13 replies to this topic

[Sherrie Helm]

Our local C&MA church is considering a mission statement for worship. Our "worship" team is prayerfully pondering
the elements to be included in such a statement which goes beyond the musical portion of our service and extends beyond
to the embodiment of worship in all aspects of life, including the people gatherings, formal and informal. Has anyone else thought about this. I haven't found anything specific to our needs posted on the C&MA website.

[Jay Turner]

I did a quick search on the "greatest form of worship" and link after link came to the same conclusion. It is "unselfish christian service". As the body of Christ, we need to be going beyond the walls of our churches and feeding the hungry, clothing the naked and healing the broken hearted. When we love and care for God's children and His creation, we are loving the things that God loves. And this, I believe, is the greatest form of worship.

[childofrevival]

Hi Sherrie,
I have a deep passion for worship having experienced revival - God's presence manifest among His people. I would suggest that all true worship is a response to an awareness of and longing for God's manifest presence. One cannot worship that which he/she does not know (experience). However, one can choose to praise Him because of His character, blessings, etc. This might well be 'horizontal' in that we are telling one another of His attributes. Even non-believers can praise Him! I have non Christian friends who speak very highly of Jesus, declaring Him to be the greatest "man" who ever walked on earth - praise indeed, but not worship. Of course, one can also praise 'vertically', declaring to God His own attributes with thankfulness, leading to worship.
Tozer wrote a book many years ago - Whatever Happened to Worship? If the question was relevant then, it certainly is today.

Regarding the portion of the service often called "Praise & Worship" - ie, the singalong. I often wonder what they consider to be their responsibility - surely it should be 'to lead the congregation into praise & worship'? Most congregations are made up of three peoples; those who can worship even without being led, those who cannot ever worship as they have never known the 'new birth' and those (the majority?) who need to be led into worship. How can a worship leader lead the latter into the presence of God when he/she has never experienced that presence themselves? I would rather have a worshipper (with some musical ability) leading me, than a musician, however talented' who has little intimacy with God.
It also saddens me that so many pastors have abdicated their responsibility for this part of the service, leaving it to the musicians to determine the songs. This has often led to a singalong, little better than a 'christian karaoke', where we are told to stand up, sit down, give Jesus a handclap, etc. Sorry, if I'm getting carried away - I feel so strongly about this!

I love attending worship services where the whole service leads us into God's presence by appropriate songs of praise followed by songs of worship, interspersed with relevant Scripture and times of silent meditation. There should even be opportunities for "two or three" congregants to speak out their worshipful response - all 'overseen by a sensitive pastor.

John Wesley wrote of being "lost in wonder, love and praise" at the awareness of God's presence. When was the last time that happened in your church?

Sorry if it seems I have climbed on a soapbox! I have conducted several teaching sessions on this theme and been invited to present my thoughts on Christian radio (in Australia). If you are interested, you can find more on on this topic on my webpage ,www.garethevansministries.org>

Blessings on you Sherrie and on your church,

In HIM

Gareth

[Brian Elmer]

Consider these elements of worship for the worship service:

The Elements of Worship

Psalm 22:3 – The Lord inhabits the praise of His people

Thanksgiving
-We worship God by expressing our gratitude.
-Deuteronomy 8:10; Colossians 3:15; 1 Thessalonians 5:18; James 1:2; Philippians 4:6; Luke 17:11–19
Praise
-Praise comes from a Latin word meaning “value” or “price.”
-Thanksgiving is about what God has done for you; praise is about who God is.
-­2 Samuel 6:14; Psalm134:1–2; Psalm 77:11–12; Psalm 66:16; Psalm 150
Giving
-Everyone should give to God because giving is an act of worship.
-Luke 11:9; James 5:16
Prayer
-Prayer is our means of communicating with God.
-2 Corinthians 9:6–8
The Word
-As we speak to God through prayer, God speaks to us through his Word.
-Psalm 119:89; 2 Timothy 3:16; Psalm 119:105; 2 Peter 1:19; Romans 15:4
Obedience
-The greatest acts of worship are acts of simple obedience to God each day of the week.
-Romans 12:1; Isaiah 1:11–19

[Travis Richey]

Brian,

Thank you for your response. I am one who has long thought that true worship is far more than singing three hymns, saying a couple of prayers and putting some dollars in the offering plate on Sunday mornings. Worship is obedience to God, and more importantly, obedience to God is worship. We can worship all day, each and every day by maintaining an obedient spirit strengthened by prayer, meditation, praise and thanks giving.

