A STUDY OF WORSHIP PART 1COMPILED AND EDITED By Glenn Pease

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION.

1. QUOTES ON WORSHIP.

2. THE ESSENCE OF WORSHIP

A. WHAT IS WORSHIP?

1. MY PERSONAL VIEW.

2. DEFINITIONS AND PERSPECTIVES.

3. WORSHIP IS ENJOYING GOD.

4. WORSHIP IS ASCRIBING WORTH TO GOD AND GIVING HIM GLORY.

5. WORSHIP IS DESIRING GOD.

6. WORSHIP IS RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.

7. WORSHIP IS LOVING JESUS AND PROCLAIMING HIS LOVE.

8. WORSHIP IS GIVING OUR BEST TO GOD & GIVING HIM PRIORITY.

9. WORSHIP IS WONDER AT WHO GOD IS AND WHAT HE HAS DONE.

10. WORSHIP IS CONCENTRATION ON GOD. IT IS A CHOICE.

11. WORSHIP IS COMMUNICATION WITH GOD, OTHERS AND SELF.

12. WORSHIP IS SILENT ADORATION BEFORE GOD.

13. WORSHIP IS CHANGE IN RESPONSE TO GOD.

14. WORSHIP IS SHARING GOD WITH OTHERS.

15. WORSHIP IS BEING THANKFUL TO GOD AND SHOWING IT IN PRAISE.

16. WORSHIP IS BOWING BEFORE GOD.

17. WORSHIP IS SUBMISSION AND SERVICE.

18. WORSHIP IS RECEIVING FROM GOD.

19. WORSHIP IS AN INTERNAL EXPERIENCE.

20. WORSHIP IS ENTERING THE PRESENCE OF GOD.

B. THE IMPORTANCE OF WORSHIP&LEADERS.1. WORSHIP IS UNIVERSAL

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2. THE WORSHIP LEADER AND TEAM.

3. RELEASING PEOPLE TO ENCOUNTER GOD.

4. BUILDING AND LEADING A WORSHIP TEAM.

5. HOW TO BUILD AND MOTIVATE YOUR CHOIR.

6. REHEARSALS

7. WORSHIP LEADER OR PERFORMER CONTRASTED.

8. THE PROCESS OF HIRING A WORSHIP LEADER.

9. WHAT WORSHIP LEADERS NEED TO KNOW PART 1&2.

10. TESTIMONY OF A WORSHIP LEADER.

11. HOW TO BIRTH WORSHIP LEADERSHIP.

12. HOW TO FIND FAVOR IN WORSHIP LEADERSHIP.

13. LEADING WORSHIP LEADERS.

14. WHAT IS WORSHIP LEADING?

C. EMOTION IN WORSHIP.

D. NON-CHRISTIANS IN A WORSHIP SERVICE.

E. WORSHIP AND INTERCESSION.

F. MUSIC IN WORSHIP. PART 31. MUSIC IN THE BIBLE.

2. CONTEMPORARY MUSIC.

3. THE SPIRITUAL SONG.

4. MUSIC IN REVIVAL.

5. MUSIC AS THERAPY.

6. MUSICIANS GODLINESS VITAL.

7. WHAT COUNTS IN MUSIC

8. SINGING IN THE PSALMS.

9. SELECTING OF MUSIC FOR WORSHIP.

10. SINGING AND MAKING MELODY TO THE LORD.

11. THROUGH THE BIBLE ON THE SUBJECT OF SINGING.

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G.THEOLOGY OF WORSHIP. PART 21. WORSHIP AND OUR CONCEPT OF GOD

2.Study the Highest Form of Worship

H. WORSHIP POETRY.

I. WORSHIP AND THE ARTS.

J. TOOLS THAT ENHANCE WORSHIP.

K. BIBLICAL AND HISTORICAL WORSHIP.

L. WHEN WORSHIP FADES AWAY.1. GETTING BACK TO THE HEART OF WORSHIP.

2 CONTROVERSY ON OPEN WORSHIP

M. WORSHIP AND THE LORD'S SUPPER.

N. A WORSHIP INDEXO. CHILDREN AND WORSHIP.

P. CHARISMATIC WORSHIP.

Q. THE BODY IN WORSHIP.

R. LITURGICAL WORSHIP.

S. WORSHIP AND DANCE.

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T. BIBLICAL STUDIES ON WORSHIP.1. ROMANS 1 FALSE AND TRUE WORSHIP.

2. ROMANS 12:1-2 ALL OF LIFE AS WORSHIP.

3. MATT 2:1-12 WE HAVE COME TO WORSHIP.

4. The Worship of God, in the Gospels

U. PRAISE AS A PRIMARY FORM OF WORSHIP.1. SEVEN HEBREW WORDS OF PRAISE.

2. PRAISE THE LORD IN THE PSALMS.

3. A STUDY OF PRAISE.

4. THE PHYSIOLOGY OF PRAISE-A SERMON.

5. THE SACRIFICE OF PRAISE-A SERMON.

6. A PENTECOSTAL PERSPECTIVE.

V. PRACTICAL GUIDES TO AID WORSHIP.1. FLOW SERVICE, FLOW.

W. WORSHIP IN VARIOUS CHURCHES.1. ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN WORSHIP

X. VINEYARD PHILOSOPHY OF WORSHIP.

Y. MISCELLANEOUS WORSHIP SUBJECTS.1. THE ROLE OF PREACHING IN WORSHIP.

2. Thoughts on Worship and Culture

3. THE CONVERGENCE MOVEMENT.

4. WHAT JESUS SAID ABOUT WORSHIP.

5. THE PROBLEM OF WORSHIP.

Z. BIBLIOGRAPHY ON WORSHIP.

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INTRODUCTION.

1. QUOTES ON WORSHIP.

JESUS CHRIST"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind……. Love your neighbor as yourself."“Worship is first and foremost for His benefit, not ours, though it is marvelous to discover that in giving Him pleasure, we ourselves enter into what can become our richest and most wholesome experience in life.” Graham Kendrick p. 58 AHFWDR. TONY EVANS"Worship is one of those activities every sincere Christian knows he ought to be doing, and even wants to do. But we're not always sure how to go about it." Like the puzzled party-goer who asks, 'Are we having fun yet?', Christians sometimes try hard to worship but feel like asking, 'Are we worshiping yet?'DAVID C. STONE"The English word 'worship' is derived from the Anglo-Saxon 'weorthscripe', meaning to ascribe worth, to pay homage, to reverence or venerate. Interestingly, the Hebrew word most commonly translated 'worship' in the Old Testament is 'shachah' which literally means 'to prostrate oneself, bow down, fall down flat, do reverence.' The most commonly used Greek word is 'proskuneo' which means 'to kiss the hand, to prostrate oneself'."Carl TuttleWorship is the experience of lifting our voices toward God and drawing near to Him through songs of praise, adoration, and intimacy in order to touch Him and to be touched by Him. This is a very scriptural concept as set forth in the Psalms."Come let us sing for joy to the Lord. Let us shout aloud to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving and extol Him with music and song. For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. In His hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to Him. The sea is His, for He made it, and His hands formed the dry land. Come let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for He is our God and we are the people of His pasture, the flock under His care." (Ps. 95:1-7).This scripture shows that worship is more than a theology or a practice. It is an experience whereby we actually approach and enter into God’s presence in a manifest way. The focus of worship is to touch God’s heart and to be in His presence.

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JOSEPH GARLINGTON"To worship is to act as an inferior before a superior. When I worship God, I am saying by my actions, 'God, You are better than I am. You are bigger than I am. You are more than I am'."KENT HENRY"Praise and worship is a choice, not just a feeling! Praise and worship is a commitment of the heart, not just an emotion."TOM INGLIS"Worship is the test of the authenticity of any conversion, whether to Christianity or some other religion. But the factor that distinguishes our faith from every other creed is the intimacy of our relationship with the living God."ROBERT E. WEBBER"For years, the church has emphasized evangelism, teaching, fellowship, missions, and service to society to the neglect of the very source of its power - worship."MICHAEL COLEMAN"To say that praise and worship is the most important category of music today is an understatement. In light of that, there is no more important activity of the human heart than to praise and worship God. This is the reason we exist. This is our purpose."MATT REDMAN"In the end, worship can never be a performance, something you're pretending or putting on. It's got to be an overflow of your heart….. Worship is about getting personal with God, drawing close to God."JOHN WIMBER"Our heart's desire should be to worship God; we have been designed by God for this purpose. If we don't worship God, we'll worship something or someone else."ROBERT COLMAN"True worship can only take place when we agree to God sitting not only on His throne in the center of the universe, but on the throne that stands in the center of our heart."KELLY SPARKS"God is not moved or impressed with our worship until our hearts are moved and impressed by Him."THE WESTMINSTER CATECHISM"Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever."

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C.S. LEWIS"Fully to enjoy is to glorify. In commanding us to glorify Him, God is inviting us to enjoy Him."TOM KRAEUTER"Worship has become a commodity...we can become so interested in doing things 'right' to get the 'right' response from the people that we miss the whole point…"A.W TOZER (1954)"In my opinion, the great single need of the moment is that light-hearted superficial religionists be struck down with a vision of God high and lifted up, with His train filling the temple. The holy art of worship seems to have passed away like the Shekinah glory from the tabernacle. As a result, we are left to our own devices and forced to make up the lack of spontaneous worship by bringing in countless cheap and tawdry activities to hold the attention of the church people."WARREN WIERSBE"Worship is the believer's response of all that he is--mind, emotions, will, and body--to all that God is and says and does. This response has its mystical side in subjective experience, and its practical side in objective obedience to God's revealed truth. It is a loving response that is balanced by the fear of the Lord, and it is a deepening response as the believer comes to know God better."JERRY SOLOMON"Worship is pure adoration, the lifting up of the redeemed spirit toward God in contemplation of His holy perfection."THOMAS CARLYLE"The man who cannot wonder, who does not habitually wonder and worship, is but a pair of spectacles behind which there is no eye."WILLIAM BARCLAY (1955)"A man's spirit is the highest part . . . the part which lasts when the physical part . . . has vanished. It is the spirit of a man which is the source and origin of his highest dreams and thoughts and ideals and desires. The true, the genuine worship is when man, through his spirit, attains to friendship and intimacy with God. True and genuine worship is not to come to a certain place; it is not go through a certain ritual or liturgy; it is not even to bring certain gifts. True worship is when the spirit, the immortal and invisible part of man, speaks to and meets with God, who is immortal and invisible."GRAHAM KENDRICK"Worship in truth is worship that arises out of an actual encounter with God, a response to the experience of knowing God's real presence and activity in our daily

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lives. This has nothing to do with sentiment, thinking religious thoughts or having aesthetic experiences in church buildings; any religion can give you that sort of thing."JOHN PIPER"Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn't. Worship is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever." GERRIT GUSTAFSON"Dare we look upon what John saw: representatives from every nation, tribe, people and language, declaring their praises together with a loud voice... overwhelmed with gratitude for this majestic King who had made them into a united kingdom! If we can see that, we can see our destination. The heavenly vision is that of worshipers of many different stripes who are more conscious of the greatness of Christ Jesus than of their cultural distinctions."BOB SORGE"This is true mature love - when all other affections have been completely abandoned for the love of the Son of God and the delight of doing His will."SALLY MORGENTHALER"Our worship must cost something, or else it is meaningless. True worship always involves sacrifice. Of course, Jesus is the only sacrifice for sin, once and for all. Yet the term 'sacrifice' is not just associated with redemption. The word literally means 'the act of offering something meaningful and valuable.'""Loving God means rejoicing in God, being eager to think of and pray to God. It means being glad to be in God's presence and to be with God alone. It means not grieving God, but rejoicing in God simply because it is God who is involved, and because we are permitted to know and have God, and to speak with and live with God."Dietrich Bonhoeffer"To worship is to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God, to feed the mind the truth of God, to purge the imagination by the beauty of God, to open the heart to the love of God, to devote the will to the purpose of God." -William Temple"When we kiss the heart of God in worship, we are healed, inspired, motivated, directed, and integrated into reality from God’s perspective."- Steve RobbinsHenri Frederic Amiel-"The philosopher aspires to explain away all mysteries, to disolved them into light. Mystery on the other hand is demanded and pursued by the religious instinct mystery constitutes the essense of worship." Thomas Carlyle-"The man who does not habitually worship is but a pair of

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spectacles behind which there is no eye." "Worship is transcendent wonder."

2. THE ESSENCE OF WORSHIP.BY Mark Tittley HE IS ALSO THE

AUTHOR OF A MANUAL FOR WORSHIP LEADER

THE THEORY OF WORSHIP

The Essence of Worship

The Experience of Worship

The Elements of Worship

THE PRACTISE OF WORSHIP

The Ministry of Worship Leader

The Ministry Team in Worship

<The Ministry of Worship <Children and Worship

< Discussion Questions

< Development and Worship

< Worship Bibliography Written By: Mark Tittley <

All of this is incorporated into this resource in various places.

In John 4:23,24 we read that God is looking for worshippers - not for

workers or just for worship. Do you enjoy worshipping God? Is it your

life s obsession to worship your creator? It should be, because the ’reason we exist is to worship God. We have been:

* Created to Worship God - Isaiah 43:7

* Chosen to Worship God - 1 Peter 2:9

* Called to Worship God - Psalm 95:6

* Commanded to Worship God - Rev 14:6,7

The Westminister Chatechism asks, What is the chief end of man? And “ ”answers, Man s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. “ ’ ”In Ps 149:2-4 we learn that worship is God s enjoyment of us and our ’enjoyment of Him.

1. DEFINITION OF WORSHIP

In some ways worship defies definition, it can only be experienced.

But, like every experience in life, we need to give it a definition.

A. THE ENGLISH WORD

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Comes from the Anglo-Saxon word Weorthscipe , ie. worth ship. It s a “ ” ’recognition of, and a response to the worth of God. When we value the

worth of someone we usually do something to demonstrate their worth

[Psalm 96:8].

B. THE BIBLICAL WORDS

The words used in the Bible for worship reveal the meaning of worship.

(1) O/T Hebrew words:(a) SHACHAH - To bow down, Prostrate

(b) ABODAH - To serve a superior.

(2) N/T Greek words:(a) PROSKUNEO - To come forward to kiss the hand, as an act of

adoration.

(b) LEITOURGIA - To serve.

A study of these words show that worship has a dual aspect:

(1) An ATTITUDE of the heart

(2) ACTIONS of service

The following definition of worship shows this dual emphasis: "Worship

is the dramatic celebration of God in his supreme worth in such a

manner that His worthiness becomes the norm and inspiration of human

living." (Ralph Martin)

Worship is two lovers responding to each other. It involves:

(1) Undivided attention - Aware of each others presence, focusing on

each other

(2) Expressing feelings - I love you ; I love being with you, you re “ ” “ ’perfect”(3) Expression of Commitment - I ll love you forever ; I ll care for “ ’ ” “ ’you ”(4) Actions that express love - Kiss, hug, holding hands, sex

[marriage]

Someone has said that, Worship is becoming aware of God s presence and “ ’responding to His presence with verbal or active expressions of love

and devotion.”

From Isaiah 6:1-8, a passage called a classical example of worship, “ ”where Isaiah was transported into the presence of God, we discover

that worship is:

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(1) Revelation v1-4 - God reveals Himself/Isaiah became aware of his

presence.

(2) Response v5-8 - Isaiah responds to the presence of God.

If we conclude our discussion on the definition of worship with the

following understanding of the essence of worship, Worship is becoming “aware of God s presence and responding to His Presence,’ ” then it

follows that we need to understand more clearly the presence of God.

A. THE PRESENCE IN THE BIBLE

The Presence of God is one of the Bible s most foundational truths. If ’we could only get to know, to sense and relate to the God who is

present within us every moment of every day, our worship would be

revolutionised.

(1) CreationThe Scriptures open up with God present in the beginning, as the “ ”Creator of the world [Gen 1:1]. This Creator God is preparing a place

in which to place His created masterpiece, Man. Once the process was

complete we read of how God walked in the garden with Adam and Eve

[Gen 2:28]. Man, made in the image of God, heard God say, Now, live in “my presence and worship me - for that is your chief end. Increase and

fill the world with worshippers.”

(2) God s Name’In the Second Book of the Bible we read of the God who appeared to

Moses and revealed His name as, Yahweh [Ex 3:11“ ” -15], from the verb to “be ” - describing God as the God who is present, living among his people

[Num 35:34]. The people of Israel knew that God was present by the

symbols of the pillar of cloud by day, the Pillar of fire by night,

[Ex 13:21] and the Glory of God that filled the tabernacle [Ex 40:34].

(3) LocalisedThis God who was present chose to identify His presence with specific

places. God Manifested his presence in:

* The Mosaic Tabernacle - Exodus 25:8,22; 40:34

* The City of Jerusalem - Deut 12:4-7; 2 Chron 6:5,6

* The Temple of Solomon - 2 Chron 5:1; 6:1,2

(4) UniversalThe local manifestation of God s Presence did not mean that God was ’only in one place at any given time. We speak of God as omnipresent -

all of God is everywhere present all of the time. [See Ps 41:12; Jer

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23:23,24]. In Ps 139:7-11 we read of the joy and security that comes

when the believer knows that God is present, while in Amos 9:1-4 we

read of the unbeliever s terror and inability to hide from the God ’present to judge.

(5) PromisedThroughout the Old Testament we read this promise of God, I will be “with you [Gen 26:3; Dt 31:23; Josh 1:5,9; 1 Kings 11:38; Isaiah ”43:1,2,5; etc]. The God who is present has promised to be with His

people.

(6) The WordThe Hebrew word means literally, Before the face or under the eyes “of. When someone s gaze is fixed on another person they are in each ” ’others presence. So we have a God whose face is turned towards His

people. Our God is present in the sense of looking on to be actively

involved.

Summary: The presence of God is a key concept in Old Testament. Through Creation and by His very Name we meet the God who is present.

While God is Universal He chose to localise His presence - in the

tabernacle, temple and Jerusalem - to teach people how to relate to

Him - yet He lived with His people wherever they were or went.

(7) In the GospelsThe Gospel of Matthew presents Jesus as the King who is God present

with Man. Matthew begins with Jesus birth where Jesus is presented as ’Emmanuel, which means God with us [1:23]. In the middle of his book “ ” “ ”he recalls Jesus words, Where two or three come together in my name, “there am I with them [18:20]. He concludes his gospel with the Great ”Commission and Jesus words, And surely I am with you always, to the ’ “very end of the age [28:20]. John in his gospel introduces Jesus as ”the Word, who is God [1:1], that became flesh [1:14], who is the only

begotten God [1:14] and who reveals the Father [1:18]. For John, the

presence of God is clearly revealed in Jesus as he often speaks of the

Glory connected with Jesus, reminding his readers of the Glory of God

that was revealed in the Old Testament temple [1:14; 2:11; 11:40;

12:41; 17:1-24].

(8) In the BelieverJesus introduced the concept of God living in man. He said, If anyone “loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we

will come to him and make our home with Him [John 14:15” -18]. God lives

in the believer - who is referred to as the temple of God [1 Cor 6:19

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is “12

in you ].”(9) In the ChurchWhile the individual is called a temple in the New Testament, the

church is also spoken of as the Temple of God [2 Cor 6:16 For we are “the temple of the living God ]. Paul says that God s people are being ” ’ “built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit ”[Ephesians 2:22].

Summary: God s presence in the New Testament was manifested in the Lord ’Jesus. God has taken up permanent permanent residence within the life

of the believer and the church universal is the temple of God.

B. THE PROBLEM OF UNAWARENESS

But why does the reality of God Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth,

living in us, not set us on fire as it should? The problem is that we

are unaware of the presence of God. As Christians we tend to live

underneath the radar. We are unaware that God is always with us. “ ”(1) Why are we unaware of God s Presence?’(a) God is invisible - We don t usually perceive God with our 5 senses.’(b) God is crowded out - Hectic and busy lives make us neglect Him.

(c) We do not discipline ourselves to think of God.

(2) Biblical examples of being unaware(a) Jacob - Gen 28:10-17

(b) Emmaus disciples - Luke 24:13-16, 30,31

(c) Jesus disciples ’ - John 21:4,7

C. PRAISE: TUNING INTO THE PRESENCE OF GOD

The solution to this lack of awareness of the presence of God lies in

tuning into the presence of God. If we can learn to be aware of God s ’presence, learn to relate to the God who is always with us then

worship will become a life-style, life would be bearable at all times

and a godliness of life would be within grasp.

David, the Psalmist learnt to practise the presence of God. We read

these words of David in Psalms 16:8, I have set the LORD always before “me. It says literally, I keep the Lord continuously in prominence . ” “ ”Again in Psalm 63:1-8 when David was out in the wilderness, far from

the temple, he worshipped the God who was present. He had a

spontaneous relationship with God because he was continually aware of

the presence of God.

We need to practise the presence of God. How?

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* Remind yourself of the reality of God s presence’* Decide to talk to God continuously

* When you forget God is with you - confess and continue with Him

* Do everything - even common tasks - for the Lord [Col 3:17,23]

* Take control of your senses let them direct your mind to God

* Make it your aim to experience God at all times

Praise is the word used to describe the act of confessing the

attributes of a person. When we rehearse in God s presence the ’greatness of His being we begin to sense that he is indeed present!

D. WORSHIP: RESPONSE TO THE PRESENCE OF GOD

When we are aware that God is truly present we are able to move from

praise into the expression of worship. It is vital that we are aware

of His presence because worship is not done from far off, it is the “ ”personal response from our hearts to the presence of God.

The Difference between Praise and Worship:Praise is an expression of what God has done [Ps 28:6]

Worship is a response to who God is [Ps 29:2]

Praise is tuning into God s presence [Psalm 95:1’ -5]

Worship is responding to God s presence [Psalm 95:6’ -7]

2. DESCRIPTION OF WORSHIP

A. CELEBRATION

Psalm 145:3-7. Reveals that in worship we celebrate the mighty acts of

God as we joyfully recount His dealings with us.

B. LIFE-STYLE

Acts 4:13. God s presence has an effect on our lives. We ve been called ’ ’to offer our lives as living sacrifices (Rom 12:1). Hebrews 13:15,16

shows that our worship includes:- Thankful praise a sacrifice of “praise, Unashamed witness the fruit of lips that confess His name, ” “ ”Compassionate service - do not forget to do good, Generous giving to “ ” “share with others. If we are not worshipping through the week with our ”lips and our lives it is hardly likely that we will worship on Sunday

in church. God is looking for worshippers who will be sold out to a

life-style of praise and worship.

C. RESPONSE

Isaiah 6:5f. Worship is a response to God s Presence and presents [Rev ’14

5:9-10] In worship we respond in gratitude to God for who He is and

what He s done.’

D. DIALOGUE

Two way communication between God and man. God speaks to us and we

respond by speaking to Him. In fact worship is Trilogue because in

worship: (1) We minister worship to God [ADORATION] - Thanksgiving;

Praise and Worship. (2) God ministers to us [ADMONITION] - Word,

Witness of the Spirit. (3) We minister to each other [AFFIRMATION] -

Sharing; Prayer. Colossians 3:16 shows these three dimensions: Let the “word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one

another with all wisdom and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual

songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. ”

E. PARTICIPATION

Worship is not a spectator sport. It involves the active celebration “ ”of God by the participants. In worship God is the Audience, the people

are the Actors and the leader is the Prompter.

WorshipJerry Solomon

Definitions of WorshipDuring a 1954 interview A.W. Tozer, a great pastor and editor of the

Alliance Witness, was asked what he thought would awaken the church

from its complacency. This was his response: "In my opinion, the great

single need of the moment is that light-hearted superficial

religionists be struck down with a vision of God high and lifted up,

with His train filling the temple. The holy art of worship seems to

have passed away like the Shekinah glory from the tabernacle. As a

result, we are left to our own devices and forced to make up the lack

of spontaneous worship by bringing in countless cheap and tawdry

activities to hold the attention of the church people."(1) John

MacArthur, a more contemporary preacher and writer, wrote this

indictment in 1993: "In the past half decade, some of America's

largest evangelical churches have employed worldly gimmicks like

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slapstick, vaudeville, wrestling exhibitions, and even mock striptease

to spice up the Sunday meetings. No brand of horseplay, it seems, is

too outrageous to be brought into the sanctuary. Burlesque is fast

becoming the liturgy of the pragmatic church."(2)

These stinging analyses, whether we agree with them or not, remind us

that the biblically based Christian is challenged to consider worship,

along with all facets of life, in light of the culture in which he or

she lives. Worship should be included in the total world view of each

individual Christian. It is a significant part of a believer's life.

With this in mind, we will reflect on the meaning and history of

worship, hindrances to worship, and the content of worship. And we

will offer our own analyses and suggestions.

As is true with many terms used among Christians, the word "worship"

can become a cliché devoid of significant content if we don't stop to consider its meaning. "Our English word means worthship,' denoting the worthiness of an individual to receive special honor in accordance with that worth."(3) The Hebrew and Greek terms found in the Bible "emphasize the act of prostration, the doing of obeisance."(4) Warren Wiersbe offers a broad definition based upon these concepts. He writes, "Worship is the believer's response of all that he is--mind, emotions, will, and body--to all that God is and says and does. This response has its mystical side in subjective experience, and its practical side in objective obedience to God's revealed truth. It is a loving response that is balanced by the fear of the Lord, and it is a deepening response as the believer comes to know God better."(5) A more narrow definition may sound like this: "Worship is pure adoration, the lifting up of the redeemed spirit toward God in contemplation of His holy perfection."(6) Do these definitions describe worship as you experience it with your gathered church and in your daily life? If so, you are blessed. If not, perhaps you need to evaluate the place of worship in your life. Perhaps you need to consider honestly if you have allowed yourself to become accustomed to traditions that have confused true worship. Perhaps you have approached worship with the idea it applies only on Sunday mornings. Or maybe you have never stopped to consider the importance of worship. The History of WorshipWhat comes to mind when you think of worship? Is it a formal occasion? Is it a joyous occasion? Does it contain certain rituals? Are you involved? Are you praising God? Are you learning? Are you hearing from God? Are you in contemplation? Are you singing? Are you praying? Are you alone, or with other people? Perhaps you can answer some or all of these questions in the affirmative. And you probably can add other elements to what is contained in worship in your experience. But have you ever considered what worship may have looked like when the early church gathered? Were these elements included, or did it look very different? A

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very brief survey of the history of worship will help us begin to evaluate the purpose and content of worship today. Our ancestors had to wrestle with what worship entails long before our time. We can and should learn from them. The worship patterns of the Jewish synagogue served as the model for the first Christians. As Robert Webber has written, "It must be remembered that the early Christians came into worship from a different perspective from modern Christians. We accept the Old because we have been informed by the New. But they accepted the New because they had been informed by the Old."(7) The promises and prophecies of the Old Testament had been fulfilled in Jesus, the Messiah. Thus Jesus set the stage for the first acts of worship among the early believers by giving new meaning to the ancient ritual of the Passover meal. Acts 2:46 tells us that the earliest form of Christian worship was a meal--"breaking bread in their homes."(8) Believers were remembering the Last Supper just as the Jews remembered the Passover. Eventually churches became too large to accommodate these shared meals, so a single table with the elements of bread and wine became the focus. Thus "the central act of Christian worship in the history of the church has always been the Communion."(9) By the second century worship began to look more like what most of us include in our churches. Justin Martyr, an apologist and pastor, wrote of two major parts: the liturgy of the Word and the liturgy of the Eucharist. The liturgy of the Word consisted of lessons from the Old and New Testaments, a sermon, prayers, and hymns. The liturgy of the Eucharist included a kiss of peace; offering of bread, wine, and water; prayers and thanksgiving over the bread and wine; remembrance of Christ's death, including the narrative of the institution of the Last Supper, and a command to continue in it; an Amen, said by all the people; Communion; then the reserved portions were taken by the deacons to those who were absent.(10) It is unfortunate that by the late medieval period this twofold form of worship was overcome by pomp and ceremony that crowded out its meaning. But even the Reformers of the sixteenth century insisted on maintaining both Word and Sacrament. Their intent was to restore both elements to their primitive simplicity, and in the process the Scriptures were to be given an authoritative place.(11) Most evangelicals attempt to sustain the traditions of the Reformers. But what is the purpose of all this for the gathered church, and the individual believer? The Purpose of WorshipWhy should we worship God? Quite simply, we should worship Him because of who He is--God. In Revelation 4 and 5 we see descriptions that should provide impetus for our worship. He "is the only God, the highest, the Lord God, the heavenly King, the almighty God and Father, the Holy One."(12) To put it succinctly, "in worship we simply tell God the truth about Himself."(13) Each day of our lives we tell God the truth about Himself, if we are thinking and living through the grid of a Christian world view. I have a good friend who is a physicist. Years ago his job included the consistent use of a sophisticated electron microscope. This impressive device allowed him to take

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pictures of the microscopic things he was studying. From these pictures he developed a wonderful slide presentation that served to remind us of the order and complexity that exists beyond what we can see with the naked eye. When we viewed these remarkable images, we responded in worship. Why? Because our world view prompted us to contemplate the One who created such awesome things. We were filled with wonder. In our response we were telling God the truth about Himself. We were worshiping. After his death friends of the great French thinker, Blaise Pascal, "found stitched into the lining of his doublet a scrap of parchment with a rough drawing of a flaming cross. Around that cross was the following poem,"(14) entitled "Fire": God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob,Not of the philosophers and the learned.Certitude. Joy. Certitude. Emotion. Sight. Joy.Forgetfulness of the world and of all outside of God.The world hath not known Thee, but I have known Thee.Joy! Joy! Joy! Tears of joy.My God, wilt Thou leave me?Let me not be separated from Thee for ever.(15) In this unforgettable refrain we hear the heart of a man in worship. Pascal was responding to the very personal presence of God in his life by pouring out his heart. His contemplation led to worship. Jonathan Edwards, the great American philosopher- theologian of the eighteenth century, shared one of his experiences of worship in his Personal Narrative, which was published after his death.

The person of Christ appeared ineffably excellent with an excellency great enough to swallow up all thought and conception . . . which continued near as I can judge, about an hour; which kept me the greater part of the time in a flood of tears and weeping aloud.(16)

The full account of this encounter indicates that Edwards experienced worship during a time of contemplation and prayer. He sought to focus on God, and God responded in a dramatic way, just as was true for Pascal. Such experiences don't have to be descriptive only of a few. We can apply at least two things from them. First, as with my physicist friend, our lives should include a sense of wonder. And wonder should lead to worship. As Thomas Carlyle wrote, "The man who cannot wonder, who does not habitually wonder and worship, is but a pair of spectacles behind which there is no eye."(17) Second, as with Pascal and Edwards, we need times of contemplation and prayer. Thoughts about God, and prayer to God can lead to a personal encounter with the One we worship. Some Contemporary Hindrances to WorshipAs of July 3, 1997, I will have known my wife for 30 years. During that time my love for her has become enriched through many experiences. If you were to ask me why I love her, I might respond by telling you what I receive from her. Or I might give you analyses of marriage fit for an essay. I might even attempt to persuade you to believe in marriage as I do. None of these responses would be wrong, but they would

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be incomplete, and they wouldn't focus on the primary subject: my wife, the object of my love. The lover would have hindered true praise of the loved one. The same can be said frequently of us as we consider worship in our lives. If we aren't careful, we can hinder worship, both individually and corporately, by emphasizing things that may be good, but don't give us a complete picture of what worship entails. There are at least two words that can describe these

hindrances: pragmatism,

intellectualism.Pragmatism as a hindrance to worship. First, pragmatism has led many

to find ways of getting what they want, instead of what they need.

This means the worship "customer" is sovereign. "The idea is a basic

selling principle: you satisfy an existing desire rather than trying

to persuade people to buy something they don't want."(18) Many

churches are growing numerically through such strategies, but is

worship taking place? It's my conviction that the answer is "No."

People may be coming, but numbers are not the issue. Worship is done

among regenerated Christians who are concentrating on who God is, not

on what we want. Paradoxically, what we truly want, communion with

God, takes place when we pursue what we truly need.

Intellectualism as a hindrance to worship. Second, intellectualism is

not a substitute for worship. Coming from one who believes strongly in

the importance of intellect in the Christian life, this may be

surprising. But I have come to realize that worship is not a glorified

Bible study. This does not mean that the preaching of Scripture is not

a key ingredient of worship, but the one who is preaching is

responsible to share in light of worship. As Warren Wiersbe has

written, "There is much more to preaching than passing along religious

information. It must reveal, not mere facts about God, but the Person

of God Himself."(19) Wiersbe continues: "When preaching is an act of

worship, the outline is to the text what a prism is to a shaft of

sunlight: it breaks it up so that its beauty and wonder are clearly

seen."(20) Such comments also apply to our private times of Bible

study. Our minds are to be used in study, but what is studied includes

worship of the One who has communicated with us.

The Content of Worship

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"I know that Thou canst do all things, And that no purpose of Thine

can be thwarted" (Job 42:2). "I will give thanks to the LORD with all

my heart; I will tell of all Thy wonders. I will be glad and exult in

Thee; I will sing praise to Thy name, O Most High" (Ps. 9:1 2). "The

heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is

declaring the work of His hands" (Ps. 19:1). "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the

LORD of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory" (Isa. 6:3).

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has

blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in

Christ" (Eph. 1:3). "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus

Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born

again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from

the dead" (1 Peter 1:3). "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the

Almighty, reigns" (Rev. 19:6).

What do these Scriptures have in common? They are statements of

worship; they are inspired statements from men to God. And for the

moment it's our hope that they serve to stimulate us to contemplate

the content of worship.

One of the most pointed scriptural statements concerning worship is

found in Jesus' well-known encounter with the Samaritan woman (John

4:23 24). Jesus told her:

But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers

shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people

the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit; and those

who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.

Earlier (vs. 21) Jesus had told the woman that the place of worship

was unimportant. One doesn't worship just on a particular mountain, in

Jerusalem, or any other place. We are free to worship God anywhere. So

then He told her what is important.

First, the spirit of worship is important. We are to render "such

homage to God that the entire heart enters into the act."(21) Whether

we are in a time of private praise and adoration, or gathered with the

church in corporate proclamation, we are to respond to who God is from

the spirit, from the whole of our innermost being. Second, we are to

do "this in full harmony with the truth of God as revealed in his

Word."(22) The concept of responding to God in spirit can give rise to

confusing individual expressions if those expressions are not guided

by Scripture. There must be balance between spirit and truth. One

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without the other is not complete. "As some see it, a humble,

spiritual attitude means little. According to others, truth or

doctrinal soundness is of no importance. Both are one-sided,

unbalanced, and therefore wrong. Genuine worshipers worship in spirit

and truth."(23)

These comments began with quotes from biblical writers who wrote their

statements of worship. It's striking to note how those statements

contain not only the truth of God, but the truth about God. Truth

permeates their worship. But it's also striking to note the spirit

with which those expressions were shared. They are from the heart.

They penetrate our lives; they are alive with true worship. As we read

and hear such expressions they should encourage us to worship God in

spirit and truth. And thus the content of our worship will be pleasing

to Him.

Concluding Suggestions Concerning Corporate Worship Renewal

We have discussed several aspects of worship: its definition, history,

purpose, hindrances, and content. To conclude we will focus on five

suggestions that can be applied to corporate worship in the

contemporary church.

First, consider how time is allotted when the church gathers for

worship. As churches grow they tend to break into various times of

worship. Thus the available time for worship is decreased. One group

needs to be released from the worship center in time for another to

enter. As a result, often there is a feeling of being rushed. And this

feeling of being rushed is exacerbated because so much of the

available time is spent with things that may be good, but are not

conducive to worship. Announcements may concern good things, for

example, but they take time from the true intent of the gathered

church.

Second, consider how much attention is given to worship by the

leadership of the church. The pastor, staff, and other leadership

should demonstrate that worship has a very high priority. There should

not be a question of how much energy has been given to preparation for

worship on the part of the leadership.

Third, consider who is the leader of worship and why. It is my

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conviction that the pastor should be the one who calls the body to

worship and leads it by example. Much is communicated to the

congregation when the primary earthly leader implores the people to

give their undivided attention to the reason for their gathering. In

addition, much is communicated when the pastor is involved in worship

beyond just the delivery of a sermon, no matter how good it may be.

Having served on a church staff for many years, I know some of the

time implications of this suggestion. But I believe if the church

makes worship the priority, the pastor should provide the leadership

for it.

Fourth, consider what has priority in worship. Quite simply, the

question is whether or not God has priority. Or do other things tend

to crowd the allotted time and distract from the true intention? For

example, it may be good to let a visiting relative of a church member

sing a solo, but has someone talked with this person in order to

discuss the reason for any solos within the time of worship? Remember,

worship is to be God- centered, not man-centered.

Fifth, consider the place of style versus substance in worship. It

appears to me that the "style" of worship is not the issue as much as

the substance. In other words, if the people are called to worship God

with integrity and concentration on Him, the style is secondary. This

applies regardless of whether the style is liturgical/traditional,

contemporary, or something in between. But if the style overshadows

substance, true worship may be thwarted. It is a wise church that

brings both style and substance together in a manner that pleases God.

These five suggestions and the thoughts that have preceded them have

been offered with the hope that you have been stimulated to consider

the importance of worship in your life. The worshiping Christian in a

worshiping church is a person who is continually empowered to impact

the world for the glory of God. May you be among those empowered

people! © 1997 Probe Ministries International Notes 1. A.W. Tozer, Keys to the Deeper Life (Grand Rapids, Mich.:Zondervan, 1957), 87-88. 2. John MacArthur, Ashamed of the Gospel (Wheaton, Ill.:Crossway, 1993), xvii-xviii. 3. Everett F. Harrison, "Worship," in Baker's Dictionary of Theology, ed. Everett F. Harrison (Grand Rapids, Mich.:Baker, 1960), 560.

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4. Ibid.5. Warren Wiersbe, Real Worship (Nashville, Tenn.: Oliver Nelson, 1986), 27. 6. Harrison, Baker's Dictionary of Theology, 561.7. Robert E. Webber, Common Roots (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 1978), 84. 8. Ibid., 83.9. Ibid., 86.10. Ibid., 80-81.11. Ibid., 87-88.12. Ibid., 85.13. Ibid.14. Peter Toon, The Art of Meditating on Scripture (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 1993), 15. Blaise Pascal, Fire, quoted in Toon, The Art of Meditating on Scripture, 13. 16. Jonathan Edwards, Personal Narrative, quoted in Toon, The Art of Meditating on Scripture, 13-14.17. Thomas Carlyle, quoted in Tryon Edwards, The New Dictionary of Thoughts(New York: Standard, 1936), 713.18. MacArthur, Ashamed of the Gospel, 49.19. Wiersbe, Real Worship, 123.20. Ibid., 124. About the AuthorJerry Solomon, former Director of Field Ministries and Mind Games Coordinator for Probe Ministries, currently serves as Associate Pastor at Dallas Bible Church. He received the B.A. (summa cum laude) in Bible and the M.A. (cum laude) in history and theology from Criswell College. He has also attended the University of North Texas, Canal Zone College, and Lebanon Valley College. What is Probe? Probe Ministries is a non-profit corporation whose mission is to reclaim the primacy of Christian thought and values in Western culture through media, education, and literature. In seeking to accomplish this mission, Probe provides perspective on the integration of the academic disciplines and historic Christianity. In addition, Probe acts as a clearing house, communicating the results of its research to the church and society at large. Further information about Probe's materials and ministry may be obtained by writing to:

Probe Ministries1900 Firman Drive, Suite 100

Richardson, TX 75081(972) 480-0240 FAX(972) 644-9664

info@probe.org <mailto:info@probe.org>www.probe.org

November 16, 1997 Bethlehem Baptist Church

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John Piper, Pastor THE INNER ESSENCE OF WORSHIP (Philippians 1:18-24) What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice, 19 for I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 20 according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. 23 But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; 24 yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake.

Worship is Inner, Godward Experience Last week, the main point was that the New Testament reveals a stunning silence about the outward place and forms of worship and a radical intensification of worship as an inner, Godward experience of the heart manifest in everyday life. The silence about outward forms is obvious in the fact that the gathered life of the church is never called "worship" in the New Testament. And the main Old Testament word for worship (proskuneo) is virtually absent from the New Testament letters. The intensification of worship as an inner, Godward experience of the heart is seen in the words of Jesus that the hour is coming and now is when worship will not be located in Samaria or Jerusalem, but will be "in spirit and in truth" (John 4:21-23). Inner spiritual reality replaces geographic locality. And we see it again in Matthew 15:8-9 when Jesus says, "This people honors me with their lips but their heart is far from me. In vain do they worship me." Worship that does not come from the heart is vain, empty. It is not authentic worship. It is no worship. You can see it also in Romans 12:1, where Paul says that Christians should present our bodies to God in daily obedience to his will as a "spiritual service of worship." So I concluded that the essence of worship is not external, localized acts, but inner, Godward experience that comes out not primarily in church services (though they are important) but primarily in daily expressions of allegiance to God - in your sex life, in the way you handle your money, or keep your marriage vows, or speak up for Christ. What Experience Magnifies God? Now today I simply want to identify what the essence of that inner experience is which we call worship. If it is not essentially an outward act, but an experience of the heart, what is that experience? Now I take it as a given that worship, whether an inner act of the heart, or an outward act of the body, or of the congregation collectively, is a magnifying of God. That is, it is an act that shows how magnificent God is. It is an act that reveals or

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expresses how great and glorious he is. Worship is all about reflecting the worth or value of God. So the question we are asking this morning is: What inner experience of the heart does that? If the essence of worship is not mere outward form, but inner, Godward experience, what experience reveals and expresses how great and glorious God is? To answer that question we go to Philippians 1:20-21. Notice from verse 20 what Paul's mission in life is. He says it is "my earnest expectation and hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted [the key word, "magnified" -shown to be great and glorious] in my body, whether by life or by death." So what Paul is saying is that his earnest hope and passion is that what he does with his body, whether in life or death, will always be worship. In life and death his mission is to magnify Christ - to show that Christ is magnificent, to exalt Christ, and demonstrate that he is great. That's plain from verse 20 - "that Christ shall be exalted in my body, whether by life or death." Exalting Christ by Life and by Death So the question now becomes: Does Paul tell us what kind of inner experience exalts Christ in this way? Does he reveal the essence of worship? The answer is that he does, and he does so in the next verse (verse 21) by the way it is connected to verse 20. Notice the reference to "life" and "death" in verse 20 - "that Christ shall be exalted in my body, whether by life or death," and then notice the link-up with the corresponding words "live" and "die" in the next verse (21): "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain." So "life" and "death" in verse 20 correspond to "live" and "die" in verse 21. And the connection between the two verses is that verse 21 shows the basis for how living and dying can exalt or magnify Christ. Verse 21 begins with "for" or "because." My expectation and hope is that Christ will be exalted whether by my life or my death, for (because) to live is Christ and to die is gain. Verse 21 describes the inner experience that exalts Christ and is the essence of worship. To see this, let's take each pair separately, starting with "death" in verse 20 and "die" in verse 21. Boil down the verse to read: My expectation and hope is that Christ will be exalted in my body by death, for to me to die is gain. Christ will be exalted in my dying, if my dying is for me gain. Do you see it? The inner experience that magnifies Christ in dying is to experience death as gain. Why is that? Verse 23 shows why dying is gain for Paul (and for you if you are a Christian): "My desire is to depart [that is, to die] and be with Christ for that is much better." That is what death does: it takes us into more intimacy with Christ. We depart and we are with Christ, and that, Paul says, is gain. And when you experience death this way, Paul says, you exalt Christ. Experiencing Christ as gain

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in your dying magnifies Christ. It is the essence of worship in the hour of death. Cherishing Christ as Gain Which means that we can now say that the inner essence of worship is cherishing Christ as gain - indeed as more gain than all that life can offer - family, career, retirement, fame, food, friends. The essence of worship is experiencing Christ as gain. Or to use words that we love to use around here: it is savoring Christ, treasuring Christ, being satisfied with Christ. This is the inner essence of worship. Because, Paul says, experiencing Christ as gain in death is the way he is exalted in death. If you have ever wondered where I get the slogan: "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him," this is the place. Christ is magnified in my death, when in my death I am satisfied with him - when I experience death as gain because I gain him. Or another way to say it is that the essence of praising Christ is prizing Christ. Christ will be praised in my death, if in my death he is prized above life. The inner essence of worship is prizing Christ. Cherishing him, treasuring him, being satisfied with him. Now to confirm this, focus with me on the other pair of words. Verse 20: "My expectation is that Christ be exalted in my life." Verse 21: "For to me to live is Christ." So the reason Paul gives for why Christ is exalted, or worshipped, in his life is that for him "to live is Christ." What does that mean? The Surpassing Value of Knowing Christ my Lord Philippians 3:8 gives the answer. There Paul says, "I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ." "To live is Christ" means to count everything as loss now in this life in comparison to the value of gaining Christ. Do you see the word "gain" turning up here again in 3:8 just as it did in 1:21? "To live is Christ" means experiencing Christ as gain now, not just in death. So Paul's point is that life and death, for a Christian, are acts of worship - they exalt Christ, and magnify him and reveal and express his greatness - when they come from an inner experience of treasuring Christ as gain. Christ is praised in death by being prized above life. And Christ is most glorified in life when we are most satisfied in him even before death. The authenticating, inner essence of worship is being satisfied with Christ, prizing Christ, cherishing Christ, treasuring Christ. When we say that what we do on Sunday morning is to go hard after God, this is what we mean: we are going hard after satisfaction in God, and going hard after God as our prize, and going hard after God as our treasure, our soul-food, our heart-delight, our spirit's pleasure.

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Because we know from Philippians 1:20-21 that treasuring Christ as gain magnifies him, exalts him, worships him. Implications for Worship Let me draw out some implications of this for worship. 1. The pursuit of joy in God is not optional. It is our highest duty. There are millions of Christians who have absorbed a popular ethic that says it is morally defective to seek our happiness, even in God. This is absolutely deadly for authentic worship. To the degree that this ethic flourishes, to that degree worship dies. Because the inner essence of worship is satisfaction in God, experiencing God as gain. Therefore I say to you that the basic attitude of worship on Sunday morning is not to come with your hands full to give to God, but with your hands empty, to receive from God. And what you receive in worship is God, not entertainment. You ought to come hungry for God. Come saying, "As a deer pants for the flowing springs, so my soul pants for thee, O God." God is mightily honored when a people know that they will die of hunger and thirst unless they have God. Recovering the rightness and indispensability of pursuing our satisfaction in God will go a long way to restoring authenticity and power of worship. 2. Another implication of saying that the essence of worship is satisfaction in God is that worship becomes radically God-centered. Nothing makes God more supreme and more central than when a people are utterly persuaded that nothing - not money or prestige or leisure or family or job or health or sports or toys or friends - nothing is going to bring satisfaction to their aching hearts besides God. This conviction breeds a people who go hard after God on Sunday morning. They are not confused about why they are here. They do not see songs and prayers and sermons as mere traditions or mere duties. They see them as means of getting to God or God getting to them for more of his fullness, which they want because God is gain. If the focus shifts onto our giving to God, one result I have seen again and again is that subtly it is not God that remains at the center but the quality of our giving. Are we singing worthily of the Lord? Are our instrumentalists playing with quality fitting a gift to the Lord? Is the preaching a suitable offering to the Lord? And little by little the focus shifts off the utter indispensability of the Lord himself onto the quality of our performances. And we even start to define excellence and power in worship in terms of the technical distinction of our artistic acts. Nothing keeps God at the center of worship like the Biblical conviction that the essence of worship is deep, heartfelt satisfaction in Him, and the conviction that the pursuit of that satisfaction is why we are together.

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3. A third implication of saying that the essence of worship is satisfaction in God is that it protects the primacy of worship as an end in itself. If the essence of worship is satisfaction in God, then worship can't be done authentically as a means to anything else. You simply can't say to God, I want to be satisfied in you so that I can have something else. Because that would mean that you are not really satisfied in God but in that something else. And that would dishonor God, not worship him. But in fact for thousands of people and pastors the event of "worship" on Sunday morning is conceived of as a means to accomplish something other than worship. We "worship" to raise money; we "worship" to attract crowds; we "worship" to heal human hurts; we "worship" to recruit workers; we "worship" to improve church morale. We "worship" to give talented musicians an opportunity to fulfil their calling; we "worship" to teach our children the way of righteousness; we "worship" to help marriages stay together; we "worship" to evangelize the lost among us; we "worship" to motivate people for service projects; we "worship" to give our churches a family feeling, etc., etc. In all of this we bear witness that we do not know what true worship is. Genuine affections for God are an end in themselves. I cannot say to my wife: "I feel a strong delight in you - so that you will make me a nice meal." That is not the way delight works. It terminates on her. It does not have a nice meal in view. I cannot say to my son, "I love playing ball with you - so that you will cut the grass." If your heart really delights in playing ball with him, that delight cannot be performed as a means to getting him to do something else. Now I am not denying that authentic worship may have a hundred good effects on the life of the church. It will, just as true affection in marriage makes everything better. My point is that to the degree that we do "worship" for these reasons, to that degree it ceases to be authentic worship. Keeping satisfaction in God at the center guards us from that tragedy. 4. Finally, the last implication of saying that the essence of worship is being satisfied with God is that this accounts for why Paul makes all of life an expression of worship in Romans 12:1.

A. WHAT IS WORSHIP?

1. My own view: It is giving God pleasure, and getting pleasure by

means of praise.

This takes in all of the other aspects of worship, for it covers

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everything that

pleases God and the worshippers.

THE PLEASURE OF PRAISE Based on Psa. 84

By Pastor Glenn Pease

In the movie, Chariots Of Fire, the great runner Eric Liddell was

talking to his sister about going back to China as a missionary.

Jennie was so pleased with his decision, but then Eric said, "I've got

a lot of running to do first." When her look of happiness vanished,

he responded, "Jennie, Jennie. You've got to understand. I believe

God made me for a purpose-for China. But he also made me fast, and

when I run I feel His pleasure. To give it up would be to hold Him in

contempt."

Eric felt the pleasure of God when he did his best to use what

God had given him. He was saying, pleasure is a two way street. God

gives us pleasure, and we give God pleasure. Is this a Biblical

reality? Yes it is. We can give the Lord of the universe great

pleasure just as our children and grandchildren can give us great

pleasure. The pain can be equally real, but that is so well known it

is not a question. But the pleasure of God is seldom considered, even

though a quick count showed 28 verses in the Bible that deal with the

pleasure of God.

One of the things He is most pleased with is the praise of His

people. If they feel pleasure in Him, and rejoice in thanksgiving for

His goodness to them, He feels great pleasure. Psa. 69:30-31 says, "

I will praise God's name in song and glorify Him with thanksgiving.

This will please the Lord more than an ox....." God does not get His

pleasure in our ritual performance of sacrifices. His real pleasure

is in our pleasure of Him that produces joy, which is, in turn,

expressed by praise. Our spiritual pleasure gives God pleasure.

God is not impressed with power, for He has all power. He gets

His pleasure from our attitudes of dependence, trust, and hope in Him.

In Psa. 147:10-11 we read, "His pleasure is not in the strength of

the horse, nor His delight in the legs of a man; the Lord delights in

those who fear Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love." God

reveals His feminine side in what He most enjoys. It is not the

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masculine stuff of power and strength, but the feminine stuff of

feeling and personal relationships. Paul stress this feminine side of

his personally too in I Thess. 2:7. "As apostles of Christ we could

have been a burden to you, but we were gentle among you, like a mother

caring for her little children."

Paul is saying, we could have been more masculine, and we could

have been rough on you, but we were more feminine, and, therefore,

gentle. And why? He tells us in verse 4: "We are not trying to

please men but God." God is pleased when we deal with people with

the feminine touch of gentleness. Men can choose to do this and give

God pleasure. It was Paul's greatest goal in life to please God, and

it should be ours as well. When we give God pleasure we are living

life on the highest possible level.

There is an old story of a sculptor who made an image of an

angel high on a Cathedral tower. He was asked why he bothered to make

the back of it so perfect since no one would ever see it. He said,

"God will and I labor to please Him." A poet put the story in verse.

A sculptor on Cathedral tower,

With patient care and toil,

An angel wrought--

A thing of beauty growing there,

Expression of the workman's

Noblest thought.

His fellow, scoffing, said;

"For naught

Thy pains, for who can note

At this far height?

He, rev'rent, answered; 'Nay,

My friend,

But this shall live

In God's eternal sight."

When you get pleasure in pleasing God you are living in the

spirit. But when you do not care if you please God or not, you are

living in the flesh. Paul says in Rom. 8:8, "Those controlled by the

sinful nature cannot please God." The purpose of Paul's instruction to

the churches was to help them please God. He states this clearly in I

Thess. 4:1. "Finally brothers, we instructed you how to live in order

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to please God, as in fact you are now living. Now we ask you and urge

you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more."

Paul says Christian growth is growing in ones ability to please

God. All you learn, and all you do in serving, and all you do in

witnessing, and all you do in living the Christian life, is for the

purpose of pleasure. It is for God's pleasure and your own, for the

more you live to please God the more pleasure you get out of living.

Heb. 11 tells us of the great saints of faith in the Old Testament.

One of the first was Enoch who walked with God, and God took him to

heaven without dying. Why was he one in a million? Because verse 5

says, he pleased God. There is no higher goal to aim for in life. To

always please God is a definition of the perfect life. Jesus said in

John 8:29, "The one who sent me is with me, he has not left me alone,

for I always do what pleases him."

The goal in all we do as Christians is to please God, and that is

also the goal of worship. Why do we worship God? The answer is to

please Him, and by so doing enrich our own lives, and fill them with

greater pleasure. Worship is often linked with boredom due to

uninspiring music, and long tedious sermons that are much a do about

nothing relevant to our lives. This is a reality we have to endure,

but it is not true worship. True worship is pleasurable for both God

and man. If there is no pleasure you have not worshipped. You have

simply been present for a religious service. While you were bored out

of your mind others around you may have worshipped, and felt great

pleasure. We need to learn how to experience pleasure in worship for

that is the whole purpose for coming to church. We could say, if

there is no pleasure there is no treasure.

The Psalms are the treasure chest of worship, and we want to

link what they teach to our verse by verse study of Psalm 84. The

bottom line of the Psalms is the pleasure of praise. In Psa. 84:4

they are called blessed or happy who dwell in God's house and are ever

praising Him. Praise is the perfect example of the double pleasure of

worship. When we praise God we are feeling pleasure, for praise is an

expression of pleasure. It is thanksgiving for God's being, and for

His goodness, grace, and guidance. Praise feels good, and it makes

God feel good when you feel good enough to praise Him.

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In Heb. 13:15 we read, "Through Jesus, therefore, let us

continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise-the fruit of lips that

confess His name." He says in the very next verse, "With such

sacrifices God is pleased." The pleasure of praise is a pleasure

shared by God and man. Someone wrote, "Praise is the divine

catharsis. Nothing so cheers the heart, and clears the mind and

purges the emotions as praise. There is nothing like praise to

generate blessing, to pull heaven down, to propel our souls toward God

and to prepare us for His presence. Praise is the secret of song, the

source of strength, a cure for depression."

The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

How do we do this? Walter Brueggmann in his book, Israel's Praise,

tells us. "Praise is the duty and delight, the ultimate vocation of

the human community; indeed, of all creation.

Yes, all of life is aimed toward God and finally exists for the sake

of God. Praise articulates and embodies our capacity to yield, submit

and abandon ourselves in trust and gratitude to the One whose we are.

Praise is not only a human requirement and a human need, it is also a

human delight. We have a resilient hunger to move beyond self, to

return our energy and worth to the One from whom it has been granted.

In our return to that One, we find our deepest joy. That is what it

means to "glorify God and enjoy God forever."

You note, he says praise is both a duty and delight. We tend to

think of duty as a pain, but not so when it is linked to the praise of

God. It is a Christian duty to be happy, and the shortest route to

that goal is praise. The story is told of a wise man who asked his

three sons what they were going for in life. The eldest said

pleasure; the second said riches; the third said duty. Some years

later he asked them how they had done. The eldest said pleasure is

but a phantom that flies as one approaches. The second said pleasure

is not in riches. But the youngest said as I walked with duty

pleasure was ever at my side. The story teaches a Biblical truth.

When we fulfill our duty to praise God pleasure will be by our side.

The reason praise is a duty is because it is a basic part of

human nature to praise what is valued. We praise all that we

treasure, and all which gives us pleasure.

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We praise people who please us.

We praise products which please us.

We praise programs which please us.

We praise politicians who please us.

When we enjoy a great meal we praise the cook. When we see a great

painting, or a work of art in any form, we praise the artist. A song

well done will draw forth the clapping of hands which is an expression

of praise. Anything that gives us pleasure produces in us the desire

to praise that which produced the pleasure.

To worship God means to express His worth to us. If we do not

praise God, we do not feel His worth. It means we do not feel any

pleasure in who He is and what He has done for us. This is practical

atheism, and that is why it is a duty to praise God. It is a duty to

praise all who give you pleasure, for praise is one of the key ways by

which we convey love. When we praise our mates we are saying to them,

you please me and give me pleasure, and I am grateful to you. This

keeps love alive for it makes partners feel they are fulfilling their

role in the relationship. All relationships thrive on pleasure. If

there is no pleasure the relationship will die. Thus, praise is a

duty in all relationships, and that is why the book of Psalms is so

full of praise. It is at the very heart of the God-man relationship.

Praise is love in action. It is the daughter crawling up into

daddy's lap and hugging and kissing him. It is the son saying to mom,

you are the greatest mom ever. Praise is love expressed so the loved

one can feel they are loved. Thereby the pleasure of love is doubled,

for both can then feel it. God feels this pleasure when He is loved

by praise. He made us in His image so we all share this common need

for such pleasure. Praise is a sign on every level that love is

present, and pleasure is being enjoyed. The pleasure of praise is

universal, and that is why it is a duty and a delight to praise God,

for only when we do praise do we truly worship.

No matter what we do in changing our patterns and forms of

worship is of any value unless it leads to praise. That is the

essence of worship, that which makes you feel like praising God.

Ronald Allen writes with great wisdom in these two paragraphs:

I am aware that the recent history of the church has been

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Beset with innumerable fads. One new idea about theology,

Methodology, lifestyle, and church life follows another.

Each is presented with fanfare and excitement. Each flashes

and splashes, then sparkles and sputters, and then is

replaced by another new idea. We are weary with fads.

But the praise of God is not a passing fancy! It is one of

the most elemental, fundamental, and necessary factors of

the life of faith in this and any age. It is the goal and

direction of all creation. The praise of God is the

occupation of all His holy angels. The praise of God is the

purpose of man. The praise of God is the end result of

all God's wonders, all His being, and all His acts. If man

will not praise God, the very stones will! He has redeemed us

for the praise of His glory. This is no fad!

Here in our text in verse 4, they are called blessed who dwell in

the house of God for they are ever praising God. The praise of God

and the presence of God are linked, and this is because the praise of

God produces the presence of God. God is everywhere present, but we

are not conscious of His presence everywhere. But when we praise Him

we become conscious of His presence, for praise brings us into His

presence. To pray without ceasing and to praise without ceasing is

the goal of the Christian life, and the state of ideal happiness.

In Psa. 34:1 David says, "I will extol the Lord at all times; His

praise will always be on my lips." In Psa. 71:6 he says, "I will ever

praise you", and in verse 24 he says, "My tongue will tell of your

righteous acts all day long." The pleasure of praise is to be the

most frequent pleasure we enjoy in life. Psa. 113:3, "From the rising

of the sun to the place where it sets the name of the Lord is to be

praised." All day long, all over the world, at all times, and in all

places, the Lord is to be praised. The old orange juice commercial

use to say, "It isn't just for breakfast anymore." We could say of

praise, it isn't just for church services anymore. Praise is to be

perpetual. It is a pleasure God wants you to enjoy all day long

everyday.

Singing is the means by which love is most often expressed in the

world. Take the theme of love and romance out of songs, and the air

waves would be set back to an age of silence. Poetry and music

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combine to convey the joy of love. Singing is also the way the bride

of Christ conveys her love to her Groom, and to God the Father, who

made it all possible for them to be united. The romantic and the

religious have a great deal in common. The Song of Solomon makes this

clear by being both a great romantic and religious song. The romantic

and religious represent the two most intense emotional relationships

of life. There is no other means available to express these emotions

adequately but by songs. Love needs a song.

