I want to go deeper with our recent worship poll. I know some have the view that we should not seek opinions about worship. But as in many corporate functions, if you do not seek opinions and strive to address those concerns, you will not reach all of your desired audience. I WILL NOT water down the Word of God, but will tweak the way we present worship. I am of the mindset that there is no perfect way to worship God. If we need to, in order to meet the needs of those who come to Mt. Oak to experience worship, we will offer different services with different styles. We already do with the 8:45 and the 10:30 services. We can ad others.
I sincerely would like to hear your thoughts. Simply giving a grade to the service in a poll is one thing. Giving some concrete reasons for your opinion is more helpful. When I ask my wife each Sunday what she thought of the sermon for instance, she might say it was a good one or not one of your best. My next question always attempts to dig deeper. Why do you have that opinion? What would have made it better?
So far 20% of the respondents said worship Sunday was a 10 our of 10. Some questions to help determine why you would rate the worship that way.
- Which service did you attend?
- What was it about the service that made it a 10 for you if you can put your finger on it or describe what was powerful for you?
- Which service did you attend?
- What was it about the service that made it a 7,8 or 9 for you if you can put your finger on it or describe what was powerful for you?
- What could have made it better for you? What would have needed to happen or not happen for you to give it a higher grade?
- Which service did you attend?
- What was it about the service that made it a 2 for you if you can put your finger on it or describe what was powerful for you?
- What could have made it better for you? What would have needed to happen or not happen for you to give it a higher grade?
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13 comments:
I think that your numbers of respondents are too low to give a representative sample--it's only those who take the time to visit the blog--and then respond. If you truly want to survey the membership, include a survey in the bulletin, or at the exit door, with anonymity allowed, preferably.
I think the small numbers in here may be interesting but not useful. 20% of 5 people is still 1 person; 44% is 11 of 25. But I'm not even one of them cuz I'm just a critic (I don't do online polls)--still, I'm trying to be helpful, if not statistically significant.
As one who gave worship a 7... That is about MY experience, no the service itself. I came in harried, frazzled, and annoyed (one of my children was missing -- she had gone to the children's center without my knowledge), and had trouble letting that go. The music was wonderful, the message challenging, but I couldn't keep myself focused. There's nothing you can do or change to help me with that!
Thank you to you and everyone who works so hard preparing for Sunday morning.
Molly Holloway
Bruce, I agree with you about statistical significance. We usually end up with 40-60 votes on polls which is still only 10-15% of our worshiping body.
The post is really more concerned with the responses from the respondents - not the percentages.
Why would someone give a 10 or a 2? What makes worship significant to those who are responding? If it is something minor, even from a statistically insignificant number, we can make changes. If it turns out to be something major, we can seek a larger response through the means you suggest.
I agree with Molly, I too voted 7. I arrived late, my own fault, searched for my friend that had saved Tom and I seat and settled into worship. I agree with Molly that you or the praise team have little to do with how I rate a worship service. It is about how I feel about the message I heard. Not that the message wasnt good or that my favorite worship song wasnt played.
Some times it is just about where my head and heart are with God that leaves me feeling one way or another. Even today my friend e-mailed me to say how the message really spoke to her and touched her, I personally thought it was a good message but you have preached better ones. Does that make sense? Have you heard the song "What God has for me is for me and what God has for you is for you?" I think we show up every week with some thing in our hearts for God. I will tell you when you strike a nerve with me on something or subject where my heart is not right it is hard to give that day a good grade. I think on those days you might get a 1 or 2 and that has nothing to do with you but more about me!
Pam Lowry
I think the delivery of the messege was 8 +, I'm one of those "zoned-out" types that once 12pm hits, I lose focus, & I've heard about as much as I can take (me only). I'm also not a big-fan of multiple altar calls, "for Me only", I don't like feeling as if I'm encouraged to do those things, or feel as though I'm then an outcast when I chooe not to, (it's that feel will thing we are given) when in my own heart I've long ago made my acceptance of Christ. For Me Only - I don't feel I need to do that multiple xs a year, etc. But for others, I can understand the need to re-charge. We are all created differently, but by only ONE Creator GOD!
