One of the things I have noticed in recent years is the trend that churches have to not call their gathering times 'worship' or 'services' but rather 'experiences'. Awhile back I noticed in a nearby town how a church sign promised 'a new experience every week!'
I think that's a lot to ask of the church or its leadership, to be honest. We come together 52 weeks a year, more if a church still has Sunday night or Wednesday night gatherings, and for us to think that we have it within us to create something magical and overpowering each time is foolish, if not arrogant. We gather together as God's people and bring not just our passions and our talents, but our brokenness and our sin. Sometimes this means that memorable things may happen...but often it leads to heartache and confusion.
The church as described in the book of Acts was often timid and uncertain as to what it ought to do, until the Holy Spirit would come and send preachers out or prompt a season of giving. Even under the guidance of the apostles, they were often no better off than we are today, until God came and his Kingdom became manifest among them.
I'd love it if every week we had church and something dynamic happens (there is another church near here whose name is 'Dunamis' and has a giant fist on their sign). But rather than promise something that is not our power to give, we do better to simply be open to waiting for God's mighty power to come instead. That, then, will be the 'experience' that will convict the world and change our churches forever.