The singing we do in church is not just to take up time to get an

hour's service in. It is a basic part of our worship. We have the

choir and soloist sing, and we sing as a congregation. That is three

forms of singing that we do on a regular basis. Why do we devote so

much time to songs? The reason is simple. If praise is the essence

of worship, then the most likely way to touch our emotions and move us

to praise God will be through the power of music. We need to listen

to music with an ear that is determined to hear that which will

provoke us to praise God. Is the tune enjoyable? Is the message

wonderful? Is the harmony pleasing? By one aspect or another I

should be moved to praise God. That is the bottom line for all the

music and songs that we hear in church.

The sacrifice of praise is not always easy to offer. It takes

work and concentration. It takes a labor of love to get the mind

trained to fulfill this duty. Every worship service is a training

session to help the believer function more effectively in offering the

sacrifice of praise. Our minds should be searching the words of the

hymns, and asking the Lord to reveal how the message is of value to

our lives. Paul says in I Cor. 14:15, "I will sing with my spirit,

but I will also sing with my mind." Yes, it is an expression of

emotion to sing, but the mind is to be active as well as it searches

to love God with all its being by finding exciting truths that lead

you to praise.

Singing is not merely a preliminary to hearing the Word of God.

It is preparation, but it has value in itself. First of all, it

honors God. Psa. 50:23 says, "He who offers praise honors me." If

you write a song or sing a song to someone,that is quite an honor, for

it represents labor and sacrifice for the object of your praise.

Secondly, it gives pleasure to the praiser. Psa. 147:1 says, "How

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good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to

praise Him." When we praise God we are giving to Him the only thing

we really have to give. Worship involves not just what we get out of

it, but what we put into it. What do you contribute to worship.

Praise is to be your offering to God. To give praise gives pleasure

to you in return, for it is a pleasure to give pleasure to one who

gives you pleasure.

This is the goal of worship. Every time we come to an end of a

service there should have been in that experience that which pleased

God, and gave the worshippers pleasure. The most likely way that will

happen will be by some truth or some music that will produce in the

worshippers the pleasure of praise.

2. DEFINITIONS AND PERSPECTIVES:

a. "To worship is to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God, to feed the mind with the truth of God, to purge the imagination

by the beauty of God, to open the heart to the love of God, to devote

the will to the purpose of God." ---William Temple (1881-1944)

Archbishop of Canterbury from 1942 to 1944.

b.THE CHRISTIAN'S HIGHEST OCCUPATION by A. P. Gibbs, (Walterick

Publishers).The term, "worship," like many other great words, such as

"grace" and "love," defies adequate definition. The meaning of these

words, like the exquisite perfume of a rose, or the delightful flavor

of honey, is more easily experienced than described. Some definitions

of value: "Worship is the overflow of a grateful heart, under the

sense of Divine favor." Here the writer has emphasized the fact that

worship is a spontaneous thing. It is not something which has to be

laboriously pumped up, but that which springs up, and overflows from a

heart filled with a sense of the greatness and goodness of God. . . .

"Worship is the outpouring of the soul at rest in the presence of

God." Here the accent is on the spiritual condition of the one who

worships. The believer is at rest. . . . "Worship is the occupation of

the heart, not with it's needs, or even with it's blessings, but with

God Himself." Here the distinction is between prayer, praise, and

worship. . . . One more definition: "Worship is the upspring of a

heart that knows the Father as a Giver, the Son as Savior, and the

Holy Spirit as the indwelling Guest." . . . . "Salvation is something

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received by us as a free gift from God (Rom. 6:23). Worship is

something presented by us to God, as a willing acknowledgment of our

deep appreciation of what He is, and all He has done."

c. A DEFINITION OF WORSHIP "Worship is the expression of the

Christian believer's relationship with God. However that relationship

is very complex, since God is at one and the same time our Creator,

Redeemer (through Jesus Christ), Sustainer, Indweller (by the Holy

Spirit), Friend, and Judge. It helps to remember that we approach God

individually as a created one, a redeemed one, a sustained one, an

indwelt one, a befriended one, and a judged one." -Don Hustad, in

JUBILATE II: CHURCH MUSIC IN WORSHIP AND RENEWAL,

d. RESPONSE TO THE SELF-REVELATION OF GOD Christian worship is

our affirmative, transforming response to the self- revelation of

God. . . . We are not seeking to find or to know an obscure,

frightening being who needs to be placated. God makes and continues to

make the first move, showing himself in power and in love, inviting

our response. In fact, worship is any and every affirmative response

to God. There is no point to a question raised by some, whether it is

more important to "express adoration to God" or to witness and to

minister in our church life. One act gives corporate voice to our

inner commitment; the other is our outward expression of worship in

obedience to Christ's second great commandment, ". . . You shall love

your neighbor as yourself" (Mark 12:31). To worship is to think about

God and to converse with him. To worship is to preach God's good news

and to minister to a hungry, hurting world in the name of Christ. To

worship is to serve God as a banker, a farmer or an engineer and also

as a church deacon or elder, a Sunday school teacher, or a member of

the choir. To worship is to love God more than anything or anyone else

in the world. To worship is to enjoy and use and preserve God's world-

including all good art, beneficent science, and healthy entertainment.

For the Christian, every act of life should be one of worship, with

love that responds to God's love. -Don Hustad, in JUBILATE II: CHURCH

MUSIC IN WORSHIP AND RENEWAL,

e. TRUE WORSHIP IS RELATIONSHIP How do we minister to and worship

God in spirit and truth? Jesus gave us an answer as he quoted words

from the Torah which every Jew of his time knew from memory: "You

shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your

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soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength"; then he

added, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Mark 12:30-31).

Worshiping God and loving God are not absolutely synonymous, but they

are closely related, perhaps like opposite sides of a continuous

circle. This great commandment says that true worship is determined

not so much by the words "traditional" or "contemporary," but by

RELATIONSHIP-our relationship with God and our relationship with other

persons. Worshiping God begins and ends with loving God more than

anything or anyone else in the world. It should be apparent then that

no person worships God who does not have a love relationship with God.

Further, no person worships God acceptably who is not in loving

relationship with other human beings, who are "neighbors." - Don

Hustad in TRUE WORSHIP: RECLAIMING THE WONDER AND MAJESTY, Harold Shaw

Publishers (Hope), 1998.

f. From _The Concise Evangelical Dictionary of Theology_, edited

by Walter A.

Elwell, Baker Books, 1991.

Worship in the Church (page 564)

To worship God is to ascribe to him the worth he is due. The church of

Jesus

Christ is by definition a worshiping community called into being by

God as "a

spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices

acceptable to GOd through Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 2:5) The Christian

church

has from its beginning gathered regularly to worship. The most basic

acts of

worship in the early church - the reading and exposition of Scripture;

the

prayers; the singing of songs, hymns and spiritual songs; and the

observance

of the sacraments - are all derived from the example and comand of

Jesus.

However, except for the celebration of the Lord's Supper, these

practices

were derived from synagogue worship.

skip to

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"American Churches"

Three principal types of worship came to the American colonies. (1)

Some

retained a fixed liturgy, as in the Anglican Church. This allowed

maximum

opportunity for formal corporate participation. (2) A characteristic

of

churches that arose out of radical Puritanism was rejection of all

forms in

worship as quenching the Spirit. This guarded the freedom to

personally

praise God and communicate his message to others. (3) Calvinistic

churches

sought to worship according to the Word, following the dictum that

nothing

was to be allowed in worship except what Scripture commanded. (R.G.

Rayburn)

g. Worship can be defined as recognizing and proclaiming the worth, value, majesty, honor and glory of God and giving homage,

respect, reverence and praise to God. I like the following definition:

Worship is one s heart expression of love, adoration, honor, and “ ’praise to the Living God with an acceptable attitude and a

acknowledgment of His supremacy and Lordship. ”

h. Here are 2 excellent messages on worship.

Worship Is a Verb

Hebrews 11:4-7

INTRODUCTION: One of my favorite book titles is "Worship is a Verb." The author

of the book is emphasizing the actions of the worshiper. We have become spectator

oriented in our worship. Rather our worship ought to be participatory. I want to

spend a couple of Sundays looking at this thing called worship.

Robert Weber says, "The focus of worship is not human experience, not a lecture,

not entertainment, but Jesus Christ--his life, death and resurrection."

John MacArthur defines worship as "honor and adoration directed to God."

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Franklin Segler says, "Christian worship defies definition: it can only be

experienced."

Donald Hustad defines worship as "our affirmative response to the self-revelation

of the Triune God."

Allen and Borror defined worship as "an active response to God whereby we

declare His worth."

From these definitions we can conclude there are three ingredients of worship: one

to do the worshiping, one to receive the worship and the action of worship.

In relation to the definitions of worship the question still remains, "what is

worship?" The principal term translated "worship" is shachad, which means to "bow

down" or to "prostrate" oneself. The most common New Testament word

translated as "worship" is proskuneoo, which means to kiss toward, to kiss the

hand, to bow down, prostrate oneself or to do reverence.

Dr. Warren Wiersbe said, "When you consider all of the words used for worship in

both the Old and New Testaments, and when you put the meanings together, you

find that worship involved both attitudes (awe, reverence, respect) and actions

(bowing, praising, serving).

Now I have emphasized worship in the introduction and that worship is the mean

thread running through this sermon. I want you to look at something here in

Hebrews 11 and compare it to our own actions. What we read just a few minutes

ago has an order to it. The first person about whom we read was Abel offering

sacrifices, that is worship. The second person about whom we read was Enoch

walking with God, that is behavior. The third person about whom we read was Noah

building the Ark, that is working. Now most of the time we start with the work and if

we have time we will make it back to the worship. The reality is that we need to

begin with worship.

One of the great preachers of a century ago used to spend two hours with God

every morning. Someone asked him what he did on unusually busy days. He said,

"on those days I would send an extra two hours in prayer." Fellows, that is why I

think the seven day week does us very little good. Worship must always precede

work. And as a result of worship and prior to our work, we will behave ourselves

accordingly.

I want you to briefly with me look at these three aspects of life this morning.

WORSHIP - Abel

You remember the story of Cain and Abel. Cain brought an offering the ground to

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the Lord. Abel brought an offering that consisted of a blood sacrifice. One was

acceptable and the other was not. Just as Dr. Weirsbe said "attitudes...and

actions." The correct action was a blood sacrifice, which Cain did not bring. The

correct attitude was not demonstrated by Cain as well. Both had to be present.

There are three dimensions of worship. One man calls them: outreach, inreach, and

upreach.

1. The outward dimension. The first thing that will be reflected by our worship is our

relationship to others.

2. The inward dimension. A second category is worship involves our personal

behavior.

3. The upward dimension. This category involves the Godward aspect of worship.

Think with me about Nehemiah. His task was to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem.

In the course of that work a great revival struck the hearts of the people.

Remember a lot of the preparation that Nehemiah did was in the framework of

worship. This shows the result of what worship can do for a people.

There are three things that I think we must learn today:

1. We must see worship as the primary work of the church. Walk will come as a

result of worship. Work will come as a result of walk.

2. We must see worship as a source of spiritual renewal. We don't come to this

building for folks to get saved, though they may. We don't come to this building for

people to become educated in His Word, though they may. We come to this building

for spiritual renewal.

3. We must see worship as an active experience. We must get away from this idea of

spectator worship and move into the realm of participating in the worship act.

WALK - Enoch

You remember Enoch. This is one of the men in the Scripture who never dies. The

Scripture just simply says that Enoch walked with God and was no more There are

two things said of Enoch. One, he walked with God. Two, he pleased God.

The idea of walk in the Bible generally stands for the behavior of life that we exhibit.

In Ephesians we are given a good example of our walk before others. Remember this

walk follows worship. There are three areas of walk given to us in Ephesians 5.

Walking in the sunlight of love vs 2-7. The Bible repeatedly says that we are to love

one another. There is never an option. We are to love people.

Walking in the sunlight of light vs 8-14. There are three things that I want share

with concerning this sunlight of light.

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Light is productive; evil is barren.

Christians have no fellowship with, but expose the works of darkness.

Light not only illumines but transforms.

Walking in the sunlight of wisdom vs 15-21 There are three reasons given here as to

why we should walk in wisdom.

We must redeem the time.

We have a need to understand the will of God.

We must be filled with the Spirit of God.

WORK - Noah

The Scripture tells about another man who pleased God. The Scripture says he was

"just man and perfect in his generations." He had worshiped and he was walking

correctly. Now the Lord tells him to go to work.

This is the activity that we normally put first. We just jump in and go to word,

regardless of our relationship to God or our relationship to others.

Obviously, I have stressed worship this morning almost to the exclusion of work.

The Bible tells us we are to work. The word service is used extensively throughout

the Scripture. Almost two hundred times the word "serve" is used in Scripture.

Over one hundred times the word "service" is used. Almost four hundred times is

the word "work" used. So that shows that work and service is important, but we

must begin at the beginning point and not try to jump into the middle of things.

CONCLUSION: Now there are three: worship, walk and work. The most important

thing we will ever do as individuals is to worship Holy God. Let me call you today to

worship of an awesome God. First, and foremost is the beginning point and that

beginning point is accepting Him as Lord and Savior. Come to Him today and begin

the process of worship.

Worship

Psalm 95:1-8

INTRODUCTION: It seems to me that there are two basic questions in relation to

worship of holy God. First, there is the question of the manner of worship. It is a

question of form. Now all groups have different "forms" in their worship. Some will

follow a more liturgical form, while others follow what is called "free" form in

worship. That is not exactly the form that I will be talking about this morning. I think

there is something even more basic when thinking of form. Second, there is a

question in our minds as to why we should worship. Now you may give a number of

spiritual answers. But they really do not answer the question as to why we should

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worship. I have even heard people say "it is our duty to worship." I believe that if

you come to worship out of a sense of duty, then you have missed the mark.

I hope to answer these two questions this morning by using Psalm 95 as the basis.

HOW SHALL WE WORSHIP THE LORD?

Joyfully - "Make a joyful noise to the Rock of our salvation." (vs 1). That rock is

Jesus. I Corinthians 10:4 says, "...they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed

them: and that Rock was Christ." Nehemiah declares that the joy of the Lord serves

as his strength. When we come to worship our heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus

Christ, there ought to be much joy in our heart. Often times we come to the

worship hour and look as if we have swallowed some really bad tasting medicine.

You know the look you get when you children have to take medicine and they curl

their nose and twist their lips and act as if they are just about to die. That is often

how we come to worship God. Understand me, there are always problems that are

existent in our lives, but we don't have to bring the entire world in on those

problems. We need to look and act as if we truly desire to worship God.

Joy has been defined as "having inner confidence, knowing God is in control." That

means that God is in control of every circumstance of our lives. The problems that

surround may seem as if they are insurmountable. And it is almost as if, because we

have those problems we want others to be miserable too. Joy says that "I believe

God is in control of the problems surrounding my life right now and I believe He is

going to work everything out to His glory and honor. Does that mean we come to

worship in a giddy sort of way. We must not confuse happiness and joy. There are

times in our lives when sadness is going to be present and that is alright. But you

will never be happy until there is joy in your heart. You could almost say that our

worship is an outpouring of that joy.

Thankfully - "Let us come...with thankfulness" (vs 2). The question could be posed:

"do you have anything for which to be thankful?" One man answered a similar

question with these words: "think of what He has done for you, in you, with you and

promised to you." I truly believe that if we would come to worship with that sort of

attitude our individual worship would improve dramatically. There is a song with the

title, "Give Thanks." The first line says, "Give thanks with a grateful heart." That

seems a little redundant. The reference is that we ought to be thankful that within

our very hearts we can express our gratitude to God. When we come to this place,

there ought to be a aura about our worship because of our thankful hearts.

WHY SHOULD WE WORSHIP THE LORD?

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He is our SALVATION! - "...the Rock of our salvation" (vs 1). David teaches us so

much in the Old Testament about salvation that comes to us. You remember the

time when after his sin with Bathsheba, his irresponsible act of putting Uriah in the

hottest part of the battle, the child being born from that union and the baby's death.

Nathan approaches David with his sin and David prays for forgiveness and asks that

God would restore unto him the joy of God's salvation. We must always keep in mind

that, while indeed we accept Him personally as Lord and Savior, it is God who gives

the salvation. So I don't pray, "God, I thank you for my salvation." Rather, I pray,

"God, thank you for salvation that you have given to me." There is a subtle

difference in the two prayers. The first almost indicates that the salvation belongs

to me and always has. The second prayer gives the credit to the one who has given

the salvation. When I come to worship, I come in an attitude of awe because of God

giving salvation to someone as unworthy as me; to someone as unlovely as me; to

someone as guilty of sin as me.

He is GREAT! - "The Lord is a great God, and a great king" (vs 3). There were

nations that surrounded Israel who believed that the God of the Universe was just a

local deity; just a small God of a small nation, therefore one of the inferior gods. The

Psalmist declares that is not the case. He is great, for he is all in all; he is a great

King above all other powers and dignitaries. He is great that is why we spell His

name with a capital letter. He is not "a" god, He is "the" God.

He is STRONG! - "In His hand, deep places; the strength of the hills is His" (vv 4,5).

Look at these two verses. He is God of the mountains. He is God of the valleys. He

is God of the seas. He is God of the earth. He is God!! Psalm 139:7,8 says, "Whither

shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up

into heaven, thou are there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou are there." I am

also reminded of the verse in I Corinthians 10:26 that says, "the earth is the Lord's

and the fulness thereof." I am also reminded of the verses in Psalm 8:1,2, "O Lord

our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above

the heavens. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength

because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger."

He is HOLY! - "O come, let us worship...let us kneel before the Lord our Master"

(vs 6). Ours is a holy privilege to kneel before Him and worship. We are not only

workers, but first we are worshipers. The spirit of humble adoration is our best

fitness for service. It is on bowed knees and with humble hearts that victory is

gained. Jeremiah 10:6 says, "For as much as there is none like unto thee, O LORD;

thou art great, and thy name is great in might. "

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He is GRACIOUS! - "We are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand"

(vs 7). We are His as the people whom He daily feeds and protects. Our pastures

are not ours, but His; we draw all our supplies from His stores. Charles Spurgeon

said, "We are His, even as sheep belong to the shepherd, and his hand is our rule,

our guidance, our government, our succor, our source of supply."

CONCLUSION: The hand that separated the waters at the Red Sea and brought

forth water out of the rock is still with us, working equal wonders. Can we refuse to

worship and bow down when we clearly see that this God is our God for ever and

ever, and will be our guide, even to death?

3. IT IS ENJOYING GOD

GLORIFYING & ENJOYING GOD The Scotch catechism says that man's chief

end is "to glorify God and enjoy Him forever." But we shall then know

that these are the same thing. Fully to enjoy is to glorify. In

commanding us to glorify Him, God is inviting us to enjoy Him. C. S.

Lewis, from REFLECTIONS ON THE PSALMS, Harcourt, Brace & World [now

Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1958. ============ [Those lines remind me

of John Piper's words: "God is most glorified in us when we are most

satisfied in Him."]

A WORD ABOUT PRAISE The most obvious fact about praise - whether of

God or anything - strangely escaped me. I thought of it in terms of

compliment, approval, or the giving of honour. I had never noticed

that all enjoyment spontaneously overflows into praise unless

(sometimes even if) shyness or the fear of boring others is

deliberately brought in to check it. The world rings with praise -

lovers praising [each other], readers their favourite poet, walkers

praising the countryside, players praising their favorite game -

praise of weather, wines, dishes, actors, motors, horses, colleges,

countries, historical personages, children, flowers, mountains, rare

stamps, rare beetles, even sometimes politicians or scholars. I had

not noticed how the humblest, and at the same time most balanced and

capacious, minds praise most, while the cranks, misfits and

malcontents praise least. . . . Except where intolerably adverse

circumstances interfere, praise almost seems to be inner health made

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audible. .. . . I had not noticed either that just as men

spontaneously praise whatever they value, so they spontaneously urge

us to join them in praising it: "Isn't she lovely? Wasn't it glorious?

Don't you think that magnificent?" The Psalmists in telling everyone

to praise God are doing what all men do when they speak of what they

care about. --C.S.Lewis in *Reflections on the Psalms*, Harcourt

Brace, 1964. (as quoted in *Space for God: The Study and Practice of

Prayer and Spirituality* by Don Postma, CRC Publications, 1983) [Does

our personal praise of God adequately reflect how much he means to us?

Is our praise of him equal to our praise of the many comforts and

delights he has offered? What would your personal praise/psalm be

like?

4. IT IS ASCRIBING WORTH TO GOD AND GIVING HIM GLORY.

PRAISE AND THE DOXOLOGY Praise is derived from the Latin word

"preisier" which means to prize -- praise is an expression of

approval, a worship, and a valuation of that which has worth or merit.

To praise is to prize; it is to glorify that thing or that one worthy

of glory and honor. To the degree that something or someone is worthy

of glory and honor -- to that degree praise is due. God is of infinite

value and glory; he is due our infinite honor, our infinite praise.

The Greeks used the term "doxa" to denote this response that is due

God. "Doxa" is the root of doxology -- a song or expression of praise

and worship. Doxology actually comes from two Greek words: "doxa,"

meaning praise and "logos," meaning logical message. How appropriate!

This means that "doxology" literally defined is the logical expression

of the emotion of praise. Head and heart are merged in worship through

the doxology. The classical Greek philosophers -- who showed great

reverence to philosophical pursuits -- used the word to express the

holding to or the entertaining of a philosophical opinion. The

Biblical writers used doxologies primarily to praise God for who he is

and what he does. The Bible is filled with doxologies by men and by

angels. The early church and the church throughout the ages sing and

recite various doxologies. As a matter of fact, our primary purpose as

Christians is to glorify God in our hearts and in our minds. This is

the logic of praise. Adapted by Michael Hodgin from Webster's New

Collegiate Dictionary, published by G. & C. Merriam Company,

Springfield, Massachusetts, 1981 & A Greek-English Lexicon Based on

the German Work of Francis Passow, by Henry George Liddell & Robert

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Scott, published by Harper and Brothers Publishers, New York, 1856

A VIEW ON LORDSHIP OF CHRIST True faith is not lip service. Our Lord

himself pronounced condemnation on those who worshipped him with their

lips but not with their lives (Matthew 15:7 - 9). He does not become

anyone's Savior until that one receives him for who he is--Lord of all

(Acts 10:36). A. W. Tozer said, "The Lord will not save those whom he

cannot command. He will not divide his offices. You cannot believe on

a half-Christ. We take him for what he is--the anointed Savior and

Lord who is King of kings and Lord of all lords! He would not be who

he is if he saved us and called us and chose us without the

understanding that he can also guide and control our lives. From The

Gospel According to Jesus, John F. MacArthur, Jr., page 29

DEFINING the TERM "WORSHIP" Worship is a noble word. The term comes

into our modern speech from the Anglo-Saxon WEORTHSCIPE. This later

developed into WORTHSHIP, and then WORSHIP. It means "to attribute

worth" to an object. We use the word loosely when we say of a man, "He

worships his money," or his car, or his golf clubs. A deeper meaning

is found in the honorific title, "His Worship the Mayor," by which we

dignify the first citizen of our town or city as a person who deserves

special esteem and respect. In the Marriage Service of the Book of

Common Prayer, the prospective husband's promise is "With my body I

thee worship" - a pledge of utter loyalty and devotion to his bride,

who is worthy of this, in his eyes. If we may elevate this thought to

the realm of divine-human relationships, we have a working definition

of the term WORSHIP ready-made for us. TO WORSHIP GOD IS TO ASCRIBE TO

HIM SUPREME WORTH, for He alone is worthy. - Ralph P. Martin, WORSHIP

IN THE EARLY CHURCH, chapter 1 "The Church - A Worshipping Community,"

Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1974 revised edition.

THIS IS WORSHIP This is worship. It is to seek to give to God the

glory which is due to his name. Indeed, the best biblical definition

of worship I know is to "glory in his holy name" (Psalm 105:3), that

is, to revel in the unique wonder of who he is and has revealed

himself to be. If worship is right because God is worthy of it, it is

also the best of all antidotes to our own self-centredness, the most

effective way to "disinfect us of egotism," as one writer put it long

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ago. In true worship we turn the searchlight of our mind and heart

upon God and temporarily forget about our troublesome and usually

intrusive selves. We marvel at the beauties and intricacies of God's

creation. We "survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of glory

died." We are taken up with God, the Father, the Son and the Holy

Spirit. Jesus taught us to do this in the Lord's Prayer, whose first

three sentences focus not on our needs but on his glory, on the

honouring of his name, the spread of his kingdom and the doing of his

will. Because we are normally so turned in on ourselves, we will not

find this easy. But we have to persevere, since nothing is more right

or more important. - John R. W. Stott, in CHRISTIAN BASICS, Eerdmans,

1969, p. 119.

RECOVERING THE PRIORITY OF GOD

By Bruce H. Leafblad

God is the first priority of the church. Not people. Not ministry. Not growth. Not

success. God and God alone occupies the place of ultimate and absolute priority in

the church. However, this biblical ideal does not receive much attention in the highly

people-centered, growth-dominated, success-oriented American church of today.

From our preaching, our writing, and our lifestyle, it would appear that today's

church is preoccupied with other matters. It may be nothing more than a still, small

voice, but many in the church are hearing a clear call to the recovery of God as

first priority-over everything and in everything. It was the Apostle Paul who wrote

to the Colossians saying that Christ was to have the pre-eminence in everything.

The priority of God is not an option in Scripture, nor can it be anything but the very

centerpiece of Christian belief and practice in the contemporary church. If the

church expects to be all that it is intended to be, God must be first. If the church is

to accomplish its great mission in the world, God must be its first priority. If the

church is once again to become salt and light in an increasingly darkened and

decadent culture, it must recover the priority of God for itself.

Worship and the priority of God What, then, is the connection between the priority

of God and worship? Worship is essentially about the priority of God. It is predicated

upon the reality of God's being in the supreme position in relation to everything that

exists within the created order. Worship is a personal, human expression of that

relationship by which we honor and praise God as supreme. The results of such

worship include a greater understanding of who this unique God is and an increased

desire to make Him first in all of life. Consider the names and titles by which we

address God in our worship. These all explicitly or implicitly reveal a God who is

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first and ultimate in His being-a God before whom we, together with all of creation,

assume a place of humble stature. As King, He is ultimate, the King of Kings, and

we approach Him as loyal, contented subjects. As Lord, He is supreme, the Lord of

Lords, and we come into His presence bowing and kneeling. As Master, He is one,

and we all honor Him as willing servants. As Father, He is alone, the true Father of

us all, and we come to Him as loving children. As Creator, God is the solitary source

by whom everything was made, and we come before Him as lowly creatures. As

Savior, He is unique, for there is no other savior, and we celebrate Him as the One

who alone has rescued us out of our helpless and hopeless condition.

Worship and the Character of God Not only does our worship express God's

superior position in relation to all that He has made, but in our worship we affirm

the superiority of God's character set against the backdrop of humanity's universal

moral failure. In our worship, we extol those divine virtues and draw upon His wealth

of virtue by which our lives are restored to more and more Christ-like reflections of

His moral perfection's and by which our weakness of character is replaced by divine

strength. God is holy-we worship Him with awe and reverence. God is love-we

worship Him in loving adoration. God is good-we worship Him with a spirit of

gratitude. God is all-knowing-we come to Him in our ignorance seeking genuine

knowledge. God is all-wise-we come to Him in our foolishness, seeking the wisdom

that comes only from Him. God is merciful-we worship Him in contrition and with

repentant hearts, seeking His forgiveness. God is compassionate-we come to Him

casting our burdens and cares upon Him. God is everywhere-present-we worship

Him at all times and in all places, confident of His personal presence. God is truth-

we worship Him, trusting every word He speaks to us to be true, for He cannot lie.

God is righteous-we worship Him with deep respect and with a desire to be like

Him. God is unchanging-we worship Him with living faith and quiet confidence that

He will always be as He has always been. Much about our worship is centered on

God's perfect character and His superlative attributes. Worship is a response to

God as He is. Hence, our worship is an acknowledgement of God's exclusive

superiority in power, authority, and every positive moral and spiritual quality. This

reality, the reality of who God is, constitutes the very heart of worship. Because He

is God and no other, we worship Him. Because He is who He is-superior to

everything He has made, unlimited in power, unrivaled in excellence, unsurpassed in

beauty, unequalled in moral perfection, and unmatched in love and grace and

compassion-we worship Him and Him alone, giving Him the priority over everything

else. Worship is a personal, faith-filled expression of the priority of God.

The priority of God in our pursuits Worship rightly understood is not merely a

response to God, but it is very much a pursuit of God. Moses was confronted by

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God, and his response was a desire for more of Him. Near the end of his life, Paul,

the apostle who had such a rich relationship with the Lord, prayed that he might

know Christ even more fully. To know God is to desire more and more of Him. This

seeking is truly normal when one has tasted and seen that the Lord is good. In

worship we continue to pursue God-to pursue a deeper, fuller, and increasingly

intimate knowledge of Him. The psalmist Asaph expressed this holy longing in Psalm

73:25 (RSV): "Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is nothing upon earth

that I desire besides thee." These words of Asaph are an illustration of the priority

of God in one's pursuits. Is this what today's church is seeking? Is this the one holy

passion of American Christianity? Or has a lust for growth become the new priority

of the '90s? The priority of God in the pursuits of the church must not be

surrendered to any rival-friendly or otherwise. Seeking first the kingdom of God will

always be a pursuit of God and His reign in our lives, and it must ever remain the

first, the primary, and the all-consuming pursuit for those who belong to Christ. The

major hunger and thirst in the lives of all believers today will be no different from

that of David when he wrote: "O God, thou art my God, I seek thee, my soul thirsts

for thee, my flesh faints for thee as in a dry and weary land where no water is"

(Psalm 63:1 RSV). Worship is about the priority of God in the church's pursuits ...

in our values The meaning of worship is also understood in terms of personal and

corporate values and value systems. Worship is spiritual action by which the church

affirms God to be first priority in its values. Inasmuch as we are value-driven

beings, this matter of the priority of God in our values is of critical relevance.

Whatever or whomever we value most highly gives shape to the rest of our value

system. By nature, our value systems are structured from the top down-that is,

from the highest to the lowest value. Thus, one's value system is a hierarchy of

values that is dominated by the highest value. By definition, whatever or whomever

one values most highly-that is one's god. True worship is that spiritual action in

which the God of the Bible is affirmed to be the highest value. In the Scriptures,

God is everywhere assumed and affirmed to be the ultimate value beside whom

there is none of equal value and beyond whom there is none of greater value. The

One who created all things is revealed to be of greater value than all those things

that He created Worship, then, is understood to be the personal spiritual action

through which believers acknowledge, accept, and affirm that God is the first

priority in their own value systems. In the First Commandment, God requires that

we shall have no other gods before or besides Him. No other objects of worship are

appropriate to the reality of one true God who alone qualifies for such reverence.

The English word worship-actually a shortened form of "worth-ship"-gives

additional strength to this aspect of our understanding. By this word, we understand

worship to be a "worth-shipping" of God, that is, an acknowledging of the supreme

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worth of God in and of Himself and within our personal system of values. To worship

God is to treasure Him more highly than any other person, thing, cause, or

enterprise in all of life. God alone is worthy; therefore, we "worth-ship" Him

alone."Worthy art thou, our Lord and God,to receive glory and honor and power ..."

Worship is about the priority of God in our values. ...

in our affections In Matthew 6:21 (RSV), Jesus states a principle that is applicable

to more than one aspect of life: "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be

also." We take this principle to mean that what one values, one will cherish. A man

will pour his heart into that which he values most. A woman will invest her deepest

affections in that which she most highly treasures. That is, what we value most we

will love most. The biblical scheme of affections consistently positions love at the

head of the list. In the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4,5), in the Great Commandment

(Mark 12:29,30), and in Paul's famous discourse (1 Corin-thians 13), we see this

uniform perspective on love as the greatest affection. From this biblical material, we

derive this simple yet significant piece of theo-logic: If God is first in our values, He

will also be first in our affections. This ideal represents the normal Christian life,

although one must confess that the church today does not always rise to the

biblical standards for normalcy in the Christian experience. The sum of the matter

is this: Worship is about the priority of God in our affections. To worship God aright

is to give Him our first, best love. This love properly belongs to God and to no other.

To love anyone or anything else more than God is idolatry. Worship is the highest

form of love-a love we give exclusively to God. In true worship we declare and

express the priority of God in our affections. "Love the Lord your God with all your

heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." (Mark

12:30 RSV) In true worship, love is the supreme affection, and God is the exclusive

object of our greatest love. At its center, this divine-human encounter we call

worship is a love affair of the highest and holiest order. We value, we cherish, we

praise, we celebrate, we receive the love of God that has rescued and redeemed us

and that continues to pursue us day after day; and we respond to that love by

declaring and expressing our deepest, our highest, our strongest, our first, best love

to the Lover of our souls. This is the "real action" in worship. And this is what

worship is really about-the priority of God in our affections. ...

in our commitments If what we value most we come to love most, then what we

value and love most is that to which we become most committed. Worship is

spiritual action through which we affirm the priority of God in our commitments. In

worship, we commit ourselves to God as first priority in our lives. We commit

ourselves to Him as to no other. By such action, we come to grips with the truth

that we are His, that He owns us, that we belong exclusively to Him by virtue of

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creation and redemption. Commitment is that process by which values and

affections are translated into concrete and decisive actions. Commitment begins

with the attitudes of humility and yieldedness, both of which are expressed in a

continual succession of decisions that subsequently precipitate action. It is the

incarnational actualization of spiritual realities, in which words become flesh,

thoughts become deeds, and values and affections become actions, that

characterizes this aspect of worship. Being committed to God is to be first

committed to His will, His purposes, His plans for our lives. The Christian lifestyle is

one of submission to the will of God; one of continual obedience to His leadership.

This is not to be viewed as irksome or burdensome, however; the believer knows

that such submission is a path of great joy and true freedom. It is the eager

submission that two lovers grant each other in the act of love. Such is worship

when it truly expresses the priority of God in our commitments. The Apostle Paul

describes this aspect of worship in terms of "living sacrifices" (Romans 12:1). In

this familiar text, he affirms: That commitment is a fundamental aspect of worship;

That God is the only one to whom we must commit ourselves completely; That

commitment involves sacrifice, that is, dying-dying to self, self-will, self-

sovereignty; and That commitment is not a single, once-and-for-all action, but

rather a lifelong, continuous process of "living dying" and "dying daily," of new

commitments and renewed commitments to God and His will for us. In worship we

affirm and express the priority of God in our commitments.

Three Observations... We should all rejoice and praise God for the worship renewal

that is taking place in many churches. God is at work restoring the vision of Himself

and renewing the worship life of many congregations. There is not a continent on

this planet where worship renewal is not now taking place. We should remember

that renewal is not the same everywhere. In church history, no major renewal has

ever come from forms and formats, and so it is today. In some places, little change

of externals has taken place, if any, while great changes in spirit, life, vitality, and

spiritual energy abound. In other places, many new forms have been added to the

traditional heritage of the church, and a blending of old and new is characteristic. In

yet other places, a distinctly new set of forms and formats has replaced the former

ones. In all such settings, however, the heart of the renewal is, as it has always

been, a work of the Holy Spirit of God restoring to the church something the church

has lost. Alongside the genuine spiritual renewal of worship that has been observed

is another movement in American worship that may have little or nothing to do with

genuine renewal, although there may be many similar external changes present. This

is essentially a "wineskin" movement in which major changes in the wineskins-the

externals-of worship are being introduced. This liturgical reconstruction is variously

motivated by interests in contemporaneity and relevance to modern society,

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concerns regarding church growth, or merely an imitation of some "more

successful" church that is doing some new things. It is entirely possible to totally

redo a congregation's worship service, replacing its basic format, forms, and style

with a totally new set, and yet be entirely outside the renewing work of the Spirit.

The Ultimate Objective The great need of the church today is neither to cling to

the old or to create the new forms and formats. Our greatest need today is to

recover the priority of God in our worship and in the whole of life. The wineskin

issues are totally secondary to the more pressing need for the new wine of the

Spirit. The crisis in worship today is not a crisis of form but of spirituality. When

worship renewal comes, the congregation pursues God Himself as its ultimate

objective. God Himself is treasured above any experience, any feeling or any result

of worship. Love to God will be the dominant affection expressed through the

various forms of worship. Fresh commitment to God is the common response of the

entire worshiping community. Worship becomes an end in itself rather than the

means to some other end. Worship will be experienced as a relationship with God

being dynamically acted out rather than merely being a function of the church. WL

Bruce H. Leafblad is a professor of church music and worship at Southwestern

Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas.

Keynote address delivered to Maximum Music 1998 Western Seminary,

Portland OR January 30, 1998 INTRODUCTION When I was in college

studying music, I worked for a while in the choral department of a

large music store. The manager of the choral dept. was as secular and

ungodly a man as they come, yet he was an expert on sacred choral music-- I didn t think much about it at the time, because I wasn t a ’ ’Christian then. But on thinking back on it years later, I thought how

sad that was. You ve probably known others as well for whom sacred ’music was merely an area of specialization, a field of expertise in

which their interest was merely academic or aesthetic-- talk about

missing the forest for the trees! If I may reverently paraphrase the

apostle Paul: "If we have focused on sacred music in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied!" Two years ago I attended an

excellent one-day seminar on choral vocal technique sponsored by a

well-known music school. It quickly became apparent, however, that

perhaps the overriding value of that teacher and that institution was

the production of beautiful, pure vowel sounds-- that, regardless of

whether the literature was secular or sacred, the ultimate goal was to

achieve vowels of true excellence. And I thought, how tragic-- this is

53

really what they live and work for! They groom the trees so carefully

and never step back and see the forest in all of its grandeur. But,

before we get too smug, let us admit that all too often we can get

caught up in the details of church music ministry and forget about

what should be the true focus of our endeavor-- not to the absolute

sense that these men I ve mentioned have done, but nevertheless it can ’be a very real problem for us. In fact, that was my first inclination

when I first started thinking about this talk. Hence the original

title: Worship Trends, Traits, and Troubles. My projected subject matter would have to do with very important, but decidedly second-

level, concerns. In the months since choosing the title, I have come

to the decision to head in a little bit different direction in this

talk. Rather than just deliver a sort of "State of the Union" address

on worship in the church, I would like to try to cast a vision for you

of the immensity and grandeur of worship, the centrality of worship to

all of life and to all that we are and do as Christians. I d like to ’share a little of my own personal pilgrimage in this regard, and

relate how God has enlarged my view of and appreciation for worship.

I. THE BOTTOM LINE

A. The Goal of Worship We must never, ever forget that church music is

a means to an end; indeed, the most glorious of ends at that: the worship of Almighty God. That is the forest which give all of the

trees their meaning. That s why Don Hustad calls church music a ’"functional art." The ultimate goal of our ministry is not to make

great music, it s not beautiful tone or perfect balance, not pure ’vowels; our goal isn t even excellence. Our goal is to ’ encourage and facilitate and enhance the worship of the people of God. And while we cannot make that happen by our own efforts, yet if it is not happening

it doesn t really matter how good the choir s balance or vowels are’ ’ --

we re just specializing in sacred music.’ I would like us to focus for

these minutes this afternoon-- in the midst, I should hasten to add,

of a day of very good and very practical seminars which I hope we will

all benefit from-- I would like us to focus right now on some very

foundational issues which underlie--which MUST underlie-- everything

that we do in church music if it s to be more than just an area of ’specialization for us. I d like us to consider ’ the fundamental importance of worship in our ministries-- but also have us take

several steps back so that we can take in the wider horizon, and see

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the fundamental importance of worship in the whole life of the church

and in our whole lives as individuals.

B. Where I Started As a jumping off point I d like to get ’autobiographical for a moment. I was brought to my present church by a

pastor who was looking for a man with theological as well as musical

training; he also had a real desire to see worship as a vibrant part

of the church s life. Well, I had the training in music and the ’training in theology, but the twain had never met, had never been

integrated or related to each other in any way for me or by me. When I

came to Memphis, I didn t have a clue about worship: I didn t have an ’ ’appreciation for it, didn t have a philosophy of it, didn t have a ’ ’strategy for trying to revive and reform it at First Evangelical

Church. God graciously has caused us to grow together as a

congregation in our understanding of and appreciation for worship. But

what really made the light start to come on in my own heart and mind

happened just a few years ago. A turning point in my understanding of

worship came when the missions pastor of our church showed me the

introductory sentences of a book on missions, entitled Let the Nations Be Glad, by Dr. John Piper, pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis. This was simply not your usual introduction to a book on

missions, because it emphasized the secondary importance of missions,

that it was the second most important activity of the church. Not how

one would normally seek to convince one s readers of the importance of ’the subject at hand: talking about how it is of secondary importance!

This is what Piper wrote, three little sentences which revolutionized

my thinking about worship: "Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn't." [Let the Nations Be Glad, henceforth referred to as LNBG, © 1993 Baker Book House, p.11] That is a profound statement! And one which, as I reflected

on it, began to change forever the way I think about worship. Far from

putting down missions, Piper is holding forth the supreme importance

of worship-- now and for eternity. This is how he goes on to develop

this idea: "Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is

ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions

of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions

will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides

forever." [LNBG, p.11] Worship, Piper says, is the ultimate goal of

the church; in fact he says that: "All of history is moving toward one

great goal, the white-hot worship of God and His Son among all the

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peoples of the earth." (LNBG p.15) Piper is not alone in this

assessment of the importance of worship. Many others have come to

similar conclusions on the basis of their examination of Scripture.

For example, Dr. John MacArthur has written a book on worship, and in

his foreword he relates how he was far into his ministry before God

taught him to appreciate the centrality of worship. His book is

titled, significantly, The Ultimate Priority.

II. THE CHIEF END OF GOD Now the thing to do at this point would

probably be to give you about an hour to meditate on these thoughts--

they really deserve and need to be mulled over. But I hope you will

choose to do that at a later time. For now, we want to try to

understand the enormous significance which these men, and many others,

attribute to worship. To do that, we need to step back even more and

try to take in what the Scriptures say about the primary goal, not of

the church, but of God Himself. Piper, drawing on the insights of

Jonathan Edwards, develops and demonstrates from Scripture that God s ’overriding purpose and priority is the display and furtherance of His own glory. Now "the glory of God" is one of those theological

catchphrases that which the mind of man can consider. God s glory ’speaks of His utter and absolute holiness, His magnificent splendor,

the perfections of His character. "God is light; and in Him there is no darkness at all." (1 John 1:5) "His name alone is exalted; His glory is above earth and heaven." (Ps. 148:13) "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory." (Is. 6:3)

His glory is absolute and unique; therefore He declares in Isaiah

42:8: "I am the Lord, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another." God pursues His own glory tirelessly throughout biblical

history: (Isaiah 43:6-7) "Bring My sons from afar and My daughters from the ends of the earth, Everyone who is called by My name, And whom I have created for My glory, Whom I have formed, even whom I have made." (He created us for His glory.) (Isaiah 49:3) "You are My Servant, Israel, In Whom I will show My glory." (He established Israel for His own glory.) (John 1:14) And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. (2 Cor. 4:6) the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.(the glory of God seen in Christ) (Ephes. 1:13-14) In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation--having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who

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is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory. (the purpose of salvation is to magnify His glory) (1 Chron. 16:24) Tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all the peoples. (God s ’glory is the centerpoint of the missionary mandate) (Isaiah 66:18) the time is coming to gather all nations and tongues. And they shall come and see My glory. (the climax of history is the glory of God) (Phil. 2:10-11) so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (the purpose of summing up of all things in Christ is to glorify God) (Rev 21:23) And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb. (the essence of heaven is the glory of God) (Psalm 72:18-19) Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, Who alone works wonders. And blessed be His glorious name forever; and may the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen, and Amen. (the purpose of creation is to display God s glory throughout)’ The astounding fact is

that everything that is, and everything that happens, has as its

ultimate goal and end the glory of God. God in his power and

sovereignty created the universe so that His glory might be displayed

(might be "clearly seen," as Paul puts it in Romans 1:20); Psalm 19:1

puts it this way: "The heavens are telling of the glory of God". God made man in His own image, and though man rebelled and sinned, He

provided a way for His own glory and love and justice to be vindicated

through the work of Christ. Even His righteous judgment of the lost

will demonstrate the infinite value of the glory of God, by showing

"the infiniteness of the sin of failing to glorify God." (Piper, LNBG,

p.22) Piper also says: "The biblical vision of God is that He is

supremely committed, with infinite passion, to uphold and display the

glory of His name." (LNBG, p.22-23) Now, we are conditioned to

consider that anyone who pursues always and only his only glory is

rather self-centered. But that s because we as sinners choose to ’glorify ourselves rather than God, who is infinitely greater (cf. Rom

3: 23: "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"). But,

as Piper points out, for God there is nothing greater than Himself to

seek to glorify. In His perfection He seeks the greatest good for

Himself and for His creatures, and that greatest good is simply God Himself and His glory! You re familiar with the Westminster Shorter ’Catechism s statement that "the chief end of man is to glorify God and ’

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enjoy Him forever." The astounding fact is that the chief end of God

is also to glorify God! There is no greater thing for Him to glorify.

He, and He alone is worthy of all glory. Amen! So the glory of God is

really the greatest of all subjects, and is indeed the subject and the

motivation and the goal of worship.

III. THE CHIEF END OF MAN God has an inexhaustible passion for His

glory, and by application that s what godliness must involve for men ’and women: we must come to share His a passion for the glory of God;

we must learn to cherish God s glory. And to cherish God s glory is ’ ’what it means to worship. Worship is expressed in many different ways,

but in it broadest understanding it comes down to cherishing the glory of God. To go back to the Westminster statement: the chief end of

man-- as well as of God-- is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever

(those are really two sides of the same coin) and ultimately that is a

statement about worship. Let us consider briefly three NT Passages

which demonstrate-- in quite different ways-- the utter centrality of

worship as mankind s highest goal and reason for existence.’

A. Romans 1 In Romans 1 Paul deals with the issue from the negative

side as he describes the fate of fallen man because of his rejection

of God. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature [His glory] have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks [a good summary of worship], but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. [Now we see the downward spiral] Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God [about His glory] for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. Now of course

Paul, in these early chapters of Romans, is portraying sin in all of

its blackness so that the light of the gospel might shine all the more

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brightly in contrast as he expounds is beginning in chapter 3. But he

has also already hinted at the glories to come in 1:16-17, where he

speaks of the gospel being "the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes." That salvation through faith in the power of the gospel

will in effect reverse the downward spiral of sin which Paul describes

in chapters 1 &2. Looking again at Paul s words indicting fallen ’humanity, we can recast them and reparaphrase them and see something

of God s purposes in redeeming and restoring lost men and women:’(Paraphrase of Romans 1:18-25) For the grace of God is revealed from heaven to fallen and sinful men who have accepted the truth of the gospel, to those whom God has drawn to Himself. For now not only is the power and the majesty of God evident through what has been made, but He has also revealed His love, mercy, compassion and grace through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ His Son, so that men may be saved.And now they not only know God, but they also honor Him as God and give thanks, their minds filled with thoughts of Him and their hearts filled with devotion to Him. Acknowledging themselves to be fools, they became wise, and exchanged images and false objects of worship for the glory of the incorruptible God. Therefore God indwelt their renewed hearts with His Spirit unto purity, so that they might present their bodies as living and holy sacrifices unto Him. For they exchanged a lie for the truth of God, and now worship and serve the Creator rather than the creature, to the glory of His name. Amen. This

grand reversal effected through the redeeming work of Christ brings

forth worship in the lives of those who find new life in Him. The

foundation of sin is the failure, actually the refusal to worship God and give Him the honor and thanks He is due; it s a refusal to ’ glorify Him. But as the culmination of His saving work He returns believing

people to an attitude and lifestyle of worship. God intended for the

revelation of His glory in creation and in redemption to issue forth

in a response of worship on the part of those enabled by grace to do

so.

B. Revelation 5 Let us now make a rather drastic shift from Paul s dark ’picture in Romans to the glory of the throne room of heaven in

Revelation 5. Here we see another picture of the centrality of

worship. (By the way, these scenes of heavenly worship in Revelation

4 & 5 are not just instructive for us; in a very real way we have the

privilege in corporate worship in the church in joining our hearts and

our voices with that of the heavenly host, taking part in their

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worship-- we have that right and that privilege because, as Paul tells

us in Philippians 3:20, "our citizenship is in heaven"-- we are

citizens of heaven, and enjoy the rights and privileges of that

citizenship even while we are sojourners and aliens living in a

strange land.) Here is the scene in heaven which the apostle John

portrays for us in Revelation 5: God the Father on the throne, along

with the Lamb, in the center; the four living creatures around them,

then the 24 elders, outside of them "myriads and myriads of angels,"

and then John says every created thing in the heavens, on the earth,

under the earth, on the sea-- all saying: "To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever." (v.13) And then we read: "And the four living creatures kept saying, "Amen." And the elders fell down and worshiped"(v.14) In this grand scene of worship the centerpoint is of

course God the Father and His Son-- everything else gathers around,

and fans out from, that centerpoint; But the focus is of course

inward, the focus is on that center; the exclamation of that entire

throng is that God is worthy of blessing & honor & glory and dominion

forever and ever. WORSHIP is the business of heaven, the preoccupationof heaven, we might almost say the obsession of heaven: all its inhabitants focus on God and proclaim His supreme value and worth and

glory. All is focused on worship. And, as citizens of heaven, that should be our focus as well. In heaven there is no other focus, there

are no side conversations or announcements or interruptions of any

kind. As Piper reminds us, there is certainly no missions either--

only WORSHIP. All attention is on God, all glory is given to Him. He

alone is worthy of that worship-- He is the Creator (as Revelation

4:11 emphasizes); everything else which is gathered around has been

created. He is the uncaused cause, the self-existent one; all others are dependent on Him for their very existence. They recognize His

unique worth and majesty and splendor and so heap their praises on Him

and on Him alone. Amen!

C. John 4 Now we reluctantly set our feet back on the earth, and move

to John 4, where we see Jesus in conversation with the Samaritan woman

at the well. From the lips of Jesus Himself we hear what God most

wants from His creatures: the Father seeks worshipers. Those who will

worship Him in spirit and in truth. The Samaritans apparently had a

certain degree of enthusiasm and devotion in their worship on Mount

Gerizim-- but Jesus said they were worshiping that which they did not

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know (v.22). The Jews, on the other hand, worshiped according to God s ’revealed truth (Jesus says in v.22 "Salvation is from the Jews"), but

for the most part it had become cold, lifeless ritual. Jesus tells the

Samaritan woman that "an hour is coming when neither in this mountain

nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father" (v.21), but rather "an

hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the

Father in spirit and in truth" (v.23)-- true worship would no longer

tied to a place, but rather to the attitude of the heart and the

understanding of the truth. And both these aspects must be present in

order for true worship to take place, for Jesus said: "those who

worship Him must worship in spirit and truth" (v.24). Worship must be

genuine and from the heart (worship in spirit) and must be in

accordance with God s ultimate self’ -revelation and self-giving in Jesus

Christ (worship in truth). This is the worship which the Father seeks;

these are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. As we saw in Romans

1, these will be those who have drunk deeply of God s grace and who ’respond with grateful hearts to exalt His name and His glory. Nowhere

else does the Bible speak of God seeking anything from man-- He seeks

worshipers. That is an amazing thought! In His glorious condescension He has made us and sought us and redeemed us that we might glorify Him

and enjoy Him forever-- in worship. This is true "seeker" worship, if

you will: the Father seeks worshippers, those who will worship Him in

spirit and truth. All worship is a response to His gracious

initiative. That is a crucial point: worship is our gift to God-- the

only thing He seeks from those to whom He has given everything-- but

we must always realize that the idea of worship, the inclination to

worship, the desire for worship, and the ability to worship only come

as a result of God s gift to us: His saving initiative in our lives and ’the enabling work of the Holy Spirit.

_________________________________ So we see in Romans 1 the

appropriate response of redeemed and renewed humanity to the greatness

and glory of God: to honor Him and give Him thanks, to worship the

Creator. In Revel. 5 we see God in His glory as the central focus of

all the created order; and we see worship as the fitting preoccupation

of all citizens of heaven. In John 4 we see what God seeks from us

whom He has made: our worship. The chief end of God is to glorify

God-- to manifest and display His perfections and His glory. The chief

end of man is likewise to glorify God, through worship. Worship is mankind s highest goal and loftiest endeavor. He was created for ’ thatabove all else.

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IV. THE CHIEF END OF THE CHURCH That a rather breathtaking

panorama which Scripture lays out for us. But we need to take deep

breath and move on to talk about the church. For not only is the chief

end of God to glorify God, and the chief end of man to glorify God in

worship -- but likewise the chief end of the church is to glorify God

through worship.

A. Disclaimers Now, lest that sound a little arrogant, for a worship

pastor to come in and say "worship is the ultimate goal of the

church"-- after all, you might go to a C.E. conference and hear that

C.E. is the most important thing the church does; or a preaching

seminar and hear that the exposition of the Word is the top priority

for the church; or a youth leaders rally and be told that youth ’ministry and outreach is the lifeblood of the church; or an evangelism

training course where you are told that the church is here primarily

to fulfill the Great Commission, etc., etc. Let me respond by pointing

out several things: 1. Going back to Dr. Piper s statement: "Missions ’is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists

because worship doesn t."’ a. Remember that this statement is in a book

on missions, a book on missions by a man who is very passionate about missions. b. Also remember that Dr. Piper is a preacher, a senior

pastor, not a worship pastor! 2. We must also realize that worship in

the sense we are speaking of it is far broader than the Sunday morning

worship service. It is perhaps a misnomer to call someone a "pastor of

worship", because worship is something which is so big (as we have seen) that is encompasses and permeates our entire lives-- everything

we are and do. Paul said, "whatever you do, do all to the glory of

God" (1 Cor. 10:31; cf. also Romans 12:1). So it s not a question of ’what department of the church is more important than any other; but

rather, what s it ’ all for? What s our ’ common purpose as a church? What

is our ultimate mission, our goal?

B. The Great Commandment Greater Than the Great Commission 1. The Great Commission Many churches hold that the mission of the church is

found in the Great Commission, as Jesus words to His disciples ’recorded in Matthew 28: 19-20 are called, where He says "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you." Such churches rightly see that the

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Commission not only includes the work of evangelizing the lost, but

also of discipling believers and teaching them to obey the commands of

Christ. This understanding of the church s ultimate purpose and reason ’for existence is reflected in many of these churches mission ’statement, such as these examples of actual such statements: 1. "Our

Mission: To cause God great joy by sharing His love with others as we

have seen it in Jesus Christ." 2. "Our Mission: Developing fully

devoted followers of Jesus Christ." 3. "[First Church] exists in order

that we may glorify the Lord God through the means He has established

in His Word: Evangelism (introducing people to Jesus Christ) and

Edification (building believers to maturity in Jesus Christ)." 4. "For

God s glory, [Second Church] is committed to developing disciples in ’our area and throughout the world so that in all things Christ might

have the preeminence." 5. "To the glory of God: to win, build, and

equip disciples of our Lord Jesus through loving, Bible centered

ministry at home and abroad." Several of these statements do express a

desire to do all that they do for the glory of God. But the means are

left at evangelism and edification, which by their very nature are

man-focused in nature. Are the evangelization of the world and the

edification of the saints the ultimate expressions of God s purposes in ’creating us and saving us and calling us into His service? Does the

Great Commission encompass all which we are to be about as a body of

believers? Surely not, in light of some of the themes we have been

talking about.

2. The Great Commandment And surely not even in light of Jesus own ’words. He says in the Great Commission that we are to learn to obey

all that He commanded. And elsewhere He makes very clear what the most

important command of all is. It is so reminiscent of things we have

seen already: "One of the scribes . . . asked Him, What commandment is ‘the foremost of all? Jesus answered, The foremost is, "Hear, O ’ ‘Israel! the Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength." "’ (Mark 12:28-30) The Great

Commandment tells us that, above all else, we are to love God with all

of our being. Our primary responsibility is not service or even

obedience. We are to be first and foremost lovers of God; people that glorify Him and enjoy Him forever and express that love through a life

and lifestyle of worship. The connection is obvious: if God made us primarily to worship and glorify Him; and if the primary thing He

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requires of us is our love-- then we must be talking about essentially

the same thing. Worship, therefore, is loving God with all of our

being, and cherishing His glory. God is seeking worshippers; not

evangelists, not disciplers, not missionaries, but worshipers-- lovers

of God who base their whole existence in exalting Him in all of their

endeavors.

3 The Relationship between the Great Commandment and the Great Commission Notice the purely vertical focus of the Great Commandment;

"love the Lord your God," period-- not show your commitment to God by doing this, that, and the other. The Great Commandment speaks of

worship in that it is purely vertical in its focus; that utter God-

centeredness reflects what we have already seen about how ultimately

all that we do should point towards God and His glory. The Great

Commission, on the other hand, by definition involves activities which

are more horizontal, man-focused in nature (namely, evangelism and

discipleship). The fact of the matter is that the Great Commission

grows out of and is built on the foundation of the Great Commandment

and the second greatest commandment, which Jesus explains in Mark 12 to be: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (12:31) The Great

Commission grows out of the interworking of these first and second

greatest commandments, to love God and to love our neighbor: if we

truly love God, we will follow through with the love of neighbor which

He commands and enables; and the greatest love we can show to our

neighbor is to help him become a lover of God, a worshiper, in his own

right. Even in Matthew 28 we find worship undergirding the Great

Commission; we read in v. 16: "The eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him." Then the Great Commission itself begins with

a vertical focus: "And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, All ‘authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations . . . " (vv. 18’ -19) We see that

the context of the Great Commission is worship (28:16), and its

foundation is the authority of Jesus Christ )28:18). Our outreach and

discipleship must flow out of an appreciation for the glory of God and

out of a heart which is full of worship-- otherwise, as Piper points

out, "You can t commend what you don t cherish." (LNBG, p.11) And our ’ ’outreach and disciplemaking must lead ultimately to more worship being

offered up for God s own pleasure. (It should also be said that a ’church which genuinely worships will reach out -- for if the people

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do not grow to share God s heart for the lost, we may legitimately ’question how close they have really come to Him in worship!)

4. A Proper Emphasis and Balance While the church mission statements

mentioned earlier are strong on the Great Commission and rightly

concerned with the glory of God, yet they are woefully lacking when it

comes to acknowledging worship as the primary and ultimate focus of

the church. Here are some mission statements which come closer to

giving worship its proper due: 1. "As a local expression of the

universal body of Christ, we desire to corporately love God with all

our being by worshipping Him and loving others through relevant

ministry both locally and around the world." 2. " [Third Church]

exists for the purpose of: magnifying Jesus through worship and the

Word; making Jesus known to our neighbors and the nations; and moving

believers in Jesus toward maturity and ministry." 3. "The priorities

of ministry of this church flow from the vision of God s glory revealed ’in Jesus Christ. We exist to savor this vision in worship (John 4:23),

strengthen the vision in nurture and education (I Corinthians 14:26,

II Peter 3:18), and spread the vision in evangelism, missions, and loving deeds (I Peter 2:9, 3:15, 5:16; Matthew 28:18-20)." 4. "The

Mission of [Fourth Church] is to glorify God through joyful worship,

to show God s love to all people, to lead them to faith in Jesus ’Christ, to make them His disciples, and to call them to His service."

These statements put worship in its proper place: first. And I believe thereby God is honored, because it is clear that when we are putting

worship first, we are in fact putting Him first.

C. How it all fits together What does this perspective then mean for

the ministry of the church? How does it all fit together?

1. An End in Itself To quote from Piper once more: "Of all the activities in the church, only one is an end in itself: worship."(from "Worship Is an End in Itself," a sermon manuscript). This

derives from some of the things we have already looked at. a. First,

it should be clear by now that there is no higher activity than worship for created beings. Worship is not a means to anything else.

We don t worship at church to grow our numbers, to make people feel ’better about themselves, even to teach believers or evangelize the

lost. Not primarily. We worship to actively cherish and savor the

glory of God, and when we do that, we ve arrived at the purpose of our ’65

existence. b. Secondly, if worship is the highest goal, than other

Christian activities should serve as means to that all-encompassing

goal. In fact, they must serve as this if they are to be honoring to

God and in line with His purposes.

2. The Means to the End So, as Piper puts it, "Missions exists because

worship doesn t." ’ But not only that: Sunday School exists because

worship doesn t’ -- not to the fullest extent possible. Youth groups

exist because worship doesn t.’ Evangelism teams exist because worship

doesn t.’ Small groups exist because worship doesn t.’ Discipleship

programs exist because worship doesn t.’ Preaching exists because

worship doesn t.’ The ultimate goal of all these activities is to build

more and better worshipers, to the glory of God! Evangelism activities to win more worshipers, and edification activities to build better ones. Only worship is purely vertical in its focus; all these other

ministries necessarily focus on people. But our goal in working with

people is to point them towards God, towards worship!

