"In too many churches we detected a disconnect between the God that they worshiped on Sundays and the one they seemed to follow during the week." -p.18
Last night after practice Joaquin, Dave, Lance, and I were having a short chat about the book and about where our hearts are at on stage and out in our world during the week. Lately I've been thinking a lot about what is means to be a worshiper of God, and how I can more effectively lead people to the One who brings us life and deserves our praise. In the last few years God has led me to realize that leading musical truth on Sunday is a very small part of how I lead people in worship.
As Christians, our goal/life/purpose is to make the name of Jesus great. Not just when we sing, but by what we say, how we live, how we spend our money, how we treat our spouse, how we raise our kids, etc. When we make the name of Jesus great, we establish worth, saying that He is worthy of our voice, our bodies, our time, our money, our lives. This is worship. Declaring that our Great God and King, is what our lives are about, and He alone is the end of all goals.
John Piper starts off his book "Let the Nations Be Glad" with this line: "Missions is NOT the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn't." Our goal as the church is to make Jesus' greatness known and to LEAD people to make His greatness known. That is our purpose in life, and that is the ultimate goal of the church. So in a way you could say we are ALL in some way worship leaders.
So as we lead our congregation in worship on a Sunday morning, our one job, when we sing, play our instruments, set up the sound, pick the songs, is to glorify God through the atoning death of His Son, and declare that the victory is His. To remind each other, encourage each other, and challenge each other of our one goal. From the second we show up at 7am on Sunday morning to the time that we leave at 8pm, we have one goal. Make His name great among each other, and to declare His truth in our lives throughout the week!
I am blessed to be on this team, and to go through this book with all of you!
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Favorite quote so far: "Bob Kauflin is an important voice in this season of worship-style wars, pointing us to the point of it all-pointing us to the Savior." Personal preference for a style of worship can be so divisive in the church and I'm glad that this book addresses that often overlooked issue right away.
ReplyDeleteChapter 1: page 17: "...worship isn't just an opportunity to use my musical gifts...Worship is about what we love. What we live for. It's about who we are before God". this resonated so profoundly because it reminded me that nothing matters - no gift, no talent, no skill - unless we are using His gifts for His will. You have to wake up each morning and exclaim, "Morning God! I'm energized and ready to do your will! Let's go! You be the pilot and I'll follow your commands!"
ReplyDeleteLeading by example is a musicians way. Personally, verbally sharing my faith is difficult (Catholic upbringing...?). So I share by example. Giving, helping, expecting nothing in return. People will slowly see these attributes in you and will appreciate you for them. Your music will have more meaning to the congregation because of the unconditional way in which you have demonstrated that you give it.
ReplyDeleteI love that Piper quote, one of my favorite...so true I think I have know people who walked into churches on a whim and never left because of the worship they encountered and were forever changed by...If we could just live in the same place that we are in on Sunday mornings come service time...I think huge changes in our community would be inevitable.
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