Welcoming Worship Music

The question of the day is:  "Do we see the potential of worship music being a welcome to those who come into a worship gathering?"  Welcoming is about helping others to feel at home.  One of the initial connections made by new people who gather on a given Sunday with the church is the musical connection.  Many of the songs that are played or sung serve the function of welcoming and providing newcomers an instant sense of "home".  I remember times when I have gone into a new place and immediately felt at home and connected because of a familiar melody or worship song.  I felt an instant connection to the folks with whom I had gathered, and to some extent it put me at ease and at home in a way that nothing else could have.  I also have experienced the opposite.

Multiple musical languages give us points of connection as we gather together in worship.  The different elements of music and different styles create ways of communicating.  And then the give and take of making worship music accessible and learnable to others becomes a way of giving and receiving gifts from one another in worship.  All people interact to some degree with music.  We must work to make worship music accessible to all, not just a select few.  Singing is a full body experience that requires voice, breath and physical energy.  Again it is a tool through which worship becomes embodied in the gathered group of people, and touches our lives on many different levels as we worship Him.

And of course as discussed many times previously, music is appealing to all ages and should function in the worship of the church inter-generationally.  Our society and different organizations are doing all they can do to segregate people according to age.  However,  the church needs to promote community among all ages.  It is the path of least resistance that causes many churches to separate their different age groups for "worship".  And churches have, of course, even separated between styles of worship and/or music.  But I don't believe there is anything Biblical about that.  There are Biblical principles showing the benefits of intergenerational worship.  It can be somewhat messy and requires sacrifices on the parts of all, but it is the true model of the body of Christ.  We are a family.  And, yes, sometimes families are messy.  The principle of a grandparent sacrificing his or her music preferences or particular needs for those of a grandchild and vice versa is not easy, but scriptural.  And most importantly, it is worth the rewards for all those who pay the price.  

The extravagance of our God and our worship call for these different "dishes" or "gifts" just as when we gather together as families.  When we combine it all we produce an offering to our Lord that goes beyond our individual gifts or imaginations - all to the glory of God.  Is your worship music attitude welcoming and all encompassing?  We need welcoming worship music in the church today!  mjm

The Word, The Glory, and Obedience

I have been reading through Ezekiel the last couple of days.  It was striking that 49 times in Ezekiel we find the phrase, "The Word of the Lord came to me".  "The glory of the Lord" is another key phrase in Ezekiel.  It occurs over and over in the first 11 chapters and then again in chapter 43.  It was because of the lack of obedience which was pointed out over and over as . . . "the Word of the Lord came to the prophet," that The glory of the Lord was withdrawn and the destruction of Jerusalem took place.  

The Word of the Lord comes through God's servants whose hearts have been broken.  But this book is not just about destruction, but also about restoration or revival.  In the Old Testament, "the glory of the Lord" refers to the light shining between the cherubim in the holy of holies - it was the evidence of the presence of God.  The "glory of the Lord" was forced out of the Temple at Jerusalem by the idolatry and disobedience of God's people.  Their captivity was a result of their sin, and the only way they would return to their land would be for them to return to the Lord. 

As believers we can grieve the Holy Spirit and resist Him until He is forced to allow our hearts to become like a ruined temple deprived of His glory.  We grieve Him when we don't allow enough time to read and study His Word or pray.  We limit His Spirit when we refuse to live as clean vessels through which He can work.  We resist Him by allowing idols to be in our hearts.  Our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.  Does His presence and glory shine in our lives? 

Not only do individuals fall away from the Lord, but so do nations and the Lord's church.  "The glory of the Lord" will leave a church and nation because of the sin and idolatry of God's people.  God's blessing and glory will return to His people when His people return to Him.  What or who do you worship?  The Word of the Lord has come to us.  If we don't obey, the glory of the Lord is forced out. In obedience may we worship Him wholly and see the glory of the Lord!  mjm

Six Words of Worship

I read an article a few days ago by Reggie Kidd that inspired the following.  There is a story that Ernest Hemingway once won a bet that he could write a six-word novel:  "For sale: baby shoes, never used." There is a huge amount of story and emotion packed into those six words.  There are some six-word worship narratives in Scripture that we would do well to remember.