3. All Roads Lead to Worship But again, this is not special pleading

for the inherent superiority of the worship department of the church.

Quite the opposite-- rather it means that every pastor has worship as

the goal of his ministry! The pastor of worship and music should

perhaps be called something like "pastor of corporate praise," so as

not to confuse things, because not only his goal is the worship of

God s people, but ’ every staff person s goal!! The children s and youth ’ ’pastors have the ministry of developing young people into worshipers; adult ministries pastors should seek to teach adults to prize God and

His glory above all things, and to worship Him above all other

pursuits; the pastors in charge of missions and evangelism have the

ministry of seeking to multiply worshipers for God; the preaching

pastor has the responsibility of publicly cherishing the glory of God

and expounding it and inviting others to share in the wonder of

wholehearted, and whole-life, worship. Every pastor, every staff

member, everyone in ministry should have an ultimate vertical purpose

to his or her ministry: a purpose of seeking to reflect and

demonstrate and display the glory of God in the lives of people; a

purpose of building into others (as they seek to also build into their

own lives) a preoccupation with God, a loving of Him with all the

soul, heart, mind, and strength; a cherishing of Him and His glory in

lives of worship. That kind of purpose should be conscious and

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explicit for everyone involved in ministry, regardless of what that

ministry may look like in its particulars. All of ministry, as well as

all of life-- as we have seen-- must have that overriding, single-

minded purpose if we are to be what we have been created and redeemed

to be. Ministry is the work of seeking, in the power of the Holy

Spirit, to build more and better worshipers of God.

V. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS In closing I would like to come back to

our ministries of music and worship and draw a couple of practical

implications for those ministries from the big themes we have been

discussing of the glory of God and worship.

A. Reordering Our Priorities The first has to do with the pettiness of

many of our squabbles over matters of taste and style in worship.

"Worship wars" (as Marva Dawn and others have termed these conflicts)

are a scandal and a travesty to the body of Christ! If God is looking

above else for faces turned heavenwards towards Him in adoration and

worship, how it must grieve Him when to instead see us facing off

against one another in our provincialism, our territorialism, and our

narrow-mindedness. We acknowledge that worship is primarily for God;

but then we assume that our particular taste in music just happens to

exactly coincide with God s taste in music!’ The unity of the body of

Christ is such a precious thing (see Ephes. 4:1-6); yet today issues

of worship and music are causing more disunity in the body than

anything else! If there is anywhere that the unity of the body needs

to be lived out in the life of a local congregation, it s in corporate ’worship. How is God s glory served by disharmony among His children? ’How can we bring a sacrifice of praise to God with our hands defiled

from mudslinging? How can we love Him with all our heart, soul, mind,

and strength, and still worry like Martha about so many little things?

If worship is our highest calling and our ultimate response to God s ’work in our lives, then it should overshadow all earthly and human

considerations as we find ourselves "lost in wonder, love, and

praise," as Charles Wesley put it. And the trivial matters on which we

expend so much energy should pale in significance as we bask the

warmth of God s splendor and beauty.’ We must earnestly seek the Lord in

a dry and weary land where there is no water, to see His power and His

glory (Psalm 63:1-2). And we must invite our people to join us in that

journey, to thirst and yearn for Him as well, to drink deeply of His

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glory and be satisfied. Only a grander vision of God will overcome our

nearsightedness, and cause worship wars to cease and be no more.

B. To Be Worshipers The second implication is the fairly obvious

assertion that if we are going to lead and facilitate and prompt

worship, we must be worshipers ourselves. Obviously we cannot lead

people where we have not been ourselves. As Piper wrote, "we can t ’commend what we don t cherish." (LNBG, p.11) If we want to be about ’building more and better worshipers for God s glory, ’ we must be worshipers ourselves. This implication also applies to our

congregations: if our congregations are going to join together for

meaningful times of corporate worship, our people must first become

worshipers themselves and come together on Sundays out a week of

worshiping and walking with God.

1. What others have said a. C.S. Lewis wrote about the intensity of

the desire, even appetite for God which one finds expressed in the

Psalms. David and the other Psalmists spoke of thirsting for God,

hungering for Him, yearning for Him; they said things like "A day in

Your courts is better than a thousand outside?" (Psalm 84:10), and

"Whom have I in heaven but You?" (Psalm 73:25) We need to cultivate,

or ask God to give us, that kind of appetite for God. It is not a

given. Chuck Swindoll wrote a little book recently entitled Intimacy with the Almighty. In the introduction to the book he describes how in his own ministry he realized that he allowed busyness for God to supplant an intimate walk with God. Then he goes on in the book to relate some of the ways in which he was able to develop that kind of

walk.

2. What Paul said The NT teaching is that all of life is to be a

response of worship to God. Paul wrote in Romans 12:1: "Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God [harking back to all of the tremendous truths about salvation which Paul has dealt with in chapters 1-11], to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual [or "fitting"] service of worship." Our appropriate response to becoming a recipient of the

"mercies of God" and of the "riches of His grace" (Ephes. 1:7) is to

regularly offer ourselves to Him as an act of love and worship. The

soul which has tasted and seen that the Lord is good, and has learned

to cherish His glory, will be ready to present himself in this way.

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3. Stone Soup Perhaps you are familiar with the children s story ’entitled Stone Soup. In this story, three soldiers are returning home

from the war. They approach a village, but the villagers, seeing them

coming, scurry to hide all of their food, because there is a shortage

and they do not want to have to share with outsiders. They tell the

soldiers that they have no food to give them. The soldiers, being

rather shrewd fellows, tell the villagers that they will make some

stone soup, and ask simply for a large kettle filled with water. They

choose several large, round stones and add them to the kettle, with

the curious villagers looking on. Then the soldiers remark, "This soup

should be excellent; but if we only had a couple of potatoes, it would

be even better. One of the villagers says, "I think I might have a few

to spare," and goes off to retrieve some potatoes from her stash. The

soldiers add these to the pot, taste the soup, and say: "Wonderful!

Now if we just had a few carrots..." and someone runs off and gets

some. The same happens with onions, and cabbage, and so forth, until a

hearty soup has been prepared. The soldiers invite the villagers to

join with them in their feast, and the villagers are amazed that such

a marvelous soup could be made with just stones! In our corporate

worship, our rituals, hymns, anthems, even our sermons are like those

stones-- they are nothing that particularly impresses God: they re just ’a framework, a skeleton. What makes it special and makes it worship is when our members come and add to the pot from what s been stored up in ’their hearts during a week of worshiping and walking with God, a week

of loving God and cherishing and savoring His glory-- then we are ready to worship God together. When our corporate adoration is the overflow of many hearts rejoicing in the goodness and greatness of

God, which the Spirit can then energize and transform into something

far more than the sum of the parts-- then our congregational worship

will truly be a nourishing and invigorating feast for the people of

God, and-- more importantly-- a fragrant aroma to the God of glory,

who delights in the worship of His people. Ron Man Pastor of Worship

and Music Contact Ron Man <mailto:ron@firstevan.org> Other Articles on

Worship by Ron Man <http://www.firstevan.com/articles.htm> First Evan

Worship Ministry Home Page <http://www.firstevan.com/worship.htm>

First Evan Home Page <http://www.firstevan.com/index.htm>

First Evangelical Church <http://www.firstevan.com/index.htm> 735

Ridge Lake Blvd. Memphis, TN 38120 Phone: 901-682-8452 Fax:

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901-682-8937 contact webmaster@firstevan.org

<mailto:webmaster@firstevan.org> with comments or suggestions

regarding this

LITURGICAL PERSPECTIVE

Hustad has hit upon a key point with his recognition that the essence

of worship is a celebration of the majesty of God. It is true that

God's standard for judging worship is whether it is conducted "in

spirit and in truth," and that such worship can be expressed in many

forms and styles.

But it is also true that an important standard for judging forms of

worship is not "how much do I get out of it?" but "does my worship

express my awe and humility in the presence of a holy God?" Unlike

preaching and teaching, which are addressed to the congregation,

prayer and worship are addressed to the holy God. Their content and

form should reflect that fact.

The spirit of liturgical worship runs counter to the entertainment-

hungry mentality of our society. Much contemporary worship emphasizes

being moved or entertained by platform-led performances. Contemporary

worshipers may at times be confused with an audience filing into a

talk show to be dazzled by the bubbly personality of the emcee. The

character of good liturgy on the other hand, is that it de-emphasizes

individuals and unites worshipers in corporate praise of a majestic

God. It directs less attention to human feeling and to individual

desires and more attention to the majesty and goodness of God.

Liturgical worship recognizes that although God is our truest friend,

he is not our "buddy." He is a holy God, who is to be feared.

Good worship forms, therefore, preserve a balance between contrasting

pairs: God's nearness and God's farness, law and gospel, the Means of

Grace and prayer, listening and confessing, receiving and thanking.

Another such contrast is the need to enter worship with a welcome and

with a warning (read Psalm 95 for an example). In many contemporary

efforts to "make worship more meaningful," the warning and reverence

component of worship is slighted.

This need to balance welcome and warning as we approach the holy God

was well illustrated by Gordon Lathrop in a recent issue of "Parish

Practice Notebook", produced by Lutheran Seminary at Philadelphia. He

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evaluates two entry customs that seem to represent the opposite ends

of the liturgical spectrum, namely, greeting visitors with a hearty

welcome and entering the sanctuary with a liturgical procession.

Lathrop acknowledges the value of greeters, whether designated or

spontaneous, who convey a feeling of hospitality to visitors. Such

greetings, however, should serve to usher the arriving worshipers into

the place of worship, a reverent setting where the main item of

business is not more self-revealing chatter, but a shared adoration of

the holy God. In this setting small talk is less useful than words

that direct attention away from the greeter toward God. Too much

folksy welcome can seem phony and confuse the central purpose of our

meeting, which is not human hospitality, but fellowship with God.

This focus on meeting God may be expressed by a custom seldom

practiced among us, the liturgical procession. Correctly understood

and practiced, the liturgical procession does not focus attention on

those individuals who participate in it, but on the Means of Grace.

Indeed, if the congregation stands during the procession, the

individuals in the procession are barely visible.

What is visible is the cross and the gospel book held above the crowd.

As these visible symbols pass through the assembled worshipers they

pull the eyes and attention of the worshipers along with them to the

sanctuary from which the Means of Grace will be delivered to us and

where the officiants will lead us in worship of God. Such a procession

may serve as a living introit which lifts our eyes from the assembled

worshipers to the majestic Lord.

There are, of course, many ways to balance welcome and warning which

lie somewhere along the spectrum between casual greetings and formal

processions. Good liturgy is not tied to the forms of the past or to

unchanging wording. Nevertheless, often we will produce better results

by revitalizing time-tested forms than by latching on to the latest

fads. Is a choreographed exchange of' "Good mornings" really an

improvement over the exchange that has marked the entry into worship

for centuries: "The Lord be with you." "And also with you." Which

greeting better conveys the reason we have come together? Which better

conveys the hopes and goals we share this hour?

The point of all this is not that we should be tied to one set of

forms or one level of formality, but that we should not be carried

away with a "grass-is-greener-on-the-other-side-of-the-fence"

mentality which sees a less liturgical style of worship as a panacea

in holding interest and attracting people. The road to lively worship

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that keeps a healthy balance of welcome and warning, of offering and

receiving, is not constant innovation, but careful preparation and

loving presentation.

Whatever style and form of worship we follow, worship leaders need to

invest their best efforts to make the worship services vibrant.

Boring, ill-prepared liturgy has never been in style. Any form of

worship that is lifelessly delivered is going to leave worshipers

cold, whether it is high church liturgy or spontaneous prayer. Liturgy

that is well prepared and is delivered with life and enthusiasm will

never be out of style. Worship that honors the majesty of God and

speaks to people's spiritual needs will never fail to draw people

nearer to God and nearer to each other.

No style of worship is more God-centered than liturgy at its best.

Worship leaders and worshipers alike should strive to present a

majestic God with the best they have to offer.

John Brug serves as Professor of Systematic Theology and Old Testament at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, Wisconsin.

5.It is desiring God

DESIRING GOD O Lord our God, Grant us grace to desire you with our

whole heart, that so desiring we may seek and find you; and so finding

you; we may love you; and loving you, we may hate those sins from

which you have redeemed us, for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen. - St.

Anselm of Canterbury (1033-1109), from PROSLOGION.

My God, I pray that I may so know you and love you that I may rejoice

in you. And if I may not do so fully in this life let me go steadily

on to the day when I come to that fullness . . . Meanwhile let my mind

meditate on it let my heart love it let my mouth preach it let my soul

hunger for it my flesh thirst for it and my whole being desire it

until I enter into the joy of my Lord. - St. Anselm (1033-1109), from

PROSLOGION

LATE HAVE I LOVED YOU "Late have I loved you, O Beauty so ancient and

so new; late have I loved you! You were within me, and I was outside;

and I sought you outside and in my loneliness fell upon those lovely

things that you have made. You were with me, but I was not with

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you. . . . You called me and cried to me and broke open my deafness;

you sent forth your beams and shone upon me and chased away my

blindness; you breathed your fragrance upon me, and I drew in my

breath and now I pant for you; I tasted you, and now I hunger and

thirst for you; you touched me, and I burn for your peace." -

Augustine of Hippo (354-430) from CONFESSIONS, as found in EERDMANS'

BOOK OF CHRISTIAN CLASSICS: A TREASURY OF CHRISTIAN WRITINGS THROUGH

THE CENTURIES, compiled by Veronica Zundel, William B. Eerdmans

Publishing Company, 1985, p. 23.

There is something there that reminds me of the Psalm 42. Take a look!

"As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O

God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God .

PASSION FOR GOD Being moved by music is secondary to worshiping God.

The Spirit is always to be free to direct our worship, whether the

music moves us or not. It is only when being moved by music is coupled

to a PRECEDING passion for God that we are truly moved. Behind all of

this is the Lord's continuous invitation to come and to continue

worship. God wills that all of us worship him. Behind all of these

secondary movings-music, art, drama, dance, architecture, atmosphere,

and environment-is the primary mover, whose most quiet call and

gentlest reminder speak louder than our most elaborate art pieces. -

Harold Best, in MUSIC THROUGH THE EYES OF FAITH, chapter 7, "The

Nature of Worship, Faith, Grace, and Music Making," Harper Collins,

1993, p. 152. [There it is again-worship as a response to the love and

work of the "primary mover." Note that the author is not speaking

against emotion in music; nor is he speaking despairingly against the

use of the various fine arts in the worship life of the church. He is

merely warning us not to confuse an emotional response to art with a

passion for God.]

Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart. None other is aught but the

King of the seven heavens. Be thou my meditation by day and night; May

it be thou that I behold even in my sleep. Be thou my speech, be thou

my understanding, Be thou with me, be I with thee. Be thou my father,

be I thy son. Mayst thou be mine, may I be thine. Be thou my battle-

shield, be thou my sword. Be thou my dignity, be thou my delight. Be

thou my shelter, be thou my stronghold. Mayst thou raise me up to the

company of the angels. Be thou every good to my body and soul. Be thou

my kingdom in heaven and on earth. Be thou solely chief love of my

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heart. Let there be none other, O high King of Heaven. Till I am able

to pass into thy hands, My treasure, my beloved, through the greatness

of thy love. Be thou alone my noble and wondrous estate. I seek not

men, nor lifeless wealth. Be thou the constant guardian of every

possession and every life. For our corrupt desires are dead at the

mere sight of thee. Thy love in my soul and in my heart- Grant this to

me, O King of the seven heavens. O King of the seven heavens grant me

this- Thy love to be in my heart and in my soul. With the King of all,

with him after victory won by piety May I be in the kingdom of heaven

O brightness of the son. Beloved Father, hear, hear my lamentations;

Timely is the cry of woe of this miserable wretch. O heart of my

heart, whate'er befall me, O ruler of all, be thou my vision. - Mary

Byrne (1905), English prose version of an 8th century Irish prayer, as

quoted by James D. Smith III, in his article "Be Thou My Vision," from

CHRISTIAN HISTORY MAGAZINE, Issue 60, (Vol. XVII, No. 4). For

subscription information, call 1-800-873-6986 or email:

CTifulfill@aol.com. [The version we know and sing was written in 1912

by Eleanor Hull in her POEM BOOK OF THE GAEL.]

RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY OR DESIRE FOR GOD There comes a place on our

spiritual journey where renewed religious activity is of no use

whatsoever. It is the place where God holds out his hand and asks us

to give up our lovers and come live with him in a much more personal

way. It is the place of relational intimacy that Satan lured Adam and

Eve away from so long ago in the Garden of Eden. We are both drawn to

it and fear it. Part of us would rather return to Scripture

memorization, or Bible study, or service - anything that would save us

from the unknowns of walking with God. We are partly convinced our

life is elsewhere. We are deceived. "We are half-hearted creatures,"

says Lewis in THE WEIGHT OF GLORY, "fooling around with drink and sex

and ambition [and religious effort] when infinite joy is offered us,

like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum

because he can't imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at

the sea. We are far too easily pleased." . . . . At some point in our

Christian journey, we all stand at the edge of those geographies where

our heart has been satisfied by less-wild lovers, whether they be

those of competence and order or those of indulgence. If we listen to

our heart again, perhaps for the first time in a while, it tells us

how weary we are of the familiar and the indulgent. We find ourselves

once again at the intersection with the road that is the way of the

heart. We look down it once more to see what appears to be the looming

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abyss between the lovers we have known and the mysterious call of

Christ, which we now realize is coming from the other side. Jesus

appears to be holding out his hand to us even as he calls us. He tells

us he will provide a bridge over the chasm if we will abide in him. We

hear his words, but such language is strange to us, sounding like the

dialects of many who have used us or consumed us and then left us

along the highway, exposed and alone. We pull back. Many of us return

to Vanity Fair and mortgage our heart to purchase more of what is

religiously or materially familiar. A few of us arouse our spirit and

take a step toward the chasm. . . . - Brent Curtis & John Eldredge, in

THE SACRED ROMANCE: DRAWING CLOSER TO THE HEART OF GOD, Thomas Nelson

Publishers, 1997, p.137-138.

CARL TUTTLE

Why We Worship

Deep inside we desire and need to meet with God. We have a hunger for more of

God and want to experience an intimate relationship of love with Him. We worship

because it best brings about the fulfillment of these things. The most important

thing to us is to know God through relationship. Worship is therefore our highest

priority because it facilitates this.

There is no life for us in much of what traditional Christianity offers us. Apart form

God’s presence, the system and structure of the church including its Bible studies,

singing, teaching, programs, and traditions of outward righteousness are only forms

without God’s presence and power. We need to turn from lifeless forms and begin

to draw near to God and kiss His heart through the experience of worship. This will

satisfy the deep need within us to bless our God and to experience His presence.

As a result, the presence of God will cause all that we do in the Kingdom of God to

be birthed forth with life and effectiveness.

6. IT IS RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

By Brian Onken It happens. You spent time with a "haven't-seen-you-in-a-long-

time" friend and . . . well . . . nothing happened. In spite of your best intentions, you

didn't communicate, you didn't connect. It's not uncommon. People talk to each

other every day, often without ever connecting meaningfully.

Then, sometimes, at some deeper level, you and another person touch. As hard as it

is to put such a connection into words, you know it happened. You communicated

with another soul.

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Similarly, if believers are going to worship genuinely, we need to "connect" with

God. Since worship is the communication between two lovers, we must make this

connection. We don't need any particular emotional charge, but we do need to

connect with another person - a divine Person - in worship.

Many Christians have had this experience in worship with God, but they have had it

accidentally. They know they connected - enjoying a personal "touch" from God -

but they have little idea how it happened. Thus, they are frustrated as they try to

regain that feeling of "connectedness."

The Woman Who Connected

We can learn something about making this worship connection from a woman who

had a short, personal visit with Jesus - a woman who apparently connected. The

account is found in Luke 7:36-50.

Did this woman "connect" with Jesus? Certainly! She was forgiven and she knew it;

she was at peace and she knew it (see 7:48-50). What went in to the woman's

approach to Jesus that resulted in her making the connection we long for? We can't

reduce it to some automatic steps; but there are some key ingredients to be

discovered.

An Intentional Connection

First, her meeting with Jesus is planned, not accidental. The woman was intentional.

She learned that Jesus was at Simon's house and set out, in deliberate fashion, to

meet with Him.

We often act as if "connection" in worship happens by accident. Sometimes it

happens, sometimes it doesn't; and we have no idea why.

At times Jesus does surprise us with the gracious gift of His touch - the Gospels

contain accounts where people had intimate meetings with Him they had not

planned. Every saint has times when he or she has a meaningful encounter with God

that they did not plan. But, if we long for regular, intimate time with God in worship,

we need to plan to meet with Him.

All too often I have come into a "worship service" with no real intention to meet

with the Lord. I came because of habit, or peer pressure, or because I had a part in

the service. Going through the motions of worship, I wondered, "Why is God not

here?"

The problem was that I had not really intended to meet with Him! I may have been

intentional about being at the service, but I was not intentional about meeting with

God.

God has said, "And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all of

your heart" (Jer. 29:13; NASV).

We can find Him in worship. He is still the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him

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(Heb. 11:6). But worship that connects with God is planned, not accidental.

This may mean that I will have to prepare my heart (and not just my clothes) in

getting ready for worship. I will have to come to times of worship as if I really

intended to meet with My Lord and Savior.

An Individual Connection

The second notable thing about this woman's approach in reaching Jesus is that it

was personal, not generic. She did not approach Him in the way others might have.

Her approach was appropriate for her. She used her hair, her tears, her body, to

express her love (see 7:38). It would not have been fitting for Simon; but for her it

was worship.

We tend to think that those deep and personal times of worship will happen if we

just do what everyone else is doing. We wrongly figure "if it worked for them, it will

work for me."

In the novel Cyrano de Bergerac, Christian seeks the love of Roxanne. A handsome

man, Christian is feeble in speech. He enlists the aid of Cyrano, an unattractive

comrade-in-arms who has a wonderful way with words, to write letters for him to

Roxanne. Cyrano, being deeply in love with Roxanne himself, writes eloquently.

Roxanne ultimately falls in love with the writer of the letters, not with Christian.

Christian had a problem; he tried to woo Roxanne with another man's words. This is

what many saints do in worship. We take the expressions of another - in prayer, in

song, in message - and try to use these to express our love to God. But, it doesn't

work. If I am going to connect with God, then I will have to make the worship service

a personal expression of my heart. On occasion, I have gone through a worship

service mouthing the words to the songs, affirming with weak "Amens" the

message, and bowing no more than my head at prayer, only to leave feeling no

closeness with God. But the problem wasn't with the songs, the message, or the

prayers - the problem was that they had not become my expression of worship.

This does not mean we must abandon familiar songs or prayers in worship. But we

must take to heart what we are doing and make it a genuine expression of our own

love for God. I can use the words of others as long as these expressions come from

my heart. To connect with God, the worship must be personal, not generic.

I may need to take those quiet moments that occur in any worship service and

express to God, in my own words, what is on my heart. I may have to pray the

words of a song, rather than just being carried along by the melody. I will have to

make the expressions of worship my own.

A Passionate Connection

Note also that this woman's approach to Jesus is passionate, not restrained. This is

no half-hearted overture; she holds nothing back as she expresses her feelings for

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the Lord. Look at the uninhibited way she communicates her love (7:44-47).

We are often more concerned with what others will think of us than whether we are

adequately expressing our love for God. We lose sight of Jesus, looking at one

another. We express ourselves tentatively, worshiping without passion.

We cannot yield to an "everyone for themselves" individualism in corporate worship;

we must refrain from doing anything in a worship service that would put a stumbling

block before another. But there is a difference between expressing oneself to draw

attention to oneself, and expressing oneself in passionate, sincere worship before

God.

All too often I have found myself "coming up short" in a worship service. I hold back

from being moved passionately. I may start to feel a little teary-eyed, and so I "pull

myself together." What might others think if I was to begin to cry during worship?

But what would Jesus want? He said: "You shall love the Lord your God with all

your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength."

(Mark 12:30; NASV)

Could we love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and express this love

without passion? No! This woman knew this. She was expressing her love for Jesus

with all that was in her. If my worship is to help me connect with God, it will have to

be worship that is passionate, not restrained.

This may mean that I will have to take my eyes off others and focus on rightly

expressing my heart to the Lover of my soul. To express myself in worship with

passion, I will have to make Him the priority.

A Priceless Connection

The last observation to be made about this woman and her approach to Jesus is

that it is precious, not cheap. Taking this approach to Jesus was not easy; it cost

her something.

There was the material cost of the perfume. There was cost in time as she arranged

to meet with Him. There must also have been an emotional cost - a risk - for her.

She was known; Simon knew who, and what, she was. By doing what she did, she

opened herself up for ridicule and rebuke. Her worship was costly.

Sadly, there is an attitude that worship is something that happens to us, rather than

something we enter into - sometimes through a costly expenditure of time or effort.

The thinking seems to be "I gave my (obligatory) offering when the plate came by,

isn't that enough to cover the cost of worship?"

It used to trouble me that God, at times, refused to accept worship from His people.

He told them to stop bringing offerings. In Malachi 1:10, we read: "Oh that there

were one among you who would shut the gates, that you might not uselessly kindly

fire on My altar! I am not pleased with you," says the Lord of hosts, "nor will I

accept an offering from you." Why does God refuse what He first initially required?

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Malachi 1:6-8 tells us: The worshipers were bringing "just any old thing" in worship.

They brought the lame, the worthless, the leftovers. God was being dishonored by

the attitude reflected in their offering, so He told them to stop. Perhaps, if we want

to connect with God in worship, our worship will end up costing us something. It

might require rearranging a schedule to get to a regular worship service. It might

even entail some emotional cost, as we risk what others might think in order to

draw close to God.

Can we meet God in worship and know we have "connected"? I truly believe so.

But, I think that for each of us it will be a little different. Our worship should be

planned, but our plans may vary. Our worship will need to be personal, tailored to

our own heart, and passionate, growing out of a loving heart. And it must be

precious, extracting differing costs for each who draws near.

Let's follow the example of this un-named woman who had what every saint longs

for - she had time with Jesus and was forever different because of it!

Brian Onken is the Director of Research for Walk Thru the Bible Ministries. He and

his family reside in Charlotte, North Carolina.

REALITY VERSUS RITUAL In his conversation with the Samaritan woman,

Jesus was announcing the arrival of a new age in which worship would

no longer be seen to depend on buildings, holy places, ceremonies,

rituals and sacrifices, but on a personal relationship with God. All

those things had been symbols of what was to come, and now Jesus

himself was announcing the reality of the fulfillment of all that

Judaistic worship had foreshadowed. The holy of holies was no longer

shut off from the common man or woman, but open to all who come by way

of Jesus. Yet more astounding, he was introducing God as a personal,

loving Father, and one who actively seeks worshippers. In order to

worship, this relationship with God our Father must be a reality in

our lives, so that our worship is not dependant on the things that can

be seen-the buildings, ceremonies, rituals and trappings of religion

that can so easily become a substitute for a personal knowledge of

God. Worship that depends on the externals for its existence is not

real worship at all; true worship is what you have left when the

externals are taken away. This does not mean that certain aids to

worship are not valid and useful, but they are useless without the

internal reality. Worship in truth is worship that arises out of an

actual encounter with God, a response to the experience of knowing

God's real presence and activity in our daily lives. This has nothing

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to do with sentiment, thinking religious thoughts or having aesthetic

experiences in church buildings; any religion can give you that sort

of thing. - Graham Kendrick, from WORSHIP, Kingsway Publications,

1984, p.94.

In worship there is divine action. In our celebration of Christ,

something happens. There is an action from above: the Holy Spirit

delivers Christ and the benefits of Christ's death and resurrection to

the worshipers. In other words, in worship our relationship with

Christ is established, maintained, and repaired. Christ meets us in

our act of celebrating his death and resurrection. In this worship

encounter, the Spirit brings us the very real benefits of Christ's

death - salvation, healing, comfort, hope, guidance, and assurance.

Through this encounter, order and meaning come into our lives. Through

worship, a right ordering of God, the world, self, and neighbor is

experienced, and the worshiper receives a peace that passes

understanding. Simply put, worship is an it-is-well-with-my-soul

experience. -Robert Webber, in BLENDED WORSHIP: ACHIEVING SUBSTANCE

AND RELEVANCE IN WORSHIP, Hendrickson Publishers, 1996.

TRUE AND GENUINE WORSHIP A man's spirit is the highest part . . . the

part which lasts when the physical part . . . has vanished. It is the

spirit of a man which is the source and origin of his highest dreams

and thoughts and ideals and desires. The true, the genuine worship is

when man, through his spirit, attains to friendship and intimacy with

God. True and genuine worship is not to come to a certain place; it is

not go through a certain ritual or liturgy; it is not even to bring

certain gifts. True worship is when the spirit, the immortal and

invisible part of man, speaks to and meets with God, who is immortal

and invisible. - William Barclay, in THE GOSPEL OF JOHN, Vol. 1, THE

DAILY STUDY BIBLE, Westminster, 1955, page 154. As quoted in Don

Hustad's TRUE WORSHIP: RECLAIMING THE WONDER AND MAJESTY, Harold Shaw

Publishers (Hope), 1998, page 36.

SPIRITUAL WORSHIP Instead of worshiping God "in spirit" (recognizing

that he is spirit himself and asks for spiritual worship), idolaters

become preoccupied with external, visible and tangible objects. Even

the worship of the people of Israel had a constant tendency to

degenerate into formalism and even blatant hypocrisy. The seventh and

eighth century prophets were scathing in their denunciation of

Israel's empty religion, and Jesus applied their criticism to the

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Pharisees of his own day: "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about

you hypocrites; as it is written: 'These people honor me with their

lips, but their hearts are far from me'" (Isaiah 29:13; Mark 7:6). So

whatever outward forms we may use in Christian worship (liturgies,

processions, drama, ritual, kneeling or raising our arms), we need to

ensure that they escape the charge of idolatry by passing the double

test of being "in spirit and in truth." -John Stott in CHRISTIAN

BASICS, Eerdmans, 1969, pages 94 and 95. [Note that Isaiah, Jesus, and

John Stott are not condemning all outward forms of worship; rather

they are warning Israel, the Pharisees, and us that without hearts for

God, our worship is empty, and definitely not "in spirit." See also

Isaiah 1:10-20.]

The Sense of God s Reality’by Harry Emerson FosdickHarry Emerson Fosdick was one of the most eminent and often

controversial of the preachers of the first half of the twentieth

century. This article was published in the Christian Century, November 6, 1919. Copyright by The Christian Century Foundation, used by

permission. Current articles and subscription information can be found

at www.christiancentury.org. This article was prepared for Religion

Online by Ted & Winnie Brock.

Our modern world is headed straight for some gigantic disappointments.

Never were such splendid plans afoot in human history before; never

were there so many men and women of high hope and far-seeing

expectancy at work on schemes for human betterment so vast in scope

and so promising in outlook. Statesmen dare to plan for organized

international cooperation; workingmen dare to expect within this

generation the launching of industrial democracy; churchmen plot

campaigns that marshal millions into a united force.

Nothing is more clear, however, in the light of history, than this:

new political, economic and ecclesiastical machinery does not alone

solve problems; it creates problems, and, above all, it puts a strain

on moral foundations, on spiritual resources, that must successfully

be met or the best-laid plans come down in ruin. You cannot build a

new forty-story business block on the old three-story foundations.

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With every expansion of the structure, with every elevation in the

plans, the underlying bases become not less but more important. It

takes far more brotherly spirit to run a League of Nations than to run

a village; it takes far more personal unselfishness and reliability to

make industrial democracy a success than it does to conduct the

present order; and if the extensive Christian plans now afoot are to

achieve their aims, the Christian faith in God must grow accordingly.

Amid all the creak and clatter of our far-flung Christian plans,

therefore -- the commissions, committees, campaigns, surveys,

federations and budgets -- all thoughtful Christians who are

interested to avoid the disillusionment which the failure of so much

splendid effort would inevitably cause will bear down hard upon the

central matter: the achievement of a deeper sense of God s reality.’That is the foundation of all our building. If that weakens, the

excellence of the superstructure does not matter. That is the dynamic.

If that fails, the skillful workmanship of the engine is effort thrown

away.

Now, the sense of God s reality is a different experience from belief ’that God exists. All men believe that natural beauty exists, but some

men feel it vividly, rejoice in it heartily, while others are never

moved by it at all. From the chords of one man s heart every sound and ’sight and scent on an autumn day will draw music like a symphony. He

knows what Keats meant when he sang:

Oh, what a wild and harmonious tune

My spirit struck from all the beautiful!

But here is another man who does not vividly perceive in nature any

beauty whatsoever. He wishes that he did. He reads Wordsworth to see

if he can find the secret, but it continually eludes him. He reads

radiant descriptions of sunsets in the poets where the sun rides the

western sea like a "golden galleon" or

Throws his weary arms far up the sky,

And with vermilion-tinted fingers

Toys with the long tresses of the Evening Star.

Then he goes out to see a sunset, and he does not see anything like

that at all.

That is the contrasting experience of men with reference to God, which

is, of all others, most baffling. Atheism is not our greatest danger,

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but a shadowy sense of God s reality. We do not disbelieve that God ’exists, but we often lack a penetrating and convincing consciousness

that we are dealing with him and he with us. This is the inner problem

of prayer. And it cannot be amiss for any man or woman, concerned with

the movements of the churches, to consider with what insights he can

surround and penetrate his praying, so that in it all a vital

consciousness of the divine presence shall make glory at the center.

The troubles of our generation which so urgently demand of us a fresh

consciousness of God can help us to the very experience for which they

cry. For God is like water -- the intense reality of it is never

appreciated by one who has not known thirst. So God s unreality to us ’in part is due to our easy-going way of taking him for granted, with

little sense of dire and dreadful need. Before the war, how many of

us, conventionally religious, were dealing with God so! Then the war

broke out, and who could light-heartedly take God for granted any

more! We needed him too vitally to take him for granted. This world

was a wilder place than we had used to think. Its boisterous currents

showed bewildering power when they had overflowed their banks, and all

our little human preventions were washed away like piles of sand that

children raise against the onset of the tides.

Even now dismal possibilities lie ahead -- upheaval, anarchy,

violence; it may be the League of Nations spoiled by opposition,

apathy or treachery, and the whole world going on with this military

business, using all inventive genius for destructive ends and making a

worse hell of it all than the Stone Age a thousand times over. Or, on

the other side, what glorious possibilities! What hopes worth praying,

toiling, fighting for! If only this world were meant to enshrine a

better order; if only creation were moral to the core; if only -- God!

For if creation is not basically moral, no God at all, and we with

unaided human fingers are trying to make an ethical oasis in a

spiritual desert, where no oasis was ever meant to be, then we are

beaten at the start. Soon or later the desert will heave its burning

sands against us and hurl its blistering winds across us, and all that

we have dreamed and done will come to naught.

Tremendously, we need God! For tasks inward and outward, personal and

international, against sins deep-seated, inveterate and malign, we

need God. Let the need, like thirst, make its own satisfaction real!

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Let the beatitude on those athirst and hungry be fulfilled! For until

a man comes to God in such a mood there is no possibility of reality

in prayer.

The great social needs and the projected social crusades of our days,

which so depend on faith in God, may well themselves create the

atmosphere in which we find God. It is a grievous misinterpretation to

suppose that God s reality dawned on men, like the Old Testament ’prophets, in mystical aloofness from the social needs and social

movements of their time.

Moses came face to face with the Eternal in the Wilderness? To be

sure, but the journey that so ended in a lonesome place before the

face of God did not start in solitude at all. It began in Egypt amid a

suffering people. He heard whips whistling over the backs of the

Hebrews until he winced. He saw women staggering under the loads of

bricks to build Pharaoh s treasure cities, until he could tolerate the ’infamy no longer. One day his scorching indignation burst all bonds. A

brute of an Egyptian laying the knout upon a Hebrew! Furiously the son

of Pharaoh s daughter ripped his dignities and titles off. Only one ’thing mattered -- just one thing: Israel must be free! There, in a

high hour of social passion and sacrifice, began the road that,

leading out from fury to wisdom, brought him at last to God.

No pathway into the consciousness of God s reality has been trodden by ’nobler men than this road of social devotion and sacrifice. God s ’greatest souls have often started like Elijah, determined that at

whatever cost he would denounce and defeat the tyranny of Ahab, and

they have ended like Elijah, on the mountainside, listening to the

still small voice of God. They have started like Dante, with a passion

to save Italy from chaos, and they have ended like Dante, standing

with Beatrice before the Great White Throne. They have started like

Lincoln, vowing that if ever he had a chance to hit slavery, he would

hit it hard, and they have ended like Lincoln, saying, "Many times I

have been driven to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had

nowhere else to go."

Such an open road to the vivid sense of God s reality is waiting for ’every eager and prophetic heart today. The needs of men, the sins that

must be blasted with concerted indignation, the causes that invite our

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ardent championship -- these are not alien from the problem of prayer.

They are a blazed trail into the secrets of prayer. The great prophets

of God have moved along this path into a vivid sense of God s reality. ’Sacrifice for social weal unveiled the face of the Eternal.

The sense of God s reality is a vital experience, and like every other ’vital experience we don t so much learn it, or achieve it, or clamber ’up to it; we catch it by contagion. Some things never can be taught,

no matter with what skilled witchery of words the case is stated and

the lessons analyzed. Courage, for example! There doubtless is a

theory of courage, but no careful learning of it would make anyone

courageous. Indeed, in any situation, like the front line trenches at

the zero hour, when courage is an absolute necessity and every man

with all his heart is ardently desiring all of it that he can get, the

one intolerable thing would be to talk about it.

But an example of it -- how welcome and contagious! Bravery is fire;

it kindles a kindred conflagration in every heart that has tinder in

it. We not only learn what courage is by its incarnations, but we are

set ablaze by it ourselves, and all the courage that we ever had we

neither generated nor achieved; we caught it.

When men in trouble seek for fortitude, they will not find it in an

exhortation. But some Bunyan, writing Pilgrim s Progress’ in a prison

where it was so damp that, as he cried, "The moss did verily grow upon

mine eyebrows"; some Kernahan, born without arms and legs, but by

sheer grit fighting his way up until he sat in the House of Commons;

some Henry M. Stanley, born in a workhouse and buried in Westminster

Abbey; some Dante, his Beatrice dead, he himself an exile from the

city of his love, distilling all his agony into a song that became the

"voice of ten silent centuries", or some more obscure and humble life

close at hand where handicaps have been mastered, griefs have been

built into character, disappointments have been turned into trellises,

not left a bare, unsightly thing -- such incarnations of fortitude and

faith have infectious power. We win fortitude by falling in love with

it. We are not taught it. We catch it.

Let a man in his thinking use such reasonable ways of conceiving God

that he may help and not hinder his growing sense of God s reality. ’There was a time when God s immediate presence in our lives was not ’readily pictured. When men argued about God they said that the world

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was like a watch. It presupposed somebody who made it. That is, God

was a mechanician; he had made this watch of a world and had gone off

and left it to run by its own mainspring. God was a carpenter. He had

built this house of a world and had left it to stand by its own laws.

God was an engineer. He had thrown open the throttle of this world,

had leaped the cab, and now the locomotive of itself goes thundering

down the rails. Where is God? Back there somewhere!

We have no right to hold such a caricature of God. God is no man in

the moon. God is in this world as we are in our bodies. Where are you?

Is your hand you? Your eye? Is any part of your body you? We cannot

see without our eyes, but we are not our eyes. We cannot see without

the optic nerve, but we are not the optic nerve. We cannot see without

the temporal lobe of the brain, but we are not the lobe of the brain.

Where are we? All through our bodies we seem to be; yet nowhere in our

bodies can we locate ourselves.

"God is a spirit," we read, and the mystery of it seems very great.

But man is a spirit. Manifestly man is here; the evidence of his

presence is on every side; nothing are we more certain of than that

man is here -- yet we cannot find man anywhere. Bring the scalpel and

dissect; where is he? Bring the microscope and look; where is he? As

truly about man as about God, could one cry, "Oh, that I knew where I

might find him!"

As we are in our bodies, but not of them, so is God in his world. And

the greatest event in man s life is the vital apprehension of that not ’as theory but as experience. A man perceives at last that he is like

an aeolian harp. Fit the harp s frame to the window ever so carefully, ’yet it is not at all fitted -- not until the invisible winds make

music on its strings. So man fits his body to the framework of this

physical world, fits nerves to comfortable circumstances and mind to

information, but the whole man is not so adjusted. Conscience, love,

ideals, thoughts that "break through language and escape," faiths and

hopes that make us men indeed -- not till the invisible so makes music

in us are we completely fitted to this world.

And the longer a man lives the more it becomes clear that all other

adjustments are for the sake of this highest adjustment. This is a

spiritual world, then, at its center. God is here, playing upon our

lives. After that vision, clearly seen, one does not go out to seek

God again. Shall man sally forth to hasten the sunrise? What has he to

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do with that? Let him go home and cleanse the windows. The sun is

rising. It will find him out even in his little home and make him

radiant if the way is clear. Shall a man go out to make the tides come

in? What power has he? Let him rather take the sands away from the

harbor s mouth. The tides are rising. They will come in if there is a ’way.

This, indeed, is the conclusion of the whole matter. God is seeking

us. We do not need to search for him. He is the shepherd; we are the

sheep. We need to let him find us.

7.IT IS LOVING JESUS AND PROCLAIMING HIS LOVE.

Worship is responding to God. Today's WORSHIP QUOTE is another that

pictures our worship as a natural and appropriate response to the

Lord's initiative of perfect love. The author is Joseph Carroll. "The

Lord Jesus loves us with all His heart. He desires that we love Him

with all our heart; and until we do, we will never know the sweetness

of His love for us. We will have some faint concept but that is all.

With how many people do we share the secrets of our heart and with

whom do we share them? We will be intimate with the person we know

loves us, the person we know is committed to us, the person who has

given himself or herself to us, and with none besides. It is so with

our Lord. There must be response of love to love." - Joseph S.

Carroll, in HOW TO WORSHIP JESUS CHRIST, Moody Press, 1984

This WORSHIP QUOTE comes from Robert Webber, a theology professor at

Wheaton College, in Wheaton, Illinois. "Worship celebrates God's

saving deed in Jesus Christ. This kind of worship is not a goal-driven

worship, but a Christ-driven worship. And when Christ is the center of

worship, all the goals of worship are achieved: Christ-centered

worship educates, evangelizes, heals, develops spirituality - and is

most enjoyable. A Christ-centered worship - which is event-oriented

worship - can never be static and merely intellectual because what

happens is an actual and real communication of the power and benefit

of the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. Worshiping churches

recognize that every gathering of worship is ultimately a praise and

thanksgiving for the overthrow of evil by God in Christ. This victory

not only happened two thousand years ago, but it happens today in the

lives of people who bring to worship their own struggles against that

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evil which shatters relationships, oppresses the poor, and brings

constant dislocation into life. The event of Christ is the only event

in human history that promises relocation and centering, meaning and

purpose. This promise and its fulfillment evoke passionate and

heartfelt praise and thanks, especially for those aware of their own

brokenness and the healing which Christ brings into their lives." -

Robert Webber, in SIGNS OF WONDER, Star Song, 1992.

"In the Name of the Son" Robert E. Webber, Th.D. From the

November-December, 1996 issue of Worship Leader

(The third of five articles on the Trinity in worship) I have been emphasizing the

true substance of worship as praise to the Father, remembrance of the work of the

Son, and invocation of the presence of the Holy Spirit. And I have been asking

worship leaders to rethink their worship planning so that their worship is truly triune

and therefore truly Christian.

The Event-Oriented Faith Our examination of the Scripture yields the fact that

biblical faith is primarily event-oriented faith. Christians affirm the event of creation,

the event of the fall, and the succession of events in which God comes to rescue

his people -- the exodus event, the Christ event, the eschatological event. These

events are not only the primary events of salvation history, but they are the events

proclaimed in worship. In worship we respond to these saving events with praise and

thanksgiving. This is the substance of our worship: proclamation and response to

the God who chooses, the Son who redeems, the Spirit who sanctifies.

The Centrality of the Christ Event in Worship In worship we proclaim and enact

God's saving events. This was true of the earliest Christian worship described in

Acts 2:42. They gathered around the apostolic teaching (generally understood as

the kerygma, or proclamation of the good news of Christ) and the breaking of the

bread (generally understood as the earliest experience of the Eucharist). The

pattern of worship was not singing and preaching, as in so many modern churches,

but proclaiming and enacting. What stands at the center of proclaiming and

enacting is the Christ-event: the living, dying, and rising of Christ and the overthrow

of the powers of evil promised in the sure return of Christ the Victor. In worship,

the church gathers to tell the story again and again, to feast again and again on this

event which forms the community and gives shape to its view of life. This

Christocentric nature of worship is both historical and eschatological. Historically it

is rooted in the cross and empty tomb, and eschatologically it anticipates the day

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when all the powers of evil will be put away forever. Then God's reign, which is now

experienced by anticipation in the church, will be reality in the new heavens and the

new earth. This experience of both the past and the future is the primary focus of

worship. It is rooted in the Christ-event; it is a foretaste of the kingdom to come,

and it is a present experience of heavenly worship around the throne of God

together with the angels, the archangels, the cherubim, the seraphim, the countless

myriad of angels and the great company of God's saints.

The Worship of Christ in the Gathering Historic Christian worship remembers,

proclaims and enacts the work of the Son. For example, in the gathering, in the

Gloria in Excelsis Deo -- that ancient act of praise to the triune God -- the

congregation remembers the work of the Son in these words: Lord Jesus Christ,

only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world:

have mercy on us; you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our

prayer. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord. You alone are the

Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

The Worship of Christ in the Service of the Word In the service of the Word, the

saving deed of Christ is expressed in the reading of Scripture and in the sermon.

Then, in response to the Word, the congregation confesses Christ in the creed, that

weapon of warfare against the powers of evil in which the entire work of Christ is

summarized in these words of bold acclamation: We believe in one Lord, Jesus

Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light

from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one being with the

Father. Through Him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came

down from heaven; by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the

virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;

he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance

with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the

Father. He will come again in glory to judge the world, and his kingdom will have no

end.

The Worship of Christ in Communion In the Eucharist (the word means "thanks")

the church offers its prayer of thanks for the work of the Son by reciting what the

Son has done. There are numerous summaries of salvation history that appear in

the ancient prayers of thanks, but I'll use the earliest extant prayer of thanksgiving.

It dates back to the second century, but finds its roots in the prayers of the New

Testament. Observe its "thank you" nature as it retells the mighty saving deeds of

God in Jesus Christ: We render thanks to you, O God, through your beloved child

Jesus Christ, whom in the last times you sent to us as Savior and Redeemer and

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angel of your will; who is your inseparable Word, through whom you made all things,

and in whom you were well pleased. You sent him from heaven into the Virgin's

womb; and, conceived in the womb, he was made flesh and was manifested as your

Son, being born of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin. Fulfilling your will and gaining for

you a holy people, he stretched out His hands when he should suffer, that he might

release from suffering those who have believed in you. And when he was betrayed

to voluntary suffering that he might destroy death, and break the bonds of the devil,

and tread down hell, and shine upon the righteous, and fix the limit, and manifest the

resurrection . . . (then follow the words of institution, "He took bread. saying . . .")

The Worship of Christ in the Dismissal Finally, all persons of the triune God are

invoked in a blessing at the end of worship. Notice how the work of the Son blesses

the people in this traditional blessing: The peace of God, which passeth all

understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of

His Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the

Son, and the Holy Ghost, be amongst you, and remain with you always. Amen.

Conclusion My challenge to the planners of worship is to recover the

Christocentric focus of worship. This can be accomplished in part by doing the

following: Follow the fourfold pattern of worship that proclaims the work of the Son

in the service of the Word, and enacts the work of the Son in the prayer of

thanksgiving. Obviously it is not as simple as that, but it's a place to start. The

journey into the future of Christian worship is currently at stake. The experience of

the Father who blesses us, the Son who saves us, and the Spirit who heals us

cannot be ignored if we would have a healthy biblical worship.

PARABLES OF CHRIST Go, worship at Immanuel's feet; See, in His face

what wonders meet; Earth is too narrow to express His worth, His

glory, or His grace! The whole creation can afford But some faint

shadow of my Lord; Nature, to make His beauties known, Must mingle

colours not her own. Is he compared to wine or bread? Dear Lord, our

souls would thus be fed; That flesh, that dying blood of Thine, Is

Bread of Life is heavenly wine. Is He a tree? The world receives

Salvation from His healing leaves; That righteous Branch, that

fruitful bough Is David's root and offspring too. Is He a rose? Not

Sharon yields Such fragrancy in all her fields; Or if the lily he

assume, The valleys bless the rich perfume. Is he a vine? His heavenly

root Supplies the boughs with life and fruit: O let a lasting union

join My soul the branch to Christ the Vine. Is He the head? Each

member lives And owns the vital power He gives; The saints below and

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saints above Joined by His Spirit and His love. Is He a fountain?

There I bathe, And heal the plague of sin and death; These waters all

my soul renew, And cleanse my spotted garments too. Is he a fire?

He'll purge my dross; But the true gold sustains no loss: Like a

refiner shall He sit And tread the refuse with His feet. Is He a rock?

How firm He proves! The Rock of Ages never moves: Yet the sweet

streams that from Him flow Attend us all the desert through. Is He a

Way? He leads to God; The path is drawn in lines of blood; There would

I walk with hope and zeal Till I arrive at Zion's hill. Is He a door?

I'll enter in; Behold the pastures large and green! A paradise

divinely fair; None but the sheep have freedom there. Is He designed a

corner-stone, For men to build their heaven upon? I'll make Him my

foundation too, Nor fear the plots of hell below. Is He a temple? I

adore The indwelling majesty and power; And still to His most holy

place, Whene'er I pray, I turn my face. Is He a star? He breaks the

night, Piercing the shade with dawning light; I know His glories from

afar, I know the bright, the morning Star! Is He a sun? His beams are

grace, His course is joy and righteousness: nations rejoice when He

appears To chase their clouds and dry their tears. Oh! let me climb

those higher skies Where storms and darkness never rise! There He

displays His powers abroad, And shines and reigns, th' incarnate God.

Not earth, nor seas, nor sun, nor stars, Nor heaven His full

resemblance bears: His beauties we can never trace Till we behold Him

face to face. - Isaac Watts (1674-1748), from A TREASURY OF CHRISTIAN

VERSE, selected and edited by Hugh Martin, SCM Press Ltd., 1959.

8. IT IS GIVING OUR BEST TO GOD& GIVING HIM PRIORITY.

"Worship is giving God the best that He has given you. Be careful what

you do with the best you have. Whenever you get a blessing from God,

give it back to Him as a love gift. Take time to meditate before God

and offer the blessing back to Him in a deliberate act of worship. If

you hoard a thing of blessing for yourself, it will turn into

spiritual dry rot, as the manna did when it was hoarded [Exodus 16].

God will never let you hold a spiritual thing for yourself, it has to

be given back to Him that he may make it a blessing to others. " -

Oswald Chambers, MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST,

Today's WORSHIP QUOTE comes from the opening of Calvin Miller's

dramatic work A REQUIEM FOR LOVE, an extended poetic depiction of the

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Creation narrative. In this excerpt we have a "worship dialogue"

between Regis (Adam) and Earthmaker (God). REGIS: "Father, I receive

Your gift of being, but You have made me TOO rich To name my wealth

And yet too poor To give you anything of meaning. I love you with only

giftless love." EARTHMAKER: "Regis, there is no such thing as

'giftless' love. The very words accuse each other. My gift to you is

love, but Worship is your gift to Me. And Oh, most glorious it is!

Worship always calls me 'Father' and Makes us both rich with a common

joy. Worship Me, for only this great gift Can set you free from the

killing love of self, And prick your fear with valliant courage To fly

in hope through moments of despair. Worship will remind you That no

man knows completeness in himself. Worship will teach you to speak

your name, When you've forgotten who you are. Worship is duty and

privilege, Debt and grand inheritance at once. Worship, therefore, at

those midnights When the stars hide. Worship in the storms till love

Makes thunder whimper and grow quiet And listen to your whispered

hymns. Worship and be free." -Calvin Miller in A REQUIEM FOR LOVE,

Word Publishing, 1989.

When we enter a worship service, the question in our minds and hearts should

always be what can I give today in worship through my singing, listening and

participation, that will be pleasing to the Lord? David did this very thing. Throughout

the Psalms David praised God and worshiped Him. I don’t believe he expected

anything in return. It was always a giving thing with him. The result of his praise,

however, was that God did bless him and protect him from his enemies. He praised

God for the protection before and after it had occurred. It would be my life’s goal

to have the Lord say ofme that I was a man after God’s own heart.

You will also discover that worship is coming before God with a heart to give and

not receive. If worship is the outward expression of an inward attitude, then

entering a worship service with the attitude of what can I get out of this service is

not true worship. If you enter into a relationship with the attitude of what can I get

out of this relationship, you will never experience love. You will only desire to take

and not give. When I think of the greatest act of love that anyone can do for

another, I think of someone giving up his or her life for another. The key here is

giving. The same applies to worship. You cannot have a relationship with the Lord

that is true without giving.

We sing “we bring a sacrifice of praise...” Is it really a sacrifice? Some days I’m

sure it is, and that’s what God desires of us in our worship. Sacrifice requires giving

something up. In the Old Testament, it was the best of the flocks that were

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sacrificed. God required their best. So it is with us in our worship today. God

requires or zeteo our worship. If you are like me, sometimes it takes a sacrifice of

self to worship because we don’t always feel like it. However, when we start

through the sacrifice, God honors and blesses our worship to the point where we

end up receiving much more than we could ever give. When we enter our times of

worship with the attitude of how much can I give to the Lord today through my

prayer, praise, singing, and listening, then you will come away knowing that you have

worshiped. Whatever you were needing when you entered will come as a by-product

of your giving.

Lamar Boschman says it best “When I worship, I would rather my heart be without

words than my words be without heart.”

Ah, yes, there will ever be worship. Our worship here and now is dress

rehearsal for the grand experience yet to come. Without qualification

then it can be said that worship is the primary reason for our

existence as the people of God. We live to bring glory to his name,

and he prescribes worship as the chief way to do that. "Worship the

Lord your God, and serve only him" (Matthew 4:10) is God's

unchanging will.

But before we meet "he hosts of heaven in person and join their

glorious song, God has other high priorities for his people. God's

people need to be prepared "for works of service" (Ephesians 4:12).

So our Lord says we are to teach all nations, make disciples, and feed

his lambs and sheep.

Clearly the mission of the church is two-dimensional. It has both

vertical and horizontal dimensions. It reaches up to God to serve and

honor him, and it reaches out to people to serve and reclaim them for

God. Both dimensions are essential, but by virtue of its nature, the

vertical dimension always ranks first.

That hasn't always been clearly articulated. Historically, mission

statements have subordinated the vertical in deference to the

horizontal dimension. Some have contained no reference at all to the

vertical dimension. As a mission counselor in the early '80s I

frequently asked workshop participants, "What are the reasons for

this congregation's existence?" We then compared their answers with

their congregation's constitution, which most often read:

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The continuing purpose of this congregation, as a gathering of

Christians, is to serve all people in God's world with the gospel of

Jesus Christ on the basis of the Holy Scriptures (Matthew 28:18-20).

The primary objectives of this congregation shall be:

To proclaim the law and the gospel, to lead sinners to repentance and

faith in Jesus Christ for life and salvation (2 Timothy 4:2; Luke

24:26-28). To equip believers as disciples and witnesses for sharing

the gospel of Jesus with our fellow men (Ephesians 4:11-12).

This statement of Purpose and Objectives is strictly one-dimensional.

Some may question whether attaching primacy to the vertical

dimension of a mission statement is warranted. In a commentary on 1

Timothy, John R.W. Stott contends that it is. He writes:

As he has "urged" Timothy to remain in Ephesus to combat error

(1:3), so now he exhorts him to give priority to public worship; I urge,

then, first of all that . . . prayers . . . be made for everyone. "First of

all" refers, not to primacy of time but primacy of importance. . . . For

the church is essentially a worshipping, praying community. It is often

said that the church's priority task is evangelism. But this is really not

so. Worship takes precedence over evangelism, partly because love

for God is the first commandment and love for neighbor the second,

partly because, long after the church's evangelistic task has been

completed, God's people will continue to worship. (Guard the Truth,

Intervarsity Press, 1997)

During the decade of the '80s, WELS issued a new mission statement. An early

version read: As men, women and children, united in faith by the Word of God, the

WELS exists to make disciples throughout the world for time and for eternity, using

the Gospel to win the lost for Christ and to nurture believers for lives of Christian

service. The revised version adopted in 1989 added two phrases. The words "all to

the glory of God" were added at the end. The phrase "and worship" was added in

the first. As men, women and children, united in faith and worship by the Word of

God, the WELS exists to make disciples throughout the world for time and for

eternity, using the Gospel to win the lost for Christ and to nurture believers for

lives of Christian service, all to the glory of God. A one dimensional mission

statement thus became a two dimensional one, but not by much. A question remains

as to whether the changes do justice to the primacy of the vertical dimension a

worthy mission statement requires.

The consequence of failing to understand this, Stott contends, is

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either worship that is "slovenly, perfunctory, mechanical and dull," or

"the opposite extreme . . . repetitive, unreflective and even flippant."

In either case worshipers are deprived of the opportunity to

experience awe and transcendence in the presence of God who

comes to us in the vertical dimension with his amazing grace.

It has been said that disciple-making is the task of the church and

that all other aspects of church life and activity should support this

task. That statement betrays its speaker's one-dimensional view of

the mission of the church. It emphasizes the horizontal dimension at

the expense of the vertical. Worship is much more that just a

"method" for fostering nurture and outreach. It is an activity in which

we give honor and praise to God.

Having said that, we ask once more: Is your mission statement two

dimensional?

When this article was published, Joel Gerlach was doing mission

exploratory work on Kodiak Island, Alaska. He is a retired pastor,

former mission counselor, and former seminary professor.

9. IT IS WONDER AT WHO GOD IS AND WHAT HE HAS DONE

WONDER IN WORSHIP Wonder is a deep, profound experience. The typical

secular education of our day makes us suspicious or callous to wonder.

It seems so unscientific, so unsophisticated, and ultimately, so

seemingly unnecessary. So they say. But to lose the sense of wonder is

to lose one of the great beauties of life. Worship, on the other hand,

exercises our sense of wonder. It helps us see things and hear things

and feel things, that not everyone recognizes. Worship, in essence, is

wonderful. - Hughes Oliphant Old, in "Enter into His Courts with

Praise: Worship Fills Us with Wonder,"

10. IT IS CONCENTRATION ON GOD. IT IS A CHOICE.

"Beware of any work for God which enables you to evade concentration

on Him. A great many Christian workers worship their work. The one

concern of a worker should be concentration on God, and this will mean

that all the other margins of life, mental, moral and spiritual, are

free with the freedom of a child, a worshipping child, not a wayward

child. A worker without this solemn dominant note of concentration on

God is apt to get his work on his neck; there is no margin of body,

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mind or spirit free, consequently he becomes spent out and crushed.

There is no freedom, no delight in life; nerves, mind and heart are so

crushingly burdened that God's blessings cannot rest. But the other

side is just as true-when once the concentration is on God, all the

margins of life are free and under the dominance of God alone." -

Oswald Chambers, MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST,

Beyond Self-Centred Worship

Geoff Bullock

Geoff Bullock served as music pastor at Hills Christian Life Centre, Sydney._________________________________True worship is much more thansinging songs we like to sing_________________________________Have you ever wondered how Paul and Silas could sing praises in a

Philippian gaol after being stripped, flogged and clamped in the

stocks? Or how Jesus could sing a hymn on the eve of his arrest,

knowing everything that was about to happen to him? Or how Paul could

describe worship with the spine-tingling phrase 'living sacrifice'?

It was because their worship was not based on what they liked. It was

based on who they loved.

There is an explosion of worship in the church today. The buzz word is

'contemporary' and the aim is to 'enter into God's presence' and enjoy

a sense of closeness with him. The music, the setting, the lyrics must

all help create a fulfilling worship 'experience'.

But I am absolutely convinced that it's not the worship that God wants

us to enjoy. It's him.

Christians have often felt that worship has to suit their tastes. Many

times churches have been built based on people's preferences in

worship style. We want to choose how we will worship.

We've made worship self-centred instead of God-centred. We lobby for

what we want: 'I don't like the songs', 'I don't like the volume'.

It's as if we're worshipping worship instead of worshipping God.