I gave it an 8 but it's really an 8.5. [I guess I should also say that the only 10 I would give would be worship services in heaven! Hhaha ;)]
I just think the flow was great. There were no interruptions, no major cracks in service. On my part, I came with a sense of expectancy that the Spirit would come, that I would learn something or reaffirm something I already knew. [I hope to keep up my end of the bargain every Sunday from now on!]
Then, from 10:30 to 12:30 I felt that as a body we were all focused on worshiping and getting to know the one true God from beginning to end of the service.
It carried on to the car ride home and filled me up with strength for a new week with some good Word to chew on!
I have 6 days a week to be a Christian on my own and/or with a small body through devotions, bible studies, services, fellowship, simply living, and small groups. But Sundays with a congregation of Believers, His Bride, I get the chance to solely focus on, praise, learn about, and pray to the Lord, the coming King with the Church.
That's what happened yesterday, the focus was solely and utterly on Jesus. Also, seeing those in the front during worship closing, I remember saying to myself, "this is our God". I remember thanking Him for we are His church; His Bride His beloved.
The realization was so apparent and I hope it continues from Sunday to Sunday until He comes and calls us all home! Not that we should recreate yesterday but I hope we continue with the same flow of service and openness to the Spirit's leading. Praise the Lord!
I thought the message was inspiring but the worship time really touched my heart. Pastor Ray inviting people forward and asking those who needed to leave to leave quietly really helped set the tone for worship. The holy spirit was present, I could feel him.
What makes a good service? Is a good service one that makes me think about what God did for me, or is it one that makes me think about what I can do for God?
Polls that focus on the individuals experience of a given service on a given day are subject to the individuals mitigating circumstances, their ride to or ride from church, how well they slept, the list goes on. Everything can go right, and a person comes away fat and happy with their perception of a worship service, particularly how it ministered to them, and another person can be having a trainwreck of a day, and leave the same service unaffected, untouched, and unhappy.
The mark of a good service, of a good sermon, of good worship, of anything that the Church undertakes for God's kingdom, is measured by the ripples that result in areas that God's Kingdom does not currently reach, and not in my approval or otherwise of the events. The Holy Spirit convicts and changes, he doesn't seek for market appeal.
I say this polietly, but in life it seems we have to compete,grade,compare, etc in almost everything we do as children and adults, perhaps attending worship, can be just that, attending worship/church call it as the terms fits for each of us. But it's our limited escape from the other 5-6 days of of grading & competing and having to achieve. So let's move away from a scoring system. Just something to view from a different angle.
I believe that Ray is simply trying to give us an avenue to lift our thoughts about worship. In my view, he doesn't have a need to be graded but rather a desire to hear if what is being offered, authentic for sure, is meeting the spiritual needs of the Body. If not, he has already shown a willingness to change the format, keeping the substance of the Bible sound!
Bruce,
The numbers have worked out to about what I thought. 55 votes which is about 15% of our worshiping body. Not a scientific poll by any means but an indication that 72% of those who attended the service felt it was an above average service while another 26% missed the service.
A small indicator that we are on the right track with the design of our worship services.
We want to reach the people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and if we "turn them off" by the style of worship we offer, we will not be able to share Jesus with them. They will have a wall up that will hinder the Gospel message.
I want to see Jesus more clearly:
Matthew 9:35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
Matthew 10:7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Matthew 12:39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:
Luke 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
Acts 10: 34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: 35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
36 The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:) 37 That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; 38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
39 And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: 40 Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly; 41 Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.
42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. 43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.
44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
1 Corinthians 1:23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
1 Corinthians 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
2 Corinthians 4:5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.
Ephesians 3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
Colossians 1:28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
...love Him more dearly, follow Him more nearly....
I'm with you Bruce. I want to see Jesus more clearly, every day! Developing a worship atmosphere that best brings us into His presence is a start. But until people learn to worship daily, moment by moment, they will not see Him more clearly. Don't you agree.
Romans 12:1-2 - 1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Until we love Jesus more than anything else. Until we seek more of Him and less of the world around us. We will not see Jesus as clearly as we say we want.
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