On My Mind...
Have you seen the bumper sticker that says, “Just when I finally figured out the answers, they changed the questions?” I can identify. The older I get the more I’ve come to understand it is often more helpful to know the right questions rather than to have the answers. In fact, Socrates was wise, not because he knew all the answers but because he knew how to ask the right questions! I’m seeing this more and more within the life of the church. There are a lot of answers being offered. Everyday a new book comes out another seminar is offered guaranteeing answers. But as I study the answers – I’m not sure they are asking the right questions.
If we are going to come up with the answers to sagging attendance, faltering ministries and sinking numbers we had better ask the right questions. I can tell you this, the right question is not – “Does it work?” The right question is not, “How did they do it?” The right question is, “What has God commanded?” Nowhere is this truth more valid than in the area of worship.
What is worship? How is it to be conducted? What does the Lord find pleasing? These are the kinds of questions we must ask in dealing with the subject of worship. The problem with most of what I read, related to worship, is that worship is too often defined in terms of “style”. Most often that has to do with what kind of music is used. Should it be upbeat? Contemporary? Traditional? Ancient? Should we use instruments? If so which instruments? Should you use a choir or a praise team? Should you have a lot of congregational singing or no congregational singing? I believe these are all valid questions. I think it is legitimate to consider each of these. But first, we must understand what worship is.
It is told that Vince Lombardy walked into the locker room of the Green Bay Packers one Monday morning after a particularly bad game on Sunday. The coach was obviously disgusted with his team. He bellowed, “Gentlemen it is obvious that we have to go back to the basics beginning today.” Then holding up a football he said, “This, gentlemen, is a football!” Maybe that is where we must begin when considering worship. A helpful place to begin would be in the Psalms, Israel’s and the Church’s hymnbook. I would encourage you to take some time to read Psalm 33. There you will learn worship is not a detached emotional exercise, it is a direct response to God’s person and His wondrous works, that directly impacts our daily lives. It’s worth pondering.
I look forward to seeing you as we gather for worship this coming Lord’s Day.
Rod
If we are going to come up with the answers to sagging attendance, faltering ministries and sinking numbers we had better ask the right questions. I can tell you this, the right question is not – “Does it work?” The right question is not, “How did they do it?” The right question is, “What has God commanded?” Nowhere is this truth more valid than in the area of worship.
What is worship? How is it to be conducted? What does the Lord find pleasing? These are the kinds of questions we must ask in dealing with the subject of worship. The problem with most of what I read, related to worship, is that worship is too often defined in terms of “style”. Most often that has to do with what kind of music is used. Should it be upbeat? Contemporary? Traditional? Ancient? Should we use instruments? If so which instruments? Should you use a choir or a praise team? Should you have a lot of congregational singing or no congregational singing? I believe these are all valid questions. I think it is legitimate to consider each of these. But first, we must understand what worship is.
It is told that Vince Lombardy walked into the locker room of the Green Bay Packers one Monday morning after a particularly bad game on Sunday. The coach was obviously disgusted with his team. He bellowed, “Gentlemen it is obvious that we have to go back to the basics beginning today.” Then holding up a football he said, “This, gentlemen, is a football!” Maybe that is where we must begin when considering worship. A helpful place to begin would be in the Psalms, Israel’s and the Church’s hymnbook. I would encourage you to take some time to read Psalm 33. There you will learn worship is not a detached emotional exercise, it is a direct response to God’s person and His wondrous works, that directly impacts our daily lives. It’s worth pondering.
I look forward to seeing you as we gather for worship this coming Lord’s Day.
Rod