A Question to Ponder

There have sometimes been Sundays when a conversation at my house goes like this:

"What's the matter?"

"I just want to quit."

"Why?"

"Why? Easy. You were there. Didn't you sense it?"

"Sense what?"

"The lack of worship. We were putting out all we had on the stage, and nothing was coming back. Worship just wasn't happening."

"How do you know? Because maybe people weren't singing the way you thought they should? you know the Spirit's presence is about more than that. You can't always see what God is doing. Sitting in my row I saw something you didn't see: a woman who stopped singings because she had begun crying. I think the Spirit may be doing things His way, not yours."

So the questions...what characterizes Spirit-led worship? Are there marks of the breath of the Spirit?

My answer is more of a challenge to myself. I challenge myself to be more amazed at the presence of faith than depressed over possible signs of lack of faith. In other words, what I'm looking for as a marker of the Spirit's presence in worship is this: "by God's grace, redeemed sinners show up seeking more grace."

I believe that there is a radiantly alive presence in our midst when we worship. That presence is Jesus who has become "life-giving Spirit." Grab a hold of that one. Can you imagine how our worship would be transformed if we truly "got that." So worship this Sunday knowing that Jesus' radiatly alive presence is in our midst.

On a side note, not all ads on my blog reflect my values or convictions. I do encourage you to check out some of the ones that interests you. There are some good ones.

Next week's blog: What worship looked like in the 4th Century Church.
Have ideas or things you would like me to address? Let me know.

What Makes Worship Relevant?

I have served in the same church for almost 16 years as Worship Leader/Music Pastor. Through the years there have been times when it seems no connection is being made between the congregation and worship leaders and the object of our worship, the Lord, Jesus Christ. I have struggled at times to understand the disconnection and searched for ways to "fix" it. I've simply come to the conclusion that many times it is a spiritual problem. We have lost the "Joy of our Salvation." We have forgotten that our worship is a response to the Savior's love for us. Here are a few excerpts from my recent reading.

Richard Foster says in The Celebration of Discipline:

"Worship is our response to the overtures of love from the heart of the Father. Its central reality is found 'in Spirit and in Truth.' It is kindled within us only when then the Spirit of God touches our human Spirit. Forms and rituals do not produce worship, nor does the formal 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 worshiped the Lord until Spirit touches Spirit. Singing, praying, praising, all may lead to worship, but worship is more than any of them. Our Spirit must be ignited by divine fire."

Darlene Zschech says:

"We need a continued revelation on the great love of God. And not just His love for others, but His great love for us. I will never forget the sense of being overwhelmed by God's love on the day I personally encountered Christ - I was made alive by divine fire. It's all about love. The Word says this, 'The entire law is summed up in a single command: Love your neighbor as yourself'. And of course, John 3:16 'For God so loved the world....' Without love, life is just existence; a worship song without love is just music; relationships without love are simply acquaintances; a congregation without love is just a club; a song without love is just a jingle. A problem tackled without love ends in religion; a gaining of wealth without love ends in greed; love is the ingredient."

So, what does all this mean for us as a family of believers? How is your worship? Are you more concerned about the style of music or the delivery of the message? Notice, "worship is our response to the overtures of love from the heart of the Father". It's not a response to a style of worship or a particular message. It is our response to God's love for us. Don't care for a particular song? Sing it anyway. God could very well use it to touch your heart or touch the heart of someone sitting near you. Feel like your toes are being stepped on during the message? Praise God, He's still trying to speak to you...listen!

Remember, we are not a club. We are a congregation, a family of believers serving and worshiping together. We may not all like the same things. We may not all like the same songs. But we encourage with our words, support with our participation, and love with our actions all things that point a lost and dying world to our Lord, Jesus Christ.