Worship Connected takes too much time? + Household Worship Guide 1 Samuel 17

This week and next we will take a step back in the Christ in the Old Testament series. Last Lord's Day and this Lord's Day we will have had guest preachers. Although I still prepare and publish Worship Connected these weeks (and you can find them at worshipconnected.org) my plan will be to back up in my series on weeks we have a guest preacher at least until we reach the beginning.

This week we will consider the very familiar story of David and Goliath.

Thursday 1 Samuel 17:1-23—The Philistines gathered their armies for battle.

Friday 1 Samuel 17:23-54--God’s People have a Champion.

Saturday 1 Samuel 17:50-58—David cut off Goliath’s head

Lord’s Day

Monday Romans 6:15–23—Slaves: to Whom?

Tuesday Hebrews 2:10–18—The Captain of our Salvation

Wednesday Mark 9:43–50—Cut it off!

If you find it useful to use these in your household/family worship, consider asking your pastor to speak to me about him developing something similar in your congregation.

Thoughts for Pastors:

Only four hours and twenty-four minutes a week! That’s what I find producing this guide takes me. Further, that time spent is useful sermon prep time. In tracking my total ministry time for 2024, I found that I spent an average of four hours and twenty-four minutes per week on preparing Worship Connected. But remember, this is not an extra four and a half hours that I must find in my weekly schedule—rather it is all useful sermon prep.

For less than five hours per week this is a useful way for a pastor to concentrate the minds of the church members so that their taking in and living out the weekly preaching is enhanced, their household worship is helpfully connected to the weekly corporate worship, and their remembering and observing the Sabbath is guided deeper.

I'm convinced that a pastor can find it doable to add the weekly preparation of Worship Connected for the congregation, alongside the preparation for his preaching plan.