The Sabbath worship is generally understood by many to be an evangelistic service. However, the central object of worship is God himself. Since unbelievers are incapable of seeing the majesty of God, the worship is not framed around the unbeliever’s wants or needs. The unbeliever will hear the Gospel, and when that happens he will smell the stench of death. It is the community of believers who are enriched and fed by the Gospel. The Gospel and liturgy of the church are ordained for the people of God as a means of grace. As Jeff Meyers observes, the gospel is “not directed primarily to those outside of the faith, but to the community of believers. If unbelievers visit, they will hear the Gospel, but it will not be on their own terms” (The Lord’s Service, pg. 26).
This means that worship is not designed primarily for unbelievers, nor should it ever be. The liturgy is to be structured in a manner that elevates the glory of God and so provides the means for corporate response to God’s work on our behalf.
Amen, brother.