In the comedy movie Groundhog Day, TV weatherman Phil Connors is assigned to cover the yearly Groundhog Festival in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. After he arrives, however, he gets stuck in a time loop in which he awakens every morning on the same date, February 2. At first, he uses the situation to his advantage, but then he comes to the realization that he is doomed to repeat the same day (Groundhog Day) in the same place, seeing the same people doing the same things every day.

This makes for an entertaining and humorous movie–but a terrible church service.

Let me explain. We understand everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way (1 Corinthians 14:39). However, in like manner, everything must be done so that the church may be built up (1 Corinthians 14:26). It is good to have order, but the order does not have to be repetitiously mundane.

So here are five characteristics of a Groundhog Day church service. See if you recognize any of them as being true of your church. (Now, of course, this isn’t your church; it’s those other guys.)

1. The order of the service never changes unless it’s a holiday or there is a power outage.

2. The same people do the same things every week: same greeters, same ushers in the same places, same singers singing the same songs, same announcements, same welcome, and same benediction.

3. Everyone parks in the exact same spot and sits in the exact same seat so often that their images are imprinted in the pew. And, if a visitor sits there, they’re asked to move.

4. Then there’s the offering: Say a little “we’re broke” prayer and pass a plate while Sister Off-Key sings. If she didn’t sing, the offerings would probably increase. We all stand, and in unison, we unthinkingly chant, “Praise God from whom all blessings flow; praise him all creatures here below …”

5. Then comes the insurance salesman, Ned Ryerson, the preacher. He uses the same lines, the same verbiage, the same stories, the same pet doctrines, from something he put together Saturday night, or dug up from the recycling bin. He does not have to be prepared because he repeats the same things Sunday after Sunday.

OK, maybe this is a tad exaggerated. But the truth remains: If we keep doing the same things, we will keep getting the same results. Many of us fail to ask the question, “How is this working for us?”

The sign of a new day, a new Lord’s Day, is a service filled with enthusiasm (en theos, literally: In God or Filled with God).

After being forced to spend the same repeated Groundhog Day in a cold, mundane town, Phil Connors has a change of heart. He stops focusing on himself and begins focusing on others. Love is the key that awakens him from his vain repetition. Before the day changed, Phil had to change. His closing line in the movie: “It’s so beautiful–let’s live here.”

May that be true of your church.