How will you prepare for next Sunday?

In our Sunday morning discipleship hour, we have been discussing corporate worship as part of our look at Covenant Community Church's core values. Yesterday, we considered how to prepare physically, mentally and spiritually for corporate worship.

I blogged on this challenge in July 2012 during a series I wrote on corporate worship. I hope you will review and consider applying the practical suggestions below I posted at the time to help believers prepare for corporate worship:

-- Think ahead during the week before. Take mental note of God’s work in your life and of what attributes of His were manifested in that work. If you are the head of a household, lead your family to do this at least once during the week. On Saturday night or another appropriate time, consider what attributes you have to praise God for the next day during corporate worship. Think about how He has demonstrated those attributes in His works regarding you during the week. Ponder also what thanksgivings you will have to offer God in corporate worship for those works of His. Discuss these with your spouse. Lead your children to reflect on and prepare for praise and thanksgiving.

-- Read the “Preparing for corporate worship” item I post on this blog normally on Friday of each week. It certainly is not indispensable to preparation, but I write it each week with Covenant Community Church, in particular, in mind as our worship time together nears.

-- Read and think about the passage to be preached on in corporate worship. Normally I preach through a book of the Bible, so our church knows where I am going next. I usually send out an email on Friday about the coming Sunday’s worship and mention the specific passage I plan to cover.

-- Spend time considering if there are sins against God and offenses against others – especially those you will be worshiping with the next day – you need to agree with Him about, repent of, trust in Christ’s atoning work as payment for, receive His restoration to fellowship, and make right with another against whom you have transgressed.

-- Plan to get to bed early enough Saturday evening to get the rest you need to be an active, intentional and focused participant in corporate worship the next morning. The amount of rest needed varies by individual, but you know what that is for you.

-- Think about what you will consume in terms of entertainment on Saturday evening. Will you be able to make the transition from dwelling on trivial, sensual or violent material the night before to consideration of the holy God and His perfect Word the following morning? (Thanks to John Piper for this important consideration.)

-- Remind yourself – and those in your charge – of the basis upon which you will gather with other Christians for worship: The perfect righteousness and fully sufficient sacrifice of Jesus. We will come together as one body created by His cross-work.