Friday, December 6, 2019

JOY TO THE WORLD!


JOY TO THE WORLD!  

That is just one of the phrases we hear or sing every year at this time.  It has become a "standard" Christmas song or carol that is sung this time of year from churches to sidewalks and even in the shopping malls.  It may even rank up there as one of "the best" Christmas songs if, for no other reason, than simple familiarity.  

This morning I got to thinking about the opening line to that familiar song...

"Joy to the world, the Lord is come!" 

I have to admit, through my many years of walking this planet I have typically thought of that sentence along these lines:

"Hey, world, here's some great news - the Lord has arrived!" - like a shout of exclamation.  And, certainly if you view the song in sheet music form, you can see that realized in the way the text is written - with an exclamation point following the first four words. In this way, "Joy to the world!" is a shout of exclamation... LISTEN UP!  or  THIS IS FANTASTIC!  or something similar... as if the song is saying to us, "Wow, this is so cool, the Lord is come!"  Of course that speaks of the arrival of Jesus as the baby in the manger.

And, while that is a nice sentiment, it occurs to me that the lyric may be inferring something else... at least it did for me this morning...

I suddenly considered the sentence in a new way...

"JOY (the Lord, has come) to the world!"  Or, When God sent His Son, Jesus, to us, He was sending us His JOY!  That line speaks of the ARRIVAL OF JOY to our hell-bent world.

Perhaps another way to consider that opening line is like this - and notice the placement of the second comma...

"Joy to the world, the Lord, is come!"  In this manner, the sentence clearly states that Jesus is the Lord, or the Joy, that has been sent to our world!  Rather than being a shout of exclamation it is more of a statement of intention.  It speaks of a PERSON, not simply a PROCLAMATION. 

It is the truth that Jesus, our JOY, has been sent to us as the promised, prophesized, gift!

So, as we sing that song this year, I encourage you to do a simple mind-flip with that opening line and consider that Jesus, THE JOY, has arrived, or been sent, to our World to bring about a new way of living!  A truly Joy-filled life!  

Friday, November 1, 2019

IT'S COMPLICATED


Psssssst - church leaders... you are making this far more complicated than God intended. 

What am I talking about?  I'm talking about the way you go about staffing your church's leadership team and, more specifically, as it relates to staffing your Music and Worship Leadership personnel.

Let me first say that I agree with the underlying concept that we need quality people to help steer our "church boats."  You don't want an accountant strumming a guitar to lead songs and you don't want a guy who hates teenagers overseeing your youth ministry.  I get that. 

However, as someone who was recently released from a ministry position due to church budget cuts and finds himself searching once again for my next "calling" let me just say that what I am finding on the various church job sites is very disheartening.  Of course, this comes from a guy who is far more interested in the HEART of true worship than, say, our current trends to create "show" worship.  

I don't mind the long list of biblical mandates from the epistles to be a leader, a husband of one wife, able to manage his kids, above reproach and the rest.  Those are all necessary traits that someone shepherding others should adhere to.  I don't even mind comments that indicate the music and worship leader be a skilled musician (after all, that is biblical).  Of course, unless you've done an in-depth bible study on the word "skill" (as I have) you might mistake that word to indicate "great performer" which, in fact, it does not.  

Where I begin to lose interest in the job listing is when things are added that come more from a place of "humans in control" than "God in control."

For example, the need to take the popular Enneagram test and post your findings.  Not sure Jesus is too concerned with whether or not my "8" fits with your "3" and how that will make for a better staff team member.  Are we aiming for a type of "Stepford Church Staff" here?  Perhaps we are actually called to discover how to get along with, accept and love those opposite Enneagram numbers...  When I see that on a job listing I cross that church off my list.

Similar to the Enneagram, is the request to have me take the SHAPE assessment.  And my response to that requirement is the same - the church goes off my list.

I don't mind taking a Spiritual Gift assessment, though there are such a wide variety to choose from these days that it's hard to ascertain the most accurate results.  Bottom line, I am okay with these because it seems more general, balanced and biblical. 

Now we get into the heart of what really rubs me the wrong way regarding the job listings for Music and Worship leadership - anything that leans towards performance.

Quick backstory - - the Bible NEVER commends that we "perform" worship.  Worship is not a commodity that we create for others to enjoy.  Our music is not intended to sparkle, tritylate, entertain or otherwise provide a spectacle for people to watch.  A true leader of worship is someone who can use their musical or other artistic skills sets to help take others to a place of laying prostrate (figuratively or in reality) before the Lord offering complete gratitude, glory, wonder, awe and praise to Him and Him alone.  Such a person can be 15, 30, 60... they can be bald, have great locks of hair, or dreads... they can be tall and thin or short and stout... they can play a musical instrument without the need to show off their abilities... they can stand, or sit, or walk around on the platform... In other words - a truly anointed leader of true worship does not need to be a "front" person as we are seeing in more and more churches across the globe.  

Therefore, I will never submit my resume to any church that offers the following in their job listing:
> Send a video tape of you performing worship.
> Show us how you lead worship.
> List your musical accomplishments.
> We are looking for someone in their 30's.
> We prefer someone who appears healthy.
> etc.

All of these, and more, directly point to man's need to control the flow of worship in our churches, as if we are better at doing that than the Holy Spirit!  Far too many churches have fallen into the trap of "creating a worship-performance that is engaging" and have, sadly, missed the presence of God in the process.  

I realize my approach narrows the search field for me personally and, honestly, I'm okay with that.  God does not need "The Greatest Showman" to help lead His people into true, life-transforming encounters with Him. He simply requires that we give into the leading and guiding of The Holy Spirit who, after all is said and done, is the ONLY actual leader of worship.  

So, church leaders, take a step back and pray earnestly that God sends you the best person to lead your people INTO worship encounters - even if they are not the right "number" on the Enneagram! 



Sunday, October 6, 2019

T-MINUS WORSHIP


You tell me you are not putting on a show or a performance.  Okay, I accept that - to a degree.  But then, I find myself wondering about your "countdown to worship" clock?  What exactly is the reason for the use of the countdown?

The entire premise of a countdown is to alert those in the room that something is about to happen, right?  Like at the launch of a rocket, we watch the countdown and get excited for the "10... 9... 8..." to begin.  Same thing with New Year's Eve... we watch that ball drop and count down with the excited crowd for that moment we step into the new year.  I get those types of events.  They are pretty exciting and bring with them a sense of anticipation.

But - for a church worship gathering?  

What are we counting down TO?  "Hey, God, get ready, man, because we are ABOUT to start worshiping You and it's gonna be BIG!"  

The countdown is just another way we make worship about us, and not God.  

The truth is, there IS no "countdown" to worship.  Unless you are counting down to another SHOW of well-perfected songs you will perform for the congregation complete with lights and smoke machines.  We are always worshiping God - it is our response to Him for all He is.  We worship Him during the day - at our jobs - in the