In Psalm 136 we find a six-word refrain in the 26 verses extolling the glory of God as creator of the universe and the redeemer and rescuer of His people.  Twenty-six times the narrative flow is interrupted by the words: "For His steadfast love endures forever."  We are reminded that in the long haul God will make everything right.  Praise to Him!

In Psalm 103 we find the first words of the psalm instructing each of us to "Bless the Lord, O my soul" - important six words in our worship.  Another six words are found in verses 3-5 that give us reason for doing so - "forgiven, healed, redeemed, crowned, satisfied, renewed."  Now that should get us blessing Him in our worship.  

And of course the Apostle Paul challenges us to sing "psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs" both in Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16.  As we've discussed before there is a variety of expression in worship indicated here.  "Spiritual songs" remind us of the freshness and intimate moving of the Lord in our lives, right here, right now.  "Hymns" remind us that we are a part of the whole Church in celebrating the centrality of Christ throughout history, crossing generational and denominational lines.  "Psalms" remind us of how our story is centered in God's story, serving to keep us growing in our knowledge of just how He works.   Praise the Lord for all of these six-word exhortations that so affect our worship experience.  mjm

Total Dependence on Him

Over the years of writing this worship blog, it seems I keep coming back to prayer.  Our worship does not depend on enablers (worship leaders).  It doesn't depend on great musicians.  It doesn't depend on great preachers. It doesn't depend on a great choir or great instrumentalists.  Worship is not dependent on a certain kind of congregation.  Our worship depends on prayer that embraces our total dependence on God.  

If we are not praying we are trying to depend on ourselves and all kinds of other things rather than the Lord.  If we get caught up in the mechanics, technical aspects, our own creativity, or our own abilities it becomes obvious that we have not made prayer a priority depending strictly on the power of God in our gathered worship.  We must not depend on our own  ability and wisdom, but be fully dependent on God.  I Cor. 3:18- 21a (The Message) - states - "Don't fool yourself.  don't think that you can be wise merely by being up-to-date with the times.  Be God's fool - that's the path to true wisdom.  What the world calls smart, God calls stupid.  It's written in Scripture, He exposes the chicanery of the chic.  The Master sees through the smoke screens of the know-it-alls.  I don't want to hear any of you bragging about yourself or anyones else."

The simple secret of our churches being all that God desires them to be is simply - prayer.  If we are to see a great moving of God in our churches we must pay the price in heartfelt, faithful prayer.  Prayer must become second nature in our preparing for worship and in our doing of worship and ministry. I am so thankful for some 120 worship choir members and another 100 plus people in our church who have committed to being worshipping prayer warriors and faithfully praying for the worship of our church.  May we remain faithful and multiply.  mjm

Ultimate Purpose of Worship

One of my favorite passages that I committed to memory in my teen years was - "Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable (pleasing) in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer." (Ps. 19:14)  And, in that passage we find the ultimate purpose of worship, to please God.  If our worship is Biblical, it will please God.  

There are passages throughout Scripture that emphasize the importance of pleasing God.  It is not a principle from only one passage, but many.  Here are just a few of the many:  

"Whatever is needed . . . let that be given to them . . . [so] that they may offer pleasing sacrifices to the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons." (Ezra 6: 9-10)

"May my meditation be pleasing to Him, for I rejoice in the Lord." (Psalm 104: 34)

"Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years."  (Malachi 3:4)

"Try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord."  (Ephesians 5:10)

"This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior." (I Timothy 2:3)

"Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God." (Hebrews 13:16)

"Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.  Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. " (Romans 12:2 NLT)  That is the purpose of our worship in a nutshell.  It is not the externals of worship that need to be changed.  Our internal ways of thinking and the attitudes of our hearts need to be changed,  so that we truly discover the ultimate purpose of worship.  mjm

Unfinished Symphony

Imagine being a composer who begins to write a symphony but something happens and you are unable to finish the great work.  That would be sad, and yet we can be glad that the Symphony of Praise will never "be finished".  

