The Most Important “Element” of a Worship Service

“What any people must have is the presence of the living God.  It is not enough in any church simply to have the right rituals and the right sermons and the right kind of music.  If God does not manifest himself in some way, if he is not present, then what is the point of the whole exercise?  Is religion merely some sort of structured ritual heritage?  Or is it bound up with being reconciled to the God who made us, who holds us to account?”  (D.A. Carson, The God Who is There, 67)

Yes.  Amen and Amen.  Makes me wonder why we have such a disproportionate amount of time spent in prayer.  

If God doesn’t “manifest himself in some way” it would have probably been better for our people to have stayed home and watched Hee-Haw.  May this encourage me, as a pastor, to have absolute dependence upon the Lord.