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A couple of weeks ago, I was guest-leading at a church that frequently has a large number of new believers and first time church attenders. These were people who were problably accustomed to the fact that we sing in church – and have heard the term “worship” but aren’t nessasarily crystal clear on what the term means or why “worship” isn’t simply “singing songs”.
Truth be known, many of us are serving daily at well established churches with believers who have been attending services for years who may still be without clarity as to what worship truly is or why we worship. As worship pastors and worship leaders, we have the responsibility to take part in didactic worship – worship that educates.
Does your congregation understand why they come together corporately on a Sunday in worship? Are your congregants coming hoping to “get something” out of worship…or do they come knowing that they have a need to give something?
This past week, I began the Praise & Worship portion of our worship set with a video…underscored by our worship band playing Tomlin’s “The Wonderful Cross”. At the conclusion of the video, we sand “The Wonderful Cross” with a better understanding of the Cross – and the reasons that we were there to focus and worship.
The video had the words from an unknown source below (if you are aware of the source…please let me know as I would love to properly attribute them!) I would encourage you to use the words for your own media whether it be a creative countdown before worship – or an intentional break in a song to focus on the words during an instrumental.
Worship Worship s a huge thing. We look forward to worship every week. When the music includes one of our favorites, we say, “The worship was great!” When the music stinks, we yawn and wonder why the worship wasn’t very good. We leave churches because of the “worship style”. Worship s a huge thing. Have you ever wondered if we’re more concerned with what worship does FOR us And less concerned with the Object of our worship? It seems like it’s more about what we GET not what we GIVE. It would be like taking a gift to a friend’s birthday party, but keeping it for ourselves. Worship is all about GIVING our lives (again) to God. Worship is not about the feeling we receive when we sing. Worship is not about convincing God to bless us. Worship is not about whether or not the guitar is too loud. Worship is not about what’s happening on the stage. Worship is not about entertainment, lighting or sound. Worship is not about us at all. IT’S NOT ABOUT US. It’s about Him. And we enter through the gateway of the cross. At the cross, we surrender, love, cry, dream, give up, shut up, kneel, confess. We look to God, and place Him about all else Because He is worth it! Live gets crazy and painful. No one can deny that. Job stress, divorce, death, addictions, parenting, loneliness. No one is asking you to pretend that those things aren’t affecting you. DON’T PRETEND. You’re just being invited to bring that stuff to the cross, and to simply gaze at Jesus. And as you look at Him, allow your response to be Worship