The great Symphony of Praise begins in the Old Testament as we see our Lord carefully create music and lay out carefully designed instructions for the use of musical instruments and voices in a great symphony of praise.  

Then one day we were drawn into this great chorus of those who love God through His Son and became a part of the great unfinished symphony of praise.  The Holy Spirit created the faith song within us and brought us to the cross to hear Jesus sing out, "It is finished"!  Even though one day in heaven the symphony of praise will come to perfection it will still not be finished.  There is no end to the unfinished Symphony of Praise.

For now we live in a world full of sin.  But this world is the world where the Word became flesh to dwell among us.   Jesus is the ultimate orchestrator of songs of joy.  In His masterful orchestrations He creates rests, color, and dynamics for the singers and instrumentalists of the symphony.  He,  as Maestro, graciously surrounds us with other Christ-following musicians to take up the slack in times of weakness and discouragement - singing words of harmony with His words of promise, hope, and help.

Take your place in the God choir, grab your instrument - be God's instrument in the performance of the Unfinished Symphony of Praise that will never end!  Hallelujah!  mjm

Therapeutic Praise

Our pure motivation for praise is based on two Biblical truths:  We are commanded to praise Him and He is worthy of our praise.  With that being said, praise is also therapeutic, mentally, physically, and spiritually.

Corrie ten Boom once said:
"Keep your eyes on the world and you'll be distressed.
Keep your eyes on yourself and you'll be depressed.
Keep your eyes on Jesus and you'll be at rest."

The Hymn writer wrote: "Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace."

If we are preoccupied with self, thinking too highly or too lowly, there is an egotistical or insecure effect on our lives.  We need to choose to focus on Jesus rather than self.  In praise we focus on Him if we obey the scriptural command to praise Him continually.  Isaiah says, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusts in Thee"(Isa. 26:3)  If we constantly gaze on Him - that will bring rest.

Both Saul and Elisha, when they were mentally troubled or distracted, would call for the musicians to play music which would calm their souls.  God doesn't make suggestions.  He gives commands.  The last phrase of the last Psalm simply states, "Praise the Lord!"  Praise is mentioned 332 times in Scripture.  God inhabits the praises of His people.  Satan is resisted by praise and praise is therapeutic in our walk with God.  Let us Praise!  mjm

Declaring His Praises

Another way of saying . . . "Making His Praise Known".  We were chosen to . . . "declare the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into His wonderful life."  Throughout the whole of Bible HIStory from eternity past until the new heaven and the new earth . . . God "seeks" worshippers. But the metaphor of seeking is very appropriate as we see how much trouble God went to, to plan the sacrifice of His own Son to redeem us for the purpose of worshipping Him.

Worship is not only one segment or part of the Christian life.  Worship is the entirety of the Christian life. It is seen as a priestly offering to God.  When we gather together as the church our time of worship is not just something as preliminary to something else.  The whole point of our existence as the body is worship.  

In Ephesians 1:1-14 Paul gives an awesome vision of God's sovereign purpose.  It began before the beginning of time as God "chose us in Christ before the creation of the world" (v. 4).   And then God "predestined us to be adopted as the sons of God" (v. 5), "redeemed us through the blood of Christ", (v. 7),  and "revealed to us the mysteries of His will, which will be fulfilled at the end of history" (vv. 9-10).  The climax of it all is the goal toward which all history moves - "the praise of His glory" (v. 14).  Worship is the goal of the human life - "declaring His praises!"  mjm