We don't go to Traditional Worship Services. We do this instead.

7 Alternatives to the Sermon-Centered Service

I stopped regularly attending worship services over 20 years ago when I became convinced that the modern sermon was less about teaching than a kind of performance art.

Most attendees are consumers who are not there to learn, repent, and obey but to get a spiritual experience that checks a box and the design of the sermon-centered worship service too often reinforces this mentality.

Sometimes I miss the corporate worship but I just can’t participate when the sermon is the main event.

It does damage to my soul.

But if you stop attending without a better alternative sometimes this does even more damage.

So here are 7 alternative gatherings I participate in on a rhythmic basis that have changed my life:

1 - Discovery Bible Study focussed on Gospel-motivated obedience.

Every week I lead a one-hour interactive study where we work through a passage from one of the Gospels and discuss how to obey what Jesus commands.

Biblical Inspiration: Jesus’ command to “Teach them to obey everything I have commanded you…” 

I do this via Zoom every Friday over lunch 12-1pm. 

DM me if you want an invite.

2 - Father’s Midrash

I gather with other fathers every other morning of my Sabbath (Saturday) to listen to a public reading of the Hebrew Scriptures and discuss.

We get very practical about how these principles can transform our families.

This is like a masterclass on how to build and lead a multigenerational family.

Biblical inspiration: “devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching”. (1 Timothy 4:13)

There are about five father’s midrash groups meeting in the Cincinnati area. DM me if you want an invite.

To learn more about this practice checkout this podcast from Abraham’s Wallet:

3 - The Body Gathering

We gather as a large, extended family household with those our family is discipling to “spur one another on to love and good deeds.”

• This involves:

• A potluck meal

• Communion

• Worship

• An interactive teaching from the Epistles

• Sharing and prayer

Biblical inspiration: “What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.” (1 Corinthians 14:26)

For anyone wanting to learn how to create a community that functions like a Body through your household join this coaching intensive: click here to join the House for Community coaching intensive.

4 - Equipping Events

About once a month we host an event around learning and activating a specific practice.

Biblical Inspiration: “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:11-12)

If you live near Cincinnati follow me on Instagram or Facebook and you’ll see these invites to these events.

Here’s a picture at a recent equipping event:

5 - Discipleship Groups

I take three guys at a time through a 5 month season of discipleship.

We do weekly training meetings (where I impart a particular practice) and coaching meetings (where I help them with various relevant areas of their lives).

Biblical Inspiration: “Go therefore and make disciples…” (Matthew 28:19)

If you want to learn how to make disciples who make disciples I also coach disciple-makers. Sign up here to learn more!

6 - City Worship

Corporate worship through singing is important to center our hearts on glorifying God.

We worship in our home at our Body Gatherings but we also want to worship with a larger group of believers.

So we host a worship night once per quarter where whole families across our city can enter into worship and prayer together with their kids.

Biblical Inspiration: “Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.” (Colossians 3:16)

7. Guys/Gals Night

Once a month I host a guy’s night and my wife hosts a gal’s night.

This is for developing deep relationships around a spiritual topic that we’re wrestling through.

At guy's night I build a fire and we get really honest about an aspect of our life as men.

If you live around Cincy and are prepared to go deep with other men DM me and I’ll shoot you an invite to a Guy’s Night.

How we gather matters.

If what you’re doing is leading to personal transformation and the multiplication of disciples then keep it up!

If not, consider mixing up how you gather.

I don’t think I’ve figured it out but I can say what we’re doing is working for me, my household, and many others, and maybe it could work for you too.