A method and apparatus are provided for providing a multimedia broadcast/multicast service (MBMS) to a user equipment (UE) by a base station in a mobile communication system. The method includes transmitting, to a terminal, a first message including first information about a scheduling period and an offset; transmitting, to the terminal, control information notifying of a change of a second message; transmitting, to the terminal, the second message including second information about at least one multimedia broadcast/multicast service (MBMS), based on the first information about the scheduling period and the offset; and transmitting, to the terminal, data of the at least one MBMS. The second information about the at least one MBMS includes an identification of the at least one MBMS.