How do we Really View Worship?

In church, I have always been the guy with the guitar. Worship Leading came about when Student Pastor forced me to lead at summer camp. Now that I am an 'official' Worship Leader (whatever that means!) I have been studying what it means to truly worship God. The following is from a little document for the Worship Ministry at our church. This is what the Bible says. Does it sound like this is how most churches and Christians view worship?


Worship Is…
Definition: “Worship is the extravagant, open enjoyment of God as the fountain of life. And therefore it is a public declaration that God is more to be desired than all the pleasures of this world.”


1.Life

In 1 Corinthians 10:31 the Apostles Paul gives the goal of the Christian life: So, “whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” We are not to merely glorify God when we sing songs to Him on Sunday mornings. We are not merely to glorify God when we pray or read His word. We are to glorify God in ALL things. When we are driving to work, when we are jogging in the morning, when we are eating dinner, when we are putting the kids to bed, when we are doing homework, when we are giving our tithes and offerings, when we are hearing the word expounded… we are to glorify God.
Isaiah 43:6-7 says, “I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, Whom I formed and made.” When the believer is living a lifestyle of worship to the living God he/she is fulfilling the purpose of life.


2.Corporate

While the New Testament rarely discuss corporate worship in the way we imagine it, the scriptures very clearly point out the importance of gathering regularly to fellowship and lift high the name of Jesus:

1 Corinthians 14:23 speaks of “the whole church gathering together.”

Acts 2:46 speaks of the early church “attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes.”

Hebrews 10:25 speaks of “not neglecting to meet together.”

While corporate worship is important, the believer must never forget that the deciding factor of true worship is one’s inward condition.

Ephesians 5:18-20: And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

John 4:23-24 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.


3.Fuel For Evangelism and Missions

One of the greatest pictures of worship in the Bible is found in Revelation:

Revelation 7:9-12 “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

Since God’s goal is His glory, He longs for the people of all nations to praise His name. With this in mind, worship should not simply be a personal thing. It should stand as the goal of our evangelism and missionary efforts. We should stand before God as Isaiah did in Isaiah 6. After peeking into a heavenly worship session, he responds as every believer should:

Isaiah 6:8 “And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ Then I said, ‘Here am I! Send me.’”

Fortunately, we don’t have to sit around and wonder what God wants is to do. Jesus made it very clear:

Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

In his book Let the Nations be Glad, John Piper points out:

“Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man… Worship, therefore, is the fuel and goal of missions. It’s the goal of missions because in missions we simply aim to bring the nations into the white-hot enjoyment of God’s glory. The goal of missions is the gladness of the peoples in the greatness of God… But worship is also the fuel of missions. Passion for God in worship precedes the offer of God in preaching… Missions begins and ends in worship.”

Also, see Bob Kauflin's blog for some great resources and thoughts on worship.

It Has Arrived....

The new ESV Journaling Bible was released by Crossway on August 15th.

I got a phone call from a student the other day. He told me of another student who felt convicted about watching to much T.V. using to much internet, etc. So he decided to pitch his six man tent in his backyard. He ran an extension chord, hooked up a lamp, brought his Bible and some other books and vowed not to leave until he reads his Bible… a lot. I was asked if I wanted to come and participate for a night. The answer I gave: Definite yes.

Upon hearing this, some would think of this crazy legalistic kid who is trying to achieve an incredible amount of righteousness to brag about. Some may even think that he is a little crazy. I see a kid who loves God and refuses to let something stupid like T.V. or internet get in his way of glorifying the God of the universe.

The whole thing got me thinking. What happened to being a little “crazy-eyed for Christ” (as a friend put it)? I see guys in the church today whose major concern is that they don’t spill their late on their $150 shirt. The idea of missing Lost or Desperate Housewives is frightening to them. So they Tvo whatever show it is that de-masculanizes them so they can watch it after their Bible study. Then I read of guys in the Bible who kill bears and lions, eat bugs, wear camel skin attire, and love them some Jesus.

That said, stop being weenies and start doing crazy things for Christ.


Here is Driscoll talking about a similar issue in church planting.

A Blog Record and the Book of Acts

My last post got 3 DIFFERENT comments!!! How crazy is that. I think I shed a tear when I read it.

I have been reading through the book of Acts in my daily devotions and something very very clear has been pointed out to me. The church isn't what I thought it was!
No where in scripture do I find followers of Christ seeking to get as many people as possible into church so they can pump em up a bit and give em some Jesus! (which is what so many churches today do). Instead, churches existed ultimately for the glory of God which consisted of the fellowship of believers, the sacraments, etc.

Do you want to know how they saw conversions? Do ya? Ok. Here we go!

THEY TOLD PEOPLE ABOUT JESUS!!!
They actually participated in real and genuine ministry which meant that they had to get their hands dirty. They had to risk rejection. They had to put their lives on the line. They had to swallow their pride!!!!

It's not easy to share your faith. It's way easier to invite people to church. So easy that we have neglected the truth of scripture in order to cater to our wants. Churches have become increasingly shallow... "a mile wide and one inch deep."

It's my prayer that I will personally grow in knowing God's purpose for the church, swallowing my pride and sharing my faith without shame. I hope and pray that the Body of Christ will want nothing more than the glory of their true love.

1/22/07

Reflections on James 1:19-27

There are two passages that have hit me like a God-sized bomb lately. The first is Revelation Chapter 3 which deals with the “lukewarm” Christians who bask in their American-like consumerism and spiritual complacency. The other, more recent passage that has been on my heart and mind is James 1:19-27. Like Revelation chapter three it speaks of the frightening difference between being merely a hearer of God’s word and a doer of God’s word. I will be the first to say that I have been both. I have been the guy who goes to all of the “right” bible studies, listens to all of the “right” music, says all of the “right” things, and hangs out with all of the “right” people. That was my faith. Comfortable. Easy. Non-threatening. Forget getting my hands dirty. Forget helping the poor. Forget being unashamed about Jesus. I felt good. Then I realized something. The type of good that I was feeling was not the type of good I saw in God’s servants. It wasn’t the Apostle-Paul-Like good where pain, suffering, and near-death-experiences were a daily thing along with the joy of being a sold out follower of Jesus Christ. The good I felt was the mere hearer’s good. The lukewarm good that the church of Laodecia thought sufficient enough to save while Christ was spitting them out of His mouth. I’ve realized that Americas faith is one of comfort and distant support. We love sending monthly checks to Africa but forget helping the Heroin addict downtown. That’s a little to close to comfort.

I’m not talking about redemption as the fruit of works. I’m talking about works as the fruit of redemption. Action without life–change is meaningless. Life-change without action is incomplete.

So what do we do? The answer is in the question. God what can I do. Tell me. I don’t care how hard, how uncomfortable, how dirty it is. I just care about doing what You want me to do. I don’t want to be a mere hearer. I want to be a doer. As a redeemed soul I want to see the redemption of other’s. I want to be a part of Your work.

Merry Christmas!

8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest,and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

Luke 2:8-14 ESV