Salt & Light - Being IN The World

Recently I blogged about serving our community (here and here). While at the Purpose Driven Worship Conference this year, Louie Giglio gave a message about worship. His main point was that God doesn't just want us to sit around and sing songs - an important aspect of our worship is getting out into the world and sharing the heart of Jesus. Here's a quip...

"Do not forget to DO GOOD and to SHARE WITH OTHERS with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased." God is not saying "Man, I hope they sing me some songs this morning." He is saying, "I hope they GO OUT and touch lives, help the sick, poor, oppressed - the people whom this world has no concern for. Consider the brothel down a small alley in India where a little 8-year-old girl is chained to a bed. Does God want another song? or does He want more? (Read the complete message notes here.)

With that in mind, I came across some news lately about some churches recently cancelling their worship services in lieu of getting out into and serving the community. First from Rev Magazine, John Ortberg's church (Menlo Park Presbyterian Church in Melo Park, Ca.). The headline reads, "Mobilized For Servanthood: How Menlo Park Presbyterian Church shut down for a weekend to be the church and love its neighbors." A similar response from Gateway Community Church in South Riding, Va. Instead of a typical Sunday morning worship service, the congregation went out and did volunteer work for 61 area homes. (Read info and links here.)

So here's the question. What do you think? Would you, or whould your people go for shutting down for a weekend? Is that still worship? Or is it paramount to be in church every Sunday? Leave your thoughts in the comments...