Warren Hamby was right when he wrote, “Worship isolated from involvement is a bland and meaningless exercise.”
Involvement has to do with activity. Commitment. It means “to engage or employ.” “To engage the interest or emotions.” “To absorb fully.”
If we are passive in worship, disengaged and sit waiting for something to happen to us, we will be disappointed in the service. We may leave saying, “I didn’t get anything out of it.
Involvement calls on us to sing. Not just to sit back and enjoy the singing. Or to be entertained. We are commanded to make melody in our heart. To teach and admonish one another. To sing with spirit. Enthusiasm. Zest and Zeal. And to think about the lyrics. To sing with understanding as we speak to one another. The song service is a time of praise to God. It calls for our personal involvement
While in a public worship, we have one who leads us in prayer, we are not to be disengaged. We pray along with the person leading. Our thoughts and feelings also go to the throne of God as we petition. Make supplication. Offer our thanks. And add our own “amen.”
Involvement is necessary if I am to properly focus on the cross during communion. I think about Jesus. What He means to me. How He makes a difference in my life. My mind is centered on the greatest event in human history. To help me be engaged I like to read from the biographies of Jesus during the supper. On the first Sunday of the month, I read from Matthew’s account, On the second, Mark’s. On the third, Luke’s. On the fourth, John’s. When there is a fifth Sunday, I read 1 Corinthians 11. That helps me stay involved and keeps my mind from wandering.
Giving is not just for wealthy members. It’s for all of us to be involved. To give according to our ability. Whether it’s a little. Or a lot. To give purposefully. To give cheerfully. To give into the common treasury so I can join in fellowship in the ministry. Evangelism. Edification. Discipleship. Or Benevolence. We are called upon to be involved financially with our church family.
Preaching, of course, is lead by someone able to teach. And faithful to the Word. It’s very easy to become a spectator. And observer. Or worse yet, a critic. Involvement demands I apply the Word to my life. Look for ways to strengthen my faith through the Word. Or maybe I to share with someone else something I have heard or learned in a sermon. In doing so my thinking is challenged. My heart is enlarged. And my soul is nourished. My involvement is greatly increased by taking notes, looking up the scriptures, and writing down ideas and applications I use in my life. Or share with someone else.
Don’t let your worship be a bland or meaningless exercise. Get involved. Be engaged. And stay focused.
—Ken Weliever, The Preacherman
ThePreachersWord 
Good thoughts all around. To allow everyone to join in together it is also good to have a prayer that is said together such as the Lord’s Prayer as well as a less formal time in which people can submit prayer requests. Another way to involve everyone is to allow for a time when everyone can confess the Lordship of Jesus out loud by together reciting the Apostle’s Creed or – if that is disagreeable to one’s heritage – the Christological Hymn found in Philippians 2:5-11 which is, I think, an excellent passage to read aloud collectively.
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature[a] God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Another is Colossians 2:6-10 which works well as a dismissal.
6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him,
7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.
9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form,
10 and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.
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Where in scripture are we “called upon to be involved financially with our church family?”
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Thanks for asking Glenn. 1 Cor 16:1-2; 2 Cor 9:6-7 Also we have several examples in Acts like 4:32-36 and 11:27-30 Hope that helps. Thanks for reading my blog.
Ken Weliever 12107 Wood Duck Pl Temple Terrace, FL 33617 Home Phone: 813-899-4539 Cell Phone: 813-507-1726 preacherman@weliever.net web site: http://www.weliever.net blog: http://www.thepreachersword.com
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Gods plan is that worship not be a ‘spectator sport.’ Our singing and praying are special ways of communicating with God. Singing also, as you stated, teaches and admonishes. I fear that at times people can be guilty of what Christ said in Matthew 6:7.” But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.” In particular, prayer is targeted to praise God, confess, give thanks and ask for needs to be fulfilled.
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