Reading: Applying Chapter 13

APPLYING CHAPTER 13 

1. What day(s) and time(s) do you meet to worship? 

a. Why those days and times? 

b. If your answer is, “Because we’ve always done it that way,” is that still working well for you? 

c. What might be the pros and cons of adding, canceling, or changing a worship time? 

2. Where does your church meet? 

a. How much freedom do you have to shape that space to fit your needs? 

b. Could a change to the physical layout better reflect your theological priorities? 

3. Are there people who might like to attend your church who are unable because of when or where you meet? 

4. What one thing could you quickly do to your worship space to make it more functional, inviting or safe? 

5. What symbols are important in your tradition? 

a. Are they appropriately displayed in your worship space? 

b. Do you periodically remind your congregation of their meaning? 

c. Are there any symbols that should be added or removed? (If so, see question #7.) 

6. Do any decorations in your church add to worship, or distract from it?  

7. If you feel something needs to be changed, who might that upset? 

a. Is it important enough to risk that? 

b. How will you prepare for potential conflicts about it? 

8. What happens with children during your worship time? 

a. Is that for a theological reason, a practical or logistical reason, or just the way you’ve always done it? 

b. What might improve the experience for everyone? 

9. If children are not with their parents at any time: 

a. What is your system for contacting the parents if they are needed? 

b. How do you make sure the right children leave church with the right adults? 

10. Reread your answers to the questions in “Applying Chapter 2.” In light of this chapter, is there anything you would change or add? 

11. Go through each of the basic elements of a worship service with your church in mind. 

a. What can be improved? 

b. How will you go about it? 

12. The chapter lists four tensions about music.

 a. How does your church handle each of these? 

b. Is that the best way, or just how it’s always been done? 

13. Examine the way you handle receiving offerings and making announcements in light of the chapter. List any ways you might improve. 

14. List the special days your church observes. 

a. Why those? 

b. Do they help accomplish your vision and mission? 

c. Should you seek ways to make them fresh, or do people like the old traditions? 

d. Should any be added or deleted? 

15. Ask someone who is not known to your congregation to attend a service and tell you how your church looks to a visitor, or find someone in your congregation who started attending recently and ask them. If you can, visit another church with these questions in mind. 

16. Are you familiar with your tradition’s understanding of the sacraments or ordinances? How would you explain them to a new Christian? 

17. Think about weddings and funerals. 

a. For whom are you willing to perform them? 

b. Is there anyone for whom you will not perform them? Why? 

18. How can you use weddings as an opportunity for the three purposes of the church? 

a. To be a home for God (worship)? 

b. To raise God’s children (discipleship)? 

c. To invite everyone into God’s family (evangelism)? 

19. How can you use funerals as an opportunity for the three purposes of the church? 

a. To be a home for God (worship)? 

b. To raise God’s children (discipleship)? 

c. To invite everyone into God’s family (evangelism)?