Worship in the 21st Century

Lessons from Copernicus

2011-11-14T08:07:00.000-08:00

Here is a basic history/science lesson. Nicolaus Copernicus was considered one of the original scientists of the scientific revolution. He was born in 1473 and died in 1543, publishing a book (De revolutionibus orbium coelestium/On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres) that would change how everyone would look at the world. There are quite a few lessons we could all learn from this man.

1) I am not the center of the universe - Life would be a lot easier to live if people would just learn this lesson. Up to this point, the concensus of the church & scientific community was that the center of the universe as they knew it was the earth. This was not based on scientific knowledge, but the arrogance of people in the church. They believed that God created them to be special, so He MUST have placed them at the center of the universe. Unfortuantely arrogant people still believe that they are the center of the universe. It is time to discover that the world does not revolve around you.

2) Preconceived ideas hinder progress - It wasn't until Copernicus started from scratch and discovered inaccuracies in current scientific theories was he able to realize how the world was truly working. I think we could all learn to never take something at the word of someone else. You will never TRULY believe anything until you find it to be true yourself.

3) Don't be afraid to go against the grain - Copernicus, for fear of the Roman Catholic Church, was afraid to publish the heliocentric theory. He was afraid that the church would consider his findings to be heresy. Sounds a lot like what Jesus and the early apostles went through. If you know something to be true, don't be afraid to take a stand for it.

4) Find time for your closest friends - While he was living, Copernicus' historical theory was only known by his closest friends. Despite his fear of the church, he had quite a few friends that he knew he could share things with. Find people who you can trust to share your deepest thoughts.

5) The greatest things are not realized until after you are dead - The book that defined the works of Copernicus was not published until 1543, the year he died. It is rumored that he only lived long enough to hold the book in his hands, but not long enough to see its impact. Your greatest reward for living a great life will not be realized until you die and receive it.

Worshiper & Warrior

2010-10-04T13:23:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine reminded me of a really cool fact about David: He was a worshipper and a warrior.
It is interesting that in the culture we live in, it is "either/or". You can either be a wimpy worshipper or you can be a powerful warrior. Men, it is not wimpy to be a worshipper. Look behind every classic "man movie". Each act of bravery is usually prompted by some tremendous loss. It is all based upon a deep love for someone, and deep devotion to something.
Why should God be any different? Somehow it is alright to go shirtless at the football stadium in zero degree weather, jump up and scream for your team, but stand in your church with your arms folded in silence. God is worth more than that.
How about we give up the silence and become a worshipper & a warrior.

Search Me God

2010-07-09T11:43:00.000-07:00

Psalm 26
1 Declare me innocent, O
Lord, for I have acted with
integrity; I have trusted in the Lord without
wavering. 2 Put me on trial, Lord, and cross-examine
me. Test my motives and my heart. 3 For
I am always aware of your unfailing love, and
I have lived according to your truth.
Can anyone imagine uttering these words to God?
I sure can't! I think I would be afraid that He may
truly put me on trial and expose all of my secret sins and expose them to
the entire world.
We should pray this every time we approach God for worship. "Search me
God, and let me know if there is anything unpleasing that You find. If you
find anything, tell me so I can purge it out of my life since I know that it is
a stench in your nose. I want to be pleasing to you today."
I truly believe that 1 John 1:9 is true when it says: " But if we
confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to
cleanse us from all wickedness." (NLT)
Let's put ourselves on trial first, so that when we say this prayer from
Psalm 26 that there will be nothing for God to find.

