Every church on the planet has wrestled through more than a year of COVID restrictions, shutdowns, and online church. Our world has changed, and continues to change. As churches and leaders continue to navigate what ministry looks in 2021 and beyond, questioning the purpose of the corporate gathering should continue to shape the decisions we make, as well as the way we lead and serve the people of God. If we can safely and comfortably consume all of the spiritual content necessary for the maturity of our faith online, why would we meet in person? But do we believe that attending church is about more than consuming spiritual content?
Scripture certainly seems to think so… When we gather together, God is uniquely present with His people (Ps 22:3, Matt 18:20), we are reminded of the family to which we belong (Eph 2:19, 1 Pet 2:10), we are mutually built up and edified (Eph 2:11-12, Col 3:16), we grow in love for one another as witnesses to a watching world (Eph 4:3, Jn 13:35), we grow in strength for our mission (Eph 3:14-18, Matt 28:19-20), and so much more. All of this points to the reality that the corporate gathering is not as much about consuming spiritual content as it is about being formed spiritually - discipling the people of God. We are not just singing songs, not just hearing sermons, not just chatting with friends, we are slowly being formed as a people again and again, over and over, week after week, year after year.
Everything is formative (James K.A. Smith, lays out this idea beautifully in ‘You Are What You Love’). Part of being human is being formed and shaped in subtle and significant ways by an endless array of relationships, history, work, free time, social media, news, and our culture. Standing in contrast to the currents of cultural formation is the corporate worship gathering. In the corporate worship gathering we are re-formed, reoriented, as we recenter the entirety of our lives around the person and work of Christ. In the gathering we are being reminded of who Jesus is, what He has done, who we are, and who He has called us to be. We are being invited to behold Him once again, and to live in response to Him by laying down our lives as we are sent out on mission to love and serve Christ and His world.
As worship leaders, pastors, and church leaders we must see the corporate gathering as one of the most essential components of spiritually forming God’s people in their mission, in their understanding of the Scriptures, in their theological development, and in the cultivation of affections and desires for Christ. This is not a work that we can undertake alone, the deep, long-lasting spiritual formation of God’s people is only possible by the empowering work of His Spirit. But if we are to see our corporate gatherings spiritual form a malformed people, we must see a bigger vision, and be patient as we partner in the long, slow, deep work of discipleship.