Woody Allen once observed that “ninety percent of life is just showing up.” Unfortunately, many Christians take this approach to worship. They figure that if they simply “show up” at the appointed hour and occupy a pew until the last “amen” is said, they have fulfilled their obligation to worship God. Truth to tell, most of us are guilty of this attitude from time to time. Let’s give some thought, then, to some things we can do individually to make our collective worship better.

1. Prepare the mind. By the time we arrive at the meeting place, each of us should be firmly focused upon the activity in which we are about to participate. Remember that when we assemble together in Jesus’ name, He is among us (Matthew 18:20). If you expected Jesus to actually be sitting next to you in the flesh, observing your every action and thought throughout the service, don’t you suppose you’d come prepared to worship “in spirit and truth”? Why not take the same preparatory measures knowing He’ll be with you in spirit?

2. Be ready to participate. Every Christian man should enter the worship ready to serve if called upon. Those who lead in singing should select appropriate songs prior to the start of services. Those who may be asked to lead prayer should consider what they will say if appointed: Who is ill in the congregation? Who is away traveling? Who may have other needs that have been made known publicly? Considering what we will pray beforehand helps us avoid “empty phrases” or “vain repetitions” (Matthew 6:7). If you may be asked to serve at the Lord’s table, consider carefully the words you will use to direct the minds of the congregation to Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.

3. Sing with the spirit and the mind also. Not everyone is blessed with a melodious voice. That’s all right; there is no command in Scripture that says, “Sing beautifully.” Some people sing softly and timidly because they are self-conscious about their voices. Get out of that habit. When you sing in praise to your God, sing out! Our singing should stir the thoughts (“teaching and admonishing one another” — Colossians 3:16) and the emotions (“be filled with the Spirit...making melody in your heart to the Lord” — Ephesians 5: 18-19) of everyone present. Consider the meaning of the lyrics. You are building up those around you when you sing, so give it your all.

4. Pray with the spirit and the mind also. Public prayer is not a spectator activity. Although in worship one individual may pray out loud, all worshippers should be praying, allowing the words of the one leading to direct their minds to those things worthy of petition before God. It is not a time to permit our focus to wander; after all, how can we say “amen” to the prayer if we don’t know what the leader has said (1 Corinthians 4:16)?

5. Examine yourself. Reflect upon the gravity of the task set before us in the Lord’s supper. “But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body” (1 Corinthians 11:28-29). Those serious words of warning should cause us to think carefully when we reach the portion of the service when the Lord’s supper is served.

6. Give attention to the sermon. People today have short attention spans. It’s a chore to sit and listen for forty solid minutes. But recognize that Jesus Christ is the Word of God (John 1: 1-5, 14), and that it is by Him that God speaks to us today (Hebrews 1 :2). Therefore, when the gospel is preached, we are standing on holy ground. Consider the words that God speaks to us; note them that you can study them and meditate upon them through the week. The preacher is not inspired by God, but the Scripture is (2 Timothy 3: 16-17)

We should accomplish more during our worship time than just “showing up.” Let’s all genuinely participate in the worship of God, in the measure and means appointed to us.