Imagine conducting your relationship with your spouse on the basis of

only relating to them in certain circumstances. In marriage you can't

love demanding an answer; you have to love selflessly. You don't say,

'As long as I get everything I want out of this relationship I'll

commit myself.' But that's the attitude we often have to worship. We

say: 'You musicians, singers and pastors do your tricks, then we'll be

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happy.'

Worship is not a musical experience. Musicians, singers and worship

leaders can no more create a worship experience than an evangelist can

create a salvation experience. Both worship and salvation are

decisions - decisions that only individuals can make.

When we allow someone else to take responsibility for our decisions we

place human interests in front of God's. If my worship depends on

others creating an atmosphere, I am allowing them to make my decision

to worship for me.

Worship is not a result of how good the music is or whether my

favourite songs are sung. It is not a consequence of whether I stand

or sit, lift my hands or kneel. My worship must be an expression of my

relationship with God - in song, in shouts and whispers, sitting,

walking, or driving the car. Worship is my response to God.

If worship is a decision, then the greatest worship happens when

someone who doesn't like a church's music or liturgical style prays,

'Not my will but yours be done, God - I'll worship you in spite of

it.'

Your gifts aren't the issue

There's another way in which we worship worship instead of worshipping

God. Let me come at it by a round-about route.

Consider two ways of understanding why the church exists. The first is

that it exists to equip the saints for the work of ministry. So part

of our teaching and worship must be aimed at equipping the saints.

But there is a danger in this first perspective. It could lead us to

think that people are in a church so that the church can release their

individual gifts and ministries. This is back-to-front. People are

actually in a church with their gifts to release the ministry of the

church.

It's far more important to know where you are called than what you are

called to do.

Let me give a practical example. My hands write songs by accident;

they just happen to be attached to the rest of my body and I'm a

songwriter. In the same way, I'm a songwriter at Hills Christian Life

Centre more because I'm 'attached' to a worshipping, song-writing

church than because Hills Christian Life Centre has a songwriter who

writes songs. The call is on the church, and my talent as a songwriter

helps the church fulfil its call.

This is a the second way to understand the church's existence: It

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exists to fulfil God's call on its life. To live out God's vision. And

the people in a church don't so much need to own that vision as to be

owned by it. Once that happens, the various facets of its life are

given shape according to what God has called the church to be and do.

This has a profound effect on worship. It takes the focus away from

what we want and replaces it with what is needed to fulfil the vision.

It really doesn't matter whether we like the worship style or not;

it's whether the style is consistent with the call and vision. Unless

we think this way, we're in danger of creating our own entertainment -

and hence of worshipping worship again.

Worship and the will of God

In other words, for our worship to be a response to God, an expression

of our love and devotion, it must be a reflection of his will in and

through our lives. For me to express my love for my wife Janine, I

must do more than say 'I love you". I must mow the lawn, pick up my

socks, wash the car, share her dreams and visions and goals - I must

be a partner to her, working to be a team that expresses mutual love

to each other selflessly.

In this I discover that the best intimacy is the intimacy that forces

you to get up in the morning after making love with your wife the

night before and go and mow the lawns, fix the kitchen door, paint the

shed - to do those things that are produced out of love.

It's the same in our relationship with God. I can't sing, 'I love you,

Lord', 'I'll worship you', 'Be exalted' without being a partner in his

will and vision.

What is God's vision, his expectations? Is it that we hold nice,

comfortable worship services with three praise songs, two worship

songs, one prophecy, one offering, one message, two altar calls and a

closing hymn? Is his expectation our comfort, our enjoyment, our

tradition?

No. God's vision is that the world will know his Son. The Lord's

expectation of us is crystal clear in Matthew 28:19-20: 'Therefore go

and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the

Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey

everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to

the very end of the age.'

God has called us into his contemporary world to make disciples. Our

worship central in our decision to meet this commission.

Of course we must sing and dance and praise the Lord. But if while we

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sing and dance and praise we either ignore God's commission or create

a culture that alienates those whom God has called us to reach, are we

really worshipping God at all? Or are we, yet again, worshiping the

worship instead of him?

Communication is more than words

The church I'm part of is a middle-income, yuppie, contemporary church

of baby boomers and their children. That's who we are, and that's whom

God has called us to reach. So that's what we look and sound like.

Other churches have different calls - perhaps to the elderly. In that

case people will have to get used to singing hymns.

If every church became 'modern contemporary' in music and we all

played Crowded House and Dire Straits, what would happen to churches

in Vaucluse in Sydney or St Kilda in Melbourne, which need a totally

different touch?

To put it in marketing terms, once we understand our mission (to make

disciples), we need to find our market place (the people that God want

us to reach). That will then give us our methodology.

We have to find and use the language of our market place. At Youth

Alive rallies, for example, where 10-12,000 people cram into the

Sydney Entertainment Centre, we know that 'Amazing Grace' or 'Shine

Jesus Shine' aren't going to work with some 15-year-old home boy with

his cap on backwards who's into the basketball culture. So we sing

songs like 'Jump into the Jam with the Great I Am' - songs that

reflect our passion for Jesus and our love and vitality for life in

their language. In this way we reclaim their music to glorify God and

open a window to Christian experience in language they can understand.

When I say 'language' I don't just mean terminology, words. People can

go to a Madonna concert in Japan and not understand a word she says

but still feel part of what she's doing because they understand the

whole language - the visual communication, the sound, the music.

We need to speak people's language - not just in our music but in our

newsletters and graphics and decor and preaching and dress.

When the church forgets this and loses sight of its mission and market

place, it locks itself into its own culture. Anyone who comes in from

outside has to undergo a cultural revolution, before they can get to

our answer. In the end the only people we reach are ourselves. That's

scandalous. We're called to be light in darkness, not light in light.

I'm not saying that all worship must be directed toward attracting

non-believers - far from it. Worship is an individual's adoration of

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God. Our worship attention must be on intimacy with God led by the

Spirit. So we must not make it so relevant that we lose the intimacy.

You won't reach your marketplace until you equip the saints, and you

won't equip the saints by just speaking the language of the

marketplace. You have to teach them to speak the language of the

marketplace. There's a transition. So there must be a balance between

equipping the saints and reaching the marketplace.

Sometimes, however, the saints bet lost in enjoying the 'showers of

blessings' that come through their relationship with God. When we go

to church to stand under the shower of blessings, our worship involves

that experience.

But life is more than standing under the shower. Life is also getting

dressed and going to work. Our worship should translate into the

outcome of our lives.

For the believer, an effect of worship is like a remedial massage at

half-time to get us back on the field. It's healing for injuries so we

can keep playing. It's the coach at half-time saying toa tired team,

'You can win' - and sending them out to turn the game around.

Worship, then, is refocussing. It's re-equipping. It's realigning

yourself with the passion of God and realising that you have to say,

'Not my will but yours be done'.

Worship doesn't end with 'I exalt you'. It goes on to say, 'I must go

out and take the experience to others.' I believe that God is changing

the face of Christian worship today because he is trying to align us

again with him and his vision.

We can't worship God truly and remain unchanged. When we worship, we

push into God's heart. Older married couples can sometimes sit in a

room together for an hour and a half and not speak to each other and

yet communicate, because they've grown together and they understand

each other's heart. It's like that with God. As we worship him we come

to understand his heart, and we start to share his passion. Then his

vision comes our vision.

______________________________________________________________

(c) On Being, February 1995, 2 Denham Street, Hawthorn, Victoria, 3122.

Used with permission.

Renewal Journal #6 (1995:2), Brisbane, Australia, pp. 8-11.

http://www.pastornet.net.au/renewal/

Reproduction is allowed as long as the copyright remains intact with

the text

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11. IT IS COMMUNICATION WITH GOD

WORSHIP IS ALIVE Christian worship is alive because, in its essence,

it is a conversation between two living realities-the one true,

eternal God and the body of Christ, the church. Because worship is a

conversation and not a mere review of the past, it is dynamic,

unpredictable, and open-ended. Who knows what might transpire on any

given day when a group of believers hears and responds to the Word of

God! -- Gary A. Furr and Milburn Price in THE DIALOGUE OF WORSHIP:

CREATING SPACE FOR REVELATION AND RESPONSE, Smyth & Helwys, 1998, p.

89.

It is our hearing his word and then responding to what he has

communicated to us with praise and adoration and thanksgiving.

WHAT IS WORSHIP? What, then, does it mean to worship God? It is to

"glory in his holy name" (Ps. 105:3), that is , to revel adoringly in

who he is in his revealed character. But before we can glory in God's

name, we must know it. Hence the propriety of the reading and

preaching of the Word of God in public worship, and of biblical

meditation in private devotion. These things are not an intrusion into

worship; they form the necessary foundation of it. God must speak to

us before we have any liberty to speak to him. He must disclose to us

who he is before we can offer him what we are in acceptable worship.

The worship of God is always a response to the Word of God. Scripture

wonderfully directs and enriches our worship. John Stott - in THE

CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN, InterVarsity Press, 1992, p. 174

KINGDOM PRAYING Kingdom praying and its efficacy is entirely a matter

of the innermost heart's being totally open and honest before God. It

is a matter of what we are saying with our whole being, moving with

resolute intent and clarity of mind into the flow of God's action. In

apprenticeship to Jesus, this is one of the most important things we

learn how to do. He teaches us how to be in prayer what we are in life

and how to be in life what we are in prayer. - Dallas Willard, in THE

DIVINE CONSPIRACY: REDISCOVERING OUR HIDDEN LIFE IN GOD

There has to be a receptivity of the worshipper. One must be open to

the Holy Spirit.Carl Tuttle writes, "As we come together and actually begin

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to worship, an important principle is that of receptivity. Steve Robbins says to

"first, dial down and open yourself up to the ministry of the Holy Spirit as you focus

on Jesus Christ. This will make you receptive." As our desire to bless and

experience God is communicated to Him through worship, the Holy Spirit comes to

us. We need to be afraid to open up without reservation to god in this way for He

promises to give us what is good. If we ask for the presence of the Holy Spirit then

he will come and touch us.

"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and

the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks

finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of your fathers, if your

son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give

him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your

children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those

who ask Him!"- Luke. 1:9-13

It is also important for us to be genuine as we worship. It is unfruitful to

manufacture or work up something. Our sincerity and honesty before God and

others will keep us properly focused as we worship. Steve Robbins identifies this as

the principle of reality. "Be genuine. Humble your heart before God, forsake

anything hardening your heart to the ministry of God’s Spirit, and lovingly respond

to God in a way that reflects honesty and harmony in the inner and outer man.

Reality honors the balance of not being distracted by others in your responsiveness

to God, and not being distracted by others in your expressiveness towards God.

Your discernment on how to negotiate this balance will develop as healing takes

place in your heart. Remember, though, God-consciousness should be a priority

over self-consciousness."

Another principle is that of release. We need to let the outer man reflect genuine

responsiveness of the inner man. This will increase our interaction with the

presence of God and will bring wholeness to the total person. Just as suppressed

emotions degenerate the personality, so spiritual suppression deflates the spirit.

Worship and praise is a glorious release of the inner being."

THE EXPERIENCE OF WORSHIP

1. A PICTURE OF THE WORSHIP EXPERIENCE

A. THE DRAMA OF WORSHIP

The Danish philosopher, Kiekegaard, compared worship to a dramatic

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production. In worship, it often seems as though the worship leader is

the actor and God is the prompter, whispering in his ear, telling him

what to do next. The congregation listens and, at the end, they

applaud if they like the way he s led worship, or throw things, ie. “ ” ’grumble or complain if they don't. But Kiekegaard said that s all back ’to front. For in reality, God is the audience, the congregation are

the actors and the person leading worship is the prompter, simply

keeping the production going. So when we come together to worship, we

come wanting to please God alone, offering to him the very best.

B. THE DIMENSIONS OF WORSHIP

Col 3:16, Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and “admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns

and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. ”

There are three dimensions in which our worship services minister:-

(1) The vertical aspect of worship - the worshipper communicates with the LordWhy devote so much time and energy to worship?

* To minister to the Lord

The most important reason for worship is to bless and glorify God. The

question to ask after a service is, Was God pleased with our sacrifice “of praise? and not, Did we enjoy the time of worship?” “ ”

* To realise the manifest presence of God in our midst

There are different degrees to which God manifests his presence. [See

Matthew 18:20; Psalm 22:3; 2 Chron 5:13,14; Exodus 33:14-16]

* To provide an opportunity for God s power to be released in His ’church

Luke 5:17 shows that in the presence of God the power of God is

revealed. Worship gives God, in his sovereign will an atmosphere of

freedom to work, and it prepares people to become recipients of God s ’blessing.

* To provide an atmosphere for the gifts of the Spirit to be

manifested

It is usually only after worship that the spiritual ministries begin

to operate. It is not that God is unwilling to speak prophetically to

His people at the beginning of the service, but we are not usually

ready to minister in the gifts of the Spirit.

* To open up channels of communication between us and God

The worship service is an opportunity to confess sins, open our hearts

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to the Lord and receive cleansing and renewal from God.

(2) The horizontal aspect of worship - the worshipper communicates with othersThe following interpersonal dynamics of worship are highly

significant:

* The feeling of unity within a body of believers is enhanced

Observing a fellow believer committed to worshipping the Lord with all

his heart is an experience that produces a sense of unity and

affinity. A Church that worships with all their heart, soul, mind and

strength is moving ahead for God with an extraordinary sense of unity.

* The opportunity to confess and profess faith before others

Confessing the name of the Lord in the service increases our boldness

and faith to declare his name before unbelievers. As we lift up our

voice in the congregation the Lord will increase our ability to

vocalise our faith before unbelievers.

* The declaration of the glory of God before unbelievers

The unsaved do visit church services and it is an excellent

opportunity for them to see the reality of the glory of the Lord.

Psalm 108:3 shows that it is clearly not God s intention for His ’praises to be confined to the ears of believers. When God manifests

His presence in the midst of His people, unbelievers will be

apprehended by the convicting power of the Holy Spirit and drawn to

the Lord. As people experience the reality of God they are drawn to

Him!

* The creation of a platform for the sermon and rest of service

Praise ploughs the soil of our hearts so that we are prepared to have

the seed of the Word of God implanted. Hearers are more open to hear

the Word of God after a time of praise and worship than before.

(3) The inward aspect of worship - the worshipper is personally affectedThe ways in which the worshipper is changed within include:

* A release into an uninhibited expression of praise and worship

One of the goals of worship is to see introverted worshippers released

in their expression of love and adoration to the Lord. We should

strive according to Matthew 6:10 to see worship on earth as it is in “heaven, where it is free of any pride, inhibition, sophistication or ”pompous dignity. We can discover some of that freedom even in this

life.

* A reinforcing of spiritual truth within the individual

Worship is a time to teach and reinforce spiritual truth according to

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Col 3:16. As we sing scripture we are memorising the Word of God. The

songs rich in theological and doctrinal meaning help to build us up.

* A means to express heart-felt attitudes often difficult to express

The songs becomes a meaningful expression from our hearts to the Lord

as we echo the words of the great song-writers of this age and past

ages.

* A birthing of a heart for holiness within the individual

Psalm 115:4-8 teaches that we become like that which we worship. As we

worship the Lord we are changed into His likeness [2 Cor 3:18]. We

have the promise from 1 John 3:2 that when we see the lord we will be

like Him - when, in worship we catch a vision of the Lord like Isaiah,

Daniel and John, we will become like Him! As we draw close to the all-

holy God we will inevitable be changed into His likeness.

* A life of worship is inspired in each believer

In 1 Chronicles 9:33 we read that the Levitical singers ministered

before the Lord twenty-four hours a day. For us, New Testament

Levites, this is the pattern. We are called to continually offer up

the sacrifice of praise [Heb 13:15].

Summary: A final purpose of worship is that through worship God is

preparing us for the new things that he is wanting to do. Psalm 50:23

says, He who sacrifices thank offerings honours me, and he prepares “the way so that I may show him the salvation of God. Worship softens ”our hearts and sensitises us to the Holy Spirit. We need to be attuned

to the gentle promptings of the Spirit in order to follow Him -

worship fine-tunes our heart to the Lord. Our Aim is to be

worshippers. Our Goal is to minister to the Lord and to one another,

to experience His glorious presence and to remain sensitised to His

voice.

2. A PATTERN FOR THE WORSHIP EXPERIENCE

Isaiah 6 is a classic experience of worship. Under Uzziah, Judah

experienced prosperity second only to Solomon. As young Isaiah

experienced this rapid development under Uzziah, his vision became

distorted as the image of the natural kingdom he dwelt in took pre-

eminence.

To adequately follow Christ into the depths of God s presence, any ’earthly (false) images of your worship must die! When our earthly

images and idols die, God will come in and re-focus our heavenly

vision as we are led into His presence through worship.

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God revealed Himself as sitting on a throne (the true king), high and

lifted up (in our worship). As Isaiah set his focus on God, he

received a visual experience of God s glory, ushered in by the presence ’of the Seraphim. Isaiah had been projecting less that the image of

God s perfection and he felt convicted.’The response from our heart to the holiness of God is met with the

inflow of cleansing and renewing power.

This experience of Isaiah s gives us a pattern for our encounter with ’God.

A. REVELATION [v1]

B. PRAISE AND ADORATION [v2]

C. CONFESSION [v5]

D. FORGIVENESS [v6,7]

E. PROCLAMATION [8a]

F. DEDICATION [v8b]

G. COMMISSION [v9a]

3. A PLEA FOR EXPECTANCY IN WORSHIP

Think for a moment about what you expect God to do when you worship

Him? If the pattern for worship suggested by Kiekegaard is accurate

and we take one aspect a step further - the part where the audience

responds at the end by applause, hissing, throwing things, etc. - then

what should our expectation be for God, the audience of our worship,

to respond? We do not mean that we are in a position to demand from

God, but simply, in faith, to expect that He will respond to our

Worship. We do not worship to get a response - worship is not an open “sesame , but can be assured that when we truly worship, God will, ”according to his sovereignty, respond.

The following are Biblical examples of what we can expect of God:

A. GOD LISTENS ACTIVELY - Jeremiah 33:3

B. GOD CHANGES LIVES

Transformation - 2 Cor 3:18

Conviction - Isaiah 6:5

Purification - Isaiah 6:7

Commission - Isaiah 6:8

Reconciliation - Matt 5:23f

C. GOD CHANGES SITUATIONS - Psalm 149:6-9

D. GOD MAKES HIMSELF KNOWN - Matt 28:17-19; Acts 2:11; 13:2-5

E. GOD MAKES HIS PLANS KNOWN - Josh 5:13-14

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F. GOD BREAKS SPIRITUAL BONDAGE - 1 Sam 16:14-23

G. GOD BREAKS PHYSICAL BONDAGE - Jonah 2:9

H. GOD MAKES HIS PRESENCE CLEAR - 2 Chr 5:13f

12. IT IS BEING QUIET BEFORE GOD IN SILENT ADORATION

Chuck Swindoll in INTIMACY WITH THE ALMIGHTY. ==== "Be still and know

that I am God" (Psalm 46:10, New International Version) Before

hurrying past that profound command, let's turn it over in our minds

several times. "Cease striving and know that I am God! Stand silent!

Know that I am God!" (The Living Bible) "Let be and be still, and

know-recognize and understand-that I am God." (The Amplified Bible)

"Give in," he cries, "admit that I am God." (Moffat) "Stop fighting,"

he says, "and know that I am God." (Today's English Version) I am

especially intrigued by the creative paraphrase employed by Eugene

Peterson: "Step out of the traffic! Take a long, loving look at me,

your High God, above politics, above everything." (The Message)

However we may prefer to read it, this is an emphatic imperative

addressed to God's own people. People of every race, color, culture,

and era . . . people of any level of maturity and age. . . . people

who are employed or unemployed, single or married, with or without

children, all people whose God is the Lord. We are commanded to stop

(literally) . . . rest, relax, let go, and make time for Him. The

scene is one of stillness and quietness, listening and waiting before

Him. Such foreign experiences in these busy times! Nevertheless,

knowing God deeply and intimately requires such discipline. Silence is

indispensable if we hope to add depth to our spiritual life. [In the

same chapter, Swindoll joins these thoughts to a list of four

decisions and four disciplines for becoming more intimately acquainted

with Christ.] THE DECISION - (THE DISCIPLINE) to reorder one's private

world - (simplicity) to be still - (silence) to cultivate serenity -

(solitude) to trust the Lord completely - (surrender)

"The Power of Silence"Psalm 111

Mark 1:21-28

BY REV. EARL GUYWell, it s SuperBowl Sunday! The day when football experts appear on ’

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every street corner and in front of every TV. There was a story a few

years back about the legendary football coach Paul Bear Bryant. He d “ ” ’taken a tough defeat at a game on Saturday. That Monday he went into

his barbershop for a haircut. He sat in the chair and the barber began

to trim his hair. After a moment of silence the barber said. Ya know “coach, I don t believe I would have put in that young quarterback just ’because the starter wasn t doing well. The turnovers of that young guy ’cost us the game. ”Coach Bryant nodded and said, Well, you know, if I da had until Monday “ ’morning to decide, I don t think I would have either. ’ ”Nothing gives our decisions clarity like knowing how they turned out.

But we don t have the advantage of hindsight when we are looking ahead, ’and so we learn to project from experience and from the wisdom of

those we trust. That s what was going on in Capernaum, just like with ’us. Jesus and his followers have come to the synagogue on the Sabbath.

The people have gathered, as they did every Sabbath, to get the

guidelines of the law, to hear the hope of the prophets, to learn the

wisdom of those who would bring ancient words into practical meaning.

It s a lot like our coming to church. But Jesus begins to teach and the ’people s jaws begin to drop. This guy is not a reporter, not a ’commentator, he speaks with authority. He is master of the words and

teachings he voices.

The people sit up and take notice, especially one guy. Now this is at

the very beginning of Jesus ministry. He doesn t have a wide spread ’ ’reputation yet, but this guy seems to know who he is really who he is. …What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to “destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God. That recognition ”and what happens next, offers us an insight into our own spiritual

journey. Let s ask three questions: Who is this man who recognizes ’Jesus? What power does Jesus set free in his response?

First, who is this man who recognizes Jesus? The truth is we have no

idea. It s been said that there is nothing wrong with having nothing to ’say about a topic, unless you go ahead and say it. So we aren t going ’to speculate about who he is..

We can talk about his condition. We know from the text that he is

possessed. That was an ordinary circumstance for Mark s first’ -century

audience, but it s a problem for us, because most of us don t have a ’ ’world-view that is filled with demons who take over other people s ’bodies. We have a medical view of personality disorders rather than a

spiritual one. We can get hung up on that and miss the point. Let s ’108

rephrase Marks words to preserve a meaning we can share. Let s rephrase ’verse 23 to say, Just then there was in their synagogue a man who had “lost control of his own life. Now we can understand in fact now we can ” …begin to feel a little uncomfortable, because we realize this person

might be you or me.

We do have demons don t we. Some of them are terrible demons like ’addictions or compulsive behaviors or habits we can t seem to break. ’Others are more subtle, like our out of control calendars, or the

temptations to imagine that we can t do things because we are too young ’or too old, or too this or too that. Perhaps we imagine that others

are responsible for our failures, or that we are responsible for other

people s successes. We want, we fear, we need, we reject our lives are ’ …full of voices that call to us to choose them, in preference to the

way of love.

And so we talk with our demons and build lives of excuses and

justifications that yes indeed, may know Jesus well, but may see Jesus … ’message as a threat. That s because it is. See, we aren t in control of ’ ’our lives. The belief that we are is one of the most tragic

consequences of our possession. And Jesus would indeed destroy all

that would keep us from being the people God has created us to be.

So what does Jesus do? How does Jesus handle the demons that control

us and weave webs of excuses around us to keep us from realizing our

slavery? Did you catch how the spirit slips in a hook to catch Jesus ’pride, even as it challenges him? I know who you are, the Holy One of “God. It was true. It was appealing to be known, for one who was just ”starting out on a public career. Couldn t this spirit have some value ’we should talk about? But Jesus says, basically, Shut up and go away. “ ”It isn t nice or polite, but Jesus response teaches us something about ’ ’our demons. Never negotiate with your own excuses!

What Jesus action does is release the power of silence, that open ’space, not an empty space, but an open space where love s authority in ’life regains its rightful power in us. The unclean spirit that

enslaves us is replaced by the authority of God s love, which we come ’to know in Jesus Christ. That may come as sudden realization, or as a

painful sifting and sorting, that occurs over the years. But that

power provides direction for life, even through hard times. The

scripture reports And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying “out with a loud voice, came out of him. And what happened then?

That s the third question. Remember the questions? Who is this ’possessed man? We discover that he is us. What power does Jesus set

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free in his response? It is the power of silence, of freedom from our

addictions and excuses that enslave us and leave us out of control.

And finally, what door does Jesus command open for us? The answer is ’the door of real faith, or perhaps faith made real in life. When the

spirit departs the people ask; What is this? A new teaching “ - with

authority! He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him. ” -

and Mark continues; At once his fame began to spread throughout the “surrounding region of Galilee. ”You see in the silence, away from the self-serving excuses of our

demons, we are able to see and hear, and touch and know, not just

about God s love for us, we are able to experience it in the reality of ’changed lives. That s the door that Jesus opens. It is the door of ’reconciliation, of healing and wholeness, of good news we want to live

and to share.

I am indebted to Vicki Tarlap for this wonderful, true story from a

book titled Small Miracles I will close with this. “ ”Joey Riklis was a child of rebellious times, and at 19 he dropped out

of college and announced to his widowed father, Adam Riklis, that he

wanted to go to India to seek enlightenment. Adam was a sensitive and

wise man who accepted the blow with grace and offered his son

understanding and acceptance, hoping that in time he would find his

way. They maintained an uneasy balance in their relationship until one

day Joey revealed to his father that he had turned away from his

faith.

Adam Riklis was a survivor of the Holocaust. His whole family had been

murdered by the Nazis, and he alone had withstood the horrors of three

concentration camps before the end of the war. When he had learned he

was the last survivor of his family he pledged that the Jewish faith

of his ancestors would not die with him. He had raised his children to

carry on this sacred trust. Now, as Joey announced his rejection of

his faith, it was just too much, Adam snapped. Get out of here! he “ ”screamed at Joey, Get out of my home and never come back! You are not “my son. I disown you from my heart, from my soul, from my life. I

never want to see you again! ”“Well that’s just fine with me,” Joey shouted back, “because I never want to see you again either!” With that Joey left for India where he wandered from guru to guru,

seeking answers and peace. One day, after six years of wandering, Joey

met an old classmate, Sam, from back home. They sat and shared stories

of their life journeys. Then Sam quietly said, Hey, Joey, I was really “

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sorry to hear about your dad. It was then that he learned his father ”had died of a heart attack a few months before. In the back of his

mind, Joey had always believed he and his father would reconcile one

day, but now that could not be. His father s death had silenced his ’excuses, but it was too late to ask forgiveness or hope to embrace his

father again in love.

Joey blamed himself that his father had died, not of a heart attack, …but of a broken heart. His companions tried to comfort him but it was

not to be. At last, Joey decided to go to Israel. He wasn t sure why, ’but he knew he had to go, for some strange reason.

He said, he wanted to pray. In Israel Joey sought comfort in prayer.

In time he found his way to the Wall, the last remnant of the great

Temple in Jerusalem. He had no idea what to do as he surveyed the

throng of pilgrims, many in strange dress and acting out strange

customs. With the help of a security guard he borrowed a prayer book

and went to the Wall. Strangely the prayers of his youth returned in a

familiar, comforting stream. He began to feel a connection with his

father in a flood of memories. Joey began to sob. Dad, how I wish I “could ask your forgiveness. I didn t mean to hurt you, I was just ’trying to find my own way. ”When he finished praying he turned and noticed others writing notes

and placing them in crevices in the Wall. Curious, he asked a young

man what they were doing. Oh, those are their petitions, the youth “ ”answered, their prayers. Joey asked if he could do that too. Sure “ ” “ ”the boy replied, but it isn t easy to find an empty crevice anymore. ’ ”Joey found a paper and wrote his petition. Dear Father, I beg you to “forgive me for the pain I caused you, he began. When he was finished ”he searched for a place to leave the note, but as the boy had said it

wasn t easy. All the spaces between the great stones were full of other ’notes. After nearly an hour of searching he found a tiny space, but in

sliding his own note into the crack he accidentally dislodged another

from its place. He picked it up to replace it in the wall. Then

overcome with a tremendous sense of curiosity he paused an opened the

folded paper. There he read the note:

“My dear son Joey, If you should ever happen to come to Israel, and somehow miraculously find this note, this is what I want you to know: I always loved you, even when you hurt me, and I will never stop loving you. You are, and always will be, my beloved son. And Joey, please know that I forgive you for everything, and only hope that you in turn will forgive a foolish old man.” The note was signed Adam Riklis.

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What amazing journeys our lives can become. What demons keep you from

the love of God, what demons run your life, or keep you from the joy

of relationship and meaning. Behind the noise and confusion of voices

in our lives is the quiet hand of God, nudging here, connecting there,

offering us life so rich and full that even death itself is no barrier

to its fulfillment. Jesus Christ comes to us with authority, to meet

us where we are, sometimes with startling recognition, as with the

possessed man in Capernaum, sometimes unknown and hidden in a time of

grief or struggle, as with Joey Riklis. But it is Jesus who has the

power to silence our demons and open the door to God s reign in our ’lives, to change us and make us whole, to change us and make us his.

Thanks be to God.

Pastoral Prayer- Rev. Ralph B. Johnson

Eternal Spirit of God, more ready to hear than we are to pray, who

knows our needs before we ask, make us sensitive to your presence in

our lives in this hour. Give us the listening ear, the responsive

will, the warmth of love, the light of truth, the hope for growth, and

the assurance of your acceptance of us.

We turn to you from the perplexities and uncertainties which beset us.

We are bewildered by the confusion in our world. Give us, and our

leaders, the courage we need to give ourselves fully as instruments of

your peace and purpose. We want peace that is more than the absence of

war.

Grant us the expulsive power of a deeper faith, new affections and new

desires. Search our hearts and drive from them indirection and

pretense. Like the wise men of the first Epiphany, may we find the

spirit of the Christ and adore him.

O Lord, we need these moments together to face the innermost issues of

our lives. We thank you for the fellowship of kindred minds. May these

ties strengthen us for the responsibilities we face.

We commend our lives to your providential goodness. Teach us what it

means to be motivated by love, to rest in you, and to find our hope in

your presence. Let your warm light kindle trust in those who are sick

or weighted down by the pressures of our time. Let your grace meet our

inmost needs.

We offer these words, and the concerns we cannot express, in the grace

of our Lord Jesus Christ, who taught us when we pray to say Our Father …”who art in heaven …”

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13. IT IS CHANGING IN RESPONSE TO GOD

"Just as worship begins in holy expectancy, it ends in holy obedience.

If worship does not propel us into greater obedience, it has not been

worship. To stand before the Holy One of eternity is to change.

Resentments cannot be held with the same tenacity when we enter his

gracious light. As Jesus says, we need to leave our gift at the altar

and go set the matter straight (Matthew 5:23, 24). In worship an

increased power steals its way into the heart sanctuary, an increased

compassion grows in the soul. To worship is to change." - Richard

Foster, THE CELEBRATION OF DISCIPLINE: THE PATH TO SPIRITUAL GROWTH,

Chapter 11, "The Discipline of Worship," HarperSanFrancisco, 1988, p.

173.

"Worship is our response to the overtures of love from the heart of

the Father. Its central reality is found 'in spirit and truth.' It is

kindled within us only when the Spirit of God touches our human

spirit. Forms and rituals do not produce worship, nor does the disuse

of forms and rituals. We can use all the right techniques and methods,

we can have the best possible liturgy, but we have not worshipped the

Lord until Spirit touches spirit." - Richard Foster, in THE

CELEBRATION OF DISCIPLINE: THE PATH TO SPIRITUAL GROWTH, Chapter 11,

"The Discipline of Worship," HarperSanFrancisco, 1988., p. 158.

Most of us probably think of repentance as something that prepares us

to worship God. We view repentance as prelude to real worship, as

prerequisite for praise. Worship leader and songwriter Graham Kendrick

sees repentance as central. REPENTANCE IS WORSHIP We do not always

think of repentance as worship, but it can be much easier to sing a

rousing hymn than to turn away from our favourite sin. A sinful act

involves worship of the wrong kind, submitting ourselves at that

moment to serve the appetites of our pride or lust, and so repentance

is literally a transfer of our worship back to the One who rightfully

owns it. . . . . Worship has been misunderstood as something that

arises from a feeling which "comes upon you," but it is vital that we

understand that it is rooted in a conscious act of the will, to serve

and obey the Lord Jesus Christ. The feelings, the joy of having been

forgiven, follow on as a consequence of our reunion with him. --

Graham Kendrick, from WORSHIP, Kingsway Publications, 1984, p.26.

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WORSHIP CHANGES US In worship we are ascribing greatness, goodness,

and glory to God. It is typical that we put every possible aspect of

our being into it, all of our sensuous, conceptual, active, and

creative capacities. We embellish, elaborate, and magnify. Poetry and

song, color and texture, food and incense, dance and procession are

all used to exalt God. And sometimes it is in the quiet absorption of

thought, the electric passion of encounter, or total surrender of the

will. In worship we strive for adequate expression of God's greatness.

But only for a moment, if ever, do we achieve what seems like

adequacy. We cannot do justice to God or his Son or his kingdom or his

goodness to us. Worship nevertheless imprints on our whole being the

reality that we study. The effect is a radical disruption of the

powers of evil in us and around us. Often an enduring and substantial

change is brought about. And the renewal of worship keeps the glow and

power of our true homeland an active agent in all parts of our being.

To "hear and do" in the atmosphere of worship is the clearest, most

obvious and natural thing imaginable. - Dallas Willard, in THE DIVINE

CONSPIRACY: REDISCOVERING OUR HIDDEN LIFE IN GOD, HarperSanFrancisco,

1998, Chapter 9, "A Curriculum for Christlikeness," p. 363.

Dean Mark P. TibeySaint Patrick's Celtic Church <http://www.theceec.org/StPatrick.htm>

Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA

"...We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but

love edifies." - 1 Cor. 8:1 It seems as though the more we think we know God; His character, His love, mercy and grace, the more

casual and familiar we become in our relationship and fellowship

with Him, forgetting the old adage that "familiarity breeds

contempt". Being raised a Roman Catholic, I remember as a youth,

entering the narthex of the church with a quiet reverence,

knowing that I was entering "God's House". Being ignorant of the

new birth and the power of the Holy Spirit, I followed the

tradition of my parents and elders who would reverence God in

the building and then return to their worldly ways upon exiting

the parking lot. As a teen, I found this incongruity rather

comical and yet disturbing, how we were acting so holy for

almost an hour and then once we were dismissed, we were hell

bent in getting out of that place. Unfortunately, that stll

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happens today among many churches, sacramental or otherwise.

After coming to know Christ in a personal way and being filled with the Holy Spirit, I realized that "God does not dwell in

buildings made with human hands", because our bodies have become

the temple of the living God, the Holy Spirit. Such knowledge

changed my whole world view as far as God was concerned. No

matter where I was, God was with me. He is omnipresent. But this

knowledge that I had received became as much a snare as a

blessing Now I began to walk into the sanctuary of God in the

same way that I walked into a restaurant, or movie theater or as

I relaxed in my own home. Afterall, didn't God love and accept

me the way that I am? Without realizing it, I was profaning the

sacred things of God by imposing my new found freedom upon His

Presence. Instead of allowing the Holy Presence of the Sanctuary

to effect a change in me, bringing me closer to the likeness of

Christ, I was imposing my casual and disrespectful ways upon the

Lord. In Robert Webber's book, "Evangelicals On The Canterbury Trail" <http://www.iwsill.org/wr2.htm>, pastor and lecturer James Johnson, reflects upon his own experience of stepping into

an Episcopal Church on a Christmas Eve where his son attended

services. "The service opened with the processional of the choir

singing carols as they entered, followed by the acolytes, then

the chancel bearers, and finally the priest. The procession was

one of solemn dignity and reverence, underscoring the holiness

of the sanctuary. And wasn't that what this was supposed to be

like anyway? Could one dare to enter the sanctifed and holy

place set apart for God in any other way? Yet, I had not created

such an atmosphere in my years of pastoring, and now I wondered

why." "For you brethren, have been called to to freedom; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh". -

Galatians 5:13 Is it any wonder why there is so much sin in the Church today. From the pulpit to the pew, we have become so User

Friendly that the power of holiness has all but dwindled out. We

are puzzled at the lack of power in our lives and long for the

convicting power of the Spirit that was exhibited by our

forefathers who truly honored and feared God. We tend to forget

that our God did not wink at the heart attitudes of Hophni and

Phineas when they brought "their" sacrifice to Him, or of Uzzah,

when he put out his hand to "help God". And what about King

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Uzziah, who upon entering the holy place, broke out into leprosy

and died in that condition. These are three examples of people

who had knowledge of God and yet treated him with a too familiar

and casual irreverance. Let us purpose to allow the awesomeness

of the Sacramental Presence to change us so much that we take

that Presence out of the sanctuary, into the parking lot and

into our homes and work places. Then we will see the salvation

of the lost through the witness of our lives rather than the

sound of our words.

14. IT IS SHARING GOD WITH OTHERS

SPIRITUAL SELF-GRATIFICATION It is far too easy, within the current

upsurge of creative input in the realm of worship, to find ourselves

chasing spiritual or aesthetic experiences, as if the highest

achievement of our whole pilgrimage on earth were to enter some kind

of praise-induced ecstasy! I am, in fact, all in favour of spiritual

experiences when they are genuine, and welcome ecstasies that are the

gifts of God and not artificially induced, but if such things become

the AIM of our gatherings for worship, then we have turned the gospel

upside down. The gospel is for the salvation of the world, and we are

sometimes in danger of locking ourselves inside the rescue-shop and

plundering the stock of blessings for the sole purpose of spiritual

self-gratification, while millions stream empty- handed past the

closed doors into eternal darkness, hearing the joyful sounds and

seeing the advertisements, but never being given a chance to test the

goods. -- Graham Kendrick, from WORSHIP, Kingsway Publications, 1984,

p.32.

Worship: to soothe or disturb?

Dorothy Mathieson

Dr Dorothy Mathieson's ministry has included being a Baptist pastor and the Australian Coordinator of Servants to Asia's Urban Poor._______________________________Worship energizes us to be partners in kingdom truth, love, righteousness and justice________________________________The worship was so polished. Meticulous musical precision. There was

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the lighter beginning, then the 'moving into a time of real worship'.

Hands were raised, some were singing in tongues. The harmony was

impeccable. The enthusiasm infectious. A couple gave 'words of

prophecy' we are loved, we are emerging into freedom and joy like

butterlies out of the cocoon of restriction and fear. Applause. 'God

is pleased with our worship,' the pastor assured. More applause.

A suburban congregation, it could have been anywhere in Australia.

Mostly middle class, well dressed, car in the carpark. Good people

relieved to be in a 'live' church after labouring through stodgy ones.

'We come for the worship,' said one couple. 'You can endure a poor

sermon if you have good worship.'

The short request in the bulletin from a local welfare agency for

homes for rebellious teenagers drew no response. Another, asking for

volunteers to care for people with AIDS, didn't even reach the

bulletin.

The message was clear: worship was for soothing, comforting. Some

refreshment for the weary. For the anxious, an assurance that things

would be OK. We are right after all, secure from upheaval. God is

biased in our favour.

It is nothing new for congregations to use worship to soothe. People

did this in the days of Amos the prophet, eight centuries before Jesus

came. In some ways modern worship songs have not changed since the

songs of those days. The prophet recorded three popular hymns (4:13;

5:89; 9:56).

In these ancient hymns they too celebrated a God who:

* powerfully moulds the mountains as easily as a potter;

* creates the wind;

* reveals his very thoughts to us (4:13);

* faithfully upholds the proper order in creation: planets, day and

night, tides (5:8);

* authoritatively invades all of his creation: heavens, earth, seas

(9:56).

This is the wonderful Lord we also worship today: all the powerful,

sovereign, majestic one. 'The Lord (Yahweh) is his name' is the

declaration after all three of Amos' hymns. With the ancients, we join

in applause.

But there are some aspects of the hymns of Amos' day which are rarely

part of current worship in renewal churches. In these ancient hymns,

God also:

* terrifyingly turns dawn into darkness;

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* deliberately overpowers ('treads') all human attempts at arrogant

independence ('high places' or 'strongholds' in Amos refer to

prestigious fortresslike homes of the wealthy, the systems of

selfindulgent and idolatrous worship at shrines at Bethel and Gilgal,

the exploitative social, economic and political systems 4:13);

* reverses the natural order of creation so that it becomes a

destructive power;

* shatters all seemingly impregnable and unjust systems (strongholds

again) of the powerful (5:89);

* uses his glorious creative power to judge the earth so that it

convulses like river tides;

* lets no one escape his consuming authority and power (9:56).

Mighty warrior

These things are difficult to sing about! This God is the mighty

warrior, the purifying Lord, the indomitable creator. Few modern songs

or hymns celebrate these aspects of our God. They would hardly fit

into upbeat tempo or rousing worship. Worshippers would be hesitant to

applaud certain judgement for ignoring the practice of justice.

Why then are the hymns of our day so soothing, so undisturbing. In

this 'Age of Anxiety', as sociologist Hugh McKay (1993) labels

contemporary times in Austrlia, we long for reassurance that things

are alright, that our future will only get better.

But we will be secure, won't we? God is on our side. We have his

promises. Our churches are streamlined. Our clergy have improving

credentials and are friends of the wealthy and powerful. We go abroad

to plant our kind of churches and export our kind of Christianity. We

have so much to offer. We have hundreds of fully computerized plans to

complete the Great Commission by the year 2000. Our nation is forging

its independent destiny. Trading blocks are in place, hopefully to

favour our market. The people of God are the righteous ones. Multiple

prophecies have assured that out ministries will be extensive and

commanding.

This is exactly what the Israelites of Amos' day thought. They assumed

their political security perpetual, with neighbouring nations

squabbling among themselves. Trading was increasingly to their

advantage. Spiritually smug, they boasted increasing attendances at

the shrines, with religious leaders having the ear of even the king.

But they had domesticated God.

They had turned a loving relationship into a weapon of manipulation.

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Enjoying unexamined lives, enthusiastic worshippers were also

supporters of a social, economic and political system which exploited

the poor. They amassed wealth, storing it up in their strongholds for

a brighter future, but they did not share with the needy.

Most of their resources were spent on themselves. Their righteousness

had become a privatized ethic rather than a renewing spiritual energy

directed towards creating an alternative community of love and dignity

for all.

Amos longed for 'rivers of justice' (5:24). He saw only trickles of

selfeffort, channelled into maintaining the Israelites' status quo.

Triumphalistic prophecy fascinated them. Weren't they the people of

God, with his covenant and his promises?

It sounds so hauntingly modern. Are the contemporary people of God,

even those of us committed to renewal, so very different? 'The

contemporary church,' says Walter Brueggemann (1978:11), 'is so

enculturated to the ethos of consumerism that it has little power to

believe or act.' Further he claims, 'if we gather around a static God

who only guards the interests of the "haves", oppression cannot be far

behind' (1978:18).

There can be no real worship, says Amos, without a commitment to

justice for the poor. True worship must be expressed at the bleeding

points of the world. Fixing our eyes on Jesus, rather than shutting

out the world, leads us into discovering his heart for the despised,

the exploited, the outcast. Even with the right words in their hymns

the ancients missed it. They were not doing the justice they were

singing about.

Worship disturbs

Many critics say these three hymns in Amos are out of place in his

prophecy, perhaps later glosses interrupting the flow of his thought.

At the heart of these challenges are not only the complications of

textual analysis but also the misnomer of the purpose of worship.

Worship is meant to disturb by renewing the fullness of our faith

heritage, critiquing our present manipulations, and energizing to

reembrace radical hope for the future.

Scholars are not alone in missing the point of worship in Amos and

beyond Amos. In the so called discovery of worship in modern renewal,

these vital elements have been largely over looked. Who wants to be

disturbed? In the weariness of modern life, who wants to be energized

to create something new?

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Like Moses before him, Amos 'dismantles the religion of static

triumphalism' (Brueggemann 1978:16). The freedom of the majestic God

cannot be manipulated even by enthusiastic worship. Worship is not the

flamboyant parading of self concerns, or of musical or oratorial

abilities. 'You go to church to sin,' says Amos (4:4).

The songs of Amos are disturbingly in place. Prophecy cannot be

separated from doxology. Worship is an act of freedom and justice. It

is meant to disturb as well as energize. This is why Amos deliberately

used popular hymns as part of his prophecy.

Let's look at these hymns in their context.

(1) 'This is the God you must prepare to meet,' says Amos (4:12),

using the usual peistly call to worship before the first hymn

(4:1314). They had ignored his acts of judgement which were supposed

to restore them to loving relationships. The setting of this first

hymn is of holy war. In worship, they come face to face with the God

of such power and majesty that he is easily able to also judge even

his own people. Worship truly, or prepare for combat with the Lord

Almighty, says Amos. Enthusiastic worship offers no immunity.

(2) What is true worship? The second hymn of Amos (5:89) says it is

responding to the God who acts in righteousness, even with his

estranged people. 'We are zealous in our religion,' the people

objected. 'But your own religious system allows you to turn justice

into bitterness, to throw righteousness on the ground like refuse,'

was Amos' reply (5:7). 'If God's covenant relationship relationship

meant anything to you, it would be reflected in your lives of loving

concern for others. That's worship. How can you sing this song and

tamper ('turn') with God's plan of justice and righteousness for

creation?'

'Look what I turn', says Yahweh. 'Darkness to dawn. I create. You

destroy. But I also can destroy, particularly the exploitative systems

of the powerful. Turn to me in true worship,' says the Lord. 'Then you

won't trample on the poor, justify your indulgences as your needs

(5:11), or remain quiet against injustice. Seek me, not your own

systems. Your life depends on it,' says God (5"14).

(3) Later in Amos' prophecy comes the third hymn (9:56) after the

disturbing threat that the awful stare of God, the warrior, is

focussed on his people, for evil, not good (9:4). How could Amos call

the people to sing after this? Again, as in the other two hymns, their

worship is inappropriate. Worship can never fit with unexamined lives

of privatized morality, bearing no responsibilities for the evils of

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their society. The message of this hymn becomes hauntingly clearer.

Their God is now their warrior. He will judge his own people. When he

touches the land, the awesome convulsions bring great misery (9:5).

Nothing in earth or heaven can stand before him or hide from him. His

control is complete. 'When you sing this hymn,' says Amos, 'you are

singing about your own judgement, not only about the judgement of

others.'

True worship disturbs. Modern songs mainly reassure and coddle

complacencies.

Avoidance of the real issue of injustice is still ingrained in the

church. The poor are suffering. On the basis of God's covenant, his

relationship of love, they can rightfully expect his people, the

righteous, to hear and respond to their cries (Proverbs 29:7). When

God's people do this, they can truly worship.

Worship energizes us to be partners in kingdom truth, love,

righteousness and justice. Worship renews loving relationship with our

God who must be true to his character, unimpeded by our constrictions.

Worship leads us to act for justice for the poor. Together we then

celebrate the one in whom all rivers of justice are birthed.

References

Brueggemann, Walter (1978) The Prophteic Imagination. Fortress. McKay, Hugh (1993) Reinventing Australia. Angus & Roberton.

_______________________________________________

(c) Renewal Journal #6 (1995:2), Brisbane, Australia, pp. 12-15. http://www.pastornet.net.au/renewal/

Reproduction is allowed as long as the copyright remains intact with

the text.

15. IT IS BEING THANKFUL

BEING THANKFUL . . . . Until you become thankful, you will never find

joy. Being thankful is not telling God you appreciate the fact that

your life is not in shambles. If that is the basis of your gratitude,

you are on slippery ground. Every day of your life you face the

possibility that a blessing in your life may be taken away. But

blessings are only signs of God's love. The real blessing, of course,

is the love itself. Whenever we get too attached to the sign, we lose

our grasp on the God who gave it to us. Churches are filled with

widows who can explain this to you. We are not ultimately grateful

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that we are still holding our blessings. We are grateful that we are

held by God even when the blessings are slipping through our fingers.

Only when we see this are we able to be truly joyful, because then we

have made God our joy. We still cherish the blessings, but not because

we have to have them. We cherish them because they are our windows

into heaven. Gratitude is our ability to see the grace of God, morning

by morning, no matter what else greets us in the course of the day. -

M. Craig Barnes, HUSTLING GOD: WHY WE WORK SO HARD FOR WHAT GOD WANTS

TO GIVE, Zondervan, 1999, page 155.

GIVING PRAISE

A few definitions given for praise in the dictionary are: “to commend; to applaud; to

express approval or admiration of; to extol in words or in song; to magnify; to

glorify.” Praise can be understood, from the original meaning, to be something we

say or sing. We do it all the time when we express to an employee how well they are

doing or to our children when they do something great like a good report card. From

the definitions you will notice that praise can be directed at God or directed about

God to others. It is vocal in it’s expression. Praise is voicing to the Lord how we

feel about all He has done for us. It’s thanksgiving for the deeds Christ has done

for us. And yet God is worthy of our praise just for who He is.

It is interesting to me that in the Old Testament people often named there children

according to their personalities or what they were like. God Himself was known as

Jehovah - Raphah because He was the God that heals you. In Genesis 22 God

reveals Himself as Jehovah - Jireh because He would provide for His people. Leah

kept with the Hebrew tradition when she named her fourth son Judah. Read Genesis

29:35. What is it that Judah means?____________________

Judah means praise. Is it a coincidence that God chose Judah as the tribe to which

the Messiah was born or that the scriptures speak of the tribe of Judah more than

any other? Let’s look at a few verses to see how Judah or praise was used:

Psalm 114:2

Psalm 76:1

Psalm 108:8

Now replace the word Judah with the word praise. Psalm 114:2 says that “Judah

became God’s sanctuary..” If praise is God’s sanctuary, then it is a good thing to

give praise to the Lord (Psalm 92:1). If we want the Lord to dwell in our hearts and

lives, then praise must be present in His people.

How many times have you gone to church and sat in the pew thinking, “I don’t feel

like singing today” or “I’m not in the mood to praise the Lord today”. Hey I have. It

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is important to point out that we do not praise God they way we want to. If crossing

my arms and standing there ready to go home is your expression of praise then it

will never be acceptable to God. The bible clearly gives us direction on how we are

to praise Him and worship Him.

Isaiah 43:21 says, "The people whom I formed for Myself, will declare My praise."

Does the scripture say that we "might declare His praise" or "if we feel like it" we

will declare His praises? It states that we will declare His praises. It is not an option

it it?

Hebrews 13:15 states “Through Him then, let us continually offer up a ________of

praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.”

When I think of sacrificing something, it usually involves me doing something I really

don’t want to do or is difficult for me to do. I don’t believe that God desired to give

His Son for us on the cross. I believe that it was a great sacrifice for Him to do so.

We all do things out of sacrifice don’t we? This is how praise should be. If we were

honest with ourselves, we ill admit that we don't always feel like giving praise to

God. It will at times need to be a sacrifice of praise to God, doing it not because we

want to all the time, but because He is worthy of it. Praise is not based upon our

feelings but upon God’s greatness, and unlike our feelings His greatness never

changes. When we as parents give up things for our children we do it because they

are worth it or worthy of it in our eyes and hearts. Sometimes we don’t particularly

feel like it do we when they are not acting as we would like them to. The same if not

more applies to God -- for only He is worthy of our praise.

I hope that there will be times, more often than not, when your praise to God will

come from a joyful heart. It will be an expression of true joy as we lift Him up in our

expressions of priase. This is what the Lord desires. Seek to develop a heart that

joyfully gives Him praise, honor, and glory.

Read the following:

Psalm 9:2

Psalm 33:1

Psalm 43:4

Why should we praise our Lord?

Psalm 150:1

Psalm 22:3

Acts 16:26

Psalm 48:1

1 Peter 2:9

Is it the responsibility of the worship pastor or pastor to lead us into worship? Why?

When should I praise the Lord? There are many instances in scripture that exhort

us to praise Him in the morning or at mid-night. The verse I like that best gives

insight on this is Psalm 34:1. What does it say about when we should offer praise?

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I feel that it is important to look at one other aspect of praise. If you are like me,

giving praise to God is something that we do in church for the most part. I do a lot

of praising in my car or office. But one place I fail to praise Him is in public around

non-believers. Is that scriptural you ask? Read Psalm 40:3. What does it tell use

about praise?

Also Psalm 96:3.

What and incredible thing - "praise!". God is honored by it, He desires it, it is good

for us, and it draws people to Him.

What are some expressions of praise listed in the verses below? Psalms 28:2, 63:4

Psalm 47:1

Psalm 150:3-5

2 Chron. 29:26

Psalm 95:6

Psalm 33:1-3

Psalm 149:3

Psalm 66:1

However we view these different aspects of praise, we cannot deny that they are in

the scriptures and that they were used as praise in worship. When considering what

is praise we can recall the verse in Psalm 103:1. What is key in this verse to

remember when worshipping?

Also Mark 12:30

16. WORSHIP IS BOWING BEFORE GOD.

Bowing to Jehovah by William

Mikler"Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all

that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits"

Psalm 103:1-2

Once I saw a wrecking ball swing back and forth from a

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huge crane and demolish an old brick building. When the

wrecking ball had done it's job, there was nothing left of

the old building but a dusty, mangled rubble heap.

If you're like me, there have been times when you've

wished a divine wrecking ball would demolish the human

pride that stood like an infernal Babel against the

purposes of God in your life. My friends, I have found the

wrecking ball. It is worship.

To learn something more of worship we'll turn our attention to a psalm

of David. David, of course, was a conqueror and a warrior king. But

before he was a king, he was a man of worship, and thus he remained

throughout his life. David's many psalms have endured as an anointed

contribution to believers in countless nations, generations, and

languages. We can learn something from a man whose worship has been so

enduring.

David's worship was a key to David;s success as a king. David's

worship and the dominion he enjoyed were connected to each other. We

need to know this. It is as we bow before Jehovah's throne in worship

that we properly Ps=position ourselves to receive the blessing and

power we need to comprehensively reign in life by Christ Jesus.

So, lend me your attention as I set forth three main

points. First, we'll discuss how David blessed the Lord;

secondly, we'll look at what he blessed the Lord with;

thirdly, we'll note the benefits that worship is designed

to make the worshiper recall.

To Bless is to Bow"Bless the LORD, O my soul"

In the opening words o David's psalm, we find David

commanding his soul to bless God. Much like an athlete

might talk to himself to wring more discipline from his

soul and body, David was ordering himself to worship God.

A definition of the word "bless" will be helpful here.

Wilson defines the Hebrew word for bless (barak) as "to

kneel; to kneel for prayer, praise . . . hence to praise,

to thank, to salute, to wish well to."" The word has to do

with worship, and the point I want to make is this: For

the soul of man to truly worship God it must first bow

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before God. Only then can the soul praise God properly.

When David commanded his soul to bless God, he commanded

his soul to bow before Almighty God in worship.

The motives for bowing one's soul before Jehovah are

respect, awe and godly fear. The soul that reverences God

will worship him. The soul that bows before God expresses

that respect. Thus, bowing is the proper posture of the

soul in worship. (Bowing the soul has primarily to do with

the attitude of the soul -- one can bow one's soul before

Jehovah while standing -- but sometimes, especially during

times of prayer or worship, it is most appropriate to bow

one's body before Jehovah. Some traditional liturgical

churches have kneeling benches in their pews for this very

purpose.)

The Book of Revelation, a book of worship, reinforces the

principle of bowing in worship. For instance, the twenty-

four elders seated around the throne "fall down before Him

who sits on the throne and worship him who lives forever

and ever" (Revelation 4;10). (The Greek word for worship,

proskuneo, carries the meaning of prostration oneself.) In

Revelation 5, after the lamb took hold of the scroll, "the

four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down

before the lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full

of incense, which are the prayers of the saints" (Rev.

5:8). From the prostrate position they sang a 'new song'

which celebrates the worthiness of the lamb, the

redemption of the church into a kingdom, the constituting

of the church kingdom into a priesthood, and the promise

to the church to reign on the earth. Finally, chapter 5 of

Revelation closes with these words: "And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever." In short, the Revelation pictures worshipers who

were bowed in body and soul.

Only God is worthy of such reverence. The object of David's worship

was Jehovah, the "I AM THAT I AM," the unchangeable, omnipotent,

transcendent, holy, merciful God. We worship the same Jehovah, and

Jesus Christ His only begotten Son. Our mortality must bow before the

immortal God. Our flesh must yield to the Holy Spirit of God. Our

humanity must acknowledge and praise its maker.

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Bowing to God positions us to receive His mercies. Notice

the connection between fear (or reverence) and mercy in

the following texts, which are taken from Psalm 103:

"For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him"

(Ps. 103:11).

"As a father pities his children,So the LORD pities those who fear Him" (Ps. 103:13)

"But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting

On those who fear Him" (Ps. 103:17)

The lesson is simple: As we fear God, we receive His

mercies. If you're short on mercy, maybe you've been short

on reverence . . . Friend, the bowing Christian will

receive God's mercies. The Christian who benefits from

God's mercies will stand among men. A Christendom which

bows before Jehovah will rule the earth. David worshiped

and ruled his world in his day. Let us do the same in ours

."O come let us worship and bow down;Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker

For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture,

And the sheep of His hand" (Ps. 95:6)

17. WORSHIP IS SUBMISSION AND SERVICE.

Worship: Submission and ServiceWe've talked being added to the body of Christ. We've discussed how we are joined with Him.

Now as a member of that body, what are we to do?

After reading God's plan for his believers, we saw that man took a very simple plan and

twisted it into something that isn't even recognizable as the group of Christians in Acts.

Rather that a humble group of believers who lean on each other, helping each other reach a

common goal; it has become a thing, that stands between Christians and God. We have rules that come from the thing that are not even in the Bible.

Maybe it doesn't stretch your imagination too much to see that activities men think the body

of believers should be involved in don't follow the New Testament guide.

From your present understanding, what is worship?_____________________________________

Whatis a worship service?_________________________________________________________

Now Peter opened his mouth and said, "It is true, I am grasping that God is showing no favoritism; rather in every nation, whoever is continually having deep respect for Him and

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continually doing works that are right, is acceptable to Him. Acts 10:34

This verse sums up our 'duty' to God. This behavior is what God accepts from us, his

children. We don't have much trouble with the second part of the verse which says we are to

continually do good works that are right - we know we are to live our lives doing what is

right in God's sight.

However, we need to be sure we are also fulfilling the first phrase. We must have a deep

respect for God, a reverence. (some translations use the word fear). The Christian Bible (a literal translation) uses the words deep respect which are a much closer translation, as it

takes away the negative connotation our modern language has of the word fear. Let's compare the following verses and see the different ways fear is translated.

The following verses are from the word phobos (Strong's 5401) meaning exceeding fear,terror.What was feared in each verse? 1 Corinthians 2:3____________________________________________

2 Corinthians 7:11___________________________________________

Hebrews 2:15_________________________________________________

Luke 21:26___________________________________________________

Acts 2:43____________________________________________________

Acts 5:5_____________________________________________________

1 Peter 2:18_________________________________________________

Is God feared in any of the above verses?____________________

In fact, what does 1 John 4:18 say?______________________________

Perfect love has no fear! We are not to be in terror of God, instead we are to have the

utmost respect and reverence for Him. (The only time fear of God is mentioned is when we

have not done His will, and we are in danger of His punishment)

The following verses are also translated fear in most Bible versions, yet that gives a wrong

impression, in today's modern English, of what the actual Greek word meant. These verses use

the word phobeo (Strong's 5399) meaning to be in awe, revere, reverenceWho are we to deeply respect or revere in each of the following verses?

Acts 10:2__________________________________________________

Romans 3:18________________________________________________

2 Corinthians 7:15_________________________________________

Hebrews 5:7________________________________________________

Revelations 11:18__________________________________________

As we see. verses that are translated fearing God are actually words meaning to have a deep respect for, or to revere .

Proskuneo is a word that is associated with reverence to God that is translated worship. It is used 60 times in the New Testament and means to kiss the hand towards . In New Testament

times, a person would bow down before a ruler and kiss towards him from chest to lips with a

sweep of his right hand. This showed total subjection. The worshipper might also say "I am

your obedient servant."

Another word, latreuo, is used 21 times and is translated various ways. (serve, worship, service, and to do service) This word generally means to serve and seems to indicate a daily

service to God.

The following verses are proskuneo translated worship. (Strong's 4352 meaning to prostrate

oneself in homage, do reverence to, adore; worship) What do they refer to?

Matthew 4:9________________________________________________

John 4:23__________________________________________________

Hebrews 1:6________________________________________________

Matthew 2:11_______________________________________________

Matthew 28:17______________________________________________

John 4:20__________________________________________________

These verses are latreuo translated worship. (Strong's 3000 meaning to minister to God,

serve, worship)

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Matthew 4:10_______________________________________________

Luke 2:37__________________________________________________

Acts 27:23_________________________________________________

Romans 1:9_________________________________________________

2 Timothy 1:3______________________________________________

Hebrews 12:28______________________________________________

Hebrews 13:10______________________________________________

Philipians 3:3_____________________________________________

From the above verses we see commands and examples of worshipping God which involve being in

complete subjection to, total reverence and serving.

In verses having to do with honor and reverence, did it occur at a scheduled time? Did

people gather for the specific reason of worship? ___________________________

Each act of honoring and reverence" had to do with a very personal experience between God “and the believer. One was the moment the wise men beheld the infant Jesus, one involved the

apostles seeing Jesus on the mountain in Galilee, and everytime Jesus performed a miracle,

the person/people involved in the healing immediately fell down and worshipped. These

feelings were not manufactured, commanded or scheduled. They are extremely personal times

when the power and greatness of God overcame them, and they fell before Him in total

subjection! Worship is a personal feeling that can only be felt between one person and God.

We might be in a group where others are also each personally worshipping God, but it is not

a corporate activity.

When we say things such as "It's time to begin the worship service", and then our "service"

begins and ends one hour later, how does that compare with these New Testament commands and

examples? After spending that one hour of "worship" we leave the assembly, feeling good that

we have done our duty to God and are then free to spend the rest of the week with our own

desires.

Where is a single verse that supports the idea of worship that is prevalent in groups of

believers today?

We are commanded to worship/serve God (latreuo). In the verses we read from the list above,

latreuo was performed by prayers, fastings(Luke 2:37), doing what was right (Luke 1:74), by

spreading the News about Jesus (Romans 1:9), and continual prayers for others (2 Timothy

1:3). Every activity is a personal one - an act performed by an individual and offered to

God. There is still no example of gathering to worship.

This lesson is not putting aside the importance of meeting together with other believers.

That is commanded by God.

We should continually consider how to incite one another to love and ideal acts, so we should be never forsaking the gathering of ourselves together (as some are accustomed to doing), rather we should be continually encouraging one another Hebrews 10:24-25.

In your own words, what does this verse say?____________________________________

Many churches read it as: "Don't forsake the assembly, as the manner of some is." How does

that change the meaning?______________________________________

We need to continually meet together. It encourages others as well as ourselves, but we need

to understand what we are doing. We are not meeting to worship God. We are meeting to edify

each other. (see Lesson Five). God is not worshipped by our being in a certain place or

performing certain acts.

But an hour is going to come, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father with their spirits, [not just in some place] and with the Truth [not just in any manner].John 4:23

God is worshipped by our total, complete and utter subjection, submission and reverence of

Him - our understanding that we are nothing, and He is everything. Prayers, fasting and

falling on our face before His greatness is our worship.

When we meet together as a 'church', we make the church the focus of our worship. We show up

at an appointed meeting time, go through the "acts of worship" (directed by someone else).

During most activities we are only a spectator. How are we worshipping God? The term church

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service is actually a good descriptive phrase of these activities. Rather than worshipping

God, aren't we really worshipping (serving) the church? After all, we go to church , some of “ ”us in large congregations go to first church , or second church , we sit in church and do “ ” “ ” “ ”church activities . “ ”How much more would God be glorified if we went to God , existed in God and did His “ ” “ ” “activities? We need to be very careful of the warning in Mark 7:7. ”

Now they are meaninglessly devoted to Me, teaching as teachings the directions of men.

The people Mark was speaking of were devoted to God, but it was not in accordance to His

will.

The times the Christians were together in the New Testament were times of edification. The

following verses give examples of this:

Acts 4:24 (prayer)

Acts 6 (care for the needy)

Acts 14:27 (to hear reports of Paul's conversions)

Acts 15 (to debate important matters)

Acts 2:46; 20:7; 1 Cor. 11:20-22; (to eat a common meal)

1 Cor 5 (to judge sin among group)

1 Cor 10:16-17, 11:11-34 (to eat the Lord's supper)

1 Cor 14 (To pray, sing, and teach)

Are these believers worshipping? ________

We edify each other in the activities above. 1 Cor. 14 gives a wonderful example of a time

believers met together. Read the entire chapter. Notice that all present are participating.

No one is in charge ‘ ” - Paul tells them to handle the amount and order among themselves.

Find the reasons the believers are meeting together and write it below:

vs 3_______________________________________________________

vs 4_______________________________________________________

vs 5_______________________________________________________

vs 12______________________________________________________

vs 17______________________________________________________

vs 19______________________________________________________

vs 24______________________________________________________

vs 31______________________________________________________

In vs 25, we find the only time the word worship is mentioned.

Who is referred to?_____________________________

What caused him to worship God?_____________________________

We mentioned above that all participate in the edification service (support group meeting?)

in 1 Cor. 14. Is there a man standing before the group giving his opinion of the meaning of

scripture, while the group sits silently? Is there an example of that anywhere in the Bible?

Is there a scripture anywhere giving an example of a teacher, hired by a group, expressing

his opinions to a silent group? No where! In fact, the opposite is found.

Today within our 'churches' we have formal 'worship services' meant to 'worship God'. Many

times, the personal experiences between members happen away from the group - for instance if

the 'eldership' feels the need to discuss a problem with a member. Do we have examples of

'secret meetings' with goals of solving problems quietly? Sure, bringing a problem to the

group, or confessing our sins one to another might disturb our solemn occasion and cause a

dilemma for the one in charge who is following the preprinted 'worship program' we each have

at our pew, but is this the example we have in the New Testament?

In Galatians 2:11, Paul stood up, face to face, against Peter when he was in the wrong. Does

verse 14 say that Paul waited until a private time to correct him? No, it says I said to “Peter in front of them all.Have you ever seen that happen?_________________________________________

What would be the importance of correcting false teaching in front of the group?

________________________________________

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In Titus 1:13, the older, mature Christians are told to expose false teachers severely so they might be healthy in the Faith. . We shouldn t be timid or worrying about hurt feelings ’when error is as stake. Paul s example shows us to take care of the problem then and there ’so everyone can learn the truth.

In summation, we who believe, understand the wonder and greatness of our most honorable

Father. His power is unimaginable by our human brains. When we gaze at a sunset, stand on

the peak of a mountain, look into the face of a newborn baby, witness an answer to prayer,or

feel convicted of our sinfulness - our spirits reach for His, and we fall down in total

submission to Him. These personal moments of awe inspired worship are personal,

unpredictable and not available on demand.

We, as believers, come together as a group to lift each others spirits by ’ teaching and “admonishing with all wisdom while you sing with favor in your hearts to God. We must meet

continually, as the believers did in the New Testament, in one another s homes, so that ’these meetings remain personal and everyone feels comfortable and welcome to participate.

IT IS SUBMISSION EVEN WHEN THERE SEEMS TO BE NOTHING FOR WHICH TO BE THANKFUL.

Worship Way Beyond Circumstances (23 October 1999) Have you ever found yourself "holding back" in your devotions of praise or worship? Do you see tendencies to glorify God just at times when you have lots to be thankful for? Many of us are susceptable to that kind of thinking and action. While I was reading the account of Job and his incredible day in which the whole world is changed for him, I was convicted deeply at his response. Let's read that section of scripture: One day when Job's sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house, a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, and the Sabeans attacked and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!" While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, "The fire of God fell from the sky and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!" While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!" While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, "Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house, when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!" At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised." In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing. Let's face it, most of us will never have to endure what Job faced. Still, the same God that encouraged and strengthed Job, and made his heart

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faithful, is now our Comforter. In the day of our calamity will we also do as Job when "he fell to the ground in worship"? In the hour of our grief, can we see the freedom of God-centeredness in devotions that Job showed when he said to the Lord "may the name of the LORD be praised." ? It wasn't about ignoring the pain or removing oneself from the grieving process. It was about a God who is ultimately worthy of worship and praise, irregardless of the circumstances of life. Understanding that, and living in that truth, paved the way for Job to have the mind of Christ, and makes a way for us to follow the example of Job - "In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing. " Incredible! Selah! Kim Anthony Gentes The above scripture is Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. All rights reserved. The Worship Thought was written and Copyright © 1999 by Kim Anthony Gentes.

18. WORSHIP IS RECEIVING FROM GOD.Worship: Touching Body and Soul

Robert Tann

The Rev Robert Tann is a Uniting Church Minister in Ulverstone, Tasmania.__________________________within worshipwe are seeing healings__________________________The healing ministry of Jesus was always God-centred. Every life he

touched he touched as an expression of worship, that is to say it

honoured God. The Apostle John rarely referred to 'miracles', instead

he used the term 'sign' as he recorded the ministry of Jesus. Whether

it was a miracle over nature, or a life touched by healing, the

purpose was the same, to glorify God. In the light of this, I believe

we cannot underestimate the place of worship in the healing ministry.

The great twentieth century preacher, A. W. Tozer, is quoted as saying

'worship acceptable To God is the missing crown jewel in evangelical

Christianity'. I believe he is right. Worship is more than ritual.

Worship is more than traditional liturgical patterns. Worship is

experienced and it is as we experience God that our lives are

touched - body and soul.

In our churches today there is growing evidence of the rediscovery of

worship in its true sense - the experience of God through self giving.

In my own parish at Ulverstone, Tasmania, the older folk are

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recovering the sense of revival that early Methodism had for them with

all its 'fire in the belly' and praise from the heart. The younger

folk are discovering for the first time some of the wonderful old

hymns of the faith and realising the connection between Charles

Wesley, Isaac Watts, Fanny Crosby and the likes of Jack Hayford,

Graham Kendrick and Chris Bowater.

Music is freeing the soul. Emotions are being touched, and 'hearts

strangely warmed', as John Wesley put it 250 years ago. At the same

time lives are being touched in physical healings. Without doubt there

is a connection, for within worship we are seeing healings occur.

When we gather to adore, worship, praise and thank our God, it is not

just some liturgical exercise, not is it simply an academic process.

At least it should not be. It is an experience of the presence of the

living God. We come into God's presence, the presence of the creator

of heaven and earth, and offer ourselves to him. I strongly believe

that to enter into such worship will be life changing.

Imagine the magnitude of creation. The universe stretched out for

countless light years in the vastness of space. Balance that with the

tiny flower on a patch of moss, nestled at the base of a towering

Mountain Ash, itself nestled at the foot of a craggy peak soaring a

thousand meters above. Look a the human body, warts and all! What a

work of wonder! The hand that put all this together is the One we

worship. Not a carved effigy. Not hero worship of a dead Galilean

carpenter. Not philosophical debate, but the Creator's presence! I

fail to see how lives cannot be changed as we worship him. My

experience is that those life changing episodes can, and often do,

include healing - physical, emotional, spiritual.

A number of Jesus' miracles occurred in formal synagogue worship, such

as the account of the man with a withered hand (Mt. 12:10-13) and the

demon possessed man (Mark 1:23-27). In these examples, the healing was

also used as a demonstration of Jesus' power and authority.

While most of Jesus' miraculous ministry was done outside formal

worship, I see much of it being worshipful. Worship is, after all, an

attitude, not just an action.

When Jesus encountered ten leprous men who cried out for help

respectfully at a distance because of their condition, Jesus sent them

to the priests (Luke 17:11-19). As they left the cleansing occurred.

One returned, praising God and falling down to worship Jesus, offering

thanks. That is worship - worship in the dust of the roadside.

The leper has shown four key worship attitudes. He had praised, and

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had given thanks. He also worshipped/adored Jesus, and had paid homage, throwing himself at Jesus' feet. He was regarded with the words, 'Rise and go, your faith has made you well.'

I see five key elements in worship that play a part in the healing

ministry. These are demonstration, encouragement, excitement,

evangelism and emotion.

Demonstration

Our God is not a theory. Our God is not an empty idol. Our God is

alive. when we worship, God responds. We see the reality of what we

say we believe. God's grace is demonstrated. God's power is seen.

During July 1991 my wife and I had the privilege of attending Brighton '91 in England, a world gathering of leaders in evangelism and

renewal. Well known author and renewal leader Canon Michael Green made

a challenging observation. My record of his words is this, 'The

western church stands condemned for the preaching of an incomplete

Gospel. For too long the fact that signs and wonders accompanied the

preaching of the word from the time Jesus walked this earth and

throughout the early church, has been ignored. We must be open to the

demonstration of God's power in our worship.'

Such activity is emerging at a phenomenal rate in many areas of the

world at this time. Miracles on street corners in Romania, Hungary,

and other Eastern Bloc countries. In Argentina miracles occur at most

services of worship, reports Dr Omar Cabrera. On one special day

dozens were healed of a myriad of disorders as the offering plate

passed by. As the people gave to God, God gave to them! Hundreds of

such stories emerge and, praise God, we in Australia are beginning to

see it as we shake off spiritual lethargy.

Encouragement

People are encouraged in their faith when they see God at work in

their midst, and it's catching! I have been part of many major rally

type events, and there seems to go with them a heightened expectancy

within the people. Faith adds to faith, strength adds to strength, as

the people pray and wait on God.

That is not to say that God needs a crowd to act. He doesn't. But when

people gather, the encouragement they give each other has been, in my

experience, significant in healing.

I remember standing with a lady at a conference in Canberra. She asked

for prayer for a lump in the hollow of her neck. Two or three of us

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prayed. Nothing happened, or so it seemed, except a couple of us had a

similar vision, that of a sponge drying up and turning to dust. We

confidently told the woman, 'God will destroy the lump!'.

When we turned to sit down she said, 'Oh, one more thing. I have

cataracts. Will you pray for my eyes, for I'm going blind.'

My heart went 'Ooh!'

Did I have faith for eyesight? Did my colleagues gathered around her

have faith? We looked at each other, and at her, then at the Lord. I

was encouraged by the atmosphere of the event, and by their prayers.

We prayed, hands over her eyes.

We stood back and she cried, 'Praise God! I can read the signs at the

back of the auditorium.'

There was some 'fuzziness', but we prayed again and she went away

rejoicing.

Faith linked with faith. The encouragement of being with others when

we pray. But it doesn't stop there, for each of us who prayed were

encouraged to pray again when he need arose, or when it will arise

again. I will never forget that day, for it remains an encouragement.

Excitement

The feeling that followed that healing stays with me. Yet, that kind

of feeling flows to others also. In my parish recently, a member came

seeking prayer. 'Joan" was suffering deep arthritic pain in her hands,

elbows and her shoulders. She had come to church that night almost

unable to hold her handbag, and unable to lift her arms very far above

waist height.

'Joan' is a shy person, and asked for prayer for the first time ever,

so I believe. God touched her. The pain left, and she was able to

raise her arms high in the air, and still can. Her excitement was

contagious! She testified in church the following week, and is not

backward in acknowledging Jesus as her healer.

The testimony she gave added to the excitement of those who were there

when we prayed. It encouraged others to spread the word to friends

both in the parish and beyond. It led directly to a small group going

to pray for a non Christian who was suffering from a painful spinal

condition. As we offered prayer, there was an immediate release from

pain in that person too. More excitement! There was immediate praise

and thanksgiving to God. Worship flows from healing.

Evangelism

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Time after time the pages of Scripture leap out at us with the

evidence of growth in the church as a result of the demonstration, the

encouragement, and the excitement of healing. It leads to conversion.

It leads to salvation. It leads to more people becoming aware of the

truth of God's love as expressed through Jesus. Thus, evangelism is

aided by healing.

I see evangelism as an act of worship. The offering of lives as living

sacrifices to our God is a most wonderful thing, and the lives made

whole by God's grace are even more wonderful.

At the Brighton '91 conference, we heard stories of miracles on street

corners as the word was preached. This led to thousands of people

coming to hear and see the word within the following days as football

stadiums, halls and meeting rooms overflowed with people seeking God

after years of communist rule. The word of God was preached in word

and action. God was worshipped. Lives were changed. Healing of body

and soul occurred in the presence of the living God.

In our western mind set, worship services rarely take on such

proportions. We seem locked into traditional patterns. Anything

outside the 'norm' is judged improper or untidy or uncomfortable, and

so we fail to see what the world around us is seeing. But more than

that, our churches are emptying as a church of words, words, and more

words, fails to lead a searching people any nearer To God.

I believe that our churches would see dramatic increases in numbers of

people and signs of the Spirit of God if we would open our hearts and

really worship. This would also return the church's healing ministry

to its biblical pattern of being a 'normal' part of the life and

witness of the church.

Emotion

A criticism of some Pentecostal expression and ministry is that it is

too emotional, or it is emotionalism rather than a true and whole

expression of emotion. I interpret emotionalism as being

'manufactured' hype that has been generated by particular preaching

styles or music presentations. That is very different from allowing

our emotions to be involved in our worship.

Can you imagine Moses meeting with God and not being emotionally

affected? Can you imagine the woman who had bled for years not feeling

emotion when she touched Jesus' garment and was healed? Emotion is

part of our human nature and it is right that, when we come into the

presence of the Lord, our whole being is involved. Emotion, as I see

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it, has a lot to do with the healing process, for so much of our human

frailty and weakness, so much illness and infirmity, is centred in our

emotions. If we can be freed from that which binds us emotionally, we

can be free indeed.

Repentance involves emotional release; guilt floods away as we are

forgiven. Anger is an emotional disease; peace comes and we feel the

blessed release wash over us. Hate is an emotion; but with God's help

we learn to forgive and to love, and inner turmoil ceases. All of this

is made easier, the process is enhanced, when we are at worship.

The Apostle Paul, both in Romans 12:1-8 and 2 Corinthians 3:7-18,

writes of the transforming presence of God as we offer ourselves as a

'living sacrifice' (Romans), and the freedom experienced as we step

into God's presence 'with unveiled faces' (Corinthians). We open

ourselves to the experience. As Graham Kendrick puts it, 'to worship

is to be changed'. I believe part of the healing process, whether

rapid or more lengthy, is enhanced in the emotion-charged encounter

with God. We encounter God as we worship.

Corporate worship

Does this worship need to be corporate, or can it be a private

devotion? No, it does not need to be corporate worship, and yes, it

can be more private. But the Body of Christ coming together brings

great benefits. Here, as the church gathers, praise rises to our God.

We find a sense of oneness with each other and with Jesus our risen

Lord, and the power of the Spirit flows more freely. Even in the midst

of our corporate worship, one can commune at the private level with

God, yet still be aided by the surrounding atmosphere of praise and

adoration.

Corporate worship makes a public statement of faith. This honours God.

The people publicly declare their love, and God rejoices in the love

offered to him. The worship act builds up the Body, and in corporate

worship the gifts of the Spirit will be more likely to be evident. As

Paul so clearly wrote to the Corinthian church (1 Corinthians 12-14),

the gifts are to edify the whole body, each bringing their gifts to

join with others. Thus the gift of healing may need discernment,

knowledge, or wisdom to direct it. Corporate worship allows this to

happen.

In addition, the healing ministry, both its benefit and its witness,

is shared widely and thus again the Body is enhanced. Scripture is

clear that Jesus' ministry was a testimony to God. From the beginning

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of his ministry 'news about him spread throughout the whole

countryside' (Luke 4:14). Jesus' ministry was, with a few minor

examples, a public ministry. This is a key we must learn from. God is

glorified when his grace is seen and acknowledged. Public, corporate

worship is such an acknowledgment.

Anointing and Eucharist

Within the worship environment, two rites hold a special place in

regard to the healing ministry. These are anointing and the Eucharist (thanksgiving - communion). Whilst neither need be a part of the

healing ministry in worship, both can be.

The writer of James directs us, 'Is anyone of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven' (James 5:14-15, NIV). Obviously this allows for the elders to go to the sick, but it also allows for the rite of anointing

to be administered by appropriate people within worship.

Recently in our own parish, such an event occurred. 'David' spoke to

me during the serving of communion. He was an elder assisting.

Indicating a personal need, persistent and distressing asthma, he

asked for prayer 'whenever I felt it appropriate in the service'. We

completed communion and then I had 'David' take a seat in view of the

people. I explained the teaching of James, and then asked two other

elders to join me. We anointed 'David's' brow and prayed for his

healing. He spent the next two weeks helping in a house construction

project with all the dust and dirt associated with that and was

totally free of any asthma trouble, to which he later testified. This

was, as detailed above, a demonstration of God's love which encouraged

the whole congregation. It was exciting to hear the testimony and see

the raised level of anticipation in the people.

I am becoming more aware of the power of the Eucharist in healing,

especially in the areas of emotional spiritual healing. The Table of

the Lord is a meeting place of grace. The symbols of his broken body

and shed blood take on new meaning when you approach them in pain. As

the old hymn goes, 'There is power ... wonder working power in the

blood of the Lamb'.

The greatest need in many people today is freedom from guilt - the

need for forgiveness. The nature of God is to love, to accept, to

forgive. The Table of the Lord states that more clearly than a

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thousand words. Here before us are simple elements that speak of a

most profound truth - a powerful truth. They speak of healing.

When is it most appropriate to pray for healing during the communion

service? That depends on the situation. Some people feel unable to

take such a holy step feeling dirty or unclean from their past. If

this is the case, pray for the healing before they receive the

elements. Thus the Table for them becomes a seal on the healing grace.

For others, the very act of coming to the Table will convict them of

the need for prayer, and so healing prayer following the taking of the

elements in quite in order. It gives a final blessing.

Another alternative is during the serving. If, as is usually the case,

a minister is being assisted by lay helpers, the prayer can be offered

after receiving the bread and before taking the cup. In early church

history and following the pattern of the Passover meal, there was

often a break between bread and wine. The cup came later in the meal.

The cup used by Jesus was the Passover 'Cup of Blessing', and so to

receive the bread as a symbol of the forgiving grace of God, then to

receive prayer for healing and finally to take the Cup of Blessing is

often very appropriate. Local needs will, of course, dictate the use

and place of such prayer.

The relationship between Eucharist and emotional and spiritual healing

is clear. Recently a young woman came to our church for the first

time. The invitation for communion was given and, as is our practice,

the people came forward to receive the elements. She came with the

first group, but quickly dissolved into tears, and moved to one side.

I directed an elder to assist her. After a few moments outside, she

was able to join the last group around the Table. I met with her later

for more prayer, and then accompanied her to her nearby home where we

prayed. She had experienced an occult or supernatural phenomenon the

night before. It had frightened her. When she first came forward,

something seemed to try and wrench her away from the Table. The

prayers both during and after communion as well as at her home brought

peace, and there has been no recurrence of this episode. The young

lady said that she just knew she had to come for communion after the

event. It was needed for cleansing power.

To some church people, the anointing with oil or prayer for healing

during the Eucharist may seem strange or an intrusion on the usual way

things are done. With appropriate teaching, they can be quickly put at

ease.

The famous Smith Wigglesworth has a thought provoking comment on

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anointing and it place in worship. He says, 'I believe that we can all

see that the church cannot play with this business. If any turn away

from these clear instructions (James 5:15), they are in a place of

tremendous danger. Those who refuse to obey do so at their unspeakable

loss.'

Dynamic of the Holy Spirit

Within worship the dynamic of the Holy Spirit is most prevalent. Our

own insignificance and feeble faith are supported, picked up, and

strengthened by those around us.

Just as an individual stick can be bent or broken when taken on its

own and snapped over a knee, so the more sticks held together the

harder it is to break even the weakest in the bundle. The more

Christians who gather, the stronger the faith level seems to be. The

more people praying, the stronger the prayers seem to be. The more

spiritual gifts that surround us, the more confident the weak seem to

become.

The worship environment assists greatly in taking us out of the

influence and distraction of the world and bringing us into the holy

and therapeutic realm of the Spirit. The hymns of praise, the songs of

adoration and worship, the prayers and the Word of God read and

preached, focus our thoughts on him whom we call Lord. We leave the

world behind. We enter the Holy Place, and await the touch of God upon

our broken, damaged and imperfect lives, and the transformation

begins.

The more we grow in our understanding of the power, the beauty, the

richness of true spiritual worship, the more we will understand the

healing ministry. The power of God to heal is undoubted. Even in my

limited experience I have sen too much evidence to believe otherwise.

That the presence of God is touching the lives of very significant

numbers of church people across the nation is new and rich ways is

also undeniable.

The renewal movement has added a new dimension to worship, and while

much can be said about the various expressions of worship available

across the spectrum of churches in Australia, I believe that those

places of worship, irrespective of denominational label, which allow

the Spirit the freedom to move in music, song, prayer and giftings are

also the churches where healing ministries are growing as part of

worship.

The link is there. Worship and healing - the Spirit of the risen

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Christ touching body and soul, to the glory of God.

_______________________________________________________________

(c) Healing in the Now, edited by John Blacker (1995), Australian

Renewal Ministries, 1 Maxwell Court, Blackburn South, Victoria3130.

Used with permission.

Renewal Journal #6 (1995:2), Brisbane, Australia, pp. 16-23. http://www.pastornet.net.au/renewal/

Reproduction is allowed as long as the copyright remains intact with

the text.

19. WORSHIP IS AN INTERNAL EXPERIENCE.

November 9, 1997

Bethlehem Baptist Church

John Piper, Pastor

WORSHIP GOD!

(Revelation 22:8-9)

I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I

heard and saw, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel

who showed me these things. But he said to me, "Do not do that.

I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brethren the prophets

and of those who heed the words of this book. Worship God."

Reasons for a Series on Worship

I begin today a series of messages on worship. There are two reasons,

at least. One is that worship is what we were created for. This is the

final end of all existence: the worship of God. God created the

universe so that it would display the worth of his glory. And he

created us so that we would see this glory and reflect it by knowing

and loving it - with all our heart and soul and mind and strength. The

other reason is that since the last time I preached on worship,

hundreds of new people have come to Bethlehem, including a new lead

worshipper, Chuck Steddom. So we need to rebuild a common vision of

what worship is and what we are gathering to do on Sunday morning, and

scattering to do on Monday morning. What is it? Why do we do it? How

do we do it? Those are the questions for the next several weeks, and I

think you are going to be surprised what we find in the Bible, which

is where we will be looking for answers.

Worship God!

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I begin with Revelation 22:9 not because I intend to do an exposition

of it today, but because I want us to hear the simple command,

"Worship God!" The angel said to John, when he fell down at the

angel's feet, "Do not do that. I am a fellow servant of yours and of

your brethren the prophets and of those who heed the words of this

book. Worship God." In other words, don't worship angels, worship God!

Don't worship nothing, worship God! Don't neglect God or despise God,

worship God! This is the last chapter of the Bible, and this is the

last duty of man: worship God!

What I aim to do this morning is a broad overview of the New Testament

by way of introduction to the theme.

What we find in the New Testament, perhaps to our amazement, is an

utterly stunning degree of indifference to worship as an outward

ritual, and an utterly radical intensification of worship as an inward

experience of the heart.

No Gatherings Called "Worship Services" in the New Testament

Let's begin with a startling fact, namely, that in the epistles of the

New Testament there is very little instruction that deals explicitly

with corporate worship - what we call worship services. Not that there

were no corporate gatherings for worship: 1 Corinthians 14:23 speaks

of "the whole church gathering together," and Acts 2:46 speaks of the

early church "attending the temple together and breaking bread in

their homes," and Hebrews 10:25 speaks of "not neglecting to meet

together." But this is not much and the remarkable thing is that, even

when the gatherings are in view, the apostles do not speak explicitly

of "worship."

Let me illustrate this so that you feel its full force. In the Old

Testament the most common word for worship is the Hebrew word

hishtahvah (or some related form of that word). Its basic meaning is

"bow down," with the sense of reverence and respect and honor. It

occurs 171 times. In the Greek Old Testament, 164 of those instances

of this Hebrew word are translated by the Greek word proskuneo.

In the Greek New Testament this is the main word for worship -

proskuneo. But when you look at its use something astonishing appears.

The word is common in the gospels (26 times) - people would often bow

down worshipfully before Jesus. And it is common in the book of

Revelation (21 times) because the angels and elders in heaven often

bow down before God. But in the epistles of Paul it occurs only once,

namely in 1 Corinthians 14:25 where the unbeliever falls down at the

power of prophecy and confesses God is in the assembly. And it doesn't

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occur at all in the letters of Peter, James or John.

Now this is remarkable - that the main word for worship in the Old

Testament is virtually absent from the letters of the New Testament.

Why is this? Why are the very epistles that are written to help the

church be what it ought to be in this age almost totally devoid of

this word and of explicit teaching on the specifics of corporate

worship?

"Something Greater than the Temple is Here"

Let me suggest a reason. I think the reason is found in the way Jesus

treated worship in his life and teaching. His main statement is found

in John 4:20-24. But before we look at that, consider a few other

things he said. For example, his attitude to the Temple - the main

place of Jewish worship - was not at all what the Jewish leaders

thought it should be.

When he wove a whip and drove out the money changers, the reason he

give is not for the sake of proper sacrifices but for the sake of

prayer -- in fact prayer for all the nations. "My house shall be

called a house of prayer for all the nations" (Mark 11:17). In other

words he focused attention away from the outward acts of Jewish

sacrifices to the personal act of communion with God in prayer for all

peoples.

Then he said two other things about the temple that pointed to a

radically altered view of worship. He said, "Something greater than

the Temple is here," referring to himself (Matthew 12:6), and he said,

"Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up" (John

2:19). This attitude to the Temple not only got him killed (Mark

14:58; 15:29), but it also got Stephen killed (Acts 6:14). That's how

important it was.

What Jesus was doing was identifying himself as the true Temple.

"Something greater than the Temple is here." In himself he will

fulfill everything the Temple stood for, especially the place where

believers meet God. So here again he is diverting attention away from

worship as a localized thing with outward ritual to a personal,

spiritual experience with himself at the center. Worship does not need

a building, a priesthood and a sacrificial system. It needs the risen

Jesus.

True Worship is in Spirit and in Truth

What Jesus was doing to worship in the way he related to the Temple is

made explicit in John 4:20-24. Here he uses the word proskuneo - that

dominant Old Testament word for worship - and shows that it was laden

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with outward and localized meaning, and transforms it into a concept

that is mainly inward rather than outward, and mainly pervasive rather

than localized.

The woman at the well said:

Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you people say that in

Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship." [The word for

worship used here is that common Old Testament word, proskuneo; and

note the localized emphasis in her mind.] Jesus said to her, "Woman,

believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain, nor in

Jerusalem, shall you worship the Father." (John 4:20-21)

Here you can see him loosening worship from its outward and localized

connotations. Place is not the issue: "neither in this mountain nor in

Jerusalem." He goes on,

But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall

worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father

seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him

must worship in spirit and truth." (verses 23-24)

Here is the key sentence: true worship, which was anticipated for the

age to come, has arrived: "the hour is coming [in the age to come] and

now is [here in me]." And what marks this true future worship that has

broken into the present time from the glorious age to come is that it

is not bound by localized place or outward form. Instead of being in

this mountain or in Jerusalem, it is "in spirit and in truth."

What Jesus is doing here is stripping proskuneo of its last vestiges

of localized and outward connotation. Not that it will be wrong for

worship to be in a place or that it will be wrong for it to use

outward forms; but rather he is making explicit and central that this

is not what makes worship worship. What makes worship worship is what

happens "in spirit and in truth" - with or without a place and with or

without outward forms.

What do those two phrases mean: "in spirit" and "in truth"?

I take "in spirit" to mean that this true worship is carried along by

the Holy Spirit and is happening mainly as an inward, spiritual event,

not mainly as an outward bodily event. And I take "in truth" to mean

that this true worship is a response to true views of God and is

shaped and guided by true views of God.

So what Jesus has done is break decisively the necessary connection

between worship and its outward and localized associations. It is

mainly something inward and free from locality. This is what he meant

when he said, "This people honors me with their lips, but their heart

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is far from me. In vain do they worship me" (Matthew 15:8-9). When the

heart is far from God, worship is vain, empty, non-existent. The

experience of the heart is the defining, vital, indispensable essence

of worship.

True Worship is not Oriented on a Place or an Event

Now let's go back to our earlier question: why is the central Old

Testament word for worship, proskuneo, virtually boycotted by Peter,

James, John and Paul in the letters they write to the churches?

I think the reason is that the word did not make clear enough the

inward, spiritual nature of true worship. It carried significant

connotations of place and form. The word was associated with bodily

bowing down and with the actual presence of a visible manifestation to

bow down before.

In the gospels, Jesus was really there in visible form to fall before.

So the word proskuneo is used a lot. In the book of Revelation the

bowing down usually happens to God's manifestation in heaven or to

false gods on the earth. So the word proskuneo is used widely in

Revelation too.

But in the epistles something very different is happening. Jesus is

not present in visible glory to fall before. Therefore the whole

tendency of the early church - at least as it moved out of Jerusalem -

was to deal with worship as primarily inward and spiritual rather than

outward and ritualistic, and primarily pervasive rather than

localized.

To confirm this, and see even more clearly how radically non-place-

and non-event-oriented the New Testament view of worship is, consider

what Paul does to some of the other words related to Old Testament

worship.

For example, the next most frequent word for worship in the Old

Testament (after proskuneo) is the word latreuo (over 90 times, almost

always translating `abad) which is usually translated "serve," as in

Exodus 23:24: "You shall not worship their gods or serve them."

When Paul uses it for Christian worship he goes out of his way to make

sure that we know he means not a localized or outward form for worship

practice but a non-localized, spiritual experience. In fact, he takes

it so far as to treat virtually all of life as an act of worship when

lived in the right spirit. For example, in Romans 1:9 he says, "I

serve [or: worship] God in my spirit in the preaching of the Gospel."

And in Philippians 3:3 Paul says that true Christians "worship God in

the Spirit of God . . . and put no confidence in the flesh." And in

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Romans 12:1 Paul urges Christians to "present your bodies as living

and holy sacrifices acceptable to God which is your spiritual

worship."

So even when Paul uses an Old Testament word for worship, he takes

pains to let us know that what he has in mind is not mainly a

localized or external event of worship but an internal, spiritual

experience - so much so that he sees all of life and ministry as an

expression of that inner experience of worship.

You see the same thing if you take the New Testament use of the Old

Testament language for Temple "sacrifices" and "priestly service." The

praise and thanks of the lips is called a "sacrifice to God" (Hebrews

13:15). But so are good works in everyday life (Hebrews 13:16). Paul

calls his own ministry a "priestly service [of worship]" and he calls

the converts themselves an "acceptable offering [in worship]" to God

(Romans 15:16; see also Philippians 2:17). He even calls the money

that the churches send him "a fragrant aroma and acceptable sacrifice

to God [in worship]" (Phililippians 4:18). And his own death for

Christ he calls a "drink offering to God" (2 Timothy 4:6).

Worship Happens in the Heart, Every Day and all the Time

So you can see what is happening in the New Testament. Worship is

being significantly de-institutionalized, de-localized, de-ritualized.

The whole thrust is being taken off of ceremony and seasons and places

and forms; and is being shifted to what is happening in the heart -

not just on Sunday, but every day and all the time in all of life.

This is what it means when we read things like, "Whether you eat or

drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Corinthians

10:31). And "whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of

the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father"

(Colossians 3:17). This is the form of worship commanded in the New

Testament: to act in a way that reflects the value of the glory of

God - to do a thing in the name of Jesus with thanks to God. That is

the basic form of living worship. But the New Testament uses those

greatest of all worship sentences without any reference to worship

services. They describe life.

Even when Paul calls us to "be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one

another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making

melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all

things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father,"

there is no reference to a time or place or a service. In fact, the

key word is "always" - "always giving thanks for all things in the

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name of Jesus" (see Colossians 3:16). This may, in fact, be what we

should do in a worship service, but it is not Paul's burden to tell us

that. His burden is to call for a radical, inward authenticity of

worship and an all-encompassing pervasiveness of worship in all of

life. Place and form are not of the essence. Spirit and truth are all-

important.

"A Continuous Act of Worship"

This is what gripped and shaped the reformed tradition, especially the

Puritans and their heirs. The Puritans carried through the

simplification and freedom of worship in music and liturgy and

architecture. Patrick Collinson summarizes Puritan theory and practice

by saying that, the life of the Puritan was in one sense a continuous

act of worship, pursued under an unremitting and lively sense of God's

providential purposes and constantly refreshed by religious activity,

personal, domestic and public.

One of the reasons Puritans called their churches "meeting houses" and

kept them very simple was to divert attention from the physical place

to the inward, spiritual nature of worship.

My conclusion then is that in the New Testament there is a stunning

indifference to the outward forms and places of worship. And there is,

at the same time, a radical intensification of worship as an inward,

spiritual experience that has no bounds and pervades all of life.

These emphases were recaptured in the Reformation and came to clear

expression in the Puritan wing of the Reformed tradition.

What begs for attention now is the question: what is the essence of

that radical, authentic, inward experience called worship, and how is

it that this experience comes to expression in gathered congregations

and in everyday life? We will turn to that next week.

Copyright 1997 John Piper

20. WORSHIP IS ENTERING THE PRESENCE OF GOD.

The Presence of the

Lord in Chistian

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Worship by Robert A. Johnson

Part 1 - Introduction From glory to glory advancing, we praise thee, O Lord;thy Name with the Father and Spirit be ever adored.From strength unto strength we go forward on Zion's highwayto appear before God in the city of infinite day.

Thanksgiving, and glory and worship, and blessing and love,one heart and one song have the saints upon earth and above.O Lord, evermore to thy servants thy presence be nigh; ever fit us by service on earth for thy service on high. 1

This hymn based on Psalm 84 highlights a fundamental aspect of

Christian worship - that it is a journey into the presence of

the Lord. To say that our worship is a journey is to say that it

is active. Christian worship involves the actions of our entire

being - heart, mind and strength - to praise and adore our Lord.

As we actively worship him, our journey takes us into his throne

room, before his very presence. Every song and act of praise,

every reading, prayer and response, every movement of the

liturgy is designed to bring us to an awareness of God's

presence. Without the presence of the Lord, we sing and speak

empty words, our attempts at music and artistic expression are

in vain and our gestures meaningless. But if with the psalmist,

our souls "yearn and faint for the living God," if we "set our

hearts on a pilgrimage" into his courts, we will be satisfied.

Reflecting on this processional aspect of worship, Orthodox

theologian Alexander Schmmeman writes:

The journey begins when Christians leave their homes and beds. They

leave, indeed, their life in this present and concrete world, and

whether they have to drive fifteen miles or walk a few blocks, a

sacramental act is already taking place, an act which is the very

condition of everything else that is to happen. For they are on their

way to constitute the Church of God, or to be more exact, to be

transformed into the Church of God. They have been individuals, some

white, some black, some poor, some rich, they have been the "natural"

world and a natural community. And now they have been called to "come

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together in one place," to bring their lives, their very "world" with

them and to be more than what they were: a new community with a new

life. We are already far beyond the categories of common worship and

prayer. The purpose of this "coming together" is not simply to add a

religious dimension to the natural community, to make it "better" -

more responsible, more Christian. The purpose is to fulfill the

Church, and that means to make present the One in whom all things are

at their end, and all things are at their beginning. 2

The presence of the Lord fulfills the Church! Apart from God's

presence, we are only another social club, a concert hall, a

humanitarian organization. But, with the living Christ in our

midst, we become the Church, the ekklesia, the house of God. "In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a

holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built

together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit"

(Eph. 2:21-22). What a high and holy calling - to become the

dwelling place of God. This is quite a contrast to the casual

attitude many Christians have towards corporate worship. The

word 'casual' is often used to describe contemporary evangelical

worship, and is even used in the advertising and promotional

material of some. Among other things, the word casual means

"showing little interest, not serious, superficial, not close or

intimate." 3 How sad it is that the word casual accurately

defines the worship of many churches today. It's as if they are

saying to God "let's not take this worship time too seriously,

let's not get close or intimate, after all, we want to keep our

relationship on a superficial level." This casual attitude

denies the Church of her very essence. If the Church is to be

the Church, she must take seriously every opportunity for

corporate worship, press into that place of intimacy with God

and experience the nearness of his presence. In The Pursuit of God, A. W. Tozer addresses the Church's need to experience the Divine presence:

This flame of the Presence was the beating heart of the Levitical

order. Without it all the appointments of the tabernacle were

characters of some unknown language; they had no meaning for Israel or

for us. The greatest fact of the tabernacle was that Jehovah was

there; a Presence was waiting within the veil. Similarly the Presence

of God is the central fact of Christianity. At the heart of the

Christian message is God Himself waiting for His redeemed children to

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push in to conscious awareness of His Presence. That type of

Christianity which happens now to be the vogue knows this Presence

only in theory. It fails to stress the ChristianÕs privilege of present realization. According to its teachings we are in the Presence of God positionally, and nothing is said about the need to experience that Presence actually. 4

Tozer was responding to the rationalism prevalent among evangelical Christians in the mid-twentieth century. Such rationalism reduced public worship to a lecture and made Christianity more of an intellectual ascent to correct doctrine than an all-consuming experience with the Living God. It is this non-rational encounter with the Almighty that is vital to worship, and is necessary for the very existence of the Church. In his book The Idea of the Holy, German theologian Rudolf Otto coined the term 'numinous' to describe the non-rational aspect of worship. 5 Mystery, awe, majesty and transcendence are other words that hint at the feeling aroused upon encountering God's presence. This feeling "may at times come sweeping like a gentle tide, pervading the mind with a tranquil mood of deepest worship" or it "may burst in sudden eruption up from the depths of the soul with spasms and convulsions, or lead to the strangest excitements, to intoxicated frenzy, to transport, and to ecstasy." 6 Such words and feelings are a threat to the dry rationalism that would keep God at a distance, confining him to books and lectures. Although great strides have been made in worship renewal during the past century, there is still a great need in the Church today to accept and experience the 'numinous' aspect of worship. Speaking of this need to fully experience God in worship, Bible scholar Richard Leonard maintains that Christians need to:

. . . encounter him with the intensity with which people meet him in the scriptural narrative. But to most Western Christians, God remains an idea to be debated, or a vague and benign sentiment, rather than a pulsating, living, unfathomable and indeed terrifying Presence encountered at the "gut level." We need to learn once again not just to theorize about God but to worship him. We need to learn to experience him not only rationally but intuitively, at a level of personal encounter which most of us in todayÕs church are quite afraid to enter into. 7

In order for the Church to learn to experience God intuitively, we must first unlearn those belief systems that have hindered worship, and kept us from experiencing God's presence in our worship services. 1 Liturgy of Saint James, 5th century. Translated by Charles William Humphries (1840-1921)

2 Scmemann, Alexander, For the Life of the World: Sacraments and Orthodoxy(Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, 1975), 273 definition from The American Heritage Distionary (Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin, 1985) 4 Tozer, A. W., The Pursuit of God (Camp Hill, PA: Christian Publications, 1948), 375 Otto, Rudolf, translated by John W. Harvey, The Idea of the Holy (London:

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Oxford University Press, 1923), 5-76 Otto, 12-13 7 Leonard, Richard, With Unveiled Face: Charismatics and Fulfilled Eschatology (Chicago, IL: Laudemont Press, 1993), 37

Part 2- Hindrances to WorshipLet's take a closer look at some of the hindrances to worship prevalent in the Church today. Experiencing the presence of the Lord should be the norm for Christian worship, however, this is not always the case. One hindrance to worship already touched upon is rationalism. A problem inherited by both evangelicals and liberals from the Enlightenment, rationalism places the authority of reason above both scripture and the creeds,8 and by so doing has negatively influenced the worship of the Church. Once reason has freed the Church from any obligation to obey the scriptural directives to actively participate in worship, it is easy for Christians to fall into a spectator role, listening to sermons and musical selections, viewing stained glass windows and banners, but not making an offering of ones entire being in worship. Since many of the ways that we encounter God's presence are non-rational, reducing our experience of God to only the mind runs counter to the purpose of Christian worship. When worshipers become passive spectators, the worship service becomes a dead ritual, a form that denies the power of God. Regarding this issue, Swedish Lutheran bishop Bo Giertz claims that:

[the chief enemy of liturgy ] is that dull passivity which wants to hear and enjoy a service of worship instead of taking part in it. A full church is not the same as a congregation. Where hands are no longer folded and heads not bowed in prayer, where the voices, whether rough and untutored or well trained, no longer join in the singing, there is no longer true worship. Liturgy is always an active thing. Sluggish, dead passivity is always its enemy. 9

So, no matter how beautifully the order of service is executed, how eloquent the sermon, how well crafted the anthems and hymns, if the people do not participate by singing, praying, standing and kneeling, it is not really liturgy. This dead passivity is not confined to liturgical churches. Evangelicals who have have thrown out the four-fold order of service, the great hymns of the Church and visual adornments such as vestments, beautiful architecture and stained glass have often succumbed to the same lifeless spectatorism that has robbed the life of many liturgical churches. In addressing this evangelical passivity, Christian author Janice Leonard correctly observes:

Perhaps the most obvious yet least recognized area in which the church resembles apostate Israel is that of worship. Even churches who pride themselves on freedom from the bondage of liturgy can fall into the category Paul warns about, those who hold "to a form of godliness, although have denied its power" (2 Tim. 3:5). Ten minutes of tightly controlled singing by an uninspired congregation, a choir number and a prayer or two pass for worship in many churches which purport to take the Scriptures seriously. The Psalmists' admonitions to praise the Lord with an abundance of music, dancing and celebration are either ignored because they are

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found in the Old Testament or they are spiritualized, while dignified church leaders opt for what they mistakenly term "reverence." True reverence evidences itself in obedience, not in the absence of sound, color and movement. 10

The Church needs to have form and power, but she is not going to have power in her services until she begins to actively worship. "Worship is not something someone does for or to us. Rather, it is done by us. It is a verb, not a noun. It is not passive - it is not merely watching or observing." 11 For too long the Church has looked only to reason, and has been all too willing to relegate the many scriptural admonitions to worship God with heart, mind and strength to a distant time and place, thinking that they having no relevance to the contemporary Christian. It is no wonder that we have not encountered the Living God in our worship services. As Pentecostal pastor Robert Thompson insists, "We cannot reasonably expect God to move in any service in which people are not brought into intense, active worship. The Presence of the Lord is not manifest in some of our assemblings because God's people are not actively worshiping Him." 12 Another result of rationalism is the tendency, especially in reformed and evangelical traditions, to falsely spiritualize worship, limiting it to an internal experience. This false view of worship allows only verbal expression in public worship and condemns communication through other means, categorizing the non-verbal as being unspiritual, "of the flesh." As Anglican priest Howard Thomas states:

It is well for us to remember that actions as well as words are means of communicating significance. Many Christian churches in Renaissance Europe, and then America, decided to limit themselves in their worship to verbal methods of expression, as though words alone are true vehicles of meaning. No human being ever lives on this principle in any other realm of experience, and it would seem to be something of a pity to huddle worship into this sort of limitation. 13

To deny the use of the senses in worship is to go against the way God created us, to curse that which he has blessed. God brought the universe into existence out of nothing, and filled it with all things, including space, sound, color and shape. He gave mankind the ability not only to hear, but to see, taste, touch and smell. When the harmony and beauty of his creation was spoiled by the evil one, God chose not to destroy his creation. Instead, he chose to become the creation, and redeemed it through his death and resurrection.14 Those who label non-verbal communication as inappropriate for worship see the outward world of material things as evil and only the inner, immaterial world as spiritual. This dualistic world view is not the world view of the Bible or the early Church. The Christian word view is incarnational - God became flesh. Speaking of the relation of the incarnation to worship, Paul Hoon asserts:

. . . both art and liturgy regard physical matter as meaning-bearing, indeed as potentially revelatory. In fact, liturgy goes so far as to hold that the physical can be rendered sacramental through divine grace acting upon, within, and through it. The foundation of this understanding in Christian thought is simply the incarnation: "the Word became flesh." Thus the potentiality of physical matter to convey the

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divine corresponds to the capacity in manÕs nature to respond to the divine in material form. These are basic realities for worship, and to ignore them is to violate the structure of human personality and to deny the nature of divine grace. Man cannot be expected to be less sensuous in his worship of God than God has been in the creation of salvation and man. 15

In order to embrace Biblical worship, the Church must rediscover and reaffirm the theology of the incarnation. Christian worship should be a feast for all of the senses, including not only thought provoking sermons, but music, movement, visual art, communion and even incense!In addition to rationalism, individualism is another hindrance to worship that has its roots in the Enlightenment. During the Enlightenment "the foundation of the Christian faith shifted from the centrality of the person and work of Jesus Christ to the centrality of the Bible. Theology shifted from the God who acts to the God who spoke." 16 In this shift from a person-centered faith to a book-centered faith, reason replaced action and experience, and individual interpretation of the Scriptures replaced the consensus of the Church. The Bible became a "paper pope" and each individual had his or her own interpretation. The myriad of denominations that have formed over the past 400 years are the direct result of this individualistic interpretation of Scripture. While some groups maintained continuity with historic Christianity in theology and worship, most rejected the traditional liturgy of the Church and replaced it with something more consumer-driven.

While consumer-driven worship is associated mainly with the "seeker model" of the late 20th century, the seeker-driven movement is more of a culmination than an innovation. When the Biblical, historic worship of the Church is thrown out, it must be replaced with something. Several substitutes for worship have arisen over the past 400 years that are still with us as we enter the 21st century.17 While this is not the place to analyze each one in depth, they should be mentioned before moving on. The lecture approach to worship is a direct result of the Enlightenment. With preaching as the center, everything that occurs before the sermon is appropriately called the "preliminaries." Congregational singing is not seen as an offering of worship given to God, but is merely the "warm up" for the main event, the sermon. Instead of God at the center of the worship with the people performing the liturgy, the preacher is both the performer of and the center of worship and the people are spectators. A variant of the lecture approach is the evangelistic approach to worship. Instead of a sermon that teaches and edifies the Church, the sermon is given over to evangelistic preaching, with the conversion of sinners as the goal.As performances and production became more polished in the 20th century, the lecture/evangelistic models of worship have become more and more entertainment oriented. In the entertainment model, congregational singing (still a preliminary to the sermon) is augmented or even replaced by popular music style "specials" performed by soloists and vocal groups. The entertainment model has gained wide exposure through radio and televi"ion broadcasts. Seeker-driven worship builds upon this model by adding dramatic skits to the "special music" package, and replacing the sermon with an easy to understand self-help message. Hailed by

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church growth experts as innovative and relevant, the seeker-driven model is the ultimate in individualistic, consumer-driven worship.

The result of these individualistic approaches to worship is a devaluing of public worship. Christians have become far too comfortable with missing the corporate worship gatherings of the Church. Many think that it's just as good to watch a popular evangelist on television, or to commune with God at the beach or golf course on Sunday morning. Many pastors would decry the number of empty pews in their church on Sunday morning, while at the same time continuing the very practices that give people permission to come only when they feel like it. We need to return to the Biblical and historic models of Christian worship. We must abandon our casual ways and come together with purpose. We need to act like we are processing into God's throne room, not playing games in his living room. Addressing this need for the Church to recover this official, corporate sense in her worship, reformed theologian David Chilton contends:

The word Throne is used particularly in Scripture to refer to God's official court, where He receives official worship from His people on the Sabbath. The entire vision of the Revelation was seen on the LordÕs Day - the Christian day of corporate, official worship; and all the action in the book centers on the worship around the Throne of God. St. John wants us to see that the public, official worship of the Sovereign Lord is central to history - history both as a whole and in its constituent parts (i.e., your life and mine). The Spirit communicates grace and peace to the churches, in the special sense, through public worship. We can go as far as to say this: We cannot have continuing fellowship with God, and receive blessings from Him, apart from the public worship of the Church, the "place" of access to the Throne. The Spirit works in individuals, yes - but He does not work apart from the Church. His corporate and individual workings may be distinguished, but they cannot be separated. The notion that we can have fellowship with God, yet absent ourselves from the Body of Christ, is an altogether pagan idea, utterly foreign to Holy Scripture. The Church, as the Church, receives grace and peace from the sevenfold Spirit; and He is continually before the Throne, the special sphere of His ministry.18

In order for us to have a genuine encounter with God in our worship we must come together, journey together, pray and praise together. The best vehicle for this journey into God's presence is the historic four-fold liturgy of the Church. "The historic liturgy demands the submerging of self. The individual becomes a part of the worshiping congregation, becoming so much a part of a fellowship with others that one can pray the same words as they, follow along in the rhythm of the worship, the Confession of Sin, and the praise, and feel the same joy and penitence as others."19 Together we celebrate, together we experience God's presence, his mercy and his grace. Let's look closer at the fourfold pattern of Entrance - Word - Table -Dismissal to see how each movement of the liturgy brings us into an awareness of God's presence.

Coming soon - Part 3: Experiencing God's Presence in the Liturgy154

8 Webber, Robert E., Ancient-Future Faith: Rethinking Evangelicalism for a Postmodern World (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1999) 178-180

9 Giertz, Bo, Liturgy and Spiritual Awakening (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 1950), 610 Leonard, Janice E., Come Out of Her, My People (Chicago, IL: Laudemont Press, 1991), 19711 Webber, Robert E., "Let's Put Worship into the Worship Service" Christianity Today 28:3 (February 17, 1984), 5212 Thompson, Robert B., The Tabernacle of the Congregation (San Diego, CA: New Jerusalem Books, 1977). 22513 Howard, Thomas, The Liturgy Explained (Harrisburg, PA: Morehouse Publishing, 1981), 1114 Webber, Ancient-Future Faith, 5915 Hoon, Paul Waitman, The Integrity of Worship: Ecumenical and Pastoral Studies in Liturgical Theology (Nashville, TN: Abingdon, 1971), 64-65 16 Webber, Ancient-Future Faith, 4517 Webber, "Let's Put Worship into the Worship Service"18 Chilton, David, The Days of Vengeance (Fort Worth, TX: Dominion Press, 1987), 61 19 Giertz, Liturgy and Spiritual Awakening, 8

B. THE IMPORTANCE OF WORSHIP&LEADERS.

"It was A. W. Tozer who reminded us that we are here to be worshipers

first and workers only second. We take a convert and immediately make

a worker out of that person. God never meant it to be so. God meant

that a convert should learn to be a worshiper, and after that he or

she can learn to be a worker. The work done by a worshiper will have

eternity in it."

John Piper is senior pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in

Minneapolis, Minnesota. "Missions is not the ultimate goal of the

church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn't. Worship

is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless

millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God,

missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship

abides forever." [Or you could say it this way: "The purpose of the

Church is not evangelism. Rather, the purpose of evangelism is to

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build the Church, to extend the worshipping community." Pray that God

will use your church's missionaries (and us) in the important task of

drawing men and women, boys and girls to the one who alone is worthy

of our worship.

"What would you say if I told you that worship is the most important thing a

Christian can do? You might come back with the response that evangelism is the

most important thing we do as Christians. We are told to go and tell. Consider the

following by answering a few questions:

Why do you feel we were created?

What was the first commandment given to Moses? Exodus 20:1-3

Did you know that we are called to worship? Worship is not an option with the

children of God. It’s not something that we can decide to do if we feel like it.

Worship is the first commandment that God gave to Moses.

Then God spoke all these words, saying, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you

out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods

before Me.” He goes on to say in the next verses: “You shall not make for yourself

an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the

water under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord

your God, am a jealous God”.

(Ex. 20:1-5 NAS)

God’s first and second commandments dealt with worshiping Him and Him alone.

Ex. 34:14 says “for you shall not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is

Jealous, is a jealous God”.

Because we were created to worship, to have fellowship with God, nothing else we

do in life will fill that void. Until our relationship with God and worship life is meeting

the core need in our lives, we will not be able to truly find happiness or fulfillment in

anything else. Do not look for what only God can give you in a mate . You cannot

truly have a full and rich marriage without first having afull and rich relationship with

God. Let’s look further into this.

Even as a Christian, I sometimes find myself needing more in life which only God

can fill. Have you ever set out to fulfill a goal in your life and then when you have

met the goal, still felt empty? Or have you decided that reaching a certain financial

level would help to make your life better? When you reached it, nothing really

changed, just more debt and frustration. Even Christians are susceptible to

searching for things in the world that only God can fill. So many times in looking for

a mate in life we expect to find someone who will fill that emptiness inside. We want

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that person to fill the void that only God can through a personal relationship with

Him. If we find what we need in God, then we will not look for it in others and in

things that can never fill it. Developing a close relationship with the Lord is all that

He desires; then your marriage will be close and intimate because you do not feel

the need for what God has already filled within you. Develop a relationship with God

that meets the core need of your life first, and your relationships and finances will

be much more fulfilling because they are the icing on, and not the ingredients in the

cake.

What does Matthew 6:33 say?

What does Romans 12:1 tell us?

So if worship is the most important thing we can do as Christians, then what about

Jesus’ last command to us to “Go and tell...?” I always thought that our main

purpose in life was to share Jesus with others. If we are truly people of worship, not

just in the church on Sunday’s, but are truly people who love God and worship Him

with our total being, then I believe we will draw people to Christ through our lives of

worship. Yes, we must go and tell others of Christ, but a result of our worship will

be people coming to Christ and thus drawing others to become worshipers. We will

look closer at this during week 3.

Saved to Worship

Have you ever thought about why God sent His Son to die on the cross for you? I

asked you earlier to state why you felt you were created. Was it to keep you from

Hell? Was it so that your life would be easier? Why did God choose to send His only

Son to die on a cross for you? John 3:16 states, “for God so loved the world that

He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish

but have everlasting life.” I believe that love was the motivating factor as to why

God sent His Son. He loved us that much. He desires for us to spend eternity with

Him. And what do you think we will do in heaven for eternity?

Read Revelation 4:8-11. What does John say about what he saw in heaven?

God saves us so that we might spend eternity with Him, so that we might be the

worshipers that He seeks in John 4:23. “But an hour is coming, and now is, when

the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such the Father

seeks to be His worshipers.”

Who is a true worshiper? Can one who doesn’t know Christ as Savior worship Him?

A true worshiper is a Christian, one who is saved. God saves us that we may be

worshipers. There is no difference between a Christian and a worshiper. Let’s look

a bit further in scripture. Read the following passage:

Acts 18 :13

Could the word “worship” be replaced with the word “salvation” in this passage?

Try it, and read the scriptures again. What Paul was doing was persuading men to

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become saved. To Paul, when men became saved, they were worshipers. He used

the both words to mean the same thing.

A believer is just another word for worshiper. The goal of salvation is to produce

truly acceptable worshipers. Our reason and goal for witnessing to people should

not be to save them from Hell, although that is a good reason; it should be to call all

people to worship the God who is worthy of worship.

When I first realized the truth of Jesus and the cross, I discovered that God loved

me and desired for me to give my life to Him. I wept, fell on my knees, praised Him,

and worshiped Him. It was the only response there could have been as a result of

what Christ had done for me. Worship was the response, and at that moment I

became a worshiper. This response was not special to my situation. It is revealed a

number of times in the scriptures. Let’s look at a few verses. List the different

responses of worship:

Matthew 2 :11_____________________________

Matthew 8:1-2_____________________________

Matthew 9:18_____________________________

Matthew 14:33____________________________

Matthew 28:9_____________________________

God does not save us for our sakes but for His. When we become saved we are

saved in order to worship Him. Because of our great redemption, we are to worship.

"

TESTIMONY OF A WORSHIP LEADER.

My Story

I grew up in a conservative Baptist church where my father was the Pastor. We

were very involved in our church and all it’s programs from music to outreach. Our

church has reached hundreds of people over the past years through my father and

mothers ministry there. It was and still is a great church where my parents continue

to this day to serve. Growing up I never knew what worship was. To me it was

coming to church and holding out till the end so I could go home and go to the

beach with my friends. Worship to me was going to church for that is what we called

it, a worship service. I don’t recall seeing many outward expressions of worship as

we were a conservative church. I had visited other denominations growing up that

were more visible in there worship. Yet it didn’t mean anything to me because I did

not know Christ as savior at that time.

It wasn’t until I accepted Christ as my savior that I desired to show Him or express

to Him my gratefulness for what He had done for me. My heart wanted to dance and

sing as an expression of thankfulness. I wept with tears as the burden of sin was

lifted off my body and life. I had it in me to worship then because I knew Christ now

as Savior and Lord. However, I didn’t have anyone who helped me further in my

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understanding of what I was doing at the time. Once the emotional part of my

salvation experience wore off, so did my worship. I retreated back to my life of

enduring church. I didn’t realize that worship was giving to the Lord praise through

song and listening to His word being preached. I didn’t understand that it didn’t

matter what I felt like while I was in church that I needed to give to the Lord myself

through prayer and thanksgiving of what He has done in my life and for who He is. I

thought that receiving a feeling was what you were supposed to get out of worship.

