Corporate Worship vs. Private Worship

Oh yes, churches are very stratified. But you brought up an interesting point at the end that I want to touch on... "God, be merciful to me, a sinner" is *private* worship and that's how we're supposed to do our praying and spiritual relationship building. BUT - we are at the same time commanded to fellowship with other Christians, and (for me) corporate worship serves a function as well.

Corporate worship is about 1) accountability 2) relationships 3) opportunities for service 4) opportunities to learn 5) special worship (ie signing, communion). It was never SUPPOSED to be about being "respectible" .... but you and I are in agreement that the Western church is very soft. 'Nough said on that. :)

1) We've talked a lot about judging and accountability. The point of having a local church is that those folks KNOW you. They know where you are in your walk and what your weaknesses are and when you're straying from the path. Remember it was first taking a matter privately, then a leader of the congregation, then the congregation as a whole when first interchurch judgements were to be made? You don't judge Sally who you've never met and only heard of... you judge Suzie who you've prayed with, cried with, taken casseroles to.

2) It's about forming relationships - people you can call up to pray for you, people who will rush up and bring you food when you're sick, people to give an example to and get examples from when it's time to show your Allegiance, and when the consequences come a'callin'.

3) Opportunities for service - my church SHINES on this. If you have a talent you want to use for God, whether it's cooking, playing the accordion or hanging from your knees from a trapeze, they will figure out how to incorporate you and really make it useful. Teaching Sunday School and sweeping the sanctuary always need doing - and anything done unto the Lord is sacred.

4) Opportunties to learn about our Lord - Most of us get the bulk of our religious education from the church body - whether that's Sunday service or weekday Bible study or??? it comes from the church most of the time.

5) Special worship - Yes, you can (I do, sometimes) worship through song at home. Alone. I don't get nearly the lift out of doing it at home that I do in church, which is only partially that I can't hear and be distracted by my most unmelodious voice. You take communion in fellowship - can't do that alone. Etc.

And yet all of that can't stand alone. I'm the last person to point a finger, I rarely get to church (you know I was sidelined by irony ... I broke the foot dropping my daughter to Sunday School, most gleeful that I'd finally be able to return to regular worship as she'd passed the age of tantrums). It's the times I've been absolutely alone with the Lord and screamed and cried and raged and whimpered, spent hours reading verse after verse that would comfort my heart through the darkest of hours, got pushed to the wall and dropped down on my knees - those are the times when my relationship with Jesus has grown by leaps and bounds. And yet. I still get called to GO to church. Even though I can hear my pastor on the web... it's still better when I *go*.

It's "hard" to do both. No one I know spontaneously enjoys both sides, and yet everyone I know, after they get into it, finds value in both. But it's hard to go past your boundaries and come to the place of balance. I'll let you know if I ever find it. :)