Ever had that experience of a friend—never you, of course—that attempts to make a joke, only to realize that the timing of that was just a bit too soon to be laughing about it? For example, you see it in sports fans, making fun of another team’s struggles, only to discover its fans are still grieving. (The Seahawks Super Bowl loss to the New England Patriots in 2015 is still “Too Soon” for me).

This might seem like a “hot take,” but I wonder if inviting people that haven’t been to church ever, or if it has been a while—to worship at a church is “too soon.” I mean in the real sense of too soon, NOT the-making-a-joke-kind of “too soon.” That is, those of us that are part of a regular worshipping community don’t understand how strange worship can be. And, our default idea is to just invite our neighbor, co-worker, classmate or friend to church, and let that experience take over. It may be “too soon.”

Over the last several weeks, we’ve talked about how we enter into, and deepen, our apprenticeship to Jesus, and invite others to do the same. I’ve tried to make sure to articulate that this is not THE path, or the ONLY way it works. But, we do see patterns in the Bible, and in our experience, that often this is how things develop. First, we often CONNECT with someone or a group of people that are following Jesus. Then, if interested, we begin to LEARN through them and the Scriptures more about the person of Jesus. In seeing the example of Jesus, and hopefully the practice of that community, we may begin to SERVE out of the gifts and experience that God has given us. I’d like to suggest that there is another aspect of our apprenticeship that is WORSHIP—but that it might come later on the pathway.

In Matthew 28, we are told that two women—Mary Magdalene and “the other Mary”— go to the tomb of Jesus. An angel is sitting on the rolled-back stone that covered the tomb, and his appearance is frightening. The angel speaks to the women, telling them to tell the other disciples that Jesus is risen from the dead. While they hurry away “afraid yet filled with joy,” Jesus himself appears to them. He simply says, “Greetings!” And the women fall down and worship him.

It strikes me that the word “worship” is used sparingly in the gospels and New Testament as a whole.  The Book of Revelation uses it the most, which makes sense because it is portraying a vision of things to come—when the fullness of God’s plan is revealed to all of creation.  

It seems that worship in the gospels comes mostly after Jesus has risen from the dead. [aside from the Magi worshipping the infant Jesus at his birth and Satan tempting Jesus to worship him]. It is the culmination of seeing the power and plan of God that cause people to bow down and worship. The women in Matthew 28, and the disciples, truly worship when they fully witness the power and plan of God as revealed through the risen Jesus.

I grew up outside the church. I didn’t step foot in one until I was sixteen—unless you count the time my practicing-Catholic grandparents had me attend a service on a cruise ship. I still find it interesting that many people think the first step in inviting a friend or co-worker who may be seeking God is to bring them to church. My own story involved connecting with people who exhibited the love and community of Jesus, beginning to learn by reading the Scriptures on my own and in community. It would be much later that I joined in a worshipping community.

I do not mean to make my experience normative for others. But many others, Alan Hirsch being one*, write about how there is a widening sense of “cultural distance” between people now and the experience of church.

I wonder if seeing worship as a later stage in our path of discipleship to Jesus might make us more patient with others. Or, actually spend more time with them showing the love and grace of Jesus, before inviting them to church. It also may help those of us trying to follow Jesus more deeply, recognizing that we have not allowed certain areas of our lives to bow down to Jesus’ lordship. If this process has truth in it, perhaps we are all learning to worship the risen Jesus fully in all areas of our lives. It has been said by others that we all worship something, but to change the object of our worship might necessitate a longer process of connecting in community, learning, and serving. But—the good news is—that when we allow that process to take place in ourselves and others, the end result will be worshipping the risen Jesus.

*(See this article for more explanation: https://www.christianpost.com/news/alan-hirschchurch-model-reaching-only-40-percent-of-americans.html)