How else do we define worship as Christians? The more I read from different authors, pastors, worship leaders the start to see a common theme. The "Worship Team Handbook" by Alison Siewart, Andy Crouch, Matt & Sundee Frazier says, "For Christians, worship has always been an openhearted response to the incredible grace of God." This is about as succinct as you can get.
I'm going to go back to the statement that music isn't worship for a minute. You can have an open hearted response to God's grace, while singing a song. More often though, if our response is serious, we're doing more than singing or playing an instrument. When we truly examine God's incredible grace (think about the sacrifice of Jesus) we WILL sing but before singing can be worship, we're doing something else. We're changing! We're becoming more obedient, we develop a desire to know Him more, we become thankful to our creator and we become repentant, thankful and more forgiving of others.
There is more to worship than just believing or knowing, James 2:19 says, "Even the demons believe - and shudder". In the Worship Team Handbook, Alison Siewart says, "Just believing more interesting things about God is not worship... Real worship permeates life in the way any really significant relationship does."
So, worshiping is not just for Sundays. It's life permeating. It will show up everywhere in your life that you don't decide to hide it!
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Sunday, February 15, 2009
Friday, February 6, 2009
What is Worship? - Part 1
Worship isn’t Music.
I love Thursdays. On Thursday's my wife and I meet up with the other members of the worship team. For anyone who doesn't know them all by name, they are Don Schedler (tech), Nate Ricci (drums), Brian Schedler (guitar), Amy Schedler (vocals) & Vince Ricci (guitar/lead vocals). We have also been blessed by Lindsey Orosz who is joining us for the devotional part. She hopes to soon join us on keyboard. We've been joined by others occasionally who are thinking of using their gifts in the worship team.
Every week (a lot more than every week) I pray for God to expand our group. If we're going to be a church that plants churches we need people who will respond to God's calling in their life to come and join us on that journey. I digress.
Most of us at the Grove have read the Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. During our study, we learned about what worship is. Rick Warren says, “Anything you do that brings pleasure to God is worship.” To expand on that, God made each of us with the utmost intention.
Psalm 139:13-14, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”
All of that to say this, when we do things that God made us to do and we do them for His glory, we’re worshiping. You can worship God by singing, playing an instrument or running the soundboard. Those acts are the tip of the ice-berg. You can worship God by working out, going to work, shoveling your driveway, studying the bible, talking to your friends…etc.
Back to Thursdays; I love them. On Thursdays we study together, we share laughs and fears, we hold each other accountable. We expose our weaknesses and we celebrate our strengths. On top of it, we get to worship God by playing music to Him. On Thursdays we do it with reckless abandon sometimes. We pound on our instruments and make some noises only God could love! Don’t get me wrong, I love to worship any day of the week but there’s something special about coming together with loved ones and doing it louder.
More to come on worship….
Visit the Grove Church Website
Read other Grove Church Blogs
I love Thursdays. On Thursday's my wife and I meet up with the other members of the worship team. For anyone who doesn't know them all by name, they are Don Schedler (tech), Nate Ricci (drums), Brian Schedler (guitar), Amy Schedler (vocals) & Vince Ricci (guitar/lead vocals). We have also been blessed by Lindsey Orosz who is joining us for the devotional part. She hopes to soon join us on keyboard. We've been joined by others occasionally who are thinking of using their gifts in the worship team.
Every week (a lot more than every week) I pray for God to expand our group. If we're going to be a church that plants churches we need people who will respond to God's calling in their life to come and join us on that journey. I digress.
Most of us at the Grove have read the Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. During our study, we learned about what worship is. Rick Warren says, “Anything you do that brings pleasure to God is worship.” To expand on that, God made each of us with the utmost intention.
Psalm 139:13-14, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”
All of that to say this, when we do things that God made us to do and we do them for His glory, we’re worshiping. You can worship God by singing, playing an instrument or running the soundboard. Those acts are the tip of the ice-berg. You can worship God by working out, going to work, shoveling your driveway, studying the bible, talking to your friends…etc.
Back to Thursdays; I love them. On Thursdays we study together, we share laughs and fears, we hold each other accountable. We expose our weaknesses and we celebrate our strengths. On top of it, we get to worship God by playing music to Him. On Thursdays we do it with reckless abandon sometimes. We pound on our instruments and make some noises only God could love! Don’t get me wrong, I love to worship any day of the week but there’s something special about coming together with loved ones and doing it louder.
More to come on worship….
Visit the Grove Church Website
Read other Grove Church Blogs
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