Maybe bigger aint necessarily where it's at

An article in the Presyterian Outlook Dec. 7, 2010 takes up the issue of worship attendance, faith, and leadership. within that article, the drop in worship attendance over the past decade and a half is lamented as a sign of flagging relevance of and poor decisions by the church leaders (my interpretation and gleanings from article. (feel free to read article http://www.pres-outlook.com/reports-a-resources/presbyterian-heritage-articles/9472.html)

The author takes issue with church leaders (elders, and deacons) who have a less than committed attendance for sunday (or any other day of week) worship services. Laments the attitude that worship has simply become one of many activities that vie for the sacred spots on our calendars, a lament with which I can't disagree. The leader-types (not just the pastor) set the tenor of expectation for the congregation. If the elders aren't in worship, why should I be in worship. In many ways I think there may some truth that leaders have abdicated their responsibilities as faithful leaders, but that's not my concern (at least for this post).

I question the validity of the lament of large congregations who are experiencing decline in worship attendance. Being openly transparent, I pastor a church who's attendance has fluctuated between 75 and 50 over the past 4 years and is now residing in the mid 50s. We're an aging congregation which is seeking God's direction in revitalizing, re-defining, re-creating our role within small town S. Oregon. Definitely a challenge when we don't have the bells and whistles available to us to attract, we don't have the baseline support of younger adults to teach sunday school, let alone have the children to attend that sunday school - but I digress.

My question: was Worship ever supposed to be a 'mega' event? Was worship ever supposed to be an event where 1000s of people, where even 100s of people gathered for a cathartic experience of the divine? Is Worship supposed to be this space where one can get lost in the sea interaction? Thinking back to the beginnings of the Xian movement - with the house churches (and catacombs) the mega experience was impossible let alone impractical. (is worship of more meaning because 1000 people are all singing 'Amazing Grace'?) Never throughout history has there been a time when the 'mega' experience was employed for a valid religious worship experience (save pilgrimages to Mecca, Jerusalem, Vatican City from the Abrahamic religious traditions : being unfamiliar with other world faith traditions, they have their own pilgrimages I'm sure. ) But I think the point is, the day to day, week to week worship experience throughout history has been one very limited in attendance.

Enter the 1950s Americana - the rise in prosperity for some among this nation gave rise to bigger worship spaces, designed to house attendees who's civic duty and desire to belong compelled their attendance and then membership in the established church in their neighborhood. And from there, the mega experience has only blossomed, until now when there is this decline in the percentages of 'believers' gathering on a given Sunday (or whatever day for worship). Is Bigger Better? (has bigger ever been better - or does bigger feed something other that the worshipful?)

Maybe as we explore this decline in attendance, (and as WE of 1st PC Phoenix seek growth) we might wish to be mindful of and also reexamine the nature of what the church is called to do and be?