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 the UE, a first message including information about a scheduling period and an offset indicating a start point of the scheduling period; transmitting, to the UE, a second message including information about at least one MBMS in the scheduling period, based on the information about the scheduling period and the offset; and transmitting, to the UE, data of the at least one MBMS via an MBMS radio bearer (RB) established for the at least one MBMS. The information about the at least one MBMS includes identification of the at least one MBMS.