WOULD ALL THE EFFORT that goes into the church service be worth it if only five people were here?
An odd question to be asking myself, especially since, as First Reader, I was conducting the Wednesday evening testimony meeting at a large, well-attended church. Yet, as I stood there during a quiet period in the testimonies, the question persisted: Would you be willing to spend those hours praying about and preparing a church service if only a few people came? I was not sure I would.
My church experience up to that point had certainly been a full one: As a kid, I'd attended a full Sunday School and later progressed to membership in two of my state's larger branch Churches of Christ, Scientist. In 1999, 1 was elected for a three-year term as First Reader in one of those churches — conducting the Sunday services and the Wednesday testimony meetings. I felt truly blessed by this activity and loved it dearly, especially since the services met the needs of so many people.
