STAY TO THE FINISH

“When I discovered your words, I devoured them. They are my joy and my heart’s delight,
for I bear your name, O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies.” (Jeremiah 15:16 NLT)

If you know anyone who tunes in to “attend church” virtually, ask them, “How long do you listen to the service?” Before they can answer, especially if they are obviously stalling around hoping to come up with an answer that will satisfy you, ask, “Are you one of those people who just stay online until the praise team, or the choir gets through singing?” That’s a good question because facts show that the number who “attend virtually” only tune in for a couple of minutes, dwarfing the number of other digital “attendees” who watch the service from start to finish.

If the response you get does not reveal that they watch the whole service from the Call to Worship to the Benediction, suggest to them that in the future, “Stay to the finish.”

Here are some parallel examples you can mention to accentuate the point you are trying to make about the benefit of watching the whole service. (1) Who goes to the theater and sees good previews of a movie – then leaves 15 minutes into the movie for no good reason? (2) Who reads the first two paragraphs of a letter without reading the last two paragraphs to see what the writer has to say entirely? (3) Who has ever been to a ballgame where a singer who knew the words – just sang only part of the National Anthem?

Don’t stop there! Continue with some more analogies. For instance, ask if they are old enough, to remember The Paul Harvey Radio Show?  It was entitled, “The Rest of the Story.”  If the person is too young to know about the show, inform them that this iconic show consisted of stories where little-known or forgotten facts were presented on a variety of subjects, and that key elements of the story were held back until the end of the show. At that time the listener would hear the tag line “And now you know the rest of the story.”

Challenge your virtual “church attending” friend to stay tuned in to the whole digital service. Let them know that if they don’t, they will miss out on a specific message sent for a specific purpose at a specific time. You should also remind them that when they can, or if they can, they should skip the virtual viewing and attend in person. In other words, be in the assembly of the saints.

Wait a minute! Maybe, in case this admonition is appropriate; just maybe I should tell you, a regular worshipper, to stay in the service to the finish. Let me help you “stay.” Don’t let your mind wander after the choir is through lifting your spirit. Don’t stop listening because you are familiar with the text. The points of emphasis will probably be entirely different. Don’t start packing your stuff up and gathering your coats after the conclusion of the sermon where Christ crucified and resurrected has been preached. And of course, don’t miss the final blessing, the benediction. You don’t want to miss one blessing, do you? Well, just as you will challenge the digital church “attendee,” I will challenge you, “Stay to the finish.”

Enjoy your service today! Bless others with your presence, and of course, as I always say, “Be blessed!”

“The perfect service would be one we were almost unaware of. Our attention would have been on God.” (C.S. Lewis, Theologian, Writer, and Scholar who lived between 1898-1963)

Committed to the climb,

Mark L. King