In Christ,
Travis

[Kevin Blankenship]

I can truly identify with what Gareth has said. I am also blessed by the other responses but Gareth;s struck a chord within me. Most of the churches in my area now, and I would venture to say that the majority of church's in the so called Bible Belt, are stuck on this karayoke brand of worship (I use the term 'worship loosely when connecting it to these sing alongs: :Sing it like ya mean it!!!..One more time!!!. Give the Lord and your SELVES a mighty handclap of praise (or a clap offering....etc etc ad nauseum).
Then, offering time. Usually a solo singer will come to the podium and politely nod at the sound man to start the soundtrack...the SOUNDTRACK!!! Karayoke style. Just like was done in the sports bar the night before!!!! But sadly, the folks in the Karayoke bar where likely fellowshipping with more cheerfulness of heart. In other words.....the children of Adam know how to 'worship' what they love more than the children of the Last Adam know how to worship Whom they claim to love.......with All their heart, mind, sould and strength!!! During the day, when I think of God and about the fact that I have access to the very same God (via Jesus Christ, who reconciled us to God) that King David prayed to, I am compelled to worship Him by however I feel compelled, and sometimes that is falling prostrate before Him. I can sense such a nearness of Him, and such a powerful sense of His acceptance, that worhip is the natural (so to speak) response. In other words, I don't need for someone to say:" C'mon now!!!! Don't ya know that God inhabits they praises of His people??!!! So put your hands together for him?
The day that I walk into a church and find the participants prostrated before the Awesome and Mighty God who redeemed us from our sins and Who delivered Israel from their bondage in Egypt, is the day that I will ask....can I join with you brothers and sisters in worshipping God?? What a wonderful subject you picked, Sherrie!!!!!!!!!!

[Lori Smith]

Sherrie,

I love the responses above; I would add that worship must be born of the Holy Spirit. What I mean is that worship is a response to God's overture. Consider, for example how God speaks to Israel through the prophet Hosea. Israel has soiled her garments, but the LORD restores her--The LORD says to Israel, "Therefore I am going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her, there I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. There she will SING as in the days of her youth" (2:14-15).

All of us have soiled our garments at one time or another. God responds by wooing us. Indeed, He alllures us back to the desert and gives us back our clean garments. We are then fully restored as HIS pure bride. In response we SING!! How wonderful to have God as the suitor of our hearts! This understanding makes us worship Him, for we are cherished and spotless under Christ's cleansing. Indeed, we can out sing the angels for God is in love with us. Then out of hearts overflowing we share His goodness with all we come in contact with. We tenderly wash the world's feet and invite them to sup at God's table where there is plenty of mercy and grace.

[Lori Smith]

I'd like to add this song by Messianic Psalmist Marty Goetz. He gives a wonderful Old Testament-New Testament song that shows how prophets of old and disciples of the Messiah worshiped God with their lives through action.

[Charles Miles]

Kevin,

I understand what you feel when you speak about the soundtrack for the soloist. But having had a wife who wrote, played, and sang, I can tell you that unless the pianist and the singer have enough time during the week to practice and "work out" the arraigement together, the accompianist can`t do a credible job, nor can the soloist. I just wanted to throw that in to let you know that there could be a reason for the "canned music" heard some Sundays. I always prefer a live music team, but sometimes it just isn`t possible without enough notice to both. Often the pianist can accompany herself and sound beautiful, but if the sound system is not pretty sophisticated, the sound of the piano covers up the voice. I loved to hear my Fran sing and I guess that is one of the most missed things in my life for now. I still have about 300 of her CDs that do sound great in my truck on the way to work!