Exciting Motivation

2010-04-07T08:21:00.000-07:00

I read this verse in my Bible today:

For we tell you this by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will surely not go ahead of those wh have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be suddenly caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will ALWAYS BE WITH THE LORD. Therefore encourage one another with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 (NET)
That is what I am doing today...encouraging you with these words. Jesus wants to be with you! He loves when we worship and express our love to him in that way!
What an awesome thought, that Jesus would be willing to come back to a world that decided that they would be better off if he were dead. The same world that hung him on the cross. The same world that rejected him as Lord.
I picked someone up this morning. This person didn't know the exact time I was going to show up, but he was standing outside, bags packed, waiting at the end of his driveway. All I had to do was drive up, he hopped in, and we were off. I can remember when people have come to pick me up, and I have told them that I was ready, but I still had to put my shoes on, grab my bag, go out the door, etc. Was I really ready?
If anything is left undone in our lives when he returns, there will be no time to tie shoes, no time to pack bags. We must be ready completely,
bags packed, shoes on and ready to go.
He IS coming back, and he is coming back for the ones that radically love him. Ones that are ready and waiting for him.

Priority of the Worshipper

2010-01-25T10:52:00.000-08:00

I have been considering a question today: Which is more important, a great worship song, or a great worshipper?
It seems sometimes that a great worship song can get a great response from one corporate setting, and do nothing for another group. There seems to be a disconnect sometimes no matter what songs are being sung.
I guess I just want to say that we do not worship songs, we worship the one that the song was written for. I have heard people say, "That song just doesn't do anything for me", but isn't isn't it about what the song does for the Lord? When we say that, we have the wrong perspective on worship. God doesn't enjoy the song unless someone is singing it! God enjoys YOU more than he enjoys the song.
Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart - 1 Sam. 16:7
Let's make our hearts something that the LORD enjoys looking at!

No Christian Music

2009-11-04T14:41:00.000-08:00

This may be a controversial statement, but THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS CHRISTIAN MUSIC. The only thing that exists is "Christian Lyrics".
I know there are some people out there who do not like certain styles of music because they are afraid that it will not please God.

1 Samuel 16:17 says, "The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart"

God does not look at things the way we do. Do not allow the style of music stop your heart from praising God! There are some songs that I hear on regular radio stations that express my feelings to God. I sing them to him. How is that any less worshipful than Amazing Grace?
How is a piano soloist any more worshipful than an electric guitar solo, drum solo, or even a rap artist?

"Give thanks no matter what happens. God wants you to thank him because you believe in Christ Jesus. " 1 Thess. 5:18 (NIrV)

Watching over His Kids

2009-09-15T12:26:00.000-07:00

I think about all of the times that I have walked into my kids' rooms to check on them in the morning, and there they were, sleeping peacefully. Sometimes I just love to stand there and watch as they sleep. I am in the room, but they have no idea that I am there. They continue to sleep without knowledge of the presence of their father.
One of the great pleasures in life is watching them sleep, but it is surpassed by the feeling I get when they slowly open their eyes, look at me sleepily, smile and wrap their arms around my neck.

As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness. - Psalm 17:15 (TNIV)

Sometimes I feel like that is what happens to the church. The presence of God is in the room, but most people don't know it because they are asleep. They are not paying attention close enough to the Spirit of God to notice He is there wanting to be in their lives.
How many times does God call out our name trying to rouse us out of our own selfish routines? How often do we lay slumbering when God has so much more for us to do and experience?
It is my desire that the church as a whole would "awake" to the presence of God in their lives and be satisfied.

Be the Church

2009-08-26T10:34:00.000-07:00

Too many people in this generation have developed a spectator mentality when it comes to church, as if you can just punch your church attendance card and you are set for the week.

I like the way Keith Green put it, "Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than going to McDonald's makes you a hamburger."

I suggest that we need to get in the habit of BEING the church instead of just going to church. We need to correct the error of leaving our houses saying, "I'm going to church" and start saying, "I'm going to be with the church."

Being a Christ follower is a 24 hr/day job. God never said it would be easy, in fact this is what he said:

And everyone will hate you because you are my followers. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. Mark 13:13 (NLT)

Don't just go to church and watch. BE THE CHURCH!

Definition of Worship

2009-07-01T11:12:00.000-07:00

I would like to share with you a post from evotional.com. I think this hits it right on the head.

