As we approach our Grand Opening service on April 10th, I want to lay down a few encouragements on the importance of gathering for corporate worship. While we believe all of life should be a continual act of worship (Rom. 12:1-2), Christians should also gather together regularly in order to respond to who God has revealed himself to be in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Over the next several days, I will provide 10 (or so) reasons why we should prioritize gathering with others to worship God. In no particular order...

1) Corporate worship was the clear practice and pattern of the earliest followers of Jesus. Acts 2 tells us that the early church attended the temple together and met in their homes. In other words, they met in large corporate settings (think Sunday Services) and small corporate settings (think Community Groups) to learn about Jesus, worship Jesus, and experience Christian community. The writer of Hebrews put it like this: "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near" (10:24-25).

2) Corporate worship provides an opportunity to serve others and use your gifts. God gives each person desires and gifts for the purpose of serving others and building them up in the faith. On Sundays at Redemption Hill, there are opportunities to serve in the children's ministry, practice hospitality, greet guests, help with setup and teardown, and a variety of other ways. We are never more like Jesus than when we take the posture of a servant (see Mark 10:45). It takes a team of people serving together to make our Sunday services a welcoming and delightful experience.

3) Corporate worship is a great place to invite friends who want to explore Christianity or who are looking for a church. One of our goals at Redemption Hill is to clearly communicate the central message of Christianity every week. We unashamedly focus on the person, work, and teaching of Jesus Christ. A worship service can serve as a comfortable context for people to learn about following Jesus, and it can be a great place to introduce Redemption Hill to friends who are looking for a healthy church. On that note, now is a perfect time for you to join our Grand Opening event on Facebook and invite all of your friends on Facebook who live in the Greater Boston area to join you at Redemption Hill on April 10th! See you there!

For more, see part 2 of this series.