[Brian Elmer]

Agreed Charles... many dislike soundtracks, but funny thing, many of us listen to recordings of our favorite artists.... that's not at all live! At least when a soloist sings with a track they are a live vocalist! LOL Another angle... many churches struggle to have any quality in their music ministry. Worship is still an offering to God of His worth by us... it's a matter of the heart, soundtrack or un-tuned piano played by a beginning piano student...!

[Kevin Blankenship]

I could have made my same reply, and left out the part about "karayoke" style music, "canned" music, etc etc etc. I was being insensitive to others who are blessed by this modern way. I apologize for the insensitivity of it. Oh, I still stand by it, but I could have very well kept this part of my post to myself and still communicated my thoughts. Whoever was stung by what I said, I apologize.

[Charles Miles]

Kevin,

I only replied to your post to possibly explain why certain things often have to be done in certain ways. I was not "stung" by the post nor what you said about canned music. I much prefer to hear the instument played live at the time of singing, but sometimes there are problems with people`s time and ability to get together to practice. Certainly music is a grand type of worship and I simply "get lost in the words of praise" when a musician is singing about my Lord and His grace. I don`t know about you(but I bet I do), but hadn`t we rather hear a hymn sung by a child of God in earnest praise(even with canned music) than not hear the hymn sung at all? I,

like you do not "like" the power point alliterated sermons with topics that rhyme. I`m not fond of that type sermon, but I will attempt to learn from them, and I usually do learn something. I think maybe it is the "form" of the sermon and not the content that bothers me slightly. Maybe I need to be more tolerant and less concerned about how I grew up hearing the Word preached, and listen for what God would have me hear in the sermon that is being given me for now. But that is just me. As I study the Word and meditate on it, I find that areas of confusion and things that strike me as odd, seem to be the areas where I learn some truth that has evaded me over the years. The Word does not change, God does not change, truth does not change, but as I attempt to study and live this "deeper life", I find that my understanding of certain biblical passages becomes enlightened in ways never appreciated by myself.....and usually it is the areas that I always thought were confusing or areas that I thought I already knew completely. Always remember.....The only absolute barrier to the truth is that you think you already know it!

Your brother in Christ,

Charlie

[Candice]

Brian,

Thank you for your response. I am one who has long thought that true worship is far more than singing three hymns, saying a couple of prayers and putting some dollars in the offering plate on Sunday mornings. Worship is obedience to God, and more importantly, obedience to God is worship. We can worship all day, each and every day by maintaining an obedient spirit strengthened by prayer, meditation, praise and thanks giving.

In Christ,
Travis

I really agree with this idea of worship. I know I can be distracted in a worship "event" particularly yesterday when, before anything, the lady gets up with announcements and is a one-woman comedy act which isn't funny, is irreverent and, I detect, no one really likes the entertainment factor. It's like "The Emperor's New Clothes", doesn't anyone have courage to stand up and reject this? I don't - not anymore. It's up to God to judge it. Worship is daily, moment-to-moment closeness, obedience. I don't believe I have made it to the summit of this mountain yet, but am hoping that the LORD will get me there.

[Travis Richey]

The Lord really opened my eyes concerning worship several months ago. I was reading through the New Testament as part of my morning devotions, and had worked my way to Revelation, which is...was....my least favorite book of the NT. So I began reading through it, and about the time I got to Chapter 7 or so, I realized that what I was reading is a Book about Worship. I've always been one to gloss over prophecy writings...I know the ones in the Bible are true, and that's really all I need to know...so I have always given Daniel, Revelation, etc a quick read. But this time, I got hooked. The descriptions throughout Revelation of the heavenly worship that we will be a part of sent...and sends...chills up my spine, and tears down my cheeks.

"Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped."