When we first started furlough, my son wanted a way to keep up with when we were in church services because he was at college and our schedules changed so frequently.  We are often in meetings several nights (and sometimes days) a week, not just Sundays and Wednesdays.  So he installed a button on my phone that he called “church mode.”  Before going into a service, I simply click on this button.  It changes my screen to a gray gradient, so I know it’s working.  Then if someone calls me, my phone automatically rejects the call and sends an automated message that says: “Automated message: I am in a church service. I will call you back soon.”  This system has worked well!  People know that I am not just ignoring their calls, and I will get back to them.

One day while pulling into a church parking lot for services, I said, “Ok, I’m going to put on church mode.”  My husband said, “Oh are you going into church mode now?”  We laughed about it thinking that we ourselves were getting into church mode as well.  However, I started thinking about how often do we all just get in “church mode?”  How often do we just go through the motions of church?  We get our Bibles, put our smiles on, and go into a church service.  We greet one another, sing, pray, and listen, but have we truly been participating in the service or just going through the motions?  We are in a LOT of services in many different churches.  Each one is unique and special to God.  It should never become just routine for us to go to church.  God has something for each of us in each service we attend.  Are we ready to receive what He has for us?

So how should we truly get in “church mode?”

Pray! Begin by praying for your services!  Pray for your pastor that God would give him the message and words He wants him to say.  Pray that there will not be any distractions or interferences in the services.  Pray that the Lord would work in the hearts of all attending.  If you know a lost person is going to be attending that service, pray specifically for their salvation.  Pray that the Lord will work in your own heart, to give you just what he wants you to have from the service. 

Arrive early!  It will be a blessing to your pastor! (Trust me! 😉) Getting there early allows you to get settled in your pew or class.  It allows you to greet others as they come in.  It allows you to look around and see if there is a last-minute task that needs to be done, such as emptying a trash can or setting out bulletins. 

Participate!  Don’t just be a spectator of the services, participate in the services!  When it is time to sing, make a joyful noise to the best of your abilities!  When it is time to give, be a cheerful giver unto the Lord!  When it is time to shake hands, be friendly and greet others!  When it is time for preaching, follow along in your Bible!  Listen intently and focus on what is being preached. Take notes!  Don’t think about lunch plans or work tomorrow, see what the Lord has for you right now!

Yield to the Holy Spirit!  Has the Lord convicted you about something during the service?  Has the Lord spoken to your heart about doing something for Him?  Do you need to surrender, to give, or to commit to something in your life? Use the time of invitation to get it right with God.  Whether you pray at your seat or go to the altar, yield your will to what the Lord would have for you.

Hebrews 10:25 says, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”  May we never take for granted the freedom we have to worship freely!  What a blessing to gather with other believers to worship the Lord in truth and spirit.  I have always loved going to church.  I love to fellowship with God’s people!    

So is “church mode” a good thing or not?  It depends on how you look at it.  If you think of “church mode” as a routine or obligation of just going through the motions, then it is probably not going to be beneficial to you.  However, if you think of “church mode” where you prepare your heart for what the Lord has for you and truly go expecting a blessing from the Lord, then the Lord can work in your heart to give you the help, encouragement, and strengthening you need. So the question is, which “church mode” are you on?

Love and prayers! ❤