For many years, my wife and I were regular viewers of “The Tonight Show” — first with Johnny Carson, then with Jay Leno. We have now become fairly regular viewers of the new “Tonight Show” and its new host, Jimmy Fallon.
Fallon has a consistent way of beginning each night. He emerges from behind the stage curtains with joy, exuberance, and great enthusiasm every time. His hands are clapping as he approaches this appreciative studio audience, and he has an engaging smile — welcoming his studio audience and thanking his TV audience for tuning in. I wonder if we cannot learn something critically important from these opening two minutes of “The Tonight Show”!
I yearn for an honest, exciting, and genuine opening to worship — one that represents theological integrity and attracts my attention and expectation for all that follows. The first two minutes are so very important.
We are ambassadors of the greatest good news ever delivered to the human family. We know One who lived and died and lives again as the “presence” of God in human history. We believe Christ came to portray God’s design and way of authentic and faithful living.
Yet, too often, a Sunday worship service begins with something far less engaging: “Well, good morning folks. Here are a few announcements for the week. Our annual rummage sale begins…. The youth meet at 5 p.m. today instead of their usual time…. Announcements are due for the church newsletter by Friday noon…. OK, let us start with our first hymn! Let’s see, that’s on page ### or on the screen.”
I think we would ratchet up the attention of the people a significant notch or two if we spent more energy using Jimmy Fallon’s model. We need an upbeat piano, organ, or choral prelude, an enthusiastic greeting that reflects the direction of the service for that day, and an opening hymn chosen to bring worshippers to their feet from the get-go. This can be done with media technology; it can also be done by an individual who has prayed through and planned the opening minutes carefully with zero media help.
It may be good to remember that some of us come from denominational traditions in which the early members were often called “enthusiasts” in derision because of their obvious joyfulness. I worship in many different churches these days. I yearn for an honest, exciting, and genuine opening to worship — one that represents theological integrity and attracts my attention and expectation for all that follows. The first two minutes are so very important.
Related Resources:
- Leaders Learn the Art of Making Announcements by Kem Meyer
- Two-Minute Leadership by Jon Powers
- The Sunday Everything Went Wrong by Adam B. Snell
