I have no idea how old the "Church Etiquette" advice I found in this old newspaper clipping is, but, other than a reference to a worship order "book" being used, the advice and reasoning still stand firm.
1. COME - Never miss church unless it is absolutely necessary. George Washington's pastor said of him, "No company ever kept him from church."
2. COME EARLY - Rushing into church the last minute is not conducive to true worship.
3. COME WITH YOUR WHOLE FAMILY - The church service is not a convention that a family should merely send a delegate.
4. TAKE A PLACE TOWARD THE FRONT OF CHURCH - Leave the rear seats for those who may come late and for backsliders and mothers with children.
5. BE DEVOUT - The church is not a theater or place of amusement. You come to worship God, not to whisper, lounge, or sleep. God's house deserves our very utmost reverence.
6. HELP STRANGERS TO FIND AND FOLLOW THE SERVICE - If they have no book, share yours with them. Sing! Join in the worship! Don't just sit!
7. ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT STRANGERS ARE THE GUESTS OF THE CHURCH MEMBERS - Treat them with the same courtesy as you would if they should visit your home.
8. GIVE A GOOD OFFERING TO GOD - God loveth a cheerful giver. Freely ye have received.
9. NEVER RUSH FOR THE DOOR after the benediction as though the church were on fire. Speak and be spoken to. Be congenial.
10. NEVER STAY AWAY FROM CHURCH BECAUSE THE CHURCH IS NOT PERFECT - How lonesome you would feel in a perfect church.
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Truth is...This list was apparently constructed with the assumption that the purpose of a Sunday morning worship service is not to benefit or entertain those who attend but to honor God and expand his kingdom.
And that's a good thing.
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