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website, “shipoffools.com”, describing itself as “the magazine of
Christian unrest” has a regular feature called “Mystery Worshipper”.
Volunteers visit churches in the same way as Egon Ronay inspectors visit
restaurants, though for radically different motives. The reports are
frank and often funny. I wonder what “MW” would report after joining
our main Sunday service? If we can look at ourselves as others might
see us, some of the headings are…
How full was the building?
Did anyone welcome you personally?
Was your pew comfortable?
How would you describe the pre-service atmosphere?
What were the exact opening words of the service?
Did anything distract you?
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy-clappy or what?
Exactly how long was the sermon?
On a scale of 1-10, how good was the preacher?
In a nutshell, what was the sermon about?
Which part of the service was like being in heaven?
And which part was like being in… er.. the other place?
What happened when you hung around after the service
looking lost?
How would you describe the after-service coffee?
How would you feel about making this church your regular?
Did the service make you glad to be a Christian?
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven
days’ time?
These questions mostly assume the visitor is already a
worshipping Christian, as I suppose we would classify ourselves. Then
we can ask them again imagining we are a seeker or lapsed or hostile.
And in each case asking how well our worship promotes the Kingdom of
Heaven, and how it can better do so?
With Lenten greetings, Bill
P.S. my new, unwise sermon quiz is:
Who said or wrote. ”Faith grows and develops by the sound
proclamation of the gospel, the correct administration of the
sacraments, prayer, love, suffering and the individual’s acquisition of
knowledge.” ? (Usual prize)
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