I didn’t know that emotion was a byproduct of giving in worship.

Years went by, too many I am ashamed to say, before I began to really discover and

seek out this thing called worship. I served in several churches where I went

through the motions of a worship service, which was really a music service, not

knowing what I was doing. It is no wonder with the title of my position being music

minister.

I began to read books of men like John McArthur, Lamar Boschman, Tom Kraeuter,

Jack Hayford, and Bob Sorge. Listening to the music on Dennis Jernigan, Paul

Baloche and Bob Fitts. I began to discover not only what worship was but what it is

to be a worshiper. I became hungry to learn more and through my learning my

worship life became real and meaningful. It is like an addiction of the best kind. I

could get enough of it.

As I began to uncover the truths about worship I realized that it was something that

we

are to do on a daily basis and not just on Sunday mornings. What a revelation it was

for me. I could actually worship in my car driving to work or in the shower as I was

getting ready. It didn’t matter where or what I was doing, I could worship my

creator and Lord. What an awesome experience! I even discovered that because of

my daily personal worship, my corporate worship was even more meaningful. As a

worship pastor, what I did in my personal time flowed over to the congregational

time. I then became a real worship leader and not just a song leader. I now had a

small understanding of this thing called worship and wanted to help others to know

more and become the worshippers that God would have them be. I want them to

truly Experience Worship. My life’s mission is to help others better understand

biblical worship and begin to become a worshipper that is pleasing to God and that

worship Him in spirit and truth.

Today I better understand worship and what it means to be a worshiper. I don’t

know all there is about it and still desire to be a more effective worship pastor each

day and week. I desire to help others discover what I have found out. I hope to help

young Christians know what it is to be a worshipper early in there walks with the

Lord. I don’t want them to have to wait 20 years before they discover the wonder

of being a worshipper. I believe that we all worship in a different manner. God has

created us unique in His image and through that uniqueness we come to Him with

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our worship.

1.WORSHIP IS UNIVERSAL

WHERE DOES WORSHIP BEGIN? Everybody worships. Whether if is a hero,

possessions, success, pleasure, a political cause, a carved idol or

oneself, the way we live and behave makes evident the things we love

and give ourselves to. It is in our very nature to worship, and that

inner drive is God-given; the disaster is that as part of a fallen

race, we have replaced the object of our worship. To be converted to

faith in Jesus Christ is to return to the worship of the true God, and

to dethrone all rivals to his authority. -- Graham Kendrick, from

WORSHIP, Kingsway Publications, 1984, p.24.

The need or desire to worship is born in every person. It is not something that is

taught or developed. It is created within us to do. Think if you will of every culture

in the world. No explorer has ever found a tribe or culture that did not worship.

Each culture worships something or someone. Some worship self or money, some

idols, others false gods. Because we are born with a desire and instinct to worship,

the question is not do we worship, but whom do we worship.

a

2. THE WORSHIP LEADER AND TEAM.

THE MINISTRY OF WORSHIP LEADER1. THE NEED FOR A WORSHIP LEADER

While every situation may not demand the presence of a worship leader,

ie. a small gathering, or informal home meeting, a large gathering

necessitates the role of a worship leader. The following are the

benefits:

A. CONGREGATION UNITY

Strong leadership is essential for maintaining unity within a group.

The worship leader plans the whole service and the songs and other

elements will flow according to his central theme - the result is

focus and direction in the worship.

B. RHYTHMIC UNITY

A worship leader unites the congregation and the musicians in a steady

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and consistent rhythm. His role is to determine and maintain the

correct rhythm. When songs flow from one to the other he needs to set

the new tempo. It seems clear that the role of the worship leader is

essential in worship.

2. THE LEADER S QUALIFICATIONS ’Here are a list of qualifications that should serve as a guideline in

appointing worship leaders or qualities for the worship leaders to

continually strive to reveal in their lives:

* A worshipper - a daily submission to the Lordship of Christ

* A deep and proven spiritual walk

* A knowledge of the church worship style and songs

* An acceptable level of musical ability - Psalm 33:3 Play skilfully“ ”* A good reputation in the fellowship

* Able to function as part of a team

* A proper attitude to the church leadership

* A commitment to the position

* An enthusiastic and friendly personality

The Worship Leader s Responsibilities Include: ’* Direct the worship - He sets the course and pace.

* Set an example - He shows the way, not points.

* Correct - He keeps attention focused on God.

* Prepare - The theme, songs, scripture, O/Head, etc.

3. THE LEADER S PREPARATION’Preparation for the worship leader is both long-term and short-term:

some are on-going and others take place prior to every service. It is

more than making up a list of songs for the Sunday Service.

A. SPIRITUAL PREPARATION THROUGHOUT THE WEEK

A regular and disciplined prayer and study life. Ministry to God comes

before ministry to people. If we are far from the Lord in the week we

will not be able to lead people into a sense of God s Presence during “ ” ’the service.

B. SPIRITUAL TUNING BEFORE THE WORSHIP SERVICE

Set aside a time on Saturday Night or Sunday Morning to draw close to

the Lord. There is no time to tune into the Lord once we are standing “ ”before the people. It is essential that there is no hurrying before

the service - make a commitment to be at the venue long before the

start of the service.

C. VOCAL TUNING BEFORE THE WORSHIP SERVICE

That early morning frog in the throat must be exorcised before you “ ”stand in front of the people. Warm up the vocal chords by singing a

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few choruses in a low key and gradually get higher, or do singing

vocal exercises, if you know how!

D. DETERMINE THE MESSAGE TO BE DELIVERED

In the week check with the preacher to determine the passage of

scripture and the burden God has laid on his heart to preach. This

information could help in the selection of a theme.

E. INFORM THE MUSICIANS OF SONGS SELECTED

Call the necessary people to hand over the list of songs to be

practised. Do not arrive on Sunday morning with a list of 5 Hymns that

you expect the band to play. Make sure they have ample time to

practise during the week.

F. PRACTICAL DETAILS TO PREPARE

The following will ensure confidence and efficiency in leading

worship:

* Have Information Available at a Glance - Outline, Song No s, etc.’* Ensure all Equipment is Ready - ie. Overhead, sound system, etc.

* Check on and Read through Scripture References

* Gather Notices and Ensure you Understand them

* Make sure Participants understand their Roles

Remember these words of Charles Spurgeon, The man who guides others “into the presence of the King must have journeyed far into the King s ’country and looked upon his face.”

THE MINISTRY TEAM IN WORSHIP

The ministry team in worship is comprised of the following: the

Worship leader; the Pastor/leadership; the Musicians/Singers; the

Congregation; the Overhead operator, the Sound engineer, etc.

1. THE REWARDS OF TEAM MINISTRY

A. SAFETY AND HELP

The team is a support to the worship leader. Often we are not

sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit, and we need the back up

of others who are tuned into the Lord. A one man show will not bring

about an effective ministry within the body of Christ.

B. POWER AND UNITY

One leader may have a good ministry in worship, but the effectiveness

of that ministry will be multiplied and enhanced through the joint

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efforts of a team functioning in unity under that leadership. We need

more than leaders with a unique anointing on their lives: we need

those leaders to be supported by a team in order that the

effectiveness of their ministry might increase.

C. GROWTH AND MATURITY

The team exists to raise up new members or worship leaders. It is a

spiritual greenhouse where new leadership is given a safe and healthy

context to grow and mature.

2. THE ROLE OF THE CHURCH LEADERSHIP

A. PROVIDE OVERSIGHT, VISION AND MOTIVATION

Since the pastor is the one ultimately responsible to God for Church

affairs, the worship team comes under his pastoral oversight. He must

provide the group with vision and motivation. While the pastor may not

be involved in the nitty“ -gritty operations of the team, he provides ”the guiding force for the team as a whole.

B. PROVIDE A MODEL OF WORSHIP FOR THE PEOPLE TO FOLLOW

The Pastor needs to be a worshipping man, because a worshipping pastor

will birth a worshipping church! The congregation will watch the

pastor to determine whether he supports the direction in which the

worship leader is moving. By his responsiveness to the Lord during the

worship he can do more to influence the congregation than the

musicians, singers or worship leader combined. The time of worship is

not an opportunity for the pastor to be checking if Sister So-and-So

made it to church, or catching up on reading his sermon notes nor

discussing the order of service with his associates on stage. It is a

time for him to be worshipping the Lord together with the people.

C. PROVIDE THE ENCOURAGEMENT THE TEAM NEEDS

The pastor supports the ministry by giving public support and

encouragement to those involved. He needs to affirm those who minister

in worship and music, continually showing appreciation and

understanding.

3. THE ROLE OF THE WORSHIP LEADER

There are three views of the goal of leadership in worship:

A. Historical Church Traditionalism...to see aesthetics in its order,

architecture and music.

B. Evangelical Traditionalism...to prepare the audience to hear the

saving power of God s Word.’C. Pentecostal Traditionalism...to respond spontaneously to the

promptings of the Holy Spirit.

Each has an element of truth but the pursuit of one will exclude the

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others.

The Goal of the Worship Leader is to bring the congregation into a corporate awareness of God s manifest presence.’PRINCIPLES OF LEADING WORSHIP

1. Spend time before the service in Prayer and preparation. Obey the

leading of the Spirit. Ask the

leadership how long they desire to worship.

2. Be relaxed, smile, dress properly and show genuine enthusiasm.

Inspire the people to take

their minds off themselves and centre their thoughts on Christ.

3. Announce songs clearly. Repeat location. Know the key and use the

mike to help lead when changing choruses without stopping. Remember,

what you do, they will do.

4. Don t be a choppy leader (fast, slow, fast). Several songs with the ’same theme, key and tempo will move the people into unity and true

worship. Unless the Lord directs otherwise, start the service with

faster songs, then move into slower worship songs.

5. Don t make people stand unnecessarily long. Alternate sitting, ’standing, kneeling as expressions of worship.

6. Don t scold the people. Inspire by exhortation, as the Lord directs, ’but don t preach between songs or fill up the gaps with idle words. ’7. After intense worship - wait - don t move too fast ’ - silence is not

harmful. Let God minister to his people.

8. Know when to quit. The best time is at the spiritual peak of the

service. Silently step back from the pulpit, yielding it for the next

leader.

9. Remember, obey the Spirit. Every service is different!

4. THE ROLE OF THE MUSICIANS

The Bible gives a clear pattern for team ministry. The musicians have

a key function in helping the church follow the overall Biblical

pattern, so that it accomplishes its spiritual goals.

God s pattern for choosing leaders is based on the proving principle ’ “ ”found in 1 Thess 5:12; 1 Tim 3:10 and 1 Thess 5:21. Choice is made on

the basis of the candidate s track record. Are they faithful in ’attendance? Do they have a surrendered life and a servant spirit? Are

they sensitive to the voice of God?

Character and life-style are more important than skill and ability. As

their position entails being placed before the people they are

vulnerable to pride and the praise of men. Those in supportive music

ministry must die daily to the flesh and wait submissively on God to

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determine His will and direction.

God s standards for musicians are clear, even regarding their musical ’ability.

There are minimal standards for the worshipping orchestra . They must: “ ”* Be a worshipper

* Be a worshipper on their instrument

* Have a heart for God and a consistent life-style

* Have a desire and a divine calling to lead others into worship

* Be recognised by the leadership as being called of God

* Be joined to the local body before taking on a public ministry

* Pass the test of basic musical proficiency

5. THE ROLE OF THE WORSHIPPERS

The scriptural principle of following comes from the words of Christ,

Follow me. The word follow from the Greek akalouthos, means one “ ” “ ” “going in the same way. There is incredible potential in worship when ”people begin to go in the same way. Of utmost importance in worship “ ”is a submissive attitude in the heart of the worshipper to follow the

appointed worship leader for that particular worship service.

God s response to the obedient worshipper is the personal manifestation ’of His presence [John 14:21]. The worshipper needs a heart that longs

to follow Christ and a will that co-operatively submits to local

church leadership.

Another word for follow in the Greek is mimeomai, which is where we “ ” “ ”get the word mimic from. We are exhorted to imitate God and His “ ”appointed leaders [Eph 5:1; 1 Cor 11:1]. We begin to enter God s ’presence by trusting the gift of God in the appointed leader for that

service and imitating his actions and directives.

Looking at Isaiah 6 it is clear that a major focal point for

worshipper rests in the ability to embrace an image of God birthed in

revelatory worship. As the worship leader waits on the Lord to launch

God s people into a vision of God the congregation must follow ’faithfully anticipating a manifestation of God s presence in his midst. ’Isaiah encountered such an experience in worship that transformed his

vision, brought conviction and repentance to release him into further

service as a response.

6. THE RELATIONSHIPS IN THE TEAM

It is essential that there is unity between the worship leader and the

rest of the ministry team. An effective worship leader will be

particularly sensitive to the senior pastor and the direction God is

giving him. Worship leading is not the place for the person who is

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independent and wanting to do his own thing. In Psalm 133 we are told

that unity and the anointing are interdependent; where his people are

in unity, God commands His blessing.

Three ingredients are vital to enhance the relationships in the team:

A. RESPECT

Through mutual respect a strong bond of interdependence can be

established. If the spirituality and sensitivity of the worship leader

is doubted he should not have been appointed to the position. If the

pastor does not respect the leader he ll continually interrupt, veto or ’pre-empt the leader s desires and method s. If the leader does not ’ ’respect the pastor he will have difficulty working in line with the

leadership s direction.’B. CONSIDERATION

The pastor will gain nothing by running roughshod over the leader.

When it is necessary for the pastor to step into the worship, the

leader of worship should not allow himself to have hurt feelings or

embark on a pity party. Usually differences of approach between pastor

and leader are a matter of personal preference and not spiritual

superiority. If they have different ideas about the direction that a

service should take, each should have consideration for the other.

C. COMMUNICATION

Amos 3:3 says, Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so? “ ”There is nothing that will cause a relationship to break down as

quickly as a break down in communication. Honest, loving communication

will resolve differences. The pastor should ask questions of the

worship leader, such as: How do you feel about our worship lately? or “ ”Have you been enjoying leading worship? or How do you think we have “ ” “been working together? and Are you fulfilled in your ministry? ” “ ”

THE MINISTRY OF WORSHIP

1. THEMES IN WORSHIP

A central theme should run throughout the worship service. This will

determine the choice of elements for the worship. The worship leader

does not set out to gather as much material, songs, etc on his theme

as possible, but rather seeks to encourage meaningful fellowship with

God through the use of appropriate material. A theme is more than a

title. A title is descriptive, but a theme presents a principle and

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intimates a purpose. The theme provides the path of thought down which

the participants move to the climax of the service.

The theme may grow out of a need within the congregation:

* To express dependence on God

* To confess sin

* To intercede for the mission of the church

* To pray for guidance in decision making

Themes may also arise from special events or days in the life of the

body or from the subject of the preaching, but in all these instances,

the theme should flow from scripture. The choice of a passage of

scripture as a starting point is essential for biblical worship.

2. OUTLINES FOR WORSHIP

To develop the theme make use of an outline. This will ensure that the

worship service has a sense of direction and purpose. The outline will

reflect the structure that the service will assume.

A. DEVELOPING A PATTERN

We have mentioned Isaiah 6 as a pattern for worship.

Von Ogden Vogt suggests the following pattern:

* Presentation - a vision of God as one offers himself for worship

* Penitence - a sense of humility on the divine presence bringing

confession

* Exaltation - expressing in praise the person and works of God

* Illumination - the soul receives light before continuing on the path

of life

* Dedication - the soul enlists for further service

Seidenspinner speaks of three movements in worship:

* Adoration of God

* Communion with God

* Dedication to God

The Vineyard Fellowship has discovered a five-Phase worship pattern

for guiding their worship service.

(1) Invitation - This is a call to worship. The songs used in this

stage address the people and draw their attention to worship. This may

include a mixture of Scripture readings and singing.

(2) Engagement - At this stage the people are beginning to draw near

to God. The lyrics of the songs should speak about God. This is the

Praise stage.

(3) Exaltation - Here the people sing out with power in response to

key words in songs. Words such as great, majestic, worthy, reigns,

Lord, etc.

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(4) Adoration - The dynamics gradually subside and the melody has a

smaller range. The key words are you and Jesus.

(5) Intimacy - This is the quietest and most personal part of the

service. It is where we address God as Abba or Daddy . This is the “ ”Kiss in worship “ ” - the greek word for worship [proskuneo] means to “come towards to kiss.”

It all ends with the close-out chorus or hymn that leads out of

intimacy and prepares for the next stage in the service.

B. DEVELOPING AN OUTLINE

The task of the worship leader in selecting an outline is similar to

the task of the preacher. A theme or text should be selected according

to the direction the service is to take, and the text should be

analysed to determine its message, natural outline, and its flow of

thought.

C. SELECTING AN OUTLINE

As a guideline the following list of outlines are presented. They may

be used, adapted or serve as examples in the selection of a text to be

developed.

(1) PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING - 1 CHRON 29

(A) CALL TO WORSHIP

(B) OFFERING -vs 1-9

(C) GIVE THANKS-vs 10-13

(D) CONFESSION -vs 14-16

(E) PRAYER -vs 17-19

(F) WORSHIP-vs 20

(2) GOD IS EXALTED ON HIGH - ISAIAH 6:1-9

(A) PRAISE THE EXALTED GOD-vs 1-4

(B) WORSHIP THE EXALTED GOD -vs 5-7

PRAYER: Confession and Worship to the Exalted God

(C) SERVE THE EXALTED GOD -vs 8-9

(3) CHILDREN OF GOD - MATT 5 & 6

PRAISE: For our relationship to God

READING: Matthew 5:43-48

SHARE: What it means to be in God s family’WORSHIP: The God we are related to

THE FAMILY PRAYER: Matthew 6:9-13

Give each person/couple/group a section to pray through

(4) LAMENTATIONS 3:19-24

(A) REMEMBER PAST DIFFICULTIES-vs 19,20

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(B) RECALL PRESENT MERCIES-vs 22-24

(C) RECEIVE FUTURE HOPE -vs 21

(5) JESUS, THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

READ: JOHN 8:12 Worship Jesus the Light of the World

SONGS: about Jesus the Light

READ: JOHN 9:1-7 The Light gives sight to a man born blind

PRAYER: for light to bring guidance, clarity, insight, comfort, etc.

READ: JOHN 12:35,36

PRAYER: To express love and devotion to the light of the world

(6) LOVE - 1 JOHN 4

(A) WE CELEBRATE THE LOVE OF GOD - 4:9-10

(B) WE EXPRESS OUR LOVE TO GOD - 4:19

PRAYER: To express love and devotion to God

(C) WE EXPRESS OUR LOVE TO ONE ANOTHER - 4:11-12

READ: 1 JOHN 3:17 Love is shown practically

SHARING: needs and burdens with one another in pairs

PRAYER: Pray for one another s needs in the pairs’(7) LIGHT TO THE NATION - PSALM 96

(A) A COMMAND TO DECLARE GOD S GLORY ’ - vs 1-6

(B) A CALL TO COME AND WORSHIP GOD - vs 7-10

(a) Give Praise

(b) Bring Offerings

(c) Enter the Temple

(d) Worship the Lord

(C) A CHALLENGE TO TAKE WORSHIP TO THE STREETS - vs 10-13

PRAYER: For the extension of God s Kingdom in South Africa’(8) EXPRESSING THANKS AND GRATITUDE TO GOD

READ: Luke 17:11-19

How can we best express our gratitude to the Lord?

READ: Col 3:16 - sing songs that express gratitude.

PRAYERS: to express gratitude

TESTIMONY: to express thankfulness

(9) SHARING THE GOOD NEWS - MARK 1

(A) INTRODUCING THE GOOD NEWS - 1:1-3

(B) FACE-TO-FACE WITH THE GOOD NEWS - 1:9-11

PRAYER: of worship to Jesus

(C) SEE THE EFFECTS OF THE GOOD NEWS -1:29-34

Let s bring our needs before Jesus and hear good news. ’(D) FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF THE GOOD NEWS -1:35

PRAYER: Thanks for salvation

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(E) RECOGNISE THE WORTH OF THE GOOD NEWS -1:40-45

Let s bring our offering as a response to Jesus worth’ ’(F) COMMISSIONED TO SPREAD THE GOOD NEWS -16:15,16

(10) THE WORLD - PSALM 89:11-17

(A) A DECLARATION OF THE WORTH OF THE CREATOR - vs 11-13

(B) A DESIRE FOR THE WORLD TO KNOW THE CREATOR - vs 15-17a

(11) THE HYMNS OF WORSHIP - REVELATION

(A) WORSHIP GOD AS CREATOR - REV 4:9-11

(B) WORSHIP GOD AS REDEEMER- REV 5:9-12

(C) WORSHIP GOD AS VICTORIOUS KING - REV 11:15-18

(D) WORSHIP GOD AS CONQUEROR - REV 19:1-3,6,7

(12) PRAISE THE LORD - PSALM 150

(A) WHERE GOD SHOULD BE PRAISED -vs 1

In His sanctuary - the temple of grace

In the heavens - the temple of power

(B) WHY GOD SHOULD BE PRAISED -vs 2

[a] For His deeds

[b] For His being

(C) HOW GOD SHOULD BE PRAISED -vs 3-5

Instruments - wind, string & percussion; dance

(D) WHO SHOULD PRAISE GOD -vs 6

All of God s creation ’(13) THE LORD REIGNS

(A) THE LORD REIGNS OVER THE WORLD - NEH 9:6

PRAYER: Praise for the sovereign rule of God

(B) THE LORD REIGNS IN OUR LIVES - EPH 3:14-21

PRAYER: Submission to the rule of God in my life

(14) WORSHIP INVOLVES MEETING GOD - EXOD 34:4-8

(A) THE REAL ENCOUNTER WITH GOD-vs 4-5

(B) THE REVEALED WORTH OF GOD -vs 6-7

Moses met God who is:

[a] Merciful

[b] Truthful

[c] Just

(C) A RESPONSE OF WORSHIP TO GOD -vs 8

Moses responded with admiration of God s excellence ’Moses responded with exaltation of God s excellence’(15) WORSHIP IN HOLINESS

(A) WE WORSHIP A HOLY GOD - PSALM 29:1,2

(B) WE WORSHIP BY THE HOLY SPIRIT - JOHN 4:23,24

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(C) WE MUST BE HOLY - PSALM 24:3,4

The way to holiness: 1 JOHN 1:9

PRAYERS: of confession - for cleansing

(16) WORSHIP IN THE FACE OF DIFFICULTY - PSALM 57

DAVID S SITUATION: King Saul is in hot pursuit of David to kill him. ’David takes refuge in a cave and takes the matter to his God.

THE SOLUTION:

(A) David goes to God for help -vs 1

(B) David expresses trust in God -vs 5

(C) David gives the problem to God -vs 6

(D) David declares victory in God -vs 7

(E) David praises God s greatness ’ -vs 8f

A WORSHIP EXPERIENCE: Get the worshippers to think of their problem -

a situation, hassling sin, problem person - and then begin to worship

through their problem.

(A) Ask God for help

(B) Express confidence in God

(C) Explain the problem to God in prayer

(D) Declare victory over the problem

(E) Praise God in song, prayer and testimony

(17) A WORSHIP ENCOUNTER - 1 CHRONICLES 16

CONTEXT: King David brings the Ark of the Presence back into

Jerusalem. The Ark was a symbol of God s presence [Ex 25:22] but Israel ’believed they had a God in a box , so God allowed the Philistines to “ ”capture the ark. When the lesson was learnt God resumed His

manifestation of power from the Ark and it s return was an occasion for ’joy & praise.

CELEBRATION OF PRAISE

(A) PREPARATIONS FOR WORSHIP -vs 1-6

(B) PRAISE TO THE WONDROUS GOD-vs 8-15

(C) PRAISE FOR THE ACTS OF GOD-vs 16-22

(D) PROCLAIM THE GLORY OF GOD -vs 23,24

(E) PROCLAIM THE WORTH OF GOD -vs 25,26

(F) RESPONSE OF WORSHIP -vs 27-35

From the people 28-29

From all creation 30-35

(G) A FINAL SHOUT OF PRAISE -vs 36

ALTERNATE OUTLINE:

(A) A CALL TO WORSHIP GOD-1 CHRON 16:31-34

(B) A CALL TO GIVE THANKS-1 CHRON 16:8-12

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(C) A CALL TO PRAISE GOD -1 CHRON 16:23-27

(D) A CALL TO OFFER GIFTS-1 CHRON 16:28-29

(E) A RESPONSE OF WORSHIP-1 CHRON 29:11-13

(18) PHILIPPIANS 2

(A) A CALL TO UNITY - 2:1-4

Songs of reconciliation

(B) A CALL TO FOCUS ON JESUS - 2:5-9

Songs about Jesus Incarnation, Crucifixion and Exaltation’(C) A CALL TO CONFESS JESUS AS LORD- 2:10-11

Songs that celebrate Jesus lordship’RESULT: God is glorified - Phil 2:11b

CHALLENGE: Re-dedicate yourself to reflect God s glory. ’(19) PRAISE THE LORD - PSALM 111

(A) AN INVITATION TO PRAISE -vs 1

(B) PRAISE GOD S GREATNESS ’ -vs 2-4a

(C) PRAISE GOD S GOODNESS’ -vs 4b-9

(D) A RESPONSE OF WORSHIP TO GOD

In a quiet prayer tell the Lord that you love Him!

(E) WORSHIP COMMENDED-vs 10

(20) THE HEAVENLY WORSHIP SERVICE - REV 4 AND 5

AN INVITATION TO WORSHIP GOD -REV 4:1,2

(A) A song about the ATTRIBUTES of God: who He is.

REV 4:8 His holiness, lordship, power and eternity

We begin by celebrating the things we know about God.

(B) A song about the MIGHTY ACTS of God: what He has done.

REV 4:11 God made, owns, sustains everything

We celebrate that our God is the creator of all the universe.

(C) A song about the ACCEPTING WORK of God: how He redeemed us.

REV 5:9-10 Acceptance through redemption or reclamation

We celebrate: our acceptance by God is based on the lamb s love.’Prayers of gratitude

(D) A song of ASCRIPTION: thanksgiving/praise for the worth of God.

REV 5:13 Great values are ascribed to God, ie Praise, Honour, etc.

We celebrate a God who is worthy to be praised.

(21) KNOWING JESUS IN THE STORMS OF LIFE - MARK 4:35-41

READ: ISAIAH 43:1,2

SONGS: About the Presence of Jesus

READ: MARK 4:35-41

THINK OF A STORM IN YOUR LIFE RIGHT NOW [vs 37]

Do not accuse Jesus of being disinterested. His purpose is to take you

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to the other side [vs 35]. The sense of His absence may well be to

test your faith and may be an opportunity for Him to reveal Himself to

you.

SING: Songs that express confidence/trust in Jesus

GET TO KNOW JESUS IN THE STORMS OF LIFE

PRAYER: To express faith in Jesus.

(22) PRESENTING A PETITION TO GOD - ISAIAH 37:14-20

READ: ISAIAH 37:14-20

(A) TAKE THE PROBLEM TO GOD -vs 14a

Worshippers are encouraged to write out their request on a piece of

paper.

(B) THE ACT OF PRAYER -vs 14b

They spread the letter out in God s presence.’(C) THE ACTUAL PRAYER -vs 15f

a. Express the sovereignty of God in the situation [v 16]

b. Ask for the mercy of God [v 17]

c. Clarify the situation to God [v 18,19]

d. Ensure your motive is the vindication of God s glory [v 20]’(D) THE ANSWER FROM GOD -vs 21f

(23) WORTHY OF PRAISE - PSALM 47

(A) A CALL FOR REJOICING -vs 1-4

(B) A CALL FOR PRAISE-vs 5-9

PRAISE SHARING: People say, I praise the Lord because He is...“ ”(C) A RESPONSE OF WORSHIP

To the God who gives Joy/To the God who is worthy of praise

PRAYER: To tell God He is worthy of our praise

(24) GIVING GLORY TO GOD - ISAIAH 24:14-16

GLORY: Excellence on display. To bring glory is to recognise worth.

ILLUSTRATION: You watch a game of rugby. One player stands out. After

the game you meet him and start to rehearse in his presence all that

he did. You don t change the game/his performance, but you bring him ’glory.

REHEARSE IN GOD S PRESENCE:’(A) THE GREATNESS OF HIS PERSON -PS 138:1-5

(B) THE WONDER OF HIS WORKS -PS 111:1-3

(C) THE GLORY OF HIS SON - JN 1:14; HEB 1:3

3. CREATIVITY IN WORSHIP

Worship is not a gimmick for coercing something from the worshippers.

Innovative worship forms are not a means of pumping new spirit into a

decaying institution. Authentic worship is an occasion for enabling

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people from all walks of life to enter into an obvious sense of the

presence of God in the company of other believers, and to respond

appropriately.

Altering the order of worship weekly will be of little use if the

worship is theologically and biblically unsound. But, the goal of

authentic worship may not be achieved unless some variety and

freshness are incorporated into the worship experience on a regular

basis.

A. PARTICIPATORY RESPONSES

To involve people in worship use a Psalm as a responsive reading, such

as Psalm 136, or sing a song like The Victory Chant . Reading “ ”scripture can be done creatively, ie. if the passage lends itself to

being dramatised, different readers can take character parts. The

congregation could play a certain part while the leader reads the

narrative.

B. A SERMON REACTION PANEL

A group consisting of elders, young couples, and teenagers can

interact with the pastor for 5 to 10 minutes after the sermon.

C. VISUAL CREATIVITY

Make use of banners, over heads or posters to help communicate truth.

D. SINGING CREATIVELY

(1) Change the words of songs - ie. God is so good can be sung a “ ”second time as God, you re so good, or, Praise the name of Jesus as “ ’ ” “ ”I praise your name... and then, We praise your name...“ ” “ ”(2) Different groups sing verses or parts of the song

(3) Sing a worshipful song without music - ie. I just want to praise “you”(4) Link songs together on a certain theme - Inform the people of what

is to take place; announce the next song during the brief gap between

songs while the instrument lower their volume and sing the first

phrase with confidence. Songs that link the best have the same tempo,

mood, theme and key.

(5) Modulate the pitch of the songs - Singing comes alive when the key

of the song is raised a semi-tone at a time.

E. PRAYING CREATIVELY

Give people an opportunity to pray a phrase while the congregation is

encouraged to pray it through. Let the people get together in small

groups where they are sitting for group prayer. Have the worshippers

pray for one another, ie the people pair up and pray for each other.

4. SETTING GOALS FOR WORSHIP

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It is critical that there is a long-term vision for worship within the

local church.

The goals for worship should be:

* Tangible

Precise goals will be easier to reach. Remember, If you don t care “ ’where you are going, any road will take you there. ”

* Communicable

Goals need to be written out to enable clear understanding. People

should go through the planning stage together to ensure understanding.

* Achievable

The long-term goals should be divided into short-term goals to ensure

that they are achievable.

* Definitive

Lay out the goals, step-by-step, showing how they will be achieved.

Outline what action is necessary to reach the goal at each stage.

* Flexible

Circumstances change continually. As soon as support for a project or

programme starts to decline we should begin to re- evaluate. Goal

setting is only dangerous when we stop looking at the goals to refine

them.

Examples of goals for worship include:

* To get people to take their eyes off the leader and fix them on the

Lord

* To reproduce worshippers in the congregation - a life-style of

worship.

* To develop a system for learning new songs more effectively.

5. BALANCE IN WORSHIP

David Blomgren has listed the following theological imbalances in

worship today:

A. An overemphasis on the relational at the expense of the reverential

in our approach to God.

B. An overemphasis on the Immanence of God at the expense of the

Transcendence of God.

C. An overemphasis on the anthropocentric, or man-centred aspect at

the expense of the theocentric, or God-Centred aspect.

D. An overemphasis on love at the expense of holiness in our approach

to God.

E. An overemphasis on edification at the expense of exaltation.

The key to a healthy, dynamic, worshipping church is balance. Keeping

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the above aspects in tension will ensure true worship.

6. EVALUATION OF WORSHIP

Worship approaches and forms are often repeated mindlessly. Some

aspects of the worship may be biblically inaccurate or theologically

unsound. In order to ascertain the authenticity of worship and how

accurately it speaks to the needs and expectations of the

congregation, worship must be periodically evaluated. Two primary

questions should be raised when evaluating worship. One, is it

theologically sound? Two, is it engaging the people in a genuine

encounter with God? Several approaches will help to gain accurate

answers to these questions.

A. HONEST REFLECTION BY THE WORSHIP LEADERSHIP TEAM

The worship leader, church leadership and musicians should reflect

honestly on the design and content of the worship services. Ongoing

and searching evaluation is vital to develop a growing encounter with

God by the church.

B. SELECT A GROUP OF LAY PERSONS TO EVALUATE WORSHIP

A group of lay persons should be elected or selected to assist in

worship evaluation. The group should be representative of the whole

worshipping body - ie. all ages should participate. They should meet

regularly to provide continued input, to devise new forms of worship

and ensure that all are united in the vision for worship.

C. INVITE THE ENTIRE CONGREGATION TO PARTICIPATE

A third possibility is to invite the entire congregation to evaluate

worship through written questionnaires. Brief evaluation forms could

be completed at the end of morning worship services. Evaluation forms

could be mailed to members, to be returned by post or the following

Sunday.

D. WORSHIP DIALOGUE SESSIONS FOR OPEN DISCUSSION

Following a lunch or tea after a worship service, a time for

discussion could be scheduled for the congregation to express itself

on the form and content of the worship in its church. The team needs

to be comfortable enough to encounter objections without becoming

defensive and objectionable themselves. While some may view it as a

time for personal complaints, most will use it as an opportunity for

honest reflection. A facilitator for the open discussion is

essential - someone who can ask good questions to keep the discussion

on track. The positive suggestions should be incorporated into the

worship experience at the earliest opportunity.

7. POST WORSHIP SELF-EVALUATION

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The worship leader who has just led worship will have feelings about

how the time of worship went. These thoughts, which may range from

feelings of elation to depression, need to be verbalised to some other

members of the worship team. The following are some reasons why the

leader may feel that his leading was unsuccessful:

A. AN ATTEMPT TO INTRODUCE NEW WORSHIP FORMS TOO QUICKLY

The leader should remember that people are slow to change and will not

respond with total eagerness the first time a new form of worship is

introduced. Sharing with another leader will confirm this reality. The

leader should determine to be slower in introducing new concepts,

forms or songs and encourage other leaders to also be introducing

similar changes. This will help to reinforce what is being learnt.

B. A NATURAL RESPONSE TO BLESSING IN MINISTRY

The prophet Elijah had no sooner experienced the power of God on Mount

Carmel than he takes off into the wilderness in a state of depression

[1 Kings 18,19]. This was not an isolated incident, but is the reality

of the strain of ministry. Worship leaders must expect these feeling

after a great time of ministry. The way to recovery includes a time

before the Lord where His affirmation is sought and His re-

commissioning heard.

C. AN INCORRECT RESPONSE DESIRED

If the worship leader desires to be patted on the back or verbally

praised for having skilfully led the people in worship he may be

disappointed when that response is missing. The desired response

should be the knowledge that people have been successfully moved from

where they were into the sensed presence of the Lord where they heard

God s word and went away changed. Even that change may not, at least ’initially, be visible to the eye, but take the form of inward change

which will affect the heart or an attitude.

8. SONGS AND WORSHIP

A. TEACHING NEW SONGS

Why learn new songs? Scripture calls us, time and time again, to sing “a new song to the Lord (Psalm 33:3; 40:3; 96:1; etc). This is not ”simply for the sake of novelty! New songs are beneficial because they

keep us out of a rut, bring us a new sense of freshness and

enthusiasm, force us to think about what we are singing, expand our

worship vocabulary and help us capture what God is saying to the body

at the time.

(1) The Way to Teach New SongsSome suggestions for teaching new songs are:

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* Explain the Song - Make sure that the message of the song is clearly

understood

* Use Visual Aids - an overhead, word in the bulletin, etc

* Teach the Band - It is essential that the band know the song

thoroughly

* Learn the Melody - When a song is taught incorrectly it is difficult

to re-teach

* Involve the Choir - Have the choir sing the song as an item, then

people join in

* Limit New Songs - Don t teach too many new songs in a service, 2 or 3 ’at the most

(2) The Place to Teach New SongsWhen new songs are first introduced, the people have to take their

eyes off the Lord and concentrate on the task of learning the new

tune. It is crucial to find the appropriate place to teach new songs:

* Avoid teaching a new song during an intimate time of worship

* Teach a song during the early stage of the service

* Teach a group of individuals in the congregation, choir, cell group,

youth, etc

* Follow a new song with a well known song to restore a sense of

familiarity

(3) The Follow up of New SongsDon t repeat a song too often at the first learning. Go over the song a ’few times and then move on. Come back to it the following week and

continue to reinforce it periodically until it is quite familiar. Do

not become discouraged if a song does not take the first time, some “ ”songs need to be repeated a few times before the people really take to

them. Keep a balance of repetition without singing new songs to death!

B. MEDLEY SELECTION

In selecting a medley of songs make sure that the songs flow according

to their:

(1) ThemeThe songs should centre around a similar subject, ie. exploring an

aspect of the character of God (the Fatherhood of God, Jesus our

Saviour, etc.)

(2) DirectionTry to ensure that the direction of the songs flow. The worshippers

need to sing to God throughout the medley and not switch between songs

that address God, speak about God and are addressed to each other.

(3) Rhythm

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It is extremely difficult to get songs that have a different rhythm to

flow together. A Latin feel song such as I am a new creation won t “ ” ’flow naturally into I will enter his gates , even though they are in “ ”the same key. The band will need to break the old and enter the new

rhythm to make the transition. Keep slow songs together and fast songs

together (To link a fast song to a slow song you can repeat the chorus

of the fast song at a slow pace and then enter the slower song).

(4) KeySelecting chords within the same key will make the task of the band

much easier as they move from song to song. An experienced musician

will be able to modulate between different keys with ease, but some

musicians cannot.

Musicians need to be informed in advance about medley choices or key

changes.

C. MASTER SONG LIST

One of the basic tools of the worship leader is the master song list.

Such a list is invaluable during preparation as well as during the

service. A glance at the master list of songs will enable the worship

leader to take a different direction, select an appropriate closing

song and generally have a greater freedom in leading.

(1) Designing a Master Song ListThere are a variety of ways to prepare a list of songs that the

congregation know. The list should broadly be divided into fast and

slow songs, ie Praise and Worship songs. Under this division the songs

can also be divided according to their keys, this will enable song

medleys to be selected. A further sub-division can be included where

songs are listed according to their topic.

(2) Updating the Master Song ListSong lists can be kept on computer so that they can be updated as new

songs are learnt. This should be the responsibility of an individual

who will periodically produce updated copies for the team to work

from.

9. MUSICAL EXCELLENCE IN WORSHIP

There is much talk these day about excellence in leadership and “ ”Church music. Many believe that we have a stewardship mandate to “ ”excel. But possibly it is more for human than divine reasons, that we

need to excel. Someone has likened our giving to God the most

excellent music we can produce to the little boy who brings home a

drawing from class two. His mother tells him how wonderful it is, and

after gazing proudly at the childish scribble, she places the work

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onto the fridge door to be frequently admired. Even the best we can

offer to God is no more than just a scribble to Him. So from God s “ ” ’perspective whether our music is at its best or worst is irrelevant.

But for us it makes a tremendous amount of difference. It is difficult

to worship when the music is shoddy or the leader is unprepared or

unable to lead effectively. We should aim to excel in leading worship

and music because of what it does for us, in helping us to worship

God. The more that the leader knows about music, the better able he

will be to lead others in worship. There are some definite things that

the leader can do to develop musically and practically in both ability

and quality.

A. DEVELOP SINGING SKILLS

Voice lessons will increase the leader s vocal projection and control. ’An attractive singing voice should be practised. The worship leader

who is able to sight read music will be able to lead the melody of

songs confidently and correctly. Because people follow what the leader

is singing, it is important for the melody line to be carried by the

worship leader and the harmonising left to the singers. When the

leader makes a habit of soloizing over the microphone the people find “ ”it difficult to know which notes they are supposed to be singing. By

singing the melody accurately and properly, the worship leader will

help newcomers to learn the songs quickly and correctly. When a song

gets started in a wrong key, and people are growling or straining, the

leader should feel free to stop the song and get the musicians to

select a better key.

B. DEVELOP COMMUNICATION SKILLS

The worship leader must be aware of the need to communicate clearly

with the people and with the musicians. Using hand movements will

guide the people s singing. Communication with the band must be ’maintained throughout the service. This is done with eye contact, a

nod or specifically decided upon hand signals. While the leader should

lead the band, he should also be sensitive to where the musicians are.

Expecting the band to start a song while they are about to enter into

the chorus of that song is foolish. The leader should rather end his

prayer or thoughts at a more appropriate time and flow into the song

in a much more natural fashion.

C. DEVELOP RHYTHMIC SKILLS

The wrong rhythm can destroy the effectiveness of a song. Where a song

has gaps between lines such as, I love you lord, and I lift my voice , “ ”it is very tempting to want to lead prematurely into the next line.

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This is called anticipating the next phrase. Some leaders have “ ”developed this as a style, as if they have to sing the next line

moments before the congregation does, just so that the people know who

the leader is. This style keeps the people watching the leader all the

time and therefore hinders them from worshipping the Lord. By

maintaining rhythmic stability, we show the people that we will hold

every line out to its full rhythmic value. It is crucial to learn how

to initiate a correct rhythm from the start of a song. With some

practise, together with the musicians, the correct rhythm will be

found and agreed upon by all. When a song is started in a wrong tempo,

there will be a heaviness to the singing. The leader can set the

correct rhythm by the following:

* Motion to the drummer to pound out the correct rhythm

* Make quicker hand movements

* Clap out the faster or slower rhythm

If none of these work there is nothing wrong with simply stopping the

song after the first time through or before the chorus and saying,

Let s sing that a bit slower. Do not try to place the blame on anyone, “ ’ ”simply ask for a change of tempo. Be careful of introducing a sudden

tempo change in worship. The transitions need to be made with extreme

care and forethought. Most worship services require only one major

tempo change - when moving from the praise songs to the worship songs.

D. DEVELOP RELATIONAL SKILLS

The worship leader must an encourager. People need encouragement to

worship and the musicians need to be encouraged and shown appreciation

for their regular and committed input. Rather than finding fault with

what the musicians do, the leader should take time to encourage them

for their availability and efforts. Musicians and people who are

affirmed will respond more readily to the leading of the worship

leader, but the critical leader will alienate the very people that he

desperately needs to have a close relationship with.

10. CONTROL IN WORSHIP

The task of the worship leader can be summarised with these words: get “control - then lose control .”A. GETTING CONTROL

The art of getting control speaks of direction and being in charge “ ” “ ” “ ”and not about manipulation. The leader takes control of the service in

order to relax the people with the knowledge that someone is in

charge. The leader who gets up and says, Please pray for me, this is “my first time at leading worship, and I m terrified, has lost it ’ ”

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before he has even begun. The people will not be worshipping, but

continually peeking to see how he is doing. The leader takes control

to get the service moving in a specific direction. The people may be

discouraged and need to be encouraged to praise God despite how they

are feeling. People are desperately needing to be led, we must lead

the worship!

B. LOSING CONTROL

Whereas praise can be stimulated by an enthusiastic leader, worship is

a response in the human spirit to God s Spirit. No amount of ’stimulation from the leader will cause the people to worship if their

hearts are not right before God. So the worship leader needs to learn

to lose control so that the Holy Spirit can bring the right response

from the hearts of the worshippers. There are ways that the worship

leader can let go of control over the service:

* Back away from the microphone and worship God

* Allow songs to flow in a medley without speaking

* Encourage people to respond as God leads them

* Refuse to sing another song of human choosing

* Go to your knees in prayer and worship

It is essential that we give to God the liberty He needs to be able to

work in the hearts and lives of people.

3. RELEASING PEOPLE TO ENCOUNTER GOD.

RELEASING PEOPLE TO AN ENCOUNTER

WITH GOD by Chuck Smith, Jr. "My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for

the living God" (Psalm 84:2 NIV; author's emphasis). "What do you

expect to happen tonight?" I asked this question at the beginning of

our midweek service. Then I carried a wireless microphone around the

auditorium and let people respond. What my staff and I learned that

night was remarkable and has enabled us to improve our effectiveness

in meeting the spiritual needs of our congregation. First, the variety

of responses was surprising. Almost every person expressed something

different. One person wanted relief from stress at work, another was

hoping to see God answer a prayer for a friend, and so on. In other

words, each person's expectation as to what would happen during the

service was born out of personal need and desire. They saw "going to

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church" that night as a resource to help them cope with their current

concerns. We learned that, in spite of our efforts to give worship a

particular meaning, people bring their own meanings to the service.

Now an expectation of this magnitude is terrifying for a worship

leader. We can provide social activities, music, and a message, but

how can we guarantee that people will encounter God? God's presence is

not something we control, and though we hope people can find Him in

our services--well, sometimes our best efforts "flop," and the meeting

bombs rather than blesses. But what about those people whose "heart(s)

and flesh cry out for the living God"? Doesn't Psalm 84 indicate--if

not promise--that they will encounter God if they continue on their

worship pilgrimage? In fact, "They go from strength to strength, till

each appears before God in Zion" (Psalm 84:7, NIV). They cry out for

God, they make their way to His temple, and they appear before Him.

Worship gave the psalmists the God-encounter they craved (see also

Psalm 63: 1, 2). A friend in my church wrote me recently about people

who say they "got blessed" or "didn't get blessed" in church. She said

what they really mean is they did or didn't have an encounter with

God. Her letter goes on to say: "I think that people hunger for this,

the encounter. They really want it. But just singing a song and saying

the right words is not an encounter with God. An encounter with God

cannot be provided, or 'served-up' by a person, or the church. Because

it is supernatural. An encounter with God comes when part of me, or

you, opens itself up to God." If this is so, it should give worship

leaders both relief and a challenge. We are relieved to know God-

encounters cannot be manufactured. The challenge for worship leaders

is this: Can we help to "open up" that part of a person's heart or

mind or longing so God can "come in"? In other words, what can worship

leaders do to promote a God-encounter? I offer the following

suggestions based on biblical studies, theological research, and

interviews among the people of our church. If God is present in our

worship--and certainly that is our hope and assumption--these steps

will help people to open up to Him, or become more conscious of His

presence.

GIVE WORSHIP LOTS OF PRAYER Shouldn't worship leaders try to spend at

least as much time preparing the worship as ministers spend preparing

the sermon? Worship is too important to attempt without prayer and

planning. And if we're going to pray, then we're also going to have to

trust God to answer our prayers and work within people as we attempt

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to lead them. We can't conjure up God, but we can take Him at His

word. If He promised to be with those who come together in His name,

then we can begin our work knowing God's Spirit is already at work in

the hearts of worshipers. Worship leaders of biblical times had to

properly prepare themselves for worship, which included purification

(Nehemiah 12:30) and consecration (2 Chronicles 29:34; 30:15).

CREATE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT People need to be at ease to truly worship.

Tension, anxiety, or nervousness inhibit personal involvement and

distract us from God. People need to know they are accepted and will

not be embarrassed or put on the spot. They also need to know their

freedom of choice will not be violated. In Philippians 4:6 (NIV), Paul

says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer

and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

Through prayer, we can help people overcome their anxieties and

prepare themselves for worship.

CREATE A SPIRITUAL ENVIRONMENT Worship should help us deal with our

sins and feelings of inadequacy. As one theologian put it, "Worship

sanctifies."[1] In our services, we need to balance the joy of

celebration with the fear (mysterium tremendum) of God. The

environment of worship should promote a sense of wonder and help us to

concentrate on God.

STRIVE FOR SIMPLICITY Speaking as a worshiper who loves to worship but

lacks musical talent, keep your worship fairly simple--with the

exception of special performances. When worship music is too complex--

or too professional--you take it away from the "people." Sometimes a

single instrument, like piano or guitar, is more effective in creating

a refreshing moment of praise for the worshipers than an orchestra in

full force. David could worship on a hillside with only his harp as

well as before the ark with all kinds of instruments.

WORSHIP SHOULD FLOW SMOOTHLY A.W. Tozer mourned the "little sense of

divine presence" in evangelical meetings: "But so often there is a

dull or a breezy song leader (sic) full of awkward jokes, as well as a

chairman announcing each "number" with the old radio continuity patter

in an effort to make everything hang together."[2] My teen-age

children use the phrase "get in their face" to describe people who are

pushy. There are some worship leaders who "get in our face" all

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through the service. Instead of helping us encounter God, they

interrupt the flow of worship by coaxing the worshipers too much. Just

as worshipers are beginning to experience God, the song ends--with a

flair--or the worship leader is intruding into that quiet space with

irrelevant talk. Once worship begins, allow it to move forward

purposely and evenly.

DEFINE THE WORSHIP EVENT Worshipers need to be reminded of why they

have come to church. Our job is to help them remember, and to build a

sense of community through establishing a collective understanding and

a collective goal. If your morning's worship has a theme, take 60

seconds to explain it to everyone.

PERSUADE PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE Physical involvement is sometimes lost

in non-liturgical churches, which tend to stress the inwardness of

worship. But there is something useful in outward expressions, too.

Lifting our hands, kneeling, and even standing at times can increase

personal involvement. In Worship: Its Theology and Practice, J.-J. von

Allmen said physical gestures are "not merely a form, but a very

personal action which reacts upon the one who performs it. It does not

merely express an encounter, but brings it about."[3] In The Integrity

of Worship, Paul Waitman Hoon claims that "it is easier to act one's

way into a new way of feeling than to feel one's way into a new way of

acting....[4] It is interesting how this principle was anticipated

many years ago in the oft-quoted words of Friedrich von Hugel in

illustrating the action with which man liturgically offers his love to

God: 'I kiss my child not only because I love it; I kiss it also in

order to love it.' "Actions such as kneeling, bowing of the head,

repeating words or songs familiar from the past, can induct attitudes

not initially present. Feelings are seldom under the control of the

will, but actions are." The more people participate, the more likely

a part of them will open up to God.

FOCUS ATTENTION ON GOD Though this is obvious, it is not easy. It

seems to me that even worship leaders who know they should be

concentrating on God, are instead preoccupied with chord charts, key

changes, and what the other musicians are doing. Therefore, it's easy

to forget our real ministry, which should be Godward, and become,

instead, enslaved to the mechanical part of our work. Still, it's only

when people focus their concentration on God that part of their lives

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open up to Him. As much as possible, worship God with abandon, and

turn your thoughts toward Him alone. In our church, we like to say

that the whole congregation is the choir, and God is the audience.

YOU MUST TRULY WORSHIP One of the important words for the '90s is

"authentic." Your worship-leading can't be authentic unless you are

engaged in worship. Don't expect to stand at the door and usher us

in--we want you to enter first and then invite us to join you.

GIVE PEOPLE PERMISSION TO WORSHIP Oddly enough, worshipers need to be

reassured that it's all right for them to sing, pray, read, and

respond to God throughout the service. When people have permission to

participate, then they're more likely to sing out as if they were the

choir. To meet the need and expectation of every worshiper, a lot of

business must be going on between people and God that we don't produce

or control. We are responsible to create the worship environment, and

beyond that to give people permission to interact with God according

to His work in their own hearts. In this context, all kinds of

exchanges can be going on between God and His people. In Doxology,

Geoffrey Wainwright says: "The character of Christian worship is that

of an encounter in which God speaks to us and gives us the tokens of

his love, and in which we offer him our praise and thanks, seek his

forgiveness and renew our commitment, ask his help and entrust our

future to him. Our knowledge of God is therefore 'personal

knowledge.'"[5] No doubt you could add other words of advice to this

list, but my main concern here has been to remind you of the real

purpose of your work and to give you enough ideas to get excited about

the next opportunity you have to lead God's people in worship.

Remember, your congregation is sitting there sending you non-verbal

messages, telling you what they hope will happen during worship. You

can't fulfill their expectations, but you can lead them to a God who

will meet their needs and satisfy their longings. You can help them

open up a part of their lives and let Him in.

Footnotes: 1. Rudolf Otto, "The Idea of the Holy" (New York: Oxford

University Press, 1982). 2. A.W. Tozer, "God Tells the Man Who Cares"

(Harrisburg: Christian Publications, 1970), p. 12. 3. J.J. von Allmen,

"Worship: Its Theology and Practice" (New York: Oxford University

Press, 1965), p. 95. 4. Paul Waitman Hoon, "The Integrity of Worship"

(Nashville: Abingdon, 1978), pp. 318-19. 5. Geoffrey Wainwright,

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"Doxology: The Praise of God in Worship, Doctrine, and Life" (New

York: Oxford University Press, 1980), p. 443. Chuck Smith, Jr., is

senior pastor of Calvary Chapel-Capo Beach in Capistrano Beach, Calif.

This article was originally published in Worship Leader magazine.

Copyright 1992 by CCM Communications, Nashville, Tenn., U.S.A. All

4. BUILDING AND LEADING A WORSHIP TEAM.

Building and Leading an Effective Worship Team by Monty Kelso One of the

distinctive features of the contemporary worship movement around the world is

worship teams. The trend toward teams is found in small and large churches, in both

traditional and contemporary settings. Ken Blanchard defines a team this way:

"A team is a group of interdependent people committed to a common purpose who

chose to cooperate to achieve exceptional results." Why teams? Teams are a

biblical model. In Exodus 18:13-24 we read the advice that Jethro gave to Moses

about finding others who could help him fulfill his mission. We cannot do it alone

either. Jesus and the 12 disciples gives us another example. Even though he had all

strength and power at his command, he still needed the 12 to be a part of His

ministry. Unless we can begin to build teams around us, we will burn ourselves out

and fall into temptations out of weariness. Too many worship leaders sabotage their

own ministries because they hold things too closely to themselves and are not

willing to release responsibility into a team environment.

In the early years of my ministry, when we started Coast Hills Community Church

from the ground floor, I didn't understand the value of teams. I thought that being a

leader meant working hard and being responsible for everything. I didn't understand

then that my ultimate goal as a leader is to equip others for ministry, not to be a

doer of ministry. But as I studied the scriptures and watched effective leaders, I

learned that my role is not at the forefront of ministry, but to identify those who

can minister and equip them to be effective leaders. Hebrews 10:24-25 is a favorite

passage of mine: "Let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love

and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of

doing, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the day

drawing near."

Characteristics of Healthy Teams

What do effective teams look like and how do they function? Let's consider some

traits of healthy teams.

A healthy team is looking for mutual results. There are no prima donnas.

Everyone is critical to the team's effectiveness. Each team member is a

contributor to the end result, and that is to bring honor and glory to God. In

doing so,a team experiences synergy, a situation in which the output is

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greater than the sum of the individual parts. A formation of geese is a good

example of synergy. Did you know that geese flying in formation adds 71

percent more flying range than when they fly individually? Geese understand

the value of teamwork!

Healthy teams are committed to a common purpose. They have common views,

values and goals. These are the things that hold a team together. A shared focus on

a common goal keeps a team in sync and on track. Because it is easy to forget

these things in the trenches, leaders must keep the common purpose out in front of

the people and help them understand their mission. A vision is what we have eyes

to see ourselves becoming.

Healthy teams feature mutual accountability in which all team members share the

responsibility for the end result. That's called interdependency; we all depend on

one another and we're all responsible for accomplishing our collective goals.

Cooperation is critical; a lack of cooperation will hold a team back. Accountability

gets personal and makes us responsible to each other for our lifestyles and spiritual

discipline.

Love and grace prevail in healthy teams. We must remember that we are people in

process and far from perfect. The Bible teaches us to prefer one another in love,

looking out for the best interests of the other person. It means that we forgive one

another when we fail, make mistakes and let each other down. Love and grace

prevail in an environment in which we pray for one another.

Getting Started

As we started our worship ministry at Coast Hills Church, we learned there are

several important steps in developing healthy teams.

Communicate a clear picture. "We had to ask ourselves, "What do we want to

accomplish?" Many times achieving that vision meant breaking the mold long

enough so that people begin to see our worship team is a new thing, rather

than an adaptation of an existing group or just another program. Defining a

team in this way helped other people see it as something special. In those

early days at Coast Hills, it was about spurring one another toward

authenticity, purpose and excellence resulting in music that moved the

hearts and minds of people.

Orient new members to the mission and values of the team. We've found that when

newcomers came to us they needed help to work through their preconceived ideas.

Our biggest challenge was singers and players with previous experience in other

churches. We found many lacked dynamic range, stylistic originality and an ability to

conform to the team. So our reorientation included helping them develop a more

"pop" approach to making music. Our foundation was laid with singers and players

who owned the vision and could demonstrate the approach we were looking for.

They also had to be willing to coach others and eventually step aside as they

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developed their capacity.

Start with interviews before auditions. I give prospective team members a

leadership questionnaire that helps me get to know them. In the interview I explain

who we are as a worship team, and what requirements they will need to meet to be

contributors, such as faith commitment, lifestyle issues and family situation.

Prospective team members can then decide for themselves if serving on the team is

right for them.

Hold auditions. In an audition we want to find out if the prospective team member

has the capacity to contribute to the team. I want to create the right environment

for the audition. Set the person up to succeed, and give them whatever they need

to do their best. I plan to include others into the audition for the benefit of their

perspective. We start easy and help them feel comfortable, then move toward a

more maximized situation. Finally, I make sure I know the person's strengths and

limitations. I want to be both encouraging and truthful during the process, so I do

not build up false hopes.

Make decisions without compromise. We try not to lower our standards, particularly

in regard to personal issues and lifestyle, but also in regard to musical capacity. But

I do try to be affirming in the way I communicate our standards. It is more important

to be specific about why someone isn't qualified and what if anything they can do to

work on their craft. So whenever we can, we offer suggestions about other areas in

the church where they can serve using their gifts.

Leading a Team in Ministry

Once you find a capable team who shares the vision and commitment of leadership,

everyone should understand the team's function, the leadership of your church and

those on the team. As the team leader, my responsibility is to protect our team

members' time and to identify who best serves where. Our team's primary purpose

is to provide music for weekend services. Other opportunities may arise for the

team to minister, but not all fulfill the team's purpose. Five other essentials to

leading and maintaining a strong team are:

Establish the form that best fulfills the function of your team. When establishing

time commitments, this is especially important. Early in my ministry at Coast

Hills, we were all young marrieds and singles. We looked forward to hanging

out together at rehearsals. Time wasn't an issue. But we're in a different

season of life now, and we've made adjustments. So for example, there was

once a season when we had three separate vocal teams. Now, with so much

time pressure on all of us, we find it better to have a vocal pool and put

singers on a rotating schedule in which they rehearse on the weeks they

sing. To build community, I schedule events once a month or so to go over

new music, discuss major events coming up or just have fun.

Identify leaders. Part of my responsibility in leading a team is continually developing

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other leaders who will step up and share the responsibility of leadership. So I need

to get to know people well, to understand their character, their spiritual

development, their passion, and their talent by spending time with them in small

groups. I then begin to groom them and invest in them as leaders. In our ministry I

work through "point people" who lead groups like vocalists, instrumentalists, drama

teams, and visual arts.

Keep the big picture clear. To keep our team moving forward, I need to get up in the

helicopter and tell the troops on the ground what's ahead. I have to constantly

reinforce why our team does what it does and how it serves the church at large.

One way I do this is to make sure they see the fruit of their ministry. We share

letters and comments we get from people. We also keep them posted on future

opportunities and challenges so they begin to see beyond the week-to-week.

Create venues for community building. Use monthly or bi-monthly gatherings where

people can come together, put the task aside and see that they are indeed a team.

Our annual weekend retreat is one of the highlights of the year. We also visit other

churches and attend training events as a team to collect new ideas and see other

teams in action.

Care for your team. An effective leader focuses on people as well as tasks. I make

sure I have time with each team member one-on-one. I want to get to know them

beyond what they do, to know who they are as individuals. I send a lot of thank you

notes to my team members to let them know I recognize their contributions, and

often take them to lunch to get to know them better.

In The End

As time went by in my ministry, I discovered I had to go outside of my comfort zone

and begin to take on the role of a team leader. It didn't come naturally to me, but

the rewards have been significant. I have had more time to develop my own gifts of

producing and teaching, as well as focusing on other important things like spending

time with my family. It's still a struggle sometimes, but for the most part I have

avoided being trapped by busyness and urgency, and I'm able to stay focused on the

vision and mission of our various worship ministry teams. By equipping others to

lead, I can accomplish more with less energy and enjoy my work time.

