The preaching of the Word, the use of the two sacraments instituted by Christ (baptism and the Lord’s Supper), and prayer. All these occur in public worship. As important as it is for congregations to bond together horizontally, person to person, it is even more important for the, to be united together in meeting face to face, as it were with the living God. 

There are many centripetal forces that tear at the bonds that hold a congregation together, so it is useful to be aware of them. After all, we live in a remarkably busy world where quiet has almost disappeared entirely. We are connected to each other and to complete strangers in a way that was almost unthinkable just a generation ago. Perhaps the most difficult task faced by a body of elders today is to get worshipers to silence and put away their mobile phones for an hour during worship. Who knows what we might miss in that time? In 2019 an hour has come to seem like a lifetime. Ironically, just as we are more connected than ever before people report that they feel more alienated from others than before. Thus, fellowship or the communion of the saints is no small thing.

One writer wants your smartphone to replace the worship service altogether. In a recent article this self-described, “online pastor” proclaimed “Church, as we’ve known it for the past few generations, is over.” In an article in Christianity Today Courtney Ellis argues that churches need a play day, even on Sunday, in place of worship. She notes the value of the communion of the saints away from church. She draws an analogy between the biological family and the church family. Just as biological family bonds are strengthened by doing things together, so too the bonds in a congregation are strengthened by being together, even playing together, apart from church.

Experience tells us that this is true for biological families and it is probably true for congregations too but as she makes her case for the value of being together outside of formal church activities she describes the approach of two church planters in Slovenia:

Lovse finds that occasionally replacing traditional worship with play can strengthen bonds of friendship and fellowship, especially in the group of young adults who comprise the bulk of his congregation.

“There have been times when we canceled our church service and all went out for coffee,” said Lovse. “When we grew distant and needed to reconnect with one another, through play we got to know and appreciate each other.”

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