Back to the heart of worship?
"I'm coming back to the heart of worship, and it's all about You, all about You Jesus ..." Matt RedmanI've been thinking about a super simple idea when it comes to worship. Namely, that our worship is soley for the purpose of glorifying (making big) of God. That's what is should be about, and you'd think that'd be obvious. However, how often do you hear of one's desire to experience God through worship? Preferring this leader or church or ministry because they really felt like they "connected to God"?
When did corporate worship become about what we experience? I sure don't see it in the Bible! I see people worshipping God only because He is God!! The sacrifice system sure wasn't based upon connecting with God, and yet that was the prodominant form of worship for a very long time.
So is that to say that we don't, or shouldn't meet with God when we worship Him? Not neccesarily, a benefit of drawing close to God is that He does draw close to us. (Jame 4:8) However, what if you don't feel something, or experience that intimacy? Should we then seek out other places or ministries where we do experience that? Maybe we should go on lifting up Jesus, right where we're at. I promise there will be hard times, there will be times when God seems far. But, there will also be great times when you're full of happiness, and God seems as near as ever! As my friend Kyle would say, we need to take spiritual accountability for our own lives. Rather then giving excuses of why we don't worship like we feel we should (I don't like that style, I can't worship to new songs, I can't worship to old songs, I like it fast, I like it slow) We need to CHOOSE to worship God no matter what context we find ourselves in.
It's not dependent on a music style, or a special leader, in my opinion. It's simply about responding to who God is! Try this, use all seven days of the week to find ways to respond to God. You can do this anyway you want!! Then, what a joy it is to join together with others at least once a week to worship God together with other follower of Jesus!
For me, I want to continue to be concious as a lead worshipper in choosing songs and encouraging people to worship God for who He is, not for what they get out of it because it is fitting for the righteous to praise Him! (Psalm 33:1)
posted by Jesse @ 8:34 p.m.
5 Comments:
Let's tackle the "experience with God" part...
What are we looking for when we speak of this? Is it a feeling? Is it some mystical vision thing? Is a tingly sensation all over? It's been said that we often mistake adrenaline for the anointing...
Is there a NT example of the experience of God we so often seek today? Yes, if we draw near to God, he draws near to us, but does that require a feeling or other sensation to be true? As Pentecostals, we tend to emphasise that we just gotta believe what Jesus said and take it in faith...well, when we draw near to him, does he or doesn't he draw near to us? Do ya hafta feel anything at all, or have we made an idol out of experience...
Jesse, I agree with your observations and think that we've allowed worship to become something to turn our crank and not much more.
Here's a thought with teeth: if we didn't get off on worship, would we do it?
Derwyn
"Here's a thought with teeth: if we didn't get off on worship, would we do it?"
There's probably some who wouldn't. I think that's the unfortunate reality. However, I think any follower of Jesus, if they catch a glimpse of who God really is, they can't help but respond in worship!
"When we face up to the glory of God, we will find ourselves facedown in worship" Matt Redman
When it comes to experience, that is a tough thing to get a handle on, epecially when the pentecostal movement is almost based upon the experience of God. What experiencing God looks like is probably undefinable.
I do think that when we see God, we are changed. You can't see God and stay the same. Do you need to feel something? No. Can God touch our emotions? Of course. So how do we change the definition of what "good service" looks like? I 've found a helpful checklist of criteria that could be used to define that. However, it's at the office and I'm at home, I'll see if I can post it tomorrow.
Taken from "Emerging Worship" by Dan Kimball
1.) Did we lift the name of Jesus up as the centerpiece of why we gathered? (Rev 5:6, 5:13, Col 3:17, Philippians 2:9-11)
2.) Did we have a time in the Scriptures learning the story of God and man? Did we invite everyone to be a part of His story today in Kingdom living? (2 Tim 3:14 – 4:4)
3.) Did we pray together and have enough time to slow down and quiet our hearts to hear God’s voice and yield to His Spirit? (Acts 1:14, John 4:23,24)
4.) Did we experience the joy, love, and encouragement of being together as the church? (Heb 10:25, John 13:34, 35)
5.) Did we take the Lord’s Supper together as a church regularly? (1 Cor 11:20-32)
6.) Did we somehow remind everyone of the mission of the church and why we exist? (Matt 28:18-20
7.) Did we enable people to individually contribute something as part of the body of Christ? (1 Cor 12:27, 14:26)
I think this is a great post Jesse.
I am curious as well to disciver how much we connect worship with our understanding of music, leadership and church all together...
Discovery of God drawing close outside of these paradigms is an interesting journey...
I do think there is a spiritual mystical element of this when a person is awakened to something more... but we have made that the template rather than a facet.
Wow. I can't believe that I am still getting confirmation about this. Yesterday I led a chapel service at my school and spoke of that very thing. And to imagine that I'd been anxious about it... pshaw!
God is so good!
-Hilary
Post a Comment
<< Home