Monty Kelso is Director of Creative Communications at Coast Hills Community

Church in Aliso Viejo, California, and has appeared with the Maranatha! Singers and

the Maranatha! Praise Band. This article is adapted from a Worship Leaders

Workshop presentation.

Developing a Worship Team

(excerpted from Worship Update, 1st Quarter 1997)

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Andy Park

The following excerpt, from a longer article written by Andy Park entitled "The Worship Team: Three Paradigm," focuses on how to develop a worship team.The Importance and Power of Music

Before I launch into a brief discussion of the different elements of a

worship group and how to assemble a quality band together, I think it

is important that we remind ourselves of the importance and power of

music.

One reason we need to take our music seriously is because the world

takes their music seriously. We are surrounded by high quality music.

Everywhere we go, we hear professional music, whether it s in a ’restaurant, an elevator, or our own car or living room. We grow up

with an appreciation for well-performed music and we play for people

who know good music when they hear it.

Music is powerful. Hearing a certain song can almost transport us into

a different reality even though it s not a Christian song. Why is it ’that most of us can remember word for word the lyrics of songs we

heard years ago? When you add Christian lyrics and the Holy Spirit to

the medium of music, you have a powerful package.

Music powerfully impacts people, so we make the most of it. Maybe this

is why the psalmist writes "Sing to him a new song; play skillfully,

and shout for joy" (Ps. 33:3), and why David recruited three leaders

and a worship team of 288 people, all of whom were "trained and

skilled in music for the Lord" (I Chron. 25:1-7). David understood the

power of worship music skillfully played.

Think about this next time you are rehearsing a worship set. How would

you prepare if you were asked to play for a president, prime minister

or king of a nation? No doubt you would practice hard because you

would want to get it right.

Well, hold a reception for the King of kings once a week. We hold

meetings to honor him and to further his kingdom in our lives and

communities. We offer him the best of everything we have, including

our music. The quality of our music makes a statement which says

"Worshipping God is important to us and we re going to work hard at ’sounding the best we can." Now, back to the topic at hand, assembling

a quality worship team.

Starting from Scratch

No one ever taught me how to lead a worship band. Basically I had no

idea what I was doing. I leaned on my intuition and on the skill of

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the musicians working with me to help me progress in my understanding

of arranging. The need for constant trial and error made a slow road

even slower. Gradually I learned the basics of what each instrument

should do, and a language to go with it. Over the years, my

arrangements have become a little more intricate and polished.

In hindsight, it would ve been nice to have some of the training that ’is available nowadays. But I also acknowledge that I learned by doing.

Sometimes being thrown in the deep end of the pool and told to swim

produces great swimmers; it certainly provides the necessary

motivation!

So don t be afraid to learn by doing, even though the earliest steps ’are sometimes slow and awkward. But you ll never get anywhere unless ’you start at square one.

Don't Be Intimidated

Very few of us will ever be professional-caliber musicians. We get

into trouble when we compare ourselves with those who have more skill

and training. Resist the temptation to be discouraged because there s a ’church down the street that has a great band, and you don t have the ’players to match their abilities. Be content with what God has given

you and with the people he has put around you in music ministry. God

grants differing amounts of gifts and talents; he distributes gifts as

he chooses (1 Cor. 12:7ff).

We can t change our background and level of gifting, but if we invest ’every talent we have, God will be pleased and we ll earn a great reward ’in heaven. So make your rehearsals count and use all the resources

available to you.

Be courageous! Step out and take some risks, and don t be ruled by the ’fear of failure. I could fill books with accounts of all the mistakes

I ve made. But one thing I ve learned is that if I never venture out ’ ’into uncharted wares, I m not really trusting God. Play with all your ’heart and stay in it for the long haul. Then you ll see fruit.’Don't Use Spiritual Excuses

Years ago there used to be a slogan for the Macintosh computer: Easy is Hard. What the ad was trying to communicate is that it is hard to make something complicated look easy. It is the same with leading

worship. People watch an Eddie Espinosa or a Randy Butler and think,

"I can do that. It doesn t look so hard." They have no idea.’Others think that good worship leaders never practice but simply "flow

with the Spirit." The truth is, it s easier to respond to the Spirit s ’ ’direction if you are prepared musically. It s pretty discouraging when ’

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the band doesn t know the right chords or words to a song. If all I ’ever did was "flow" in worship, there would be a lot of mistakes that

would detract from the band s ability to worship from the heart.’Take Small Steps

For some of us, raising the quality of our performance may mean simply

providing lead sheets for the musicians so everyone has a road map.

For others, it may mean analyzing the parts of each instrument on a

worship tape and taking time to emulate the basic sounds and rhythm

patterns. And for some, it may mean taking vocal lessons or having

separate rehearsals for the vocalists.

A helpful resource to give you some of the basics of arranging for a

worship team is the videotape "Worship Team Dynamics" by Randy and

Terry Butler, which is available from Vineyard Music Group.

The Nuts and Bolts of Rehearsal

For a rehearsal to be productive, the band members have to show up on

time and be ready to work. They should be quick to take instructions

from the leader, experiment with new ideas, and then rework the

arrangements until they re ready. This involves multiple repetition of ’small sections of each song until everyone is together.

Make no mistake about it, good rehearsals are hard work. It requires

intense focus and a spirit of cooperation. Everyone has to push

through when things aren t coming together. Then there s the need for ’ ’required patience when a band member can t get his part and everyone ’else has to review the section several times for his sake. This is all

part of being a team.

The Audition Process

Before I came to the Anaheim Vineyard, I never needed to hold a formal

audition. The churches I had been in were always small enough to

evaluate the ability of musicians in informal tryouts. But the Anaheim

Vineyard is so big that I knew there had to be a lot of musicians

hiding in the woodwork. Thus I started auditions so that musicians

must compete for available openings.

At first, I dreaded holding auditions because I knew I would have to

tell some people "no." But unless I held the audition, I would never

have known who the musicians were and what their skill level was.

This can be a tough issue in church life because one of our values is

to include everyone. But if we are going to put our best foot forward

in facilitating congregational worship, it follows that we should use

our best musicians (musical skill isn t the only criteria in choosing ’musicians; godly character and commitment to the overall vision of the

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church are also big factors).

A worship band is different from a church choir in this respect: in a

choir, there is room for as many people as can sing reasonably well.

In a band, there are only a handful of positions available. Raising up

multiple bands includes more people, but a basic skill requirement

must be met. This standard is different depending on the size of the

church and the caliber of the available musicians.

When adding new members to my teams, I always have a trial period. My

first step may be to invite them to fill in for someone who s on ’vacation (this can take the place of an audition). If I am pretty sure

that someone is right for my team, I won t give them a permanent ’appointment; instead, I ll invite them to join for a period of three ’months. I explain that either of us can opt out at the end of that

three months. The reasons for discontinuing involvement would be

musical or personality incompatibility, or an inability to fulfill

one s commitment to the team (showing up for rehearsals, etc.) .’The Problem with

Over-emphasizing Musical Skill

The purpose of playing skillfully is to lift the level of worship for

the whole church. And yet for some, developing further in their

musical skill becomes the goal itself rather than a means to an end.

I ve made the mistake of pouring so much energy into rehearsal that I m ’ ’too anxious and tired to be sensitive to the Spirit s leading. On one ’occasion, I was leading worship at a pastor s conference. I rehearsed ’the band on my prepared set of songs and felt we were ready to make a

good presentation. After the first song, the thought went through my

mind, "Maybe you should do something different than what you had

planned."

I didn t stop long enough to figure out if that was God talking to me ’because I was determined to perform the songs I had rehearsed! In that

fleeting moment I couldn t imagine that God would want me to abandon my ’plans, but I didn t take time to let him confirm that.’In hindsight, I think it was God talking to me, because the pastors

weren t deeply engaged in worship. I think if I had changed the course ’to include more "oldies" they would have entered into worship more

easily.

Conclusion

First and foremost we are worship leaders, not performers. If God is

leading us to turn left where we had planned to turn right, we should

be quick to respond to his urgings. He knows much better than we do

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what the best song choices are for any given moment in a worship

service.

Encouraging the TeamRick Kamrath

From Worship Update 4th Quarter 1996

No matter what kind of team, and for whatever purposes the team

exists, (ministry, sports, business, etc.), individual players are

likely to perform better if they receive encouragement from their

leadership. In a worship band, this is often vital to success.

Ideally, a worship band functions creatively as a close-knit group

with a respected leader. But, some of the elements which comprise a

functional band can contribute to a discouraged team member becoming

even more devastated.

Since creativity most often involves the expression of the heart,

rejection or even ambivalence toward a band member' contribution can ’lead to discouragement, especially if it comes from a leader who the

band member respects. Also, if rejection comes from a close-knit

group, the member not only risks feeling alienated from her ministry,

but from her group as well.

Many times temporary worship bands are pulled together to minister at

specific events, and the opportunity for personal interaction between

players I minimal. But most praise and worship bands are comprised of

regular team members, ministering at a home church. Members need to

know their function, reciprocal commitment, and value. After all,

while their primary motivation may be to serve the Lord first, and the

congregation second, they are also serving the worship leader to help

implement how the leader sense worship ought to be performed and led.

By their very function, members exist to help the worship leader.

Worship pastors sometimes receive a paycheck. Worship team members

rarely get a paycheck. They definitely deserve appreciation.

The apostle Paul exhorted Timothy to correct, rebuke and encourage

with patience and careful instruction (2 Timothy. 4:2). When

attempting to build someone up, remember: Encouragement should be

honest.

Worship pastors and leaders have found themselves in trouble

integrating a much-needed but temporary player into the team only

until someone comes along who is better. If the person s talents aren t ’ ’particularly strong, he shouldn t be "setup" for later disappointment. ’

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Be up front about that person place on the team, so you don t have to ’ ’use the Lord as a scapegoat later. Some people shouldn t be encouraged ’to continue in certain functions of a ministry for the long run, but

can be an incredible lifesaver until someone else takes the position.

If team members have been properly built up and encouraged so that

they are secure in what they can do, they will be much more able to

accept what they cannot do.

Don t miss the right opportunities. The time to recognize a team ’member s contribution should not only proceed a criticism. Show a ’valued band member appreciation when they see other more talented

musicians around whom could "threaten their job." Don t wait until the ’ ’"goodbye party" for a person who feels led to resign from the bad,

even if it s much easier to express appreciation to them. One vineyard ’worship leader/songwriter created a "7 to 1" ratio: give at least

seven encouragement s for every one (loving) criticism.’If a leader routinely says "thanks for playing gin the band" the same

way each week, it won t mean much after a while. But, if the leader ’gives the piano player a subscription to "keyboard" magazine, of the

church sponsors a worship tem dinner occasionally, the team knows that

the leadership took the time to think about how to express their

appreciation.

Is the worship leader given words of encouragement from the

congregation, the pastor, or from the Lord? The team needs to share n

that encouragement.

Some people can never get enough appreciation and encouragement, and

they will still be discouraged. Others can get along quite well need

hearing a reaction from anyone, either positive or negative. Yet, we

must be sensitive to hearing the Lord s heart.’Copyright ©1996 Vineyard Music Group All Rights Reserved. No re-publication is permitted in any media or format without written permision from Vineyard Music Group USA.

HOW TO LEAD A WORSHIP TEAM. Are you leading a music team in your local church? Or are you thinking about

setting one up, and don’t know where to begin? In the first of this important new

series, STUART TOWNEND lays the foundations for establishing an effective

worship team, and tackles some of the thorny issues that regularly confront team

leaders. Worship teams and music groups play a pretty important part in our

churches these days. They lead us in the kind of dynamic, expressive worship has

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been a major feature of God’s work of renewal in western churches over the last

twenty-five years. For these groups to function effectively, they require gifted

leadership. But consider this as a list of requirements for the job: musical ability,

with the breadth to bring together classically-trained and pop/rock-inclined

musicians; a pastor’s heart, to encourage and care for insecure artists; leadership

skills to envision, instruct and lead your group; the insight of a counsellor;

organisational skills, to prepare music and run rehearsals... the list is endless! It

sounds like a pretty tall order. It’s quite surprising, therefore, that there is such a

serious lack of training available to those who lead such groups. Pastors may still go

off to college to learn how to preach, teach and lead (if not necessarily to pastor);

yet worship leaders and team leaders are usually expected either to possess all

they need naturally, or at least to be able to pick up what they need to know on the

job. Admittedly, in recent years worship seminars and conferences have provided a

measure of information and training on the subject. But there’s very little to help

you ‘on the job’, so to speak; and to be honest, in some church situations there is

precious little support and encouragement from church leadership, who are either

too busy with their own responsibilities, or keep a safe distance through ignorance

or suspicion. This series of articles will not solve your problems! However, my

initial aim is to lay out some foundations and principles for an effective worship

team, which may also protect leaders from the kind of burn-out which results from

a lack of support and training, and which is all too common in churches today.

Foundations for an effective team The following points may seem obvious to us on

the theoretical level. And yet many of the problems we face spring from failing to

establish one or more of these principles in our teams. That’s not to say, of course,

that once the principle has been established, it won’t be flouted by team members!

But if the rules of the team are clear, by implication it gives the leader authority to

correct people who break them. 1. Respect for authority, and submission to the

leader Authority and submission are dirty words in some quarters! Of course,

nobody likes a dictator; but you don’t have to be heavy-handed to be a good

leader, and it’s important that all members of the team show respect for the

leader’s position. Essentially, this means that what you say, goes. Debates and

disputes can arise on any number of levels, from what style a particular song should

be played in, to who should play in the all-important Easter service. As leader, allow

people to air their views where you think it is helpful and appropriate. But the team

must realise that the final responsibility and decision is the leader’s, and they

should accept your decision without dissent. That doesn’t mean, of course, that

you’re necessarily right! Subsequent events may in fact show this up. But that

doesn’t change the fact that you acted correctly according to what you felt was

right at the time. Clearly, it’s important for you to listen to others’ opinions, and

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not to act out of selfishness or pride. But you carry the responsibility, and you are

accountable both to God and to your church leaders for the decisions that are

made. Appointed and accountable Sometimes we may wonder whether a team

that is reasonably like-minded and mature needs a leader at all. Surely we can move

ahead by consensus and, if necessary, by democratic voting. Although this may

sound fine in theory, the practice is often very different. Firstly, it can bring a group

to a standstill. I once led a worship seminar where the delegates divided into their

church groups to perform a task. As I went round the different teams, I asked one

group who their leader was. They proudly told me they didn’t have a leader, as they

were ‘democratic’. Needless to say, after 30 minutes the only group who failed to

finish the task was that one! The fact is, most activity-oriented group situations

do throw up a leader of sorts - a dominant personality, a confident speaker, a loud

voice, an ‘expert’, someone who seeks to divert the group’s focus to their own

agenda, and so on. These self-appointed leaders may or may not help to move the

group on, but the team is dangerously exposed to manipulation and division. This

kind of ‘natural’ leadership is not only unhealthy; it’s unbiblical. Even a cursory

glance at the Scriptures reveals that an effective leader is one who is appointed.

The church’s leadership should choose and then publicly give its blessing to a

leader (or leadership team), so that you are clearly given the authority to lead.

Rather than being a heavy thing, you will probably find it gives you the security to

deal more sensitively with other people in the group, as you are not constantly

having to assert your position through your actions. Major challenges to your

authority can also if necessary be referred ‘up the line’, so to speak, giving the you

a sense of covering in your position. It also means that the team as a whole will

feel more secure, because you are in turn accountable to the church leader. If you

abuse your position, or if the Sunday worship starts falling apart, the pastor is going

to come to you first! And that’s the way it should be. As leader, it’s also

important to bear this principle in mind when you delegate responsibility to others

(which all leaders must learn to do). In giving someone a task or an aspect of the

group’s function to work with, ensure that the role is clearly defined and appointed

before the whole group, or it could all end in tears. (In spite of all this, some people

will continue to undermine authority; we’ll deal with this kind of problem in more

detail in a future issue.)

Pastorally responsible? One important issue to clear up in this context is that of

pastoral responsibility. In a healthy church, every member should be pastorally

accountable to someone in this way, including the musicians (some would say

especially the musicians!). Now whether your worship team should be regarded as a

pastoral group is a matter for your church leaders. But it’s important that the issue

is clear, so that you know where your responsibility begins and ends. If, for

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example, you are not responsible for pastoring the team, and a serious pastoral

crisis emerges with one of your team, you should then not get involved, but refer

the situation to whoever is responsible. You can still offer friendship and support to

the individual, of course. But don’t get sucked into a situation that you are not

supposed to be handling, as it can complicate the situation, and sometimes lead to

serious damage.

2. Willingness to learn. It’s important that your team is teachable. Just because

someone has a music degree doesn’t mean they understand how music works in

worship. Although it’s important that the music is of a sufficient standard to work,

among the musicians humility must be a higher priority than musical excellence. So,

if you’re starting out, choose your musicians accordingly. And if you’re already

working in a team, keep bringing people back to this vital cornerstone of public

ministry.

3. Mutual respect. Just as people have to respect you as leader, they need to

respect one another. It’s so easy for worship teams to become a bed of jealousy,

competitiveness, superior attitudes, and factions. It’s important to emphasise that

although people will all have different musical tastes, there is no one musical style

that has a monopoly on worship. In the same way, people have different measures

of gifting, and yet God loves us all equally, and expects us to develop the gifts He

has given us, while preferring one another in love. Seek to develop a good rapport

between people, perhaps through creating contexts where they have fun or socialise

together. In this way, one person may not get to like another’s taste in music, but

at least there’s a measure of respect that comes through relationship!

4. Attitude of service. In the heat of the debate about musical styles and

preferences, it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that playing in worship is about

serving. We can get carried away with ‘the new thing’, whether it’s ethnic

instruments or symphonic arrangements; but if in the final analysis it doesn’t help

the congregation to worship, then it’s useless. Now I do believe we must move on

in our congregational worship, and that may involve introducing things which, initially

anyway, may make our congregation feel insecure or uncomfortable. We’re not

there as entertainers, to play everyone’s favourite songs. But equally we’re not

there to impose our favourite songs and/or musical styles on a congregation who

can’t relate to them. Our attitude in preparing to lead in worship should be to

please God and serve the people. For us as leaders, our attitude of servanthood

should extend to the group we’re leading. We are to treat them with love and

respect as we lead them, look for ways to develop their gifts, and seek to impart

something of our own gifting and anointing to them. A classic example of this kind

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of attitude is in timekeeping. Naturally, if you set a time to begin a rehearsal, people

should honour it, and ensure they arrive in time to set up so they are ready to start

on time. But equally, you should set a time to finish and stick to it. Constantly

allowing rehearsals to overrun shows a lack of respect for people’s time and home

commitments.

Obstacles to effective leadership The points laid out here may throw up issues

are not easily resolved. Some we will look at more closely in future issues, but here

are a few that immediately spring to mind: 1. Inherited problems. Although a few of

us may be starting a team from scratch, most will have assumed leadership of a

team that was already in existence, where unhealthy patterns of behaviour and

roles are already established. More difficult still, many of us will have come up

through ‘the ranks’ of that group before taking on the leadership. If the latter is

true for you, be warned: people will relate to you differently now you’re the boss!

Even though you may feel isolated and a little hurt, don’t take it personally. Their

apparent indifference and aloofness is not a reflection of your leadership; you

probably came over that way to your previous leader! Even if the group has been

together for a long time, it’s good to give the feeling that this is a new phase.

Inevitably you are going to do things a little differently, so prepare people for that.

After all, it’s an opportunity to hone and reshape things, so that the team is even

more effective. 2. Dominant personalities. There are various ways of dealing with

this. For example, if a person talks too much in discussions, rather than confronting

them, create space for quieter ones to contribute. If the problem needs tackling,

obviously it is better to do it privately than in front of the group. But also remember

that often a person’s desire to dominate springs from a very different need in them;

a need, for example, to be valued by others. Instead of ignoring them, try positively

affirming them. You may find this approach makes them contribute less, not more.

3. Lack of backing from church leadership. This is a common problem for many, for

the sort of reasons mentioned earlier. Nevertheless, you may need to take the

initiative and tackle the issue with him, uncomfortable though that might be, if you

are to have the necessary authoritative backing to do your job. One root of fear

and suspicion in the church is a lack of communication. If you can establish a good

rapport, he may discover that many of his assumptions about your plan to wreck his

church are unfounded; equally, you might find his ‘anti-everything’ stance is a little

more open than you thought!

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5. HOW TO BUILD AND MOTIVATE YOUR CHOIR.

By Joy Becker

Spring has finally arrived! Winter is over and everyone seems to have a new outlook

on life. But what about your choir? Do they need a new burst of energy and vitality?

Tim and Sally Ayers are as qualified as any I know to help you jump-start the new

season and pour new life into your choir. The Ayers continually travel the globe

creating, building and motivating choirs of all sizes. They have worked with groups

as small as 8 to 10 to mass crusade choirs of 450. This is their ministry; this is their

anointing.

Interestingly, the Ayers see the choir as one big praise team. Wouldn't any worship

leader be thrilled to have 10, 20, 50 or more on the platform with them helping lead

the congregation into the presence of the Lord? The reason the choir plays such a

major role in the overall worship experience is that each person in the choir is a

point of contact for one or many in the congregation - from relatives to friends.

When the individual in the congregation connects with that choir member, they are

drawn also to participate. The result is one mass choir - not just on the platform -

but throughout the entire congregation. This in turn strengthens the choir and their

response becomes greater. It seems there is a snowball effect when the choir is

encouraged to see themselves as worship leaders.

The Ayers believe every church should have a choir and that most churches of 50

to 1000 should be able to maintain ten percent of the congregation as the choir.

Churches of 1000 and more should maintain five to ten percent. But how does a

church accomplish this? The Ayers also believe anyone can sing. While some are

better than others, with lessons, practice and prayer, they believe anyone with the

desire to glorify the Lord in song should be able to participate. They encourage

auditions to group appropriate parts, and for those less capable, they offer hints

such as never sing so loudly that you cannot hear the others around you. They also

recommend that the individual take private lessons and diligently come to practices.

The potential choir member is invited to join in when they feel comfortable. So far

they have had few overpowering out-of-tune voices to contend with.

Seven keys to a motivated choir

But how do you develop, encourage and maintain a choir on a weekly basis? The

Ayers have developed seven ways to maintain enthusiasm:

Have a goal to work toward. This might be a seasonal production, a special

engagement, an album project, or special events within or outside the church.

Present fresh material. Be on the outlook for new material, which can be found

through listening, as well as publishers' choral clubs, which send out new material

quarterly.

Allow time for teaching in your practices. Give nuggets of revelation to motivate the

choir. You can include the choir in this endeavor by asking different choir members

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to bring a short devotion or exhortation each week. Short teachings can include

everything from studies from the Psalms to practical instruction on diction.

Give time to the Holy Spirit. Have prayer, and pause for expressions of the Spirit.

Go through Sunday's repertoire, as well as their special number, to allow the choir

to experience the Spirit's moving with each song.

Encourage them individually. The Psalmist David always encouraged and built up his

men. Tell your choir members, individually and corporately, when they do a good job.

Send birthday cards, acknowledge new members and celebrate special events with

the choir during practices.

Make your choir a democracy. Let the choir make decisions as a corporate body.

Allow them to offer ideas for songs, outreach events, etc. Organizing special

committees for events also will help the choir take ownership of their ministry.

Make wisdom your goal. Ask God to help you go past your personal feelings in

rehearsal to see the bigger picture. Because rehearsals are such a concentrated

time of learning, they can become stressful. It is easy to lose your voice of reason.

You also may find that because your choir members have closer contact with you

than with the Senior Pastor, they often will come to you for advice and

encouragement. Let wisdom prevail in all that you say and do.

Lead by example

Further, encourage your choir members to maintain the lifestyle of a worshiper by

sharing your own personal experiences.

Teach and lead prayer by example. Encourage members to pray daily for other

members and musicians, as well as to pray for others on the way to the

service. You may want to establish a prayer partner system within your

choir.

Punctuality. The choir should realize that their anointing as a group is based on

their diligence as a group. Encourage and demonstrate punctuality to both practices

and services.

Prefer one another. Help members become just as excited for the one who gets the

solo as they would if they were in the spotlight.

Put on the garment of praise. Help your members learn to let their countenance

reflect God, to put their personal feelings aside.

Preparation is paramount. The quality of your preparation determines the quality of

the performance. Encourage members to memorize the words to songs.

Memorization expands the mind and challenges the individual. And the impact on the

congregation is greater when the choir makes eye contact with them.

Practice makes perfect. Apart from weekly rehearsals, instruct choir members to

practice in front of a mirror to see what they look like from the pew.

Calling in reinforcements

You can also build and motivate your choir by scheduling an occasional guest

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conductor, artist, or teacher. These guests will reinforce what you have been

saying, but in a different way, bringing a fresh perspective to the choir's ministry.

This is a great way to introduce new material, and your guests often will speak into

the lives of your choir members both corporately and individually, helping them grow

spiritually.

Of course be sure to have consistent weekly practices that start and end on time.

Being considerate will develop trust and confidence. Affirm your choir. Realize that

they are bearing their souls every time they stand before the congregation and sing.

They will either feel affirmation or rejection. Make it your job to make them feel

special week after week.

The priorities of a leader

As a music leader, it is always good to reflect on your own role and ministry. Take

time to re-assess your priorities often, making sure you have:

· A Heart After God. You should have an ear to hear and a voice that

proclaims insight and revelation. Your example to your choir is determined by

the depth of your relationship with the Lord.

· The Heart of a Pastor. Whether you've thought of yourself as such,

you are the shepherd of your choir. You can provide the oversight and the

insight they need to be faithful followers.

· A Heart for the People. Love your choir members. Pray for and with them.

Open yourself up to them, and be real with them. And never be afraid to have

fun with them.

Tim and Sally Ayers have ministered as choir directors for over 15 years and

currently conduct music symposiums all over the country. You may reach them at

(214)436-8192.

Joy Becker is a free-lance writer who lives in Nashville, TN.

6. REHEARSALS

By Sally Morgenthaler Many of us who lead worship teams on a weekly basis wish

we could be in two places at once. Oh, to be like Michael Keaton's character in the

film Multiplicity. Imagine... three personal clones, deftly negotiating the Christmas

and Easter seasons. What bliss! There's just one problem. Hollywood special effects

labs aren't within most churches' budgets. Oh, well. We can still learn to set clear

priorities and make the most of being only one person in a multi-faceted job.

Nowhere is our wish for multiplicity so acute than at rehearsals. When we're young

in contemporary worship leadership, we typically solve that problem with The Mega-

Practice Blitz: that three hour, mid-week exercise in pandemonium when both

vocalists and instrumentalists vie for attention. Unfortunately, our simplified

rehearsal techniques merely contribute to the chaos. The favorite beginner's

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approach? Run through each song 10 times until everyone has it. (Translated,

nobody "has it" at all. They're just thoroughly sick of it!)

Unfortunately, a "kill two birds with one stone" strategy does exactly that, only, it's

volunteers we destroy, not birds. Face it. What unpaid vocalist wants to waste an

hour or more on Wednesday night just to listen to the band haggle through keys,

intros and intricate chord changes i.e., "Are we going with an A6 first inversion or

an AM7 root position?" And let's not forget those tortured instrumentalists. Such a

deal - to miss both "Home Improvement" and "Star Trek Voyager" while we

pontificate for the 637th time on breath support basics (argh!) or pound out parts

ad infinitum.

If you truly want to make the most of your one and only self, get rid of the "one

rehearsal fits all" myth. Plan two shorter, well-planned, mid-week practice times:

one for vocals, the other for the band. Then get everyone together for a 45 minute

"combo" rehearsal before the actual worship service. If you do this right, the quality

of what you offer up to God will rise exponentially. Interestingly enough, so will

rehearsal attendance. Exactly what constitutes a well-planned, mid-week rehearsal?

I guarantee you, it's more than zipping through all the favorites and learning a hot

new tune for the week. Don't get me wrong. Refreshing old material is crucial.

Introducing new worship music is a must. But there's a lot more to good worship

service preparation than focusing on repertoire. A well-planned vocal or

instrumental rehearsal means that you also do the following:

THE WELL-PLANNED REHEARSAL (approx. time: 1 hour and 45

minutes) Worship (prayer and praise, 7-10 minutes) The team that

worships together is a Romans 12:1 team. Its members learn the

difference between performance and adoration, between preening for

attention and giving oneself up as an offering, holy and acceptable to

God. By the way, the most neophyte church attendee has no trouble

distinguishing between the worshiping team and the non-worshiping

team. Usually, they're able to do so in a heartbeat. So, don't take any

shortcuts here. Reinforce the group identity (5-7 minutes) If you

hope to keep interest high and motivation strong, there needs to be a

time each week for the group to restate and reinvest in its God-given

mission: mentoring others into a dynamic, life-changing worship

relationship with Jesus Christ. Here are some "group builders" you

might consider. It's best if you rotate these through the month. A

well-prepared teaching or devotion on worship. Suggestion: each

month, invite a different group member to teach. Emphasize both

content and feeling, a good mix of Scripture and other worship

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resources with the presenter's personal passion for worshiping God.

Specific prayers for individuals (members or visitors) who are coming

to worship each week. Planning a special evening service that is

targeted to a specific age or ethnic group. Open discussion

Suggestion: share exciting things God is doing through your own

and/or other church's worship services. Informal testimonies from

visitors or members who have been touched in some way by your

worship services. Testimonies by missionaries about what God is

doing through worship around the world. Evaluate the last worship

service (10-12 minutes) Always unpack the last service (i.e. what

worked well, what didn't, what could be changed). First, offer your own

observations as a leader. Think this through carefully and jot your

points down ahead of the rehearsal. If you have made a video of the

service, zero in on just a few specific sections, cueing the tape up in

advance. Finally, open the evaluation up for a five minute,

constructive discussion. You might find the following discussion

ground rules helpful: Each person is expected to honestly evaluate

himself or herself before commenting on others. No "put downs" or

hidden agendas; comments should be gracious and encouraging

(Phil.4:8). Leader has the responsibility to steer potentially volatile or

sensitive discussions into private conversations outside of rehearsal

time. Leader wraps up the discussion with specific action items - a

very short "to do" list, including who is expected to carry them out.

Develop vocal technique Unless you're going for one incredibly

"alternative" worship sound, your worship team vocalists need as

much specific teaching about breath support and sound production as

choir members. They need brief but thorough warm-ups to get their

sound focused and "moving on the breath." (For a superb, how-to

resource, see The Vocal Workout Series by Chris and Carole Beatty,

StarSong Publishing). A well-balanced vocal workout is a must. Yet,

here are two principles that are even more important if your goal is

vocal excellence. The best technique work for vocalists is to pay

close attention to pitch, blend and vocal production problems during

the course of rehearsing weekly material. In other words, you as the

leader need to turn each song into a vocal-learning situation. Bad

singing is bad singing. It's never okay. If you've ever heard yourself

say, "Let's get the notes down first, then we'll go back and clean it

up," consider this: the human brain learns vocal production mistakes

as quickly as it learns to sing the wrong rhythm or notes. Do it right

the first time. When bad singing becomes a habit, you have to spend

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two to three times as much effort correcting it.

Depending on your team's needs and personalities, you may want to shift the order

of these activities around a bit. Also, you'll notice that "Reviewing" and "Building a

Repertoire" are not listed. Those are points five and six to be covered in another

article.

Sometimes the amount worship leaders and music directors need to accomplish

each week is downright overwhelming. Fortunately, a good, solid strategy of

preparation will not only help reduce your stress, it will boost your confidence level

and give you more joy in your ministry. There may only be one of you, but then

again, God has a way of making much out of little when it is given to Him. Seems

like I remember something, somewhere, about a few measly fish, a few bread

crusts....

After many years in worship ministry, Sally Morgenthaler, author of Worship

Evangelism (Zondervan 1996) is a consultant with congregations developing their

own worship evangelism models.

7. WORSHIP LEADER AND PERFORMER CONTRASTED.

By Sally Morgenthaler The "contemporary" trappings of worship do not guarantee

leadership

What is good worship leading? Lately, I've found myself ruminating about this

subject in the least likely places: time-out during one of my son's basketball games,

standing in front of the frozen food section, waiting for the little cylinder to pop

back into place at the drive-up teller.

It's only worship leading, for heaven's sakes! You'd think I was obsessed. It all

started at a worship conference. Wisely, the organizers of the event had made sure

we weren't just analyzing worship ad infinitum. We were actually scheduled to

worship! I was looking forward to our corporate fellowship and intimacy with God

more than to the classes themselves.

Half-way through the first worship service, I wondered if I'd registered at the wrong

conference. Here I was in an ostensibly interactive, God-focused environment, but I

had no sense whatsoever of being authentically engaged. It was as if someone had

plugged in a prefab worship video, the kind that seems permanently stuck in cultural

reverse. Picture it - hundreds of sincere worship devotees, dutifully clapping

double-time for five songs straight, mimicking the worship leader in multi-minute,

shoulder-abusing arm-lifts, spitting out worship-correct statements on cue.

It was less than awesome.

Admittedly, several of the trappings of interactive contemporary worship were

present: extended corporate singing, mini-prayers interwoven within medleys,

expertly segued moments designed for brief (very brief!) personal reflection. Still,

there was something hauntingly synthetic about it. Was it just me? Two conference

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attendees talked with me afterward. Their experiences had been similar to my own.

Since then, I've concluded that the overriding problem was the worship leading, or,

more accurately, the worship performance. What's the difference between the two?

Here's an in-process list refined from months of frozen-food section/basketball

game musings. No doubt you could come up with a few entries of your own.

Worship Performer feigns a private worship life with God lifts up self

manipulates people through "virtual worship" consumed with presenting a

"glittering image" (I Samuel 16:7) recommended reading: Glittering Images by

Susan Howatch (Ballentine, 1995) fails to give spiritual "big picture"

personal goal: maximum visibility draws attention to self by: dressing in

revealing, loud, or ultra trendy styles; contrived, too big or too many

gestures; talking too much; focusing on own experience; singing and/or

playing too loudly; exaggerating movements when playing instrument;

displaying vocal or instrumental "virtuosity" for show; monopolizing front and

center stage. clones his/her "worship leading" style from the Christian

subculture strings together a series of pre-fabricated gestures and jargon

tries to "work the crowd," to manipulate an experience tells how/pressures

people to respond inflexible with the worship order; does everything

according to plan searches crowd for signs of approval disallows or

interrupts silence dislikes giving up the microphone to others visibly

depressed by smaller crowds; goes through the motions

Worship Leader takes "worship as a life" seriously lifts up God leads people to

worship by worshiping consumed with a passion for God and an integrity of

heart (Psalm 27:4; Ephesians 4:22-24) recommended reading: The Pursuit of

God by A.W. Tozer (Christian, 1992) keeps Christ's redemption at the

forefront; relates God's story to people's own stories personal goal:

invisibility deflects attention from self by: dressing in style but modestly;

using gestures as natural expressions of personal worship; talking only to

provide context or reveal more about God; focusing most on the character

and works of God; heard but not distracting; playing to express, not for an

"effect"; offering skill to God as a sacrifice of praise; occasionally moving to

the side to become less visible. allows God to fashion his/her own style out

of unique personality, gifts and experiences worships spontaneously,

heartfelt fosters an atmosphere of worship then steps back and lets God

meet people where they are gives people options and lets them find their

own way prepared, but sensitive to what God is doing stays in touch with

the people in order to sense their needs lets go of control, allows God to

speak in the quiet, to deal with people's brokenness mentors others in

worship leading, gives them opportunities to serve celebrates God

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authentically, no matter how many are in the pews

It's a given that nobody will ever "arrive" as a worship leader. But if you or

someone under you is responsible for weekly worship and is displaying several

"worship performer" characteristics, some decisions must be made and made

quickly. Corporate worship is the single, most life-impacting activity of the church.

Are we going to sabotage God's work just because we don't have the courage to

face reality?

And the reality is this: before any of us can engage people in the authentic,

interactive adoration of God, we must first of all become worshipers. That may

mean stepping down off the platform and getting our lives in sync with God. It may

mean sitting in the pew and learning how to worship for the very first time.

Depending on our situation, it may mean a process ranging from weeks to years.

But, face facts we must. There is only One worthy of our praise (Rev.4:11) and that

One desires truth, not pretense; being, not performance. If and when we step back

up and get behind the microphone, we must do it as an instrument, not the object of

praise. And we must be willing to cast off our "glittering image" so that we reflect

only the glorious image of Christ.

After many years in worship ministry, Sally Morgenthaler, author of Worship

Evangelism (Zondervan 1996) is a consultant with congregations developing their

own worship evangelism models.

8. THE PROCESS OF HIRING A WORSHIP LEADER.

Un-Confusing the Process of Hiring a Worship Leader by Dan Millheim Talk with any

senior pastor or search committee in America who hires support staff, and one of

their most challenging positions to fill is in the area of worship leadership. The

unfolding reformation of worship in our nation is creating unprecedented

opportunities in worship ministry for qualified leaders, yet frustration over finding

them is at an all-time high.

One such pastor, responding to the analogy that hiring staff was like getting married

after a blind date confessed, "I'm so worn out from making the wrong music

decision (again) that I'm tempted to just stay single." Can you relate to that

comment? I can, yet hiring a quality worship staff can be one the most tangible

blessings any of us in leadership can give to our ministries. With this in mind, here

are some suggestions for taking the mystery and confusion out of the process.

Put The Throne before the phone

When our music director announced that he was leaving to pursue the Lord's calling

elsewhere, I did what any spiritually empowered leader would do . . . I panicked!

Rather than stopping and asking the Lord for clear direction through an extended

season of fasting and prayer, I picked up the phone and starting working my

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network. During that time I never would have admitted to leaving God out of such a

strategic decision, but in looking back, that's exactly what I was doing by trying to

make something happen rather than allowing God to lead.

Don't get me wrong: networking is essential. Dynamic leadership is always

developing peer relationships from which to share ideas and insights, but not at the

expense of first going to the Lord. We need to slow down and communicate with the

Lord. Realize that He longs to offer assistance if your spirit is quiet enough to hear

it.

As a sign near my phone now reminds me, "Prayer is the work and ministry is the

prize." It helps me always remember who to reach for first.

ACTION STEPS

ｷ Set aside a specific day or two away from your office to

commit your search process to the Lord.

ｷ When you feel the urge to control your situation rather than

wait on God, meditate on Psalm 62.

ｷ Recruit an accountability group that will help keep your dependency

on God balanced with your determination to accomplish your hiring goals.

This group, when prayerfully selected, will offer tremendous objectivity

and assistance to your search. Don't be afraid to include them

throughout your process of identifying the right worship staff.

You've got to heal to feel

I talk to a lot of numb pastors and worship leaders across the country who don't

feel anything anymore. Worship renewal has, in their minds and hearts, exacted a

heavy price for which they begrudgingly pay. Gone is their joy and sense of wonder

toward the ministry of worship. How tragic. When this happens, a cycle of fear and

discouragement are often set in motion which result in an attitude of control. In this

attitude every potential candidate or ministry opportunity is suspiciously viewed as

another failure waiting to happen.

If you or your church are faced with this situation it is imperative that you stop

your search immediately no matter how pressing a worship vacancy may appear. A

conscientious leader prepares for the hiring process by dealing with past conflicts

first. If your working relationship with a former staff member was challenging,

understand that it takes tremendous integrity to admit areas where you might have

failed and need work as a leader. Confess them!

It is very important to work toward a sense of positive closure to avoid carrying

unresolved pain into new working relationships. I know several large churches that

regularly have staff come and go without any communication with their church body.

This should be avoided at all cost as poor communication breeds tremendous

insecurity for your congregation. If you are a worship pastor looking at a new

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position, one of your first questions should be about the transition and exit of the

predecessor. Once you have determined closure, avoid the temptation to revisit old

working relationships especially if former staff are still in conflict or unwilling to

acknowledge their wrong doing. Let them go! Allowing the Holy Spirit to aid in your

healing before seeking His will in your hiring will be one of the greatest gifts you can

give your future worship staff and ministry.

ACTION STEPS

ｷ Take out your emotion trash and leave it at the cross. Be

honest with God - He can handle it. Read Ps. 101, Prov. 17:9, 1 Thes.

5:11-19, 1 Pet. 5:1-9.

ｷ Take an inventory of your church and it's past dealings with

staff. Deal with internal conflict and sin (Gal. 6:1) BEFORE a new staff

member arrives. Have you communicated that you have a vacancy?

ｷ Involve your accountability group in praying 1 Peter 2 over your

congregation as you seek direction in hiring and healing of wounds.

Take two looks backwards before each step forward

The next step forward in hiring the right worship staff is to evaluate where you have

been as a church in the area of worship philosophy and practice. Do not begin the

hiring process until you have prayerfully and objectively examined what has worked

for your church and what has not. Be a student of your surrounding culture both

locally and statewide, but your motivation for change should be determined by what

the Holy Spirit has uniquely prepared for your congregation. Help your church think

strategically about hiring for today as well as in light of future growth. Remember,

trial balloons may work for the evaluating the weather but never for worship!

ACTION STEPS

ｷ Use your accountability group to develop a worship survey for

your congregation.

ｷ Develop volunteer focus groups within your congregation to

comment on what is personally meaningful for them in worship.

ｷ If you are relatively new to your congregation (1-3 years) it is your

responsibility to learn your church's worship history. Conduct interviews

with lay musicians, review print materials, call former staff members and

listen to audio tapes of past performances, worship experiences and

messages on the topic. Do not underestimate the value of this exercise.

Before you draft your staff, cast your vision

This principal is absolutely vital to your success in hiring the right worship staff, yet

countless churches repeatedly hire staff without drafting a vision statement.

Think about it. What candidate, worthy of your call, would not appreciate knowing

your values for worship up front? What new staff member would not enjoy the

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freedom of starting a ministry with a solid vision track to run on? What church

would not feel the security of having a clearly expressed worship vision statement

that is championed by their new staff?

When we were in the process of hiring both a music director and programming

director in the same calendar year, our worship staff redrafted our vision statement

to allow for these new positions to minister with security and clarity. The result was

a "vision track" we all could take ownership in. Ownership is always more significant

than authorship.

Your hiring decisions concerning a candidate's heart, talent, calling, etc., are brought

into tremendous clarity as potential staff are evaluated in light of your vision rather

than your vacancy.

ACTION STEPS

ｷ Gather vision statements from local churches and businesses.

Keep a file of the ones you like. Local secular and Christian

bookstores, libraries, church networks and various ministry web sites

can also be good resources.

ｷ Write down your vision for worship using the grid of scripture,

prayer, history, resources, culture and future needs. Develop a

personal vision statement that might include principals related to your

faith, marriage and family. If it is not too personal, include this as a

resource for serious candidates to get to know you personally.

ｷ Communicate your vision for worship in sermons, articles, informal

talks, music rehearsals, prayer sessions before, during and long after your

worship staff has been hired. There are numerous shorter mission

statements found in Scripture that could be embellished into vision

statements. Read John 10:10.

Hiring helpers rarely helps

I was hired for my first full-time worship position when I was 22 - I looked like I was

12. I wasn't hired for my experience; in fact, I probably should not have been hired

that young, especially for a growing congregation of 2,500 hundred people. But the

pastor struggled with insecurity which resulted in several seasoned staff members

leaving. Rather than hiring qualified leaders, he hired young seminarians to serve as

a controllable, cheap labor force.

Hiring is not about control, but empowering the most gifted individual you can find

to do the job better than you. There can be no better staff situation than where

leadership is secure enough to celebrate successes and champion each team

member to higher levels of achievement for the kingdom of Christ.

ACTION STEPS

ｷ Study Luke 5 to discover, in the life of Christ, knowledge

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concerning: recruitment, vision, empowerment, purpose and pacing.

The book of Nehemiah is also a great study in leadership.

ｷ Make reading biographies of great leaders part of your annual

reading list. Suggestion: read J. Oswald Sanders' Spiritual Leadership

once a year.

ｷ Evaluate your leadership style. What ways could you develop

empowering leadership values in your team? Does your staff or volunteer

leadership feel more like helpers or influential leaders? How could you

help them change?

An interview is a reflection of you

With the previous five principles in place, you can finish strong in the most

important step of hiring. Throughout the interview process, remember that you are

being interviewed by your staff prospect as well. Wise churches will make this

experience as meaningful and memorable as time and resources allow. The following

are essential goals that will aid in a successful interview for both you and your

candidate of choice.

ｷ GATHER NAMES - Identify as many potential candidates as possible that fit

your vision. For some churches, the first place you should look is right in your

own ministries. The benefits should be obvious.

Next, look in your community, avoiding hiring those who have had painful

breaks from extended family is a tremendous benefit). Visit local services,

universities and parachurch organizations, and consider qualified volunteers

in larger churches in your area. Always get permission before informally

talking with candidates - even if they are volunteers. In addition to talking

with music staff, don't forget many youth pastors can be effective worship

leaders as well. When you have exhausted local contacts, look for out-of-

state candidates that have some relationship with your present staff, church

family or towns in your area.

While classified ads and other print exposure are helpful, be prepared for a lot of

unqualified "tire kickers." Place your posts only where they can be read by people

who have an interest in worship. Keep a file of other church posts that are similar

to your needs. Call or write these churches and ask for resumes of candidates they

have no interest in pursuing; those candidates may be just what you're looking for.

The greatest opportunity to contact candidates is through the Internet, and its

cheap! Use your search engine to locate various worship sites. I found our current

music director by posting our vision online. I was able to locate individuals who had

experience in local church worship. I then sent them personal copies (sanctified

spamming) of a letter based on values taken from our vision statement. We received

names from around the country, as well as different parts of the world.

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ｷ ORGANIZE MATERIAL - Ask for a resume, one page vision statement, family

picture, reference list and a simple tape. Our music director position was for a

highly skilled writer, arranger and keyboard player. Initially, I was overwhelmed by

CDs, but what I wanted to hear was a candidate's spontaneously worship

without hiding behind the benefits of technology. This turned out to be one of

our best screening tools as music software and studio production can turn many

a mediocre musician into Mozart!

As you review your material and exhaust references, and references of

references, you should begin to identify a few serious candidates. If a

candidate has e-mail access, you will want to mix phone conversations with

e-mail communications. Besides being efficient and cost effective, e-mail

requires that one express himself in written form. Initial questions related to

philosophy of ministry and worship should be communicated via e-mail to

have written record that can be discussed in person at a later date. Be sure

to keep detailed notes of all phone conversations along with questions you

wish to cover before you make your next call.

Be prepared to send out a packet of materials as well. This information should be

well thought out as candidates will initially evaluate your entire ministry based on

whatever brief contact they have with you. Included in your packet: message tapes,

bulletins, newsletters, church reports, worship vision statement, financial package (a

candidate should never have to guess) and a detailed job description. Many

churches also include a list of specific questions and personality profiles. Our

church has 20 prepared questions that candidates are asked to fill out as well as

three profile tests (see sidebar). These tests are invaluable resources for

objectively evaluating the gifts and compatibility of potential staff.

ｷ ASSESS PROSPECTS - Don't make the mistake of only budgeting for a

candidate's salary. Many churches have established a budgeted line item for

future staff recruitment. Set aside funds to travel to see your top prospects,

accompanied by another leader. Tell serious candidates early in the process that

they will most likely be visited by your church leadership, prior to their visiting

your church. And work out the details so you can observe without threatening

their present ministry or staff relations.

Once you're at that stage in the process, you should have the freedom to

visit with very little lead time in order to observe a service that has not been

planned, unconsciously of course, for your benefit. While you are in town,

remove as many hospitality burdens off your candidates as possible. Meals,

overnight stays, transportation, etc, should be your responsibility. Spend time

in a candidate's home, but keep it brief. By listening and observing you will

learn volumes about a possible candidate by seeing them in their own setting.

ｷ LISTEN TO COUNSEL - It is amazing how attached you can become

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to the prospects you begin to favor, even if they are not the right choice for

your church. It is important, then, to be accountable to others throughout

the hiring process, those who can be totally objective. One pastor who was

far along in his interviewing process confessed that he subconsciously did

not want to ask any more probing questions of his prospective staff member

for fear that he would not be "the guy." Wise, godly council is a tremendous

asset to your search process (Prov. 2:1-7).

ｷ SELECT STAFF - Once you've narrowed the candidates down to one or two,

he or she should be invited to informally and confidentially visit your church

without having to "perform" platform duties.

Our interviews typically begin Saturday with a casual agenda and conclude

Monday after lunch. Prepare an itinerary, in advance, so they know exactly

who they are meeting with or what they are doing before they arrive.

Include unstructured time, transportation and maps for prospects to explore our

community on their own. A balance between meetings and process time will allow

everyone involved opportunity to prayerfully evaluate input. I also recommend not

housing candidates with church members. After a long day of interviewing, your

candidate does not need to entertain. Keep your interview process short.

After an informal visit, it is time to schedule a more formal trip, assuming God is

directing both parties involved. I recommend doing this within two weeks of the first

trip as both you and your candidate will need closure. A candidate's spouse should

not only be invited for this visit, but he or she should participate in many of the

discussions that follow. It is very important to include a variety of people in a

variety of settings - both musical and otherwise - to get objective input throughout

the interview process. It is exhausting work best shared by a group rather than one

person. Remember to keep your vision and hiring priorities before you at all times.

As the Lord leads you in your staff hiring discovery, remember the ideal candidate

for your church has been uniquely created by God. Enjoy His blessing! "Trust in the

Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways

acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight" (Prov. 3:5-6)

9. WHAT WORSHIP LEADERS NEED TO KNOW.

Learning Strategies for the Long Haul, Part I by Robb Redman

Not long ago I attended a workshop taught by a veteran contemporary worship

leader, in his current position for twelve years. At one point he mentioned

that several other worship leaders began their ministries at about the same

time as he did. Painfully he recounted how one after another dropped out of

ministry due to extra-marital affairs, divorces, burnout, or an inability to lead

and manage effectively. Of the several he began with, only two were still in

their positions. Few worship leaders think their current job will be a short-

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term ministry or that their careers will be a series of brief stints marked by

crisis, conflict and burnout. Yet this pattern is increasingly common. Why is

this happening? The chief reason for the alarming burnout rate among

worship leaders has to do with the lack of adequate training. They are simply

not prepared to lead effectively in the complex and demanding environment

of the evolving 21st century church. The lack of training, support and

networking among worship leaders is taking its toll. For every successful

worship leader there are several others with stories of pain, heartache and

disappointment. Many of the best and most talented are collapsing under the

load of unfulfilled expectations from their churches, pastors, teams, families,

and most of all, from themselves. The sad truth is that many worship leaders

are having to learn on the job, and the lessons aren't being learned fast

enough. As a result the average tenure of contemporary worship leaders is

alarmingly brief. Few worship leaders think their current job will be a short-

term ministry or that their careers will be a series of brief stints marked by

crisis, conflict and burnout. Yet this pattern is increasingly common. Why is

this happening? The chief reason for the alarming burnout rate among

worship leaders has to do with the lack of adequate training. They are simply

not prepared to lead effectively in the complex and demanding environment

of the evolving 21st century church. The lack of training, support and

networking among worship leaders is taking its toll. For every successful

worship leader there are several others with stories of pain, heartache and

disappointment. Many of the best and most talented are collapsing under the

load of unfulfilled expectations from their churches, pastors, teams, families,

and most of all, from themselves. The sad truth is that many worship leaders

are having to learn on the job, and the lessons aren't being learned fast

enough. As a result the average tenure of contemporary worship leaders is

alarmingly brief. In the space available here we can only hope to scratch the

surface of how worship leaders can be better equipped for effective ministry

for the long haul. I believe they will need to become intentional life-long

learners, that is, men and women who seek actively to grow in four main

areas: spiritual formation, musicianship, theological depth and ministry

leadership. 1. Spiritual Formation "The secret of being an effective worship

leader," says veteran worship leader Monty Kelso, "begins with having the

heart of a worshiper." Worship leaders are "lead worshipers," as pastor and

author John Piper calls them, who lead while worshiping, not instead of

worshiping. Yet the difficulties and demands of ministry often leave worship

leaders with little or no extra time for personal worship and the care of their

own souls. Are worship leaders too busy to worship? Eugene Peterson

observes that the term "busy pastor" is an oxymoron. Busyness is not an

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indication of effectiveness, but rather a product of our own vanity and

laziness (The Contemplative Pastor). On the one hand,we keep ourselves

busy because we want to believe we are important. "The incredible hours,

the crowded schedule, and the heavy demands on my time are proof to

myself - and to all who will notice - that I am important." On the other

hand, our busyness is often the result of allowing others to dictate our

agendas. "It was a favorite theme of C.S. Lewis that only lazy people work

hard," continues Peterson. "By lazily abdicating the essential work of

deciding and directing, establishing values and setting goals, other people do

it for us; then we find ourselves frantically, at the last minute, trying to

satisfy a half dozen different demands on our time, none of which is essential

to our vocation, to stave off the disaster of disappointing someone." Bruce

Larson (qualify him as source) calls worship "wasting time in God's

presence." From a human point of view worship doesn't accomplish anything.

A cartoon I saw recently in Leadership sums it up nicely. The church

secretary motions for a parishioner to enter the pastor's office saying,

"Pastor isn't doing anything, he's just praying." From God's perspective,

however, worship is the highest form of ministry. Worship and prayer are the

work of ministry, not distractions from it. It is true that ministry activities

can be worship, but they are not automatically so any more than sitting

around doing nothing is meditation. So how can we prepare for the long haul

of ministry? Here are some basic steps to learning the care of your soul: Set

aside a regular time for personal worship. Find a place where you can be

alone without distractions or interruptions. Listen to worship music and sing

along. Or take a walk and be silent. Meditate on scripture, such as the

Psalms, and let the words and images of the Bible become the content of

your praise and prayer. Many evangelicals are discovering the richness of the

"liturgical" traditions, such as the Episcopalian Book of Common Prayer,

which is agold mine for personal worship. Be accountable to someone else

for your spiritual growth. We need to be in a small group or have a spiritual

director. This may rub many of us Protestants the wrong way, but I believe

we have misunderstood Luther's insight about the priesthood of all believers.

He did not mean that there are no longer any priests, he meant we are all

priests to one another. We do not need the mediation of any priest other

than the High Priest Jesus Christ in order to have an authentic encounter

with God, but our brothers and sisters may minister to us powerfully by

keeping us accountable and focused as we grow deeper in our life with God.

Keep your marriage and family ahead of ministry. Fuller professor Ray

Anderson likes to point out that the simplest test of spiritual growth is to

ask your spouse if there is more or less love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,

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generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23) than

last year. Sadly many worship leaders have their success in ministry

undercut by failures with their families. God never asks his servants to

sacrifice their marriages and families for ministry. Worship ministries are time

intensive and put unexpected pressures on the home. Sooner or later you

will need to make tough decisions and say no to ministry for the sake of your

family. Maintaining proper balances between family and ministry commitments

requires hard work and clear thinking. It also requires open, honest

communication with your spouse and those to whom you are accountable in

ministry. And when crises arise, don't be afraid to get outside help such as

marital and family counseling to help you set reasonable boundaries. 2.

Musicianship A worship leader I know told me recently that he has all but

given up playing his instrument. He is so busy managing his ministry that he

has little time to practice, and he frequently bumps himself out of the lineup

on Sundays to make room for other players. I couldn't help but note the

wistfulness in his voice, so I asked him if he missed playing. "Yeah," he said,

"I really do." As musicians, worship leaders lead other musicians by example.

How can team members be expected to practice if the leader doesn't? How

can we expect musicians to improve if we're not improving, but getting

rustier instead? Rekindle your love for your instrument. Worship Leaders'

Workshop clinician Scott Andrews likes to point out that if you knew that the

finest musician in the world planned to attend your church next Sunday, you

might just practice a little more this week. When in fact, we play for the

Creator of music every week, and we honor Him when we play skillfully. Don't

be afraid to take lessons if they are needed. Many of the best vocalists and

instrumentalists still do. It pays to study your instrument, and to learn (or

re-learn) the theory. There are plenty of resources for self-directed learning,

including books, instructional videos, and websites. Above all, learn to read

music if you don't already. It may be hard, but you'll be glad you made the

effort. No matter how well you play by ear you will increase your

effectiveness significantly as a leader and a musician if you can prepare and

follow charts. Become a more versatile musician. If you are a keyboard

player, for example, you can learn modulation and improvisation to improve

"flow" between songs. Learning underscoring will help you add musical

dimensions to other elements of your service. Mastering MIDI technology will

further expand your versatility. Acoustic guitar players should move on to

electric guitar or bass. Learning new musical styles on your instrument

increases your versatility. A musically mature worship ministry will have a

"signature sound," a style that is most comfortable for the congregation, but

it is important not to let the sound become totally identified with one style.

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Worship leaders can create an atmosphere of experimentation and

exploration of new musical styles by modeling maturity with their own growth

as musicians. Rekindle your love for music. Spend time simply listening to

music. Many worship leaders complain that the only music they have time to

listen to are the worship CDs they scour in search of new songs for their

congregations. Become what Wheaton professor Harold Best calls "a musical

pluralist," by expanding your horizons by listening to unfamiliar musical

styles. Go to concerts and watch videos; study the masters and learn from

their art. By learning music at a deeper level and continuing to improve on

your instrument, you will communicate to your worship team, and to the

congregation, a high value for the role of music and the importance of

musical excellence. Your enthusiasm will rub off on others, and your passion

for ministry will return.

Learning Strategies for the Long Haul, Part II by Robb Redman God created us to

be learners and gave us the ability to acquire knowledge and skills. While formal

education for most people ends with graduation from high school or college, learning

continues throughout the whole of our lives. Recently ministry leaders have become

aware of the need for programs that continue learning.

Formal study at the undergraduate or graduate level is a common form of continued

learning. Degree completion programs are booming as many colleges and universities

respond to the desire of men and women who, at mid-life, want to finish their

bachelor's degrees. Graduate schools are responding by making masters and even

doctoral degree programs more flexible and accessible.

Non-formal learning through seminars, workshops and conferences is another

growing avenue of learning. Many employers and professions now require workers to

attend continuing education events. A number of churches and parachurch

organizations also offer training. These events tend to focus on practical concepts

and skills related to the workplace or ministry. Self-study or small group study is

becoming more and more popular. Many learners have personal study plans that

include non-formal learning and reading. Reading books and discussing issues in

study groups has become more popular in the past 20 years.

In the last article, we discussed strategies for life-long learning for personal spiritual

formation and musicianship. In this issue we conclude by exploring strategies for

deepening theological understanding and developing ministry leadership abilities.

3. Theological

Depth Perhaps the best defense against ministry burnout is continuous learning and

growth at the theological level. It is commonplace for ministry professionals,

especially music ministers, to play down the importance of theology. Many worship

leaders tell me, "theology is irrelevant to me. I need practical stuff." But how

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irrelevant is theological understanding, really? Several years ago, Ray Anderson of

Fuller Seminary wrote that "clergy burnout is a symptom of theological amnesia.

Many pastors and ministry professionals discover only too late that deeper

theological roots might have prevented pain and frustration.

"A pastor and former student of mine, I'll call him Jeff, began his studies at Fuller

ready to quit the ministry. His ministry was a shambles - tragedy of errors, poor

leadership, conflict, miscommunication and wounded pride. His church was clamoring

for his resignation, and his wife had delivered an ultimatum: "quit now or I'm leaving

you." As Jeff sat in my office, tears streamed down his face. "I want you to know,

Dr. Redman, that this is my last shot," referring to his program of study. "If this

doesn't work, I'm outta here."

My response to his dilemma astonished him. While I did recommend the expected

practical solutions like marriage counseling for him and his wife and some

intervention from his denomination to sort out problems in his ministry, the most

significant assistance I could give him was theological. More than anything, he

needed to find his theological bearings again. So together we designed a program

that included some heavy-duty biblical and theological studies. By the time Jeff

graduated in the spring of 1997, he was a new man. Although he was eventually

removed from his church, Jeff has since started at a new church where he leads

effectively with a new sense of purpose and commitment.

To avoid potential burnout you need to grow deep roots. Here's some ways you can

begin to deepen your theological foundations, whether you've never read a single

theological book or you've got a Ph.D. in theology.

· Develop your own theology of worship. Start by studying the key

biblical passages that relate to worship. Read books and articles that present

a theological slant on worship, as well as literature with a practical leadership

approach. Sign up for worship workshops or conferences in your area. Take

classes on worship at a college or seminary. Finally, writing your perspective

out in the form of a 20-25 page essay will help you crystallize your thinking.

As Samuel Johnson said, "reading maketh a man broad; speaking maketh a

man ready; but writing maketh a man exact."