Can I share a couple of personal definitions? Worship is bragging about God to God. Evangelism is bragging about God to others. In other words, evangelism is a form of worship. We start bragging about who God is and what God has done as we worship Him. And we don't stop. I know that a lot of Christians feel subconscious guilt about not sharing their faith enough. That really isn't the issue. It's a byproduct of a deeper issue and the issue is this: we don't love God and love others like we could or should. If you really love someone what you really want for them is a relationship with Christ. And the more you love them the more you want it.

Let's go brag about God. Please post your comments.

Worshipping on empty

2009-06-22T08:38:00.000-07:00

I have been reading Leading on Empty by Wayne Cordiero recently and it made me think about my own life and question how well I do at recharging my batteries frequently. Then I had this question: What about worshipping on empty?

How many times do you get up and not feel like giving God your best? For some people, worship is recharging in itself. I love to worship, but have you ever been in a service where you say, "you know, the worship didn't so anything for me today."

There are times where it is important to press through in those circumstances and worship anyway. That is when I find my best breakthroughs happen...when the musicians are off and we are singing styles I just don't like. God uses those opportunities to test whether the worship is truly about him or just an enjoyment of the worship team.

If we continue to avoid connection in the worship setting, your relationship is bound to become dry. If you find yourself in a dry time, find some worship music that you do like (CDs, mp3, or just sing yourself) and let it recharge your battery. It is much easier to serve God full than constantly searching for better.

Christ Follower

2009-04-30T13:31:00.000-07:00

I just thought I would share this video with you. What are the differences in the way these two look at the world and God?

True Worship

2009-03-30T18:58:00.001-07:00

I have been pondering what the true meaning of worship is. Is it just slow songs in church? Is it an attitude? Does it have to do with actions?

I think it is a mixture of attitude and actions.

It goes well beyond just a set of slow songs. That can bring on worship, but just because someone sings a slow song does not mean worship is taking place. What would make a slow song that someone likes in church any different than a soft rock hit on the radio?

True worship evokes a response that brings pleasure to God.

Acts 7:48 "However, the Most High doesn’t live in temples made by human hands." (NLT)

Worship does not only take place in a church building.

It follows a person whose main desire is to love God and prove it by the way their actions make God smile. So worship takes place in Walmart, in the hair salon, in a theater, at the mechanic's shop, in the bathroom, etc. (I know someone who was filled with the Holy Spirit while on the toilet!) God will take our worship wherever we are.

Performance in Worship

2009-03-12T02:45:00.000-07:00

There is definitely a fine line in a worship service that a worship band does not want to cross where the people in the crowd feel it is a performance. There is great validity to this concern. This concern brought to my attention a question that needs to be answered. What makes music a performance? (feel free to leave your thoughts)

Is it excellence in music?
Does it feel too much like a concert?
Is it because people enjoy the style and presentation of the music?
Do people sense arrogance from the leadership?

It is my opinion that if worship seems like a performance, it might just be because it is. The problem is when people get the wrong perspective. We need to broaden our view of who the performers are. The performance does not come from the band and singers only, but from every person in the room!

A worship service is powerful when every person is focused in to the audience of one, seated on the throne who lives in the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3). Angels are constantly presenting a concert of singing and we join in with them.

11 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. 12In a loud voice they sang: "Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!" 13Then I heard every creature in heaven and on
earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing:
"To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!" 14The four living creatures said, "Amen," and the elders fell down and worshiped. (Revelation 5:11-14)

When you think about it, our worship is just joining the performance that is already going on in Heaven.

Manly Worship

2009-03-03T11:24:00.000-08:00

What words come to mind when I say the word "elf". Usually the words: cute, short, work, Santa, even Will Ferrell.

Why doesn't hero, cunning, valiant, warrior, manly or macho come to mind? Until 2001. Up to that point elves were only known for working in Santa's workshop and making cookies in a tree for Keebler.

In 2001, elves got a license to be manly. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings came out in the theater. Legolas entered the scene able to fire arrows like a semi-automatic and saves the day multiple times!

Why can't real men worship? Has there been a stigma put on the act of worship? Is it looked at as womanly to worship, just as men are not supposed to cry? Can a man truly feel like a man after coming to church?

What has placed this stigma on worship? Is it the songs? Is it because we sing songs like, "Oh Lord, you're beautiful" or "You're all I want...You're all I've ever needed" or use words like: love, desire, precious and words that men never say to other men?

Today I want to let you know that it is manly to worship God! Joshua (one of the manliest men in the bible) worshipped God when he said "as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!" (Joshua 24:2)

Today, I give you the license to break the mold of whatt you think is expected of you and truly worship God. Be who God has made you to be...a lead worshipper.

2009-02-16T06:56:00.000-08:00

I was reading a blog this week about modern worship music, and I wanted to share it and get some thoughts from you. I will post my personal thoughts in a few days.

This is from: The Search by Brett McCracken:

"So, as you can see, I have issues with modern worship music. It really pains me, because I want to like it; I want to think that God is pleased by it. But I can’t get over the fact that it is mostly just mediocre, conservative, and stuck in a box. Worship is so much broader than just a “genre” of music that can be “entered in to” as a corporate, religious activity. Worship is much bigger than that—so much so that perhaps the question we should be asking is what isn’t worship?
Here is my non-traditional definition of what we might call worship: Any music, art, or experience that moves us in a transcendent way.
This includes things made by Christians and things made by secular hedonists.This includes wordless music, formless painting, and R rated movies.This includes books, poetry, and just talking. Yes, just chatting with friends.This includes silence—the simple, still, do-nothing, unmediated experience of God."

What are your thoughts on worship as defined by Mr. McCracken? Is he right in his definition?

Here are a few other thoughts he has on modern worship:

It’s 90% crappy, knock-off Keane or secondhand U2 (i.e. it is usually very predictable and unoriginal)
It’s an industry. How bizarre and kind of disgusting that branding your music as “worship” and selling it as an “experience” earns the most money in CCM.
It’s a very fickle, trendy industry. Every month there’s a new “it” song that eventually filters down to every evangelical church across the world… only to be replaced by a new “it” song a month later. No more standards, no more canons.
It turns its nose up at good writing. Most worship music wallows in bad water imagery, fire metaphor, or pseudo-sexual verbiage (“Jesus your love is ravishing, intoxicating, orgasmic, etc).
It’s more about creating an emotional response than eliciting a profound spiritual reflection. The measure of a good worship leader is often how many in the audience stand up or raise their hands out of their own volition.
It’s much too happy and self-satisfied. “Make a joyful noise” does not mean “don’t worry, be happy.” Some of the most beautiful (and yes, joyful) hymns have come from places of sorrow and brokenness (e.g. “It is Well With My Soul”)
It’s much too focused on the words. Can’t the music be worshipful on its own? Could not an all-instrumental song be just as worshipful as one with lyrics?

Tell me your views, whether you agree or disagree. Are words important to worship? Is it too much about the emotional response?

McCracken, Brett. "The Tragedy of (Most) Modern Worship Music." [Weblog entry.] The Search. 26 Aug 2007. (http://stillsearching.wordpress.com/2007/08/26/the-tragedy-of-most-modern-worship-music/). 16 Feb 2009.

Worship for a new generation

2009-02-11T12:51:00.000-08:00

When I was attending a church planters roundtable at Allison Park Church last year, Mark Batterson said something that I will never forget.

"There are ways of doing church that no one has thought of before."

I firmly believe that there are sounds, instruments, and ways of doing worship that no one has ever tried before. It is my desire to find those ways and creatively bring worship in a new way to my Savior.

In this quest, I emailed David Crowder and received an email back surprisingly fast.

I wrote: "You have a lot of interesting beeps and sounds in your music. How would you get someone to learn to make music unique through experimenting with new sounds?"

His response was: "I would suggest a computer program such as Abelton Live, Logic Pro, or Reason. If someone digs into any of those programs, they can stumble onto the beeps and blips pretty readily."

I would love to hear from anyone who uses any of these programs in their worship sets. Let us know how it adds to your sound and worship experience.