I will not spend a great deal of time spinning the wheels of my life in the mud of criticism trying to define what worship is not or what style of worship is right. Arguing about what is right or wrong about the "Welcome to Jesus time" of local fellowships is divisive to the Body of Christ. Everyone out there that shouts "do it our way" have already made themselves poster children for "Pride's" division. "Do it our way" has carried more than one scoreboard into the Kingdom and created a disgusting competition in opposition to the Spirit's cry for unity. And what we are all actually talking about is the defined "Welcome" that each local congregation has put just inside their front door to lead folks to listen to their Jesus Story. The "Welcome" that we have labeled "worship" is important to the life of our congregation, but is not the key ingredient to the depth of our walk and growth in Christ.
After so many years of dealing with "broken" congregations (which we all are to some extent)... our real and lasting welcome is not our program, but it is our people's ability to live in a "real" active - daily - loving connection with their God, which will spill over into their love for others. BUT ...Worship has become: A Time? A Place? A musical style? The Necessary components? A Ritual? Planned spontaneity? Traditions? A great feeling of being with God? An atmosphere? Fun and Exciting? ....... but are these worship or possibly components of the "Welcome" to personal worship?
WARNING SLOW YOIUR READING DOWN AT THIS POINT BECAUSE YOU NEED TO THINK THIS THROUGH!
Worship has always been expressed in the Word as a personal reflexive "bowing". Worship is a personal reciprocal "submissive" action that will be progressive in its nature of service, because it is never done, never completely enough. Therefore true worship will create a strong need for a purposeful intensity of continuance. Worship cries out for vulnerable creativity and embraceable eternity because of our need to connect in a significant way to the Object of our Worship. (Slow down and think on this Biblical definition). Speaking to Israel about any other god("them") but the LORD God that brought them out of Egypt in Exodus 20:5,6 -"Thou shalt not bow down thyself, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and four generations of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments."
True, Daily, Personal Worship - Positions our lives and living ... to love God with all of our heart, all of our mind, all of our soul, all of our strength; and to love People with all the reciprocal passion that God pours into us.
In our generation, as in every generation since Pentecost, believers are pulled and tugged at by societal and cultural pressure to make something "better and lasting" out of our gatherings of fellowship. We are always searching for relevance in our "community" times of worship by singing songs that we think matter. We strive for and long for that "awesome message" from the pulpit. We hope that once a week will challenge us in such a way that we will be carried through until next week. Rarely do we spend that same energy in our private times with our God ... longing for that daily "Fresh oil and renewed Spirit" from Him. Do you look forward to every new day with Him?
"O God, Thou art my God, early will I seek Thee (Early will I seek Thee). My soul thirsteth for Thee, my flesh longeth for Thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; " Psalm 63:1
We want put a stamp of approval on our choice of "Welcomes" by claiming and calling it ..."true and authentic worship", but our church "welcome" will only be as true and authentic as our daily thirsting and longing for that personal and private devotion... that is worship. Don't claim we are doing it by a hyped Sunday Morning Welcome...DO IT, and live out loud from that daily quiet time that you had with your God.
A strange picture: A crowd of invalids came to Jesus with great brokenness and true needs to be met. As they present their need...and bow before Him waiting: Jesus with a raised hand and magnificent smile ... stopped the moment of need for a moving prelude, three lively songs, exciting announcements, an offering of the heart, a special song, a challenging message, the invitation and a postlude. During that strangely timed worship service, One by one, the invalids pulled their brokenness out from under the piling of uselessness and returned to their affliction. What????
Worship is.................... A reflexive imperative responsive expression to God in the midst of all of the inputs of life with God. Psalm 13:1 - " A Song of David. How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? How long wilt Thou hide Thy face from me?" Is this how you feel without a daily connection in personal worship?
"Hey men of flesh and bone, in the presence of my God, please don't guilt me onto my knees in prayer or onto my feet in praise. In the presence of my God, join me for I am already there in great need and wonder." (Excerpt from the Scarlet Sinner)
HLFA,
Jeff
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