In the unique position that I’m in I’ve had the privilege of receiving emails, overhearing comments, and observing the flightiness of people as it directly relates to the subject of worship. After being without a worship pastor for over a year now, our volunteer worship leaders have done an exceptional job in keeping things together and moving forward as the search process continues. Before we began the official search we didn’t do anything except pray for 6 months. Then in March of this year we began to conduct an official search which has been one of the most challenging things I’ve ever had to do. One day in the near future I will write a post on How We Found Our Next Worship Pastor?, but until we find that next worship pastor I believe as a church God is longing to take us beyond the music.
I am reminded of Matt Redman’s infamous song The Heart of Worship, a song that I believe is easier to sing than live out.
When the music fades
And all is stripped away
And I simply come
Longing just to bring
Something that’s of worth
That will bless your heartI’ll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the ways things appear
You’re looking into my heartI’m coming back to the heart of worship
And it’s all about You
All about You, Jesus
I’m sorry Lord for the thing I’ve made it
When it’s all about You
It’s all about You Jesus
Could you imagine if our worship was all about Jesus? What would happen if our worship was more than a song? How about if we understood it was our attitudes that we bring to church that has the most influence in creating the atmosphere of powerful worship? If our worship was more than just about who was leading and more about who we were being led too! Would church be simplified if we focused more on glorifying Jesus than gratifying our desire to have the right vocals, the right volume, the right songs?
I think of times when I’ve ministered at a Teen Challenge chapel and the clapping of hands and the pure hearted efforts of a few men attempting to make a joyful noise did more for my soul than a perfectly executed crescendo at the conclusion of our church’s worship time. I’m not discounting the importance of anointing and skill in worship, but I am discrediting the trend and warning of the danger that I see worship becoming; that if it’s not a great performance I can’t find His presence. If experiencing His presence for us only depends on someone else’s performance what is our responsibility? As temples of he Holy Spirit we all have a part in hosting God’s presence, but how do we go beyond the music, beyond Sunday mornings, beyond the iPod, beyond the latest free download?
Let me give you a three ways I get beyond the music:
1. I Check My Motives- I just purchased Practicing the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence for a high school graduate last week. When it comes to worship, no other book has impacted me more. Brother Lawrence learned to worship God whatever He was doing. What mattered the most was his motive behind everything he did.
For Brother Lawrence, “common business,” no matter how mundane or routine, could be a medium of God’s love. The sacredness or worldly status of a task mattered less than motivation behind it. “Nor is it needful that we should have great things to do. . . We can do little things for God; I turn the cake that is frying on the pan for love of him, and that done, if there is nothing else to call me, I prostrate myself in worship before him, who has given me grace to work; afterwards I rise happier than a king. It is enough for me to pick up but a straw from the ground for the love of God.”
2. I Change My Attitude – As I mentioned above, my attitudes create my atmosphere. What’s happening in my heart has a lot more to do with my personal experience in worship than what’s happening on the platform. My intentional sacrifice of praise may be the key to opening up the windows of heaven over my life instead of the latest worship hit that gives me Holy Ghost goose bumps. Again, I like goose bumps and love the latest worship, but my worship cannot be based on how I feel. The litmus test of the level of my intimacy in worship with the Lord is when I don’t feel a thing. Will I be obedient or will I whine?
3. I Challenge My Methods – I know we say that worship is more than music, but what does that look like. For me I worship God with my body by exercising and taking care of it. I love the Lord my God with all my mind by filling it with knowledge and learning His ways, I praise God with my strength by understanding that I worship Him through my work, and I venerate Jesus with my soul by allowing Him to change me into the person he is calling me to be.
When I am deliberate in doing these things weekend worship becomes only 1/7 of what worship looks like in my everyday life. How about the other 6 days? What do they look like for you?
I encourage you go beyond the music and behold Jesus Christ in your everyday life!
Worship, for me, looks very different today, than say eight months ago. I was encouraged to spend time daily with God by my pastor in a church-wide challenge. Even though I began very willing to encounter God, it was a self-serving task. Eventually I began to see things differently. My family life, career, and other relationships had been more self-serving than God-centered. When I began to make my life more God-centered my previously ‘mundane’ tasks have now become a practice in worship to Him. Today, making dinner, folding laundry and household chores are worship. Folding laundry, once futile, is now fulfilling. I get to raise two amazing girls and care for a husband who loves me. What better way to praise God, than to show His love in every task I get to complete not just once a week.
Great perspective!
Worship for me is seeking His presence in my heart. When my heart is sensitive enough to be aware of His Spirit I personally feel able to respond in genuine worship. This does not mean I praise by feeling/emotion alone because I don’t. Worship is an inward disposition of reverence and fellowship.
Great post, definitely makes you think and challenges you not to just go through the motions. Thanks Dean!
Glad I challenged somebody out there! Hey we need to connect again and continue to work together!
Dean
You read my mind bro! I’m planning on contacting you soon for that very reason
Talk to you soon!
Let’s do it!
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Dear Dean Deguara,
You have some good stuff here. I didn’t even know you had a blog until I came across it tonight. It’s pretty cool. I like what you said about your observations of “the flightiness of people” when one wants to discuss the subject of worshp. It’s so true.
Worship seems to be a catch phrase for singing songs in church these days. At least in these parts. I find it increasingly difficult to enter into worship in a church service because the songs that are being sung, have little to do with worship and even less to do with God. The few songs that I have come across that do worship God, only worship Him in part.
I’m seeing that many “worship” songs are about being a christian. They are often focused on us, what we are here to do or who we are here to be. Sometimes the songs are prayerful, which can be good if that is where your heart is; however, even asking God through song isn’t truly worship, is it?
Therefore, what is worship? Why are there so few songs being sung which are declarative of who God is, you know, how wonderful and awesome he is? These are the questions that have been racing through my mind a lot lately because I don’t understand it. I feel so much different when I come out of a time of worship having sung about the greatness of our God than I do when I’ve sung about how I’m called or chosen or some other earthly thing.
“Lord, Let Your Glory Fall” is one of my favorite songs right now, simply because of the lyrics, “You are good, you are good and your love endures.” Possessing the right tools to worship The Father in spirit and in truth makes the task so much easier to focus on and for me a lot more enjoyable.
“Amazing Grace” is a beautiful song, but I’m sorry, when I go to a worship service, I want to sing about God, not about his gift of grace. I want to worship the giver of grace, not the grace itself. Am I totally off base here? I don’t want to worship anything less than who God is. That’s what I’m hungry for. Somebody bring it! Please!
“The Heart of Worship” is a great song. However, while worshipful, even that one song focuses on only one aspect of God. Does anyone worship the Father in church anymore? Now I already know that worshiping The Holy Spirit is like taboo in the christian faith. Am I wrong? Maybe I just don’t see it in my geographical location at the present time that I’m in, but something is seriously wrong here.
Father, let your children come to worship you, all of you. For you alone are worthy. May The Holy Spirit receive the praise that is due Him, for He is the one who endures all things with us, all pain, all evil, and He is with us through all of the good times too. May the name of Jesus Christ be highly exalted for He suffered the lowest of fates. As for the christian lifestyle, sometimes..especially in worship, I just want to forget all about it.
Good thoughts Luke! Now you know why I blog! Hope things are well with you!
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