· Get to know your pastor at a theological level. Find out his or her

theological perspectives and passions, and start a dialogue. Most pastors

have strong theological interests they developed in seminary, but few have

regular opportunities for theological conversation. Chances are they'll

welcome the opportunity to mentor your theological growth. Have him or her

suggest some books or articles to read. Try reading a book together, then

meeting once a week to discuss a chapter or two. Good books to start with

might be Themes and Variations for a Christian Doxology by Hughes Old,

Worship Evangelism by Sally Morgenthaler or The New Worship by Barry

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Liesch. If you're new to worship ministry, sermon tapes, particularly those on

worship, are a great starting point.

· Be part of a learning community with your ministry peers. Get

connected to other worship leaders and learn from them. Worship workshops

and seminars are great places to network with colleagues in your area.

Developing one-on-one relationships with ministers at other churches will

educate and inspire. These relationships can expand into groups that can

provide encouragement and accountability for growth.

· Develop a strategy to deepen the theological awareness of your team.

Prepare and lead Bible studies for your team on key worship passages in the Old

and New Testaments. Get them subscriptions to Worship Leader and other

publications, and have regular times to discuss articles and features that impact

your team.

4. Ministry Leadership

The inability to lead and manage the worship ministry is a chief weakness of worship

leaders today. Good ideas and intentions are often undermined by a lack of personal

organization and poorly handled relationships. Worship leaders don't have to be

management geniuses to lead their teams well. But neither they can neglect the

fundamentals of building an effective ministry. You do not need an MBA to lead

worship, but ministry leadership will take you out of your comfort zone. Max de

Pree, the long-time chairman and CEO of Herman Miller, Inc., wrote, "the first

responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In

between, the leader must become a servant and a debtor" (from Leadership is an

Art).

For the in-between years, there are a few key areas of leadership focus that

require purpose, direction and focus.

· Take charge of your schedule and get organized. Begin by reserving

time each week for personal worship, practicing your instrument, and study

and reflection. Watch out for unnecessary meetings. Management expert

Peter Drucker believes that an organization that spends more than a third of

its time (12 hours a week) in meetings is bankrupt. Learn to use your

computer for organization and communication. Utilize volunteers to help you

with routine tasks. An office manager or administrative assistant attending

your church can show you how to set up filing systems and how to keep the

inevitable paperwork flowing across your desk.

· Make time for key relationships in your ministry. Keep plenty of time

available to spend with your pastor and other leaders in your ministry, time

not just spent on pressing ministry issues. Leadership is about trust. Trust

can only be earned in relationships, and relationships take time.

· Make time for long range planning and strategizing. Balance the

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immediate with a view of the bigger picture. "The problem with planning

services," observes veteran worship leader Monty Kelso, "is that Sunday

comes around every week." Many worship leaders find themselves caught in

the trap of weekly planning and have little opportunity to step back for a look

at the bigger picture. Establish annual goals and objectives, such as special

events or trips, that reach beyond the weekly service.

· Learn how to deal with conflict in a godly way. Many musicians are

conflict avoiders who hope that conflict will go away if they don't pay

attention to it. But as Joseph Garlington has said, "what is buried alive stays

alive." Many worship teams are poisoned by conflict that started over

surprisingly trivial things that fester and infect the whole ministry. As leaders

we need to lead by example and model godly conflict resolution following

Matthew 18.

· Develop a feedback system that allows for honest evaluation. Musicians are

notoriously thin-skinned when it comes to criticism. One negative comment can

put someone into a funk that lasts for days. Yet without feedback it is

impossible to know how you're doing. At some point successful worship leaders

learn not to take feedback too personally, whether negative or positive. Instead

they sift it for what can be learned and disregard the rest. I am aware of one

particular church where the worship team, including the pastor, meets directly

after each service. Each person in the circle contributes one thing he or she

thought went well and one thing that needs to be fixed. The critique includes the

message. Everyone takes notes, and action plans are developed and approved to

correct the problems at hand. Each service and the ministry as a whole needs to

be carefully evaluated by getting honest feedback.

Robb Redman is Editorial Consultant for Worship Leader Magazine.

10. TESTIMONY OF A WORSHIP LEADER.

Fulfill Your Calling-Not Someone Else's

Andy Park

From Worship Update, 1st Quarter 1996

In my early 20's I served as an intern pastor in two different churches where both

the pastors were ver gifted. They were skilled teachers and had the ability to draw

large numbers of people through their teaching and their charismatic personalities.

During that time, I wasn't sure what I was supposed to do with my life. I thought

that perhaps I was headed for full-time ministry. But when I compared myself with

these gifted leaders, I couldn't see how I would "make the grade" in the ministry. I

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couldn't see how my particular mix of spiritual gifts would enable me to excel in

pastoral work.

In those years I led small groups, taught Bible studies, counseled younger

Christians, and led worship. I did reasonably well in these areas of ministry, but I

wasn't setting the world on fire as an evangelist or drawing great numbers to the

groups that I led. My greatest strength was always in music, and I had lesser gifts in

the other areas. I wanted to be faithful to use my gifts to there fullest to serve God,

but I just didn't see how I could possibly fit into a church staff position. I also

wondered if my quiet personality would be a liability to me as a pastor.

In the midst of this time of struggling and soul searching, I was invited to join a

church planting team in Langley, British Columbia. Linda and I had met Gary and Joy

Best the previous summer on a ministry trip, and had struck up a warm relationship

with them. After checking out the area where Gary and Joy were planting and

getting know the leadership team, we decided it was the right thing for us to do.

In my staff position at Langley I majored in worship while working in various other

areas of ministry. All of a sudden I found myself in an environment in which I

thrived. I was encouraged to develop worship leaders for small groups and Sunday

services. I enjoyed doing this; I had some success, and I've been doing it ever since.

I was amazed at the turnaround I saw in my ministry in such a short period of time.

Even th9ugh I wasn’t a dynamic speaker with a magnetic personality, God could use

me to impart the heart and skills required to be a worship leader.

This was the first of many experience I’ve had in learning not to compare myself

with other ministers. I was measuring my worth and calling as a minister by the gifts

and calling that God had given to others. I began to see that all I had to do was

minister in the gifts and strength God had given me. Take it from the apostle Peter:

"Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully

administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as

one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the

strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus

Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen" (1 Peter

4:10-11)

This scripture contains essential lessons for the worship leader. First, we all have

different gifts. Although we can sharpen the tools God gives us, we can’t determine

what those tools are. Our tendency is to see a greatly gifted person and ask, "Why

couldn’t I have been given that ability?" Over and over again I marvel at the

sovereignty of God-the way he calls and endows each person uniquely.

Many times I've had to repent of jealousy of another's gifts or position, and realize

that God is the boss. "There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There

are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service

but he same Lord. There are different effects but he same God works all of them in

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all men" (1 Cor. 12:4-6). He is the only source of our gifts. If we forget that every

good gift comes from God, we are liable to stand in awe of the gifted leaders around

us, rather than give glory to him.

In this world where success is defined by climbing the ladder to gain power and

influence, we must re-educated ourselves according to God’s values. Peter tells us

that if we are faithful to give away whatever God has given us, we have found

success. Success equals obedience. All I have to do is minister in the strength God

provides for me, not the strength he gives to another. When we arrive in heaven and

see Jesus, he won't ask us, "How many people did you minister to for me?" He'll

ask, "Were you faithful to use all the talents I gave you for my kingdom?"

My problem of comparing myself to others didn’t stop with round one. The more

worship leaders I was exposed to, the more people I saw who had grater expertise

that I did-either vocal or instrumental ability, or skill in songwriting. I had a hard

time not being envious of the things they could do.

Confessing my weakness to God and others, I gradually learned to rejoice in the

success of others and thank God for raising up other gifted people.

God began to plant in me a generous, unselfish heart so that I could be genuinely

happy when others around me were reaching new heights, in worship leading. I don’t

think there was any magical moment in this process. It was simply a matter of being

relentless to gain the heart of God and turn away from my self-centeredness.

It all comes into clear perspective when we "use whatever gifts we have to serve

others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms." I like to think of it

as being a mail carrier. I pick up the packages at the post office and simply deliver

them to the people. I can be careful in the way I deliver the packages, but I can’t

determine what’s inside of them. I’m simply giving away whatever I get from God.

He determines the size and contents of the gift.

On this "mail route" of worship leading, I sometimes encounter rain, sleet, snow and

even the occasional angry barking dog! But just like they used to say in the days of

the Pony Express, "The mail must go through!"

In small group meetings, I've had to contend with all kinds of interruptions during

worship-phones ringing, little kids running around the room, latecomers disturbing

the worship time. In larger settings, I’ve experienced conflicts and

misunderstandings with other worship leaders and pastors before and during

worship times. During these times I am reminded that worship is all about Him, not

me. I'm not there to play my guitar so that people will marvel at my music al gifts;

I’m there to serve the people and the Lord.

I've found worship leading to be like the opening section of the old version of ABC's

"Wide World of Sports." Sometimes we experience "the thrill of victory" and

sometimes we suffer "the agony of defeat." When the presence of God is strongly

in the room and the people are all intensely engaged in worship, there’s nothing

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better! But when it doesn’t seem to "happen," it’s like rowing upstream . I still

have great days and so-so days in ownership leading. In the midst of the mediocre

times of ministry. I can keep on ticking because I know that as a servant, I really

can’t demand anything. I’m there to serve not matter how I feel, no matter what

the circumstances.

God never promised us that worship would always be an ecstatic experience of his

loving presence. Feeling his presence is a wonderful by-product of worship, but it's

not something we can control or manipulate. It’s our job to exalt Christ; he decides

how much of his Spirit he’s going to pour out on any given day.

Over the years I've learned to resist the tendency to judge the value of worship set

on the basis of what I feel. Early on I would agonize over my "mistakes" after the

set as I sat and listened to the message. Then I realized that the motivation for this

critical analysis was really just a great concern over how good I looked, rather than

a jealousy for God’s glory. So I stopped navel-gazing!

In the past 20 years I have attended and led worship in six different churches. Some

of these have been new church plants, some have been large established churches.

I've worked with all kinds of musicians in all kinds of church meetings, conferences

and retreats. Each situation calls for a slightly different approach, but all of them

require the attitude of a servant.

I also like to think of worship leading as feeding the sheep with nutritious foods that

suit their needs. I find that different flocks feed on different kinds of food. They all

have the same basic diet, but they also have their favorite dishes. My challenge is

to serve an edible and enjoyable meal while trying to get as much direction as I can

from the head Chef.

It's not as simple as feeding them their favorite dish at every meal. The Lord has a

long term diet plan that includes all kinds of food. Among the basic food groups are

celebration, consecration, repentance, and intimate love songs. Sometimes the

people have to try something new and it takes them awhile to get used to the taste

of it. So their response isn't always overwhelming. On the other hand, I try to give

them some of their favorite songs at every "meal"-if I didn't, I end up with a flock

of unhappy sheep staring at me!

Lastly, I find worship leading to be like a balancing act between the pastoral and the

prophetic. I am called to tenderly care for the flock, leading them patiently as they

grow in their knowledge of God. If I see a lack of responsiveness in the people

during worship, I accept them right where they are and do my best to take them one

step further.

But I also have the responsibility of giving expression to whatever God is saying. As

worship leaders, we must call the people to commitment and consecration. For

example, some of the songs we sing point out the gap between God's calling to us

and our present level of obedience.

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Consider the lyric from the song "By Your Side" by Noel Richards: "Jesus, lover of

my soul, nothing from you I withhold."; Sometimes we do withhold things. But if we

as leaders will listen to Him during worship, He'll show us what those things are.

Then we can lead our people into releasing those things to him.

If I do my best to serve with the strength God provides, he will be praised.

Sometimes I hit a home run in worship leading sometimes I just get on base.

Occasionally I fell like I strike out! But as a servant, I continue to do all I can to

"administer God's grace." The results are up to him.

Copyright ©1996 Vineyard Music Group All Rights Reserved. No re-publication is permitted in any media or format without written permission from Vineyard Music Group USA.11. How to Birth Worship Leadership

How to Birth Worship Leadership

David Crabtree

From Worship Update, 1st Quarter 1996

More than 3000 years have passed since King David paused from his dancing to

make a sacrifice as he transported the Ark of God-the place of God’s enthroned

Presence-from its place of isolation to its place of prominence in the nation’s

capital.

However, history’s course has been marked much more by sacrifice than by praise.

There is an interrupting parallel between the sequence of events in the two books

of Samuel and the events that constitute our worship history since the birth of the

Christian church. Historically we have come out of the period of "ark isolation" into

a time where in worship-God’s authority, provision and presence is being

reestablished.

David, the man who became king, first became a man by discovering the heart of

God in the context of worship. God, however, had already moved prior to David by

raising a prophetic leadership voice that called for the rule of God’s heart. Samuel

"prepared the way" for David as centuries later John "prepared the way" for

Jesus.

Worship has always been the means by which God has sought to reestablish his rule

and restore relationship with His people. The context of 1st & 2nd Samuel does

concern itself with the immediate and intimate details of the establishment of the

Kingdom of Israel, but it also carries potent illustrations pertinent to worship and

worship leadership. It is with this worship leadership emphasis that we look again at

the story.

The first book of Samuel opens with the account of Hannah, the despised one, yet

doubly loved by her husband (1 Sam. 1:5-6), going before God, who she believed had

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caused her barrenness (v.6), and with unconscious emotion pours out her petition

for a son.

In bitterness of soul Hannah wept much and prayed to the LORD: And she made a

vow, saying, "O LORD Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant’s misery and

remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to

the LORD for all the days of his life" (Sam. 1:10-11).

Hannah is accused of drunkenness by Eli the high Priest and told to go and sober

up! She stands her ground and is promised that she will receive what she asked for.

Samuel is born, and Hannah, true to her word, returns her God-given gift back to

Him.

I prayed for this child and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. So now I

give him to the LORD. For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD. (1 Sam.

1:27-28)

I have often wished that God would "think ahead" and grant me what he wants for

me before I have to struggle for it. It is only in hindsight, and sometimes only with

"loud" hindsight, that I could have discovered that the very purposeful pursuing of

what I believe God has laid on my heart has, in its tough passage, provided me with

the heart of what it was all about. It is this very characteristic we call "heart" that

is the focus of God’s intentions, and the source of relationship. In Hannah’s case,

God was not just interested in the birth to a servant-hearted prophetic kingdom.

I was in two-day pastors’ gathering not long ago in Melbourne, Australia. Our

purpose was solely to ascertain what God was saying about church leadership

coming together to pray. One of the pastors made a comment that I will not forget.

He said, "We’re not here to launch another program, we’re here to see what god is

birthing…if we merely launch another program it will simply die, but if God births

what is in His heart, what comes will bring life!"

Giving birth is an arduous and painful process, but the joy in what has been born

puts pain behind. Hannah, with better tears cried out for a son. Ridicule resulted.

Her perseverance paid off. She not only gave birth to a son, she mothered a

prophetic leader "whose words never fell to the ground." Samuel, whose name

means "heard of God" inaugurated a new kingdom era for Israel that led to the

greatest king they ever had.

His birth brought to an end the "vision-drought" (1 Sam.3: 1) and opened up the

nation’s "hearing heart." His first ministry call however, was to give a direct

judgement word to his mentor and guardian, Eli.

Eli was not corrupt; he was weak. Corruption flourished under his weakness. His

sons were flagrantly immoral and impervious to correction (2Samu. 2:22-25).

Despite warnings (2:27-36) they continued to "treat the Lord’s offering with

contempt" (2:17,29). In the midst of all this, Samuel continued to faithfully "minister

before the Lord" (2:11) and continued to "grow in stature and in favor with the Lord

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and with Men."

It is not easy ministering in situations where leadership is not perfect. It is even

harder when leadership is weak or defective. In many situations our growing

sensitiveness to the Lord can cry out for holy justice.

However, the chief lesson we can learn from Samuel is that despite the vulnerability

of his youth and preciousness of his purity he chose to serve both the Lord and Eli

with gracious humility, choosing to allow God to again "birth" the next step of

kingdom action. As Samuel was obedient at each step, his faithfulness, rather than

his enthusiasm, allowed for a greater favor from God.

In any ministry, and particularly the ministry or worship, the integrity of humble

faithfulness is the key for the provisioning of the power of the Spirit. A servant’s

heart in the context of trustworthiness is what God looks for in the endowment of

spiritual authority.

"The LORD was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of his words fall to the

ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested

as a prophet of the LORD. The LORD continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he

revealed himself to Samuel through his word. And Samuel’s word came to all

Israel."

The Christian church body hungers for the genuine heart of the Lord. Any

substitute based merely on enthusiasm will deliver disillusionment. Worship

leadership that carries with it unresolved relationship issues will bear its fruit of

bitterness.

The sacred responsibility of every worship leader coupled with a humble one-

heartedness with his or her leadership, is to draw the congregations into that place

of one-heartedness with God.

Whether we like it or not, whether we are prepared for it or not, every time we lead

worship we invite people to enter the intimate place of our relationship with God.

We run that risk of having people actually looking into our own hearts. This is the

very real issue of vulnerability.

If people feel uncomfortable with that exposed place of the heart, or sense that

there is the existence of unresolved issues, they will either withdraw from entering

into worship, or be very guarded during the worship experience. If your people trust

your secret place with God as you lay it open before them in worship leadership,

they too will enter that intimate place with you with openness, unity and joy!

In his book Worship His Majesty, Jack Hayford comments on the powerful process

involved in restoring Adam and Eve. He makes the following statement…God’s

redemptive program is found in worship.

There is an impressive symmetry in this. Man’s relationship and rule under God has

been rooted and sustained in worship. Now, just when both seemed irretrievably lost

God set forth a received plan. With unsurprising consistency, yet with an amazing

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simplicity, this plan also centers on worship! There is no show of power. No display

of cosmic almightiness. No instant smashing of the serpent. No fury leveled at the

guilty.

Instead there is an introduction to a humble act of worship. The redeemer’s grace

seems to exceed even His power as he sets forth the recover for His beloved

creature all that had been lost. Yet the program is not as one might expect. For its

hidden power is in the reinstatement of worship rather than in a demonstration of

might. The mightiness will flow from worship.

Copyright ©1996 Vineyard Music Group All Rights Reserved. No re-publication is permitted in any media or format without written permission from Vineyard Music Group USA.

12. How to Find Favor in Worship Leadership

David Crabtree

From Worship Update, June 1996

Every worship leader I know who has a heart for God longs for greater authority

that comes when one knows that issues of personal integrity have been dealt with.

There is an open heart of purity through which comes an unimpeded flow of grace.

It is the place of God’s favor.

As always, spiritual authority is not an issue of attainment, but of attitude. Samuel

and David jointly formed the first seriously effective government. The cooperation

of the humble prophet and the worshipping king formed a union where, on one hand,

the prophetic word "never fell to the ground," and on the other, the Spirit rested

upon a leader and "never left him."

In a special way, worship leadership, in this same context, becomes an avenue of

rich grace for the Christian church. Humble deference to and dependence upon

each other’s spiritual giftings permits a unity of heart in which the Spirit is allowed

to flow with rich blessing and favor.

The first book of Samuel opens with a record of character and kingdom

development:

· Barrenness is broken as Hannah intercedes for God’s glory to

be demonstrated by a blessing of fruitfulness.

· A directionless nation acquires spiritual eyes with Samuel’s

birth and entry into the prophetic ministry.

ｷ Prophetic leadership is established, credentialled by

servanthood and unambitious humility.

· God’s jealousy for His Name and for the purity of a willing heart to

serve Him, become the measures by which He chooses to grant authority

in leadership.

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Time to Make the Ears Tingle…

Despite the fact that Samuel had been anointed and appointed as the spiritual

leader of Israel, there was a long process of dealing with the legacy of faulty

leadership, and a nation that had long since deserted its calling as a people of God.

The time had come for God’s word to Samuel to be fulfilled.

"And the Lord said to Samuel: ‘See, I am about to do something in Israel that will

make the ears of everyone who hears of it tingle. At that time I will carry out

against Eli everything I spoke against his family - from beginning to end.’" (1

Samuel 3:11-12)

So began the end of Eli’s leadership. God determined that the time had come to

bring restoration, but first there had to be reconstruction. For reconstruction to

take place, there had be demolition. The influence of prevailing leadership attitudes

and presumptions which were counter to the character of His kingdom had to be

removed. The Eli leadership style was characterized by:

ｷ A lack of due respect for the sacred.

ｷ The use of the priestly position for the purpose of personal

gain.

ｷ Manipulation and superstition, rather than devotion and

service.

ｷ An assumption that past anointing was sufficient for the

present.

ｷ A presumption that once one becomes a leader, he is always a

leader.

ｷ A view that God would overlook dereliction of duty in the

context of weariness and weakness.

ｷ A prevailing spirit of contempt in the activities of worship.

God used his favorite method of bringing discipline to His people: other people! In

this case, they were heathen Philistines! Israel lost 30,000 men, including Eli’s two

sons. Eli himself fell over when he heard the news, broke his neck, and died. Eli’s

only legacy was a surviving grandson whose name announced "the glory has

departed."

God Shows Up in a Strange Place

It is interesting to note that, besides speaking to Samuel, God was very quiet about

everything until the ark was taken by the Philistines. Then all heaven broke loose!

The idol Dagon fell on his face, and disintegrated (1 Sam. 5:4). Rats ran everywhere.

The people developed cancer-like growths (1 Sam. 5:6).

The Philistines got the message that messing with God’s sacred stuff was not

exactly healthy for them. So they did something that the Israelites had failed to

do - they cried out to God. And God did something that He hadn’t done with the

Israelites up to that point - He heard them! But not until the sacred place was

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restored. Through all the disaster, the rats, and the tumors, the Philistines finally

figured out that what belonged to the God of the Israelites, belonged to the God of

the Israelites, and there was no other alternative. The ark went back to Israel.

It was now time for the Israelites to learn what the Philistines had learned.

Ignorance and presumption with sacred things spell catastrophe.

God Shows Up Again in a Familiar Place

It is an incredibly ironic fact that lack of familiarity with God produces a

disrespectful over-familiarity with God. For years, the people of Israel had had no

real relationship with their God. The closest that most had seen was the weak

impotence of Eli, and the blatant sacrilege perpetrated by his sons. Relationship

with God was reduced to careless superstition. The God of Abraham, Isaac and

Jacob was merely an option among similar gods. Until now.

"…But God struck down some of the men of Beth Shemesh, putting fifty thousand

and seventy of them to death because they had looked into the ark of the Lord. The

people mourned because of the heavy blow the LORD had dealt them, and the men

of Beth Shemesh asked, ‘Who can stand in the presence of the LORD, this holy

God?" To whom will the ark go up from here?’

Then they sent messengers to the people of Kiriath Jearim, saying, ‘The Philistines

have returned the ark of the LORD. Come down and take it up to your place.’ So

the men of Kiriath Jearim came and took up the ark of the LORD. They took it to

Abinadab’s house on the hill and consecrated Eleazar his son to guard the ark of

the LORD" (1 Samuel 6:19 - 7:1).

It was a heavy blow. It took twenty years for them to recover (1 Sam. 7:2). I don’t

think it was just the fact that God got upset over ignorant and careless people

peering into the ark (something they were forbidden to do). The issue was the

nation’s lifestyle of idolatry and witchcraft (1 Sam. 7:3).

God would never show His favor or His glory while there was even a hint that

somewhere in the land, some other demonic god might get the slightest credit.

Deliverance could only come after a national agreement that God was the only true

God (1 Sam. 7:3-4).

Restoration of Favor

Confession, intercession and supernatural intervention restore favor. When it really

comes down to it, only God can initiate the process of releasing blessing and favor.

There is a specific and certain sovereignty He exercises in the giving of favor.

Before He bestows favor, however, certain conditions have to be met.

The first is that He must have an exclusive franchise on our worship and devotion.

He will allow "no other gods" before Him.

1 Samuel 7 is an interesting chapter describing the sequence of events by which

Israel was restored to God’s favor, delivered from its Philistine enemies, and

blessed by a season of prosperity and peace:

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All the people "mourned and sought after" God (v. 2).

The leadership (Samuel) then challenged the people to rid themselves of everything

that was an idolatrous distraction to them (v. 3).

The leadership (Samuel) called the people together, and led intercession to God on

behalf of them (v. 5).

The people joined by fasting, confessing and repenting, and renouncing their past

allegiances (vv. 4, 6).

The unity and purpose of the people attracted the attention of their enemies (v. 7).

The great desire to be restored to God changed to an urgent need for

God’s defense against a common enemy (v. 8).

Intercession turned to a desperate cry for help (v. 9).

God intervened ("thundered against the Philistines") and routed Israel’s

enemies (vv. 10-11).

A memorial of worship was set up to remind the people of God’s help (v. 12)

Restoring Authority to Worship Leadership

There is an awesome transition that one must make in comparing Old Testament

examples to New Testament post-Pentecost reality. At incredible cost (the Cross)

God released His blessing and authority in the Person and presence of His Spirit.

The Kingdom authority that Jesus demonstrated and gave away to His followers is

the same type that was released to Samuel and David. These two men understood

that God wanted heart relationship with Himself before he would bestow any

authority. They both knew that it was God who owned the kingdom and the

authority. For some reason, God loves to bestow authority on those who are not

looking for it, but who are looking for Him out of desperate dependence and love.

Authority Is God’s Favor

Authority is an issue of God’s favor, and not an issue of meeting God’s needs. God

does not really need us to administer anything on His behalf. He can do it really well

on His own. He knows that what people need is not more authority, or more power,

but more of Him. That thing that we like to term "authority" is not so much

authority as it is His Presence. His Presence also carries His authority. His

Presence brings favor.

Samuel found favor through faithful servant-hearted service to God in spiritually dry

times. David found favor because he delighted in being alone with God, and in giving

humble deference to Him in worship.

It was God’s favor on both these men that elevated them to exceptional positions

of authority. That favor was continually given as both men faithfully served without

claiming ownership of their authority.

Authoritative, anointed worship leadership is that leadership which carries with it

the mark of God’s favor. Favor is that which is bestowed as one constantly seeks

out the place of intimacy with Father God. Favor is that holy, anointed grace of His

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presence that one can never own or possess, control or administer. Favor is

obtained by coming constantly to the place that David described in Psalm 132:2-9:

"I will not enter my house or go to my bed - I will allow no sleep to my eyes, no

slumber to my eyelids, till I find a place for the Lord, a dwelling for the Mighty One

of Jacob…" "Let us go to his dwelling place; let us worship at his footstool - arise,

O LORD, and come to your resting place, you and the ark of your might. May your

priests be clothed with righteousness; may your saints sing for joy."

Copyright ©1996 Vineyard Music Group All Rights Reserved. No re-publication is permitted in any media or format without written permission from Vineyard Music Group USA.13. LEADING WORSHIP LEADERS.

Leading Worship Leaders

Carl Tuttle

(from Let Your Glory Fall Syllabus)

The selection, nurture, and discipline of a worship leader have serious implications

for any church, especially a Vineyard church that emphasizes the priority, and

experience of worship.

The process of recruiting, multiplying, and deploying worship leaders is so

challenging-and frankly, messy-because it involves…people! People pick other

people. True, it may be God who is calling an individual to a certain ministry. But a

divine calling has to be identified, acknowledged, and approved by other humans.

That’s the scriptural model. The apostle Paul gave his disciples, Timothy and Titus,

explicit instructions about appointing people for positions of oversight and authority.

Go Slow

The number one rule is to go slowly. The apostle Paul said, "Do not be hasty in the

laying on of hand…" (1Tim. 5:22). It’s much harder to lay hands off, than to lay

hands on people. If you aren’t careful, your selection will come back and haunt you.

Sometimes we’re desperate to fill a slot. In walks a guy with a Martin, who can play,

sing, and stay sober for at least thirty or forty minutes. We say, "What the heck!"

That viewpoint can be hazardous, and you could find yourself in trouble in the long

run.

John Wimber told me years ago, when I went to Santa Maria, California to plant a

church: "This is the number one rule for you: Take your time. Write that down.

TAKE YOUR TIME. Number two rule:Take your time. And rule number three: Take

your time."

However, for some of us committed to ministry, we want action, growth, and

explosive growth! It is better to grow slowly, and build a firm foundation.

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How to go slowly

1: Get to know the person and develop a relationship. This involves finding out how

they are in different situations (with their wife, kids, work, friends, and under stress).

Spend time with them. It is important to know what you’re dealing with. Some

people are mystical and some are not. Some see angels and some figure if angels

show up it’ll be fine, but it isn’t that they need to see anything. But you need to

know what they’re like, because you’re going to have to find ways of

communicating with them.

2: Ask yourself these questions about the person you’re releasing: What is their

temperament: are they melancholic, choleric?

Are they go-getters, or are they down all the time? Moodiness doesn’t disqualify

them. It just means your job is going to be a little tougher, because the worship may

be somber at times. Melancholic types need coaching, encouragement and

stimulation to speed up a little. The hyper-types may need reigning in a little (unless

you enjoy marching outside the building every week). Neither type is inferior to the

other. You just need to be aware of what they’re like.

Are they mystical or pragmatic? How do they see the world?

Can they take direction or correction? Are they a crisis waiting to happen? All you

have to do is bump people like that a little bit, and they spin out. And it will take you

the rest of the month to calm them down.

This is the qualifier for me. If they can’t take direction or correction, then I may

have to compromise and utilize them for a time. But, as soon as I find somebody

who is teachable, they’re in and the other person’s out.

You don’t want to spend 30-40 percent of your time putting these people back

together. You just don’t have that much time and energy. There are so many

thieves of your energy and time in the life of the church. Identify those things and

determine not to give too much of yourself to them-they’ll wipe you out.

There is different time and energy that you’ll give to year number one that you

won’t give in year number three. It’s progressive.

Number: Can they color between the lines? When you set boundaries, can they work

within them? There have been times when I had a thirty-minute worship list, and the

speaker asked me to do only 20 minutes. You just do it. The last thing a pastor

needs is for his worship leader to argue over the amount of time for the worship.

The worship leader can ask afterwards what was going on, but not before a service

or a meeting. Some people can’t handle that. They honestly think they are violating

some spiritual principal or putting God in a box if they don’t worship a set amount

of time. But, there’s no way you can contain God in a box. God can do it any way

He wants to. He can do it in 2 minutes or 40 minutes. God is able to get the job

done despite time restraints.

Number six: Can you tell this person no? That’s when you find out whether you’re

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the pastor or not. You can tell a great deal of where people are at when you have to

tell them no. For some people, you’re their pastor, until you tell them no.

What is the basis for his or her service? Are they serving because they need

approval? Are they serving out of insecurities? Are they serving because they need

God’s favor? This neither qualifies nor disqualifies. It’s just something you need to

know.

Do they know the difference between performance and worship leading? There are

some great musicians who have a difficult time making the transition between the

two. You might find someone, who is really talented, and can really play, and really

sing. But he or she has trained his whole life toward performance and so has a hard

time differentiating the two. Notice I said "some" great musicians. The Vineyard

movement has many expert musicians who care about excellence, and playing

skillfully-who also have incredible hearts for worship. Andy Park, Eddie Espinosa,

and Danny Daniels are good examples.

What is their understanding of worship?

Do they have a narrow or broad understanding of worship? Is worship just singing

choruses and simple love songs, or do they understand that worship ranges from

"being still and knowing that he is God" to dancing, and shouting, and rejoicing.

Worship is all of those things, and more.

Release people progressively

I never give anybody complete autonomy, right off the bat. If you’re not a worship

leader, you can get intimidated by people who are, and so you feel as if you have to

give it all to them. Don’t. Release progressively. You have plans, but nothing ever

ends up looking the way you think it’s going to look. You get people involved in the

process, and it all gets screwed-up. Chuck Smith is fond of saying; "Blessed are the

flexible, for they shall not break." You must have some flexibility in your system, or

you’re going to be one miserable person.

I tell people: "Do it my way first, and then, one day, you’ll be able to do it your

way." Some people don’t like that, but nobody leads unless they follow first. The

best leaders are good followers.

Make clear and short term commitments.

As a leader, your whispers are shouts. You tell them a tiny, little thing, and you’ve

just made a life time commitment to them, as far as their concerned. Jerry Ballard,

president of World Relief, says that, "All miscommunications are the result of

differing assumptions." Make sure things are clearly articulated.

Make short term commitments. Say, "I want you to lead worship this Sunday." Then

let them lead worship, and see how they do. If they do well, then ask them to do it

the next week for you. You can limit them to a three month span. Then watch them

to see how they do, and interact with them. But don’t commit long term to them

right out of the gate, because you’re inviting all kinds of difficulties and problems.

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True Believers

You want people, who believe in you, believe in your vision. You want people who

are totally committed to what God is doing in your situation, city, and town. You

want people in the boat who are all rowing in the same direction. It’s crazy to think

of twelve people in a boat and six of them rowing one direction, and six of them

rowing another direction. It makes no sense.

You’ll have a hundred people who are just as happy as clams, and one person will

say, "You know, the Spirit of the Lord just isn’t here anymore." That’s the only

one you’ll feel. That’s the one you’ll obsess on. Team up with people who are

going the same direction. You want to be able to commit to them, because you

believe in them, and what God is doing in and through them. Value them. These are

the people you need to entrust your life with.

People don’t get there over night. They get there progressively. Take your time,

and earn the right to have authority in people’s lives. Don’t just march in with your

badge on, and your club, and your gun, saying, "I’m the authority here." It’s so

tempting to do because it’s shorter and quicker. Take the time to let them know

you, and learn to respect the call of God in you.

Even with volunteers, expect the same effort as with people who have full-time

salary. If they said they were going to do it, I’m assuming they’re going to do it,

because, one, they said it and two, they’re doing it for the Lord Jesus. We all have

to do it by the same standard. Everyone in the whole church should work at that

one standard. Actions, not words.

A heart to serve, not rule

Be willing to look beyond their talent and see if they are people who are willing to

come early, and help set up, willing to stay around late to take things down. See if

they consider it to be below them to do that sort of work. They ought to be willing

to participate in the broader life of the church.

Select People Who Have Support From Their Family

Is the spouse and children willing and able to pay the price? If the husband or the

wife is unwilling to pay the price of the person practicing, or leaving early, or staying

late, it can cause all kinds of difficulties. Look for people who are in unity over that

issue.

Although your worship leader may not function as an elder in the life of the church,

applying elder principles, such as; having one’s house in order, and having a good

reputation in the community is applicable. Remember that people who flake in

everyday life are more likely to flake in ministry responsibilities. Something magical

doesn’t happen when they come to church. They really are the same people.

Look for people who like being with you

And look for people you like being with. Look for people that others like being

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around. You don’t want people who bring everybody down.

Look for people who demonstrate wisdom, not just intelligence.

Look for people who value time, and understand time. If you look at creation, it is in

perfect order. If the earth moves a few degrees on way or the other, we’ll either

freeze or burn. God really does have everything structured and in perfect place.

I admonish people about being on time and doing things within the set limit. I try to

get people who value that, because I value that. And even if they don’t value that, I

make them value that when they’re working with me. If they’re going to come to

MY meeting, they’re going to come to MY meeting on time…or don’t come to my

meeting. Because I’m not going to have a meeting if I don’t think it’s important.

The people who work with me are going to work within that context, because I

don’t want to have to fight with them over this issue. It is a reasonable expectation.

If you have a reasonable expectation, make them clearly known to people. It’s

unfair to hold people to expectations that haven’t been clearly defined.

People who are able to keep short accounts with themselves

You want people who are able to keep short accounts with themselves, so if they

blow it, they don’t spend a month in a funk. You want to make sure they don’t have

a lot of conflict with all these people in the body, because they are unwilling to

forgive. And they need to keep those short accounts with you. You will make

mistakes. You will blow it. You will not do things right. And you don’t want people

around reminding you of everything that you’ve done wrong over the last year. If

you keep short accounts with them, they’ll keep short accounts with you.

Copyright ©1995 Vineyard Music Group All Rights Reserved. No re-publication is permitted in any media or format without written permision from Vineyard Music Group USA.14. WHAT IS WORSHIP LEADING?

Leading Worship

Eddie Espinosa

(from Thoughts on Worship)

What Worship Leading is Not

· Worship leading is not simply leading songs, choruses, or a song service.

Someone filling these roles is traditionally viewed as a worship leader . However,

it would be more accurate to define someone in this capacity as a song leader

or "music director."

In this model, a song leader or music director is an intermediary between musicians

and other people. Usually his or her duties are to fill interludes between segments

of the service with music, to entertain and to prepare the congregation for the

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sermon.

Those musicians who travel with evangelists or seminar speakers usually serve as

the opening act. Many times they make recommendations to the audience such as,

"Okay everybody, let’s stand up. Let’s lift our hands to the Lord." The song

leader’s duty is to get the people ready for the speaker. The song choices may be

somewhat arbitrary. The purpose is to sing a few gospel songs, hymns, or choruses.

I do not want to imply that song leading is bad. There is a place for it, but it is not

the same thing as worship leading. Worship leading goes beyond leading songs.

· Worship leading is not about exhorting others to sing songs, even if those

songs are worshipful. This model casts the worship leader in the role of the one

who is responsible to tell the congregation when and how to praise and worship

through song. Often this is accomplished through mini-sermons, testimonies, or

the use of the "right" songs.

Conversely, we in the Vineyard have found that sometimes all the exhortation that

the people need is the mere act of worship on the part of the worship leader.

Basically, he or she becomes one who exhorts by his or her example - a preacher

before the preacher.

· Worship leading is not worshipping God while others watch. I liken to this to

eating in front of hungry people. Imagine this scenario with me. I invite you to my

house for a banquet. I say, "We are going to have dinner around 7:00. We will

have a great time." Upon your arrival, you find us all sitting around the table

which is set for everyone, but the only plate with food on it is mine. I start

eating that food. I tell you how good it is. You can see by the expression on my

face that I am savoring every morsel. "Boy, these sweet potatoes are good! And

this turkey is wonderful! And these tamales; they’re great!" You can tell by

looking at me that I am enjoying every minute of it.

Sometimes worship leaders fall into this pattern. Usually they do it unconsciously.

Because they do not understand their real purpose, they think, "I am going to

worship God because that is what I came here for." In that mistaken assumption,

they forget to be sensitive to what is happening in the body. As a worship leader,

you are also a servant. Your job is to draw people into worship.

· Worship leading is not playing music while others worship . Let us go back to

the dinner at my house. This time the table is set with plenty of food for

everyone except me. Someone says, "Hey Eddie, aren’t you going to eat?" I

say, "No, I will eat later." In this instance, I have missed out on the benefit of

the meal mistakenly believing that it is enough to provide food for the others.

I want to emphasize that as a worship leader you must have times with God apart

from the times you spend leading worship. Just as pastors must spend time

studying the Word of God and praying when they are not in the pulpit, worship

leaders, too, must dedicate time to focus exclusively on God and their relationships

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with Him.

What Worship Leading Is

· Worship leading is both worshipping God and drawing others into worship.

Worship leading is setting down at the same banquet table and eating together.

No one feels left out. I am encouraging you to eat and you are encouraging me

to eat. There is a sense of communion and fellowship.

It is like being an usher at a wedding ceremony. The usher does not sit in his or her

pew and yell to the back of the church to encourage the people to come in and sit

down. Neither does an usher get behind the guests and push them to their seats.

These are the functions of an exhorter. An usher goes to the people, makes an

about-face, and exhorts each individual to his or her seat. Similarly, the job of a

worship leader is to find out where the people are, go to that place, make an about-

face, and lead them into the presence of God.

As an escort, the worship leader is positioned between God and His people. His

leadership is a sustained expression of where he feels God’s spirit is leading the

people at that particular time.

The worship leader must be aware of the congregation, but he or she need not

address or exhort them directly. By stopping every three or four songs to

encourage, the leader is no longer escorting the worshippers. Simply remind them

that they are there to worship and then draw them into the experience. If the songs

are properly chosen, they will invite worship. The worship leader’s expectation is

that the experience of worship is not merely a time-filler or a people-pumper, but a

sustained encounter of loving and responding to God without interruptions. In fact,

the worship leader is someone who responds to God.

· The role of a worship leader must be someone who worships. Before

anyone can lead anything, he or she must master it for him/herself . To be

effective, worship leaders must first become worshippers. The psalmist

wrote, "Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt His name together." (Psalm

34:3) This passage emphasizes togetherness and the simultaneous

expression of thanksgiving, praise, and worship to God. Therefore, it is

important that a worship leader worship while he/she leads.

· A worship leader must be someone who worships on a continual basis . On

Monday nights, I led worship at a Bible study. On Tuesday nights, I led worship

at a home group meeting. On Wednesday nights, I led worship for another class.

On Thursday nights, I would fill in for another home group. On Friday nights, I

would get together with friends who would ask me to bring a guitar and do some

worship.

After this went on for awhile, I began to ask God why my heart was hurting; why

was I drying up? When He told me that I was not worshipping, I did not understand. I

was leading worship Monday through Friday nights. He said to me that the problem

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was that I was leading worship and not spending time being intimate alone with Him.

He was pleased with what I was doing, but I needed to spend time coming back to

the well when I was thirsty.

As I began to search the Scriptures, I found that they encouraged me to worship

Him on a continual basis. Hebrews 13:15 says, "Through Jesus, therefore, let us

continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise - the fruit of lips that confess His

name."

I discovered that I can worship Him while I am in the shower, driving down the

street, washing dished, mowing the lawn, playing with my kids, and so on. We all have

times when we can worship God doing other things. As he psalmist wrote, "I will

extol the Lord at all times; His praise will always be in my lips." (Psalm 34:1)

· A worship leader must worship throughout the day because he or she is both

a worshipper and a leader. By worshipping throughout the day, I nurture my own

responsiveness to God. Then, when I am leading worship in a home group and

the Lord tells me to kneel, I do it. Before coming to the Vineyard, I went to a

church where the basic philosophy of worship was very different from what I

currently do.

The whole idea was that if God inhabits the praises of his people - which he does -

everyone should worship and praise him because then the presence of God would

come. There was tremendous pressure to "worship" God. The pastor would walk up

and down the aisles physically lifting people’s hands. It was a sincere effort.

Practices similar to these are common in some sections of the church. This form of

coercion, however, rarely leads to ‘the sacrifice of praise" that Scripture

recommends.

· A worship leader must be someone who leads. The Holy Spirit, as our

counselor and guide, directs the worship through the worship leader. The leader

acts as a conduit through which the Holy Spirit can flow. God uses ordinary

people like you and me. He directs the worship through the worship leader, and

in turn the worship leader leads the people into ht presence of God.

When Moses led the children of Israel, where did they go? Were they a people

wandering aimlessly in the wilderness? No, God was directing them. God guided with

a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Moses was called by God to lead the

children of Israel, following the cloud or the pillar of fire, even when it appeared to

go in an unexpected direction.

In like manner, the worship leader is called to lead the people in the direction God is

taking them. All of this requires some planning, but the planning must be in accord

with the leading of the Holy Spirit. Planning does not mean deciding what song

would be good to begin with, which song should be used to get people standing,

what song should be good to liven up the mood and so forth. Consideration should

be given to some of the physical aspects, but this should not be the primary focus.

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Planning means praying, and not just five minutes before you start. Once you have

committed yourself to the job of leading worship, you have consecrated yourself to

God. This may mean that some things in your life need to be changed. In the

Scriptures, we read about the call of the Levite. The tribe of Levi was a tribe

separated unto God. Their inheritance was the Lord, not the land. Their job was to

serve God in the temple and to serve His people. This is similar to a worship

leader’s calling today - a calling to be in communion with God and to serve the

people. All of us need to be even more aware of our consecration. You must be led

by the Holy Spirit.

· Leadership means servanthood. We are not the spiritual leaders of the

church or even a particular small group; that is the pastor/leader’s role . Over

the years I have been approached by disgruntled worship leaders with similar

complaints. "You know, Eddie, the pastor of my church just does not understand

worship. He wants me to do three songs, and that is it. I do not know what to do.

I am frustrated. Last Sunday, I went ahead and did a half-hour of worship. He

has talked to me three times to tell me that he does not want me to go that

long. I just went for it anyway and did what God told me to do."

That kind of scenario is not right. The worship leader needs to follow the guidelines

of his or her pastor. Submit to his authority, and show some respect. Though you

may be 100 percent correct, your attitude is sowing seeds of rebellion. Pray for him,

talk to him, and be his friend. Share some of the things you have learned. He may

feel threatened, but if you show respect, he may come to trust your judgement.

You must lead by keeping the spiritual needs of the people in mind. Sometimes I get

comments that we need more songs of one type or another or that we have not

done a certain song in a long time. I listen to those requests, but I base my final

decision on whether or not the particular request will enhance worship in this time

and place.

· The worship leader needs to know the present spiritual condition of the

audience. The worship at my church is something that I pray for regularly. It is

part of the job description.

In a small group setting, it is not only important to hear from God, but to be able to

listen to what people are saying or sharing during the meeting. What are they talking

about? What is God doing among them? Have there been prophecies in the group?

What has been the content of any recent teaching? What have the recent sermons

been about? Do these concerns have anything to do with worship? The Lord uses

different means of showing us where people are and where He wants to take them.

Therefore, it is critical to talk to people, to relate to them. You cannot know where

they are spiritually of you ignore them. If you arrive five minutes before a small

group meeting starts, and you leave immediately after it’s over, how can you know

their spiritual state? How can they know you and trust you as a leader of friend?

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· Worship leaders need to know when God is present. Have you ever walked

into a service or small group meeting late, when people have already been

worshipping? What does it feel like? There is a sense of the presence of God. If

God inhabits the praises of His people, then when we worship Him, He is

enthroned upon our praises.

In the Old Testament there are several illustrations of God’s awesome presence. In

Isaiah 6 we see the prophet trembling in the presence of God. The cloud had filled

the place so heavily that he was weighed down with his unworthiness. But God

touched him. This is how it is sometimes during worship. It does not only occur in a

large crowd, but can happen in a small group where there are only eight to ten

people worshipping.

Do not use the corporate worship time to take care of your own needs. If you need

repentance, repent before you start. If you need refreshment or encouragement, get

it before you arrive. This usually means going directly to God Himself.

Healing, deliverance, and salvation are all things that happened when Jesus walked

into a city or entered a house. He walked in and announced the coming of the

kingdom. Mary Magdalene repented at His feet. When He walked into town, lepers

were cleansed and demons fled. Why? Because Jesus’ physical body at that time

and His spiritual presence in our worship today make these things possible. We

should expect the same miracles to happen to ourselves.

· Worship leaders are servants. First, serve God with all your heart, soul and

strength. You need to be committed to doing God’s will and obeying Him in all

parts of your life.

Being a servant in the kingdom of God is not all drudgery, but there is an aspect of

humility and meekness that needs to be visible. Real joy comes in service. The

apostle Paul exhorts, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in

humility consider other better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to

your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the

same as that of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 2:3-5). Selfish ambition and vain conceit

are things that cannot be a part of a worship leader’s life.

One of the things that happens when you become a worship leader is that it

impacts your whole life. Sermons and Scriptures that have not applied before to

worship leading, will now apply.

· A worship leader is committed to drawing others into worship, who serves

the people by being sensitive to their needs. You serve God and you also serve

the people by putting your own musical likes and dislikes aside to better focus

the people’s attention on the Lord. If you ever hear yourself saying, "I am doing

what God wants me to do; forget what the people want," your view is distorted.

You are a servant to God, but you are also a servant to the people of God.

Remember, the people belong to God and so do you. The call of the Levite was

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to the temple, to God, and to God’s people.

Spiritual Preparation

· Keep your heart right before God . Psalm 27:8 (NASV) is one of my favorite

Scriptures: "When thou didst say, ‘Seek my face," my heart said to Thee, ‘Thy

face oh Lord, I shall seek.’" I think this Scripture sums up for me what worship

is all about. It is God’s invitation to His people to, "Come seek my face." The

other side is our heartfelt response to God is, "Yes Lord, I will respond to your

call to be closer, to be more intimate, to share with you what it is that I feel

about you."

Psalm 51:10, 17 says, "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast

spirit within me…The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite

heart, O God, you will not despise."

God wants a broken and contrite heart. That is all He asks of us. Does that mean

that you will always be acting as if your heart is broken? No, it does not because

God restores, renews, and refreshes. Do not get the meaning of a broken and

contrite heart confused with being serious all of the time. There is no place for

secret sin in the life of a worship leader. You must regularly confess your sins to

God.

Numbers 32:23 says that sooner or later your sin will find you out. Sins always come

to the surface, and they do affect your ministry. Some people feel that if they are in

sin, God will still use them. It is true that God might use you for the sake of the

people. If He used a donkey (see Numbers 22, the story of Balaam), He will use

anyone for the sake of His people. Does this justify being in sin? No, God uses you

for the sake of the people, but that does not mean that you are without sin before

God.

· Be sensitive to God’s leading and, more importantly, obey. It is easy

to hear God’s voice, but it is hard to obey. Obeying means that you are

willing to take responsibility for your actions. "The watchman opens the gate

for Him, and the sheep listen to His voice. He calls His own sheep by name

and leads them out. When He has brought out all his own, He goes on ahead

of them, and His sheep follow Him because they know His voice…My sheep

listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me." (John 10:3-4, 27) That

last sentence encapsulates what is important as a worship leader. As you

read this verse, replace "sheep" with "worship leader". "My worship leader

listens to my voice. I know him and he follows me." As a worship leader, you

must listen to God’s voice, know Him and allow Him to know you. Spend

more time with Him and obey God at all times.

· Leave your motives and ego in God’s hands. "Whoever exalts himself

will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." (Matthew

23:12). Again, "Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the

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name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through

Him…whatever you do, work in it with all your heart." (Col. 3:17, 23) You can

get into lots of trouble serving yourself, but you cannot go wrong serving

God or serving people. Jesus Christ is the focus of our attention.

· Be aware of what God is doing with the group you are leading . This is done

through prater, and then by opening your eyes during worship and looking at

what is going on. Her eat the Vineyard we are taught to keep our eyes open and

watch what is happening when we pray for someone, In order to look for signs of

the Spirit’s activity.

Prepare the Hearts of the People

When I first came to the Vineyard, I only did songs of intimacy. I had come out of a

celebration/praise type of church, and I was looking for an alternative style. What

was missing in my worship life was intimacy. So, when I started leading worship, that

was the direction I took. I did not appreciate that there were people in the

congregation who had a hunger for more celebrative worship as a prelude to

intimacy. My own needs inhibited my seeing the bigger picture. Celebration serves a

similar purpose to stretching and warm-up before running a race.

Prepare the hearts of the people you are leading to enter into God’s presence. We

have talked about your own spiritual preparation for worship. There is also a

spiritual preparation necessary for the people you are leading. Prepare their hearts.

If the Lord is showing you that repentance is needed, go into repentance songs. IF

the Lord is showing you that celebration is needed, start of with celebration songs.

Here are some examples (by theme) of songs to use for these purposes:

God’s greatness: "Majesty," by Jack Hayford; "All Hail King Jesus," by Dave

Moody.

Intimacy: "Glorify Thy Name," by Donna Atkins; "I Will Magnify," by

Scott Palazzo; "I Worship You," by Carl Tuttle.

God’s Name: "Jesus, Name Above All Names," Naida Hearn; "Glorify Thy Name,"

by Donna Atkins; "I Will Magnify," by Scott Palazzo; "You Are the Mighty King," by

Eddie Espinosa.

Forgiveness: "Tender Mercy," by Peggy Wagner; "O Lord Have Mercy on Me," by

Carl Tuttle; "Change My Heart oh God," by Eddie Espinosa; "It’s Your Blood," by

Michael Christ.

Unity and family togetherness: "Family Song," by Steve Hampton.

The most important thing to remember when choosing songs is that we need

balance in selection. Do not decide according to your own experience. Sometimes

we lead without any regard for the body. We must be aware of the spiritual level of

the people and their circumstances. Then we can alternate between good singing

and prayerful intercession.

Lead by example. Keep in mind that we are never to manipulate people into doing

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something they do not want tot do. For example, when people lift their hands just

because someone is telling them to, they are doing that in outward gesture only,

and not from the heart. Rather, the approach we take in worship is that body

posture, movements, and expressions are, in general, outward signs of what is going

on inside.

When you bow down, you are shoeing reverence to God. When you lift your hands,

you are submitting to God. When you kneel down, you give respect, homage, and

honor to God. When you clap your hands, you express joy to God. Here is how I

encourage the outward expression of inward worship. I start singing a song that

mentions lifting hands in its lyrics, for example, "I Lift My Hands," or "I Just Want

to Praise You," by Arthur Tannous. It is difficult to sing something like that and not

do it. But people still have a choice: If they want to lift their hands, they can. If they

do not want to, that is all right.

The bottom line is that God does not care whether or not someone lifts his or her

hands. God looks at the heart. The key element is choice. When God called Abraham

to sacrifice Isaac, Abraham had a choice. He chose to obey willingly. Worship must

be a voluntary response. Let God inspire so that it becomes an individual’s

sacrifice of praise, not yours. It is not the matter of getting the whole group on its

face before God so you can say, "Look what I did." Rather, it is the person’s

response sand free gift to God.

Approaches to Worship Leading

Below are three models of worship and suggestions for the development of worship

songs through music:

ｷ The Psalm 95 model

Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our

salvation (v.1).

Let us come before Him wit thanksgiving and extol Him with music and song (v.2).

For the Lord is a great God, the great King above all gods (v.3).

In His hand are the depths of the earth and the mountain peaks belong to Him (v.4).

The sea is His, for He made it, and His hands formed the dry land (v. 5).

Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker (v.6);

For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, the flock under His care

(v. 6).

You can see that this passage contains elements of rejoicing (v. 1), thanksgiving (v.

2), praise (vs. 2-5), and reverence (vs. 6-7).

ｷ The Psalm 100 model - a Journey into the Holy of Holies.

Shout for the joy to the Lord, all the earth (v. 1).

Worship the lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs (v. 2).

Know that the Lord is God, it is He who made us, and his courts with praise; give

thanks to him and praise His name (v. 4).

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For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues

through all generations (v. 5).

This passage seems to suggest a progression related to the way Jews worshipped

at the temple.

The following is a guide to choosing songs according to the model of worship:

ｷ Worship Progression

Encampment outside the temple

Entering the gates with thanksgiving

Entering his courts with praise

Entering the Holy Place

Entering the Holy of Holies

ｷ Song Type to Use

Fun songs

Gratitude songs

Praise songs, usually upbeat

Worship songs

Intimate songs

The Rational Approach to Worship Planning

Finally, here is a table that suggests songs to use in a progress of worship different

from that above:

ｷ Stage

Invitation or call to worship

Engagement songs

Exaltation songs

Adoration

Intimacy songs

ｷ Type of Songs to Use

Songs that focus and remind us why we are together

Songs that draw the congregation nearer to God

Songs that magnify and glorify God

Love songs

Songs that speak of quiet time together

Copyright ©1995, 1998 Vineyard Music Group All Rights Reserved. No re-publication is permitted in any media or format without written permission from Vineyard Music Group USA.

C. EMOTION IN WORSHIP

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The use of music as an expression of emotion linked to theological

truth is common in all churches. In the evangelical traditions where

personal religious experience is emphasized, emotional expression is

one of music's most important meanings; it is probably that function

which folks refer to when they identify "music that speaks to the

heart." But this is not a new experience for churchgoers. St.

Augustine mentioned it in the fifth century. "How greatly did I weep

in thy hymns and canticles, deeply moved by the voice of thy sweet-

speaking Church! The voices flowed into mine ears, and the truth was

poured forth into my heart, whence the agitation of my piety

overflowed, and my tears ran over, and blessed was I therein." The

emotional power of music is perhaps best realized in the life of the

church when proper music is well coupled to appropriate text. (Note

that Augustine joins emotion with truth!) In this union, the music

dramatizes, underlines, "breathes life" into the words, resulting in

more meaning than the words themselves could express. St.

Augustine(354-430) as quoted in Donald Hustad's JUBILATE II: CHURCH

MUSIC IN WORSHIP AND RENEWAL

BIBLICAL WORSHIP: TRUTH AND EMOTION "Truth without emotion produces

dead orthodoxy and a church full of artificial admirers (like people

who write generic anniversary cards for a living). On the other hand,

emotion without truth produces empty frenzy and cultivates shallow

people who refuse the discipline of rigorous thought. But true worship

comes from people who are deeply emotional and who love deep and sound

doctrine. Strong affections for God rooted in truth are the bone and

marrow of Biblical worship." -John Piper in DESIRING GOD: MEDITATIONS

OF A CHRISTIAN HEDONIST, Multnomah Press, 1986.

As we seek to become the worshiper that God would desire each of us to be, we

must understand that our emotions should not keep us from worshiping. We do not

worship when it feels right. Worship is not a euphoric experience as a rule. It can be

and will be on some occasions. In becoming a true worshiper, our feelings cannot be

the focus of why we worship. Worshiping each day of our life is what God created us

for. He knew that we would have good days when it was easy to worship Him and

that there would be bad days when we didn’t feel like worshiping Him. Those who

truly love Him will sacrifice self to worship the living God continually.

Read the following instances in the Bible and respond to what happened:

Job 1:13-22

2 Samuel 12:18-20

These men were true worshipers of God. They are characterized by their

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understanding that even in the lowest times in their life, they knew where to turn.

They weren’t expecting to be comforted by the Lord, but gave Him the worship

that He deserved - despite how they felt.

Have you come this far in your worship life?

A life of worship will not come overnight. Just as a close relationship between two

people takes time and commitment, so does our worship life and personal

relationship with God. There is no quick fix for this. We must be willing to sacrifice

the time and energy that any relationship requires. One thing is different in this

relationship: God is the one we desire to be intimate with. Nothing we will ever

experience in life will compare to a life of true biblical worship. I pray that you will

become the worshiper that God would have you be. As you understand more of

what it means to be a worshiper, pass on your experience to someone else. Every

Christian needs to be a worshiper. It is why God created us and what He desires of

us.

D. NON-CHRISTIANS IN A WORSHIP SERVICEWhat happens when non-Christians visit Christ-centered services of

worship? How much of what we say and do is understandable to the

"outsider"? Today's WORSHIP QUOTE addresses this important question.

"WE MUST EXPECT SOME OF CHRISTIAN WORSHIP TO SEEM STRANGE, EVEN

UNINTELLIGIBLE, TO PEOLE WHO DO NOT KNOW CHRIST. Certainly all people

are worshipers by nature, the impulse to worship is universal. But

Christian worship is the worship of those who have died and risen

again to a brand-new life and way of living. In this new community

where Christ is head, things are different. Here people are less

concerned with finding their life than with losing it for Christ. Here

meekness, not muscle, is the mark of greatness. If the church is not

radically different from the world, something is radically wrong. To

be salt and light in the world implies a marked contrast between the

way of life in the world and the way of life in the church. Peter says

that Christians are 'aliens and strangers in the world.' (1 Peter

2:11). It follows, then, that Christian worship will have its

peculiarities." --AUTHENTIC WORSHIP IN A CHANGING CULTURE, by the

seven-member Worship Study Committee for the 1997 Synod of the

Christian Reformed Church

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E. WORSHIP AND INTERCESSION"Worship and intercession must go together, the one is impossible

without the other. Intercession means that we rouse ourselves up to

get the mind of Christ about the one for whom we pray. Too often

instead of worshipping God, we construct statements as to how prayer

works. Are we worshipping or are we in dispute with God- 'I don't see

how You are going to do it.' This is a sure sign that we are not

worshipping. When we lose sight of God we become hard and dogmatic. We

hurl our own petitions at God's throne and dictate to Him as to what

we wish Him to do. We do not worship God, nor do we seek to form the

mind of Christ. If we are hard towards God, we will become hard

towards other people." - Oswald Chambers, MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST,

PRAYER IN WORSHIPIn worship, Christians pray for forgiveness, for oneself and one's

own, for the world and its leaders and sins and momentous happenings

and disasters; for the sermon, for an open mind in listening to it;

for a spirit of fellowship and friendship; for our learning,

discerning, and witness; for church events; for vision and renewed

energy. Prayer just to thank God. Or, just silence for quieting

ourselves enough so we can pay attention to God's presence. These are

all a part of prayer in worship. It cannot at all be said that most

Christians believe in the effectiveness and power of prayer

<http://www.spirithome.com/prayersp.html>; most Christians pray, but

expect that nothing will happen. But the Christian faith itself is one

in which one prays expecting that someway, somehow, something will

happen because of faithful prayers.

In worship, the pastor or worship leader often speaks a prayer on

behalf of all of those gathered. But the worship leader is not to do

this alone. Those gathered are to pray along with their leader, so

that all are joined together in prayer. In the less liturgical

churches, the prayers are often printed beforehand in the bulletin

each person receives when they arrive. This way, the prayer can be

spoken out loud by all, and a stronger sense of being joined together

can develop.

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