If there’s one thing my years leadingmultiethnic churches have taught me is there’s no such thing as CPT when itcomes to getting to church on time (Yeah, if you don’t know what that is, askyour chocolate friend). Whites struggle with it. So do blacks. Asians.Hispanics. Everybody. No ethnicity has a monopoly on tardiness and the House ofGod.  Recently, one agitated, seasonedsaint in my church begged me to rebuke the people for their lateness rightbefore I got up to preach. Being the new guy, I passed…for now. I want to beginmy ministry on a note of exhortation and not rebuke, but the day will come(Whom am I kidding—the days willcome), when I will need to lovingly remind God’s people to do thecounter-cultural thing, and get to church in a timely manner.

Sure, you’re thinking, “Pretty self serving ofa pastor to plead with people to show up on time to ‘his thing’,” but actually,it’s not my thing, it’s God’s. Andwhile I could provide a list as to why you should—rambling on about how itshows respect to the worship participants who have spent significant time inrehearsals and preparation, along with how we’ll show up to work and our kids’activities on time—let me provide just one reason you should.  

As a preacher, it’s momentarily flattering whenpeople tell me they’re there for the Word.While I take this as a vote of confidence in the gifts God has given me,the longer I reflect on this statement, the more I see the selfishnessinvolved. Just about every church has two major elements: worship andpreaching. Worship is what we give to God—through our singing and giving (amongother elements)—the Word is what God gives to us. Show me anyone who skips outon a major part of the worship experience to just get the Word, I’ll show you aperson who has incarnated a consumer spirit that is wreaking havoc on theAmerican church. What in essence a person is saying when they miss a major partof the worship, just to receive, is that church, and therefore God, is allabout them, and what they can get out of it. Let’s call it what it is—nauseatingnarcissism (to be frank). Conversely, when we get there on time, and trulyworship God by singing to Him, we go to war with the gravitational pull ofconsumerism, and tell God we’re not in it just for us.

Why should you get to church on time? Becauseyou view church as not just a venue to receive, but to give as well. Spirituallymature believers don’t view God in utilitarian terms, but see Him as someoneworthy to give their all to.

Let’s get to church on time.

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