart from the gift I’ve received in being part of our worship gathering week in and week out I most likely wouldn’t have a living faith at all today. Together we are, as Peter says in 1 Peter 2:9 “…a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that [we] may proclaim the excellencies of him who called [us] out of darkness into his marvelous light.” With regard to worship is he recalling passages in the Psalms that called believing Israel to gather in worship as a witness to unbelieving nations (e.g., Psalm 105:1-2)? Whether he is or not, we must remember that we have been given an incredible gift in being the Lord’s gathered and gathering people. It is a gift to receive his word and to proclaim his praises in such a way that it glorifies him, builds us up in the faith, and witnesses to the unbeliever. I'll have more thoughts that I’ll post soon. Until then I look forward to your comments.

²⁰Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, ²¹to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21