Corporate Discipleship
When I was a young Christian, I wasn’t very fond of the spiritual disciplines. They took time, effort, focus and well…more time. But as I continued attending church services and youth classes, my desires changed. I began reading books of the Bible without anyone telling me to. I watched sermons online on top of the message I would hear on Sunday mornings. My prayer life had even become more intimate. I didn’t know this at the time, but it was through the disciplines of corporate worship that my affections were reshaped.
Corporate Worship is Valuable
Gathering for worship instills a sense of purpose for both believers and non-believers. It is when many are gathered to seek, know and exalt the one true God. It is where the Word of God is preached and heard, and it is where many come to commit their lives to Christ (Rom. 10:17).
An often overlooked truth is that we are actually being spiritually formed every time we attend a worship service. As we find ourselves participating in the corporate disciplines such as prayer, confession, worship, we are being edified through a unique experience that only comes through meeting together. Following are a couple of ways you are being disciplined at your local church’s Sunday morning service.
Through Song
“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.” — Colossians 3:16
Corporate worship brings together the saints of God for a common goal: To worship, know and grow deeper into our relationship with Christ. Being with other believers is encouraging to our faith (Heb. 10:25), especially when we sing. The discipline is important and it forms the truth in a way that reaches the corrupted affections of worldly music. Some ways we can implement this is by providing theologically correct, diverse, and dynamic song selections. Pick songs that encompass the gospel, adoration, proclamation and response. Select songs that are corporate in nature and that endorse choral singing, so that the members will know the significance of corporate worship music.
Through Prayer
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”- Acts 2:42
Being a disciple requires prayer. Period. Praying corporately allows the saints to display and act upon their reconciliation with God. Meaning, they are now able to respond by speaking to Him as a group, something of which was not given in the Old Testament. The Bible tells us that believers are part of a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9). The corporate discipline of prayer allows us to be of one mind and one heart before God, something that cannot be achieved alone. Some ways churches can implement this practice could be through an altar call or by simply providing a time of silence for the congregation to respond to God in prayer. The discipline will teach them the significance of coming before God as a redeemed people and encourage those who are weak in their faith.
God’s Gift of the Church
Without a doubt, the church has reached numerous cultures by teaching them to obey all the Lord has commanded (Matt. 28:20). Corporate discipline is the mission of the Church. Without these corporate disciplines, we would look like the rest of the world. It’s a shame that some churches of the west already appear so.
The Holy Spirit has guided all of church history and the spritiual disciplines have always been present. We must not take for granted the gathering of God’s people as the author of Hebrews tells us. We have the ability to transform culture, if we would let the God (through the use of his Church) transform us. Let us be disciplined and molded to see what is truly good, worthy and honor of praise. We are all running the same race, and may all unbelievers be invited to see.
