Don’t plan your worship services to attract people — plan your worship services to attract God.
I hope this quote from a while back was just a poor choice of words on the part of a former president of the Southern Baptist Convention. If not, I find this statement concerning.
Can you think of a story in the Bible in which people planned a “worship service” in order to attract their god? I can, only it wasn’t Peter or Paul or Samuel or Moses. It was the 450 prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18:20-40 who ranted and raved and jumped around and cut themselves in an attempt to “attract” their god and get him to show up and answer them.
Christians worship an omnipresent God. That means God is everywhere. We don’t need to do anything to “attract” Him, conjure Him up, or even “welcome” Him into our worship services. He is already there.
What we need to do is plan worship services that honor God. Worship services in which we humble ourselves before Him, confess our sins, cry out to Him in prayer and praise, give our offerings to Him, and hear from Him as His word is preached. Worship services in which He is King and we bow the knee to Him. Worship services in which He must increase and we must decrease.
The idea of “attracting God” makes God small. Less than who He is. It makes His presence dependent on us and our actions. It puts us in the driver’s seat, in charge, over God.
And that is exactly the wrong place for us to be. Especially in a worship service.
Michelle Lesley 
Amen
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I am thankful for you Michelle!
At first glance of that quote I would have agreed with it. I have been a Christian for 45 years and have been ashamed but thankful for the way the Lord is convicting me to be more discerning and alert of false teaching! He is using you and so many others. Thank you for your courage and obedience!
Former president?! My pastor for 30 years was Ronnie Floyd. I go to cross church in Springdale AR.
I have a good friend at our church and she is the one who shared your website with me. We have many good things at are church but are definitely seeing many things creep in that are alarming. Thank you again for leading and doing the hard work. I’m praying for discernment so I am more able to see these things myself. Again I have felt very convicted at my naivety and laziness.
With love and appreciation, michele Tollett
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Hi Michele-
Thank you so much for your kind words. I rejoice with you at the work God is doing in your life! :0)
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Thanks so much for a much needed post! Confirms exactly how I feel based on what I’ve been seeing. Nowadays it’s like people have to work up an atmosphere which is more feelings based rather than biblical truth. I can’t help but feel empty and shallow in those kind of settings as usually the songs sung come from (bethel/hill song /elevation, etc )where people are indoctrinated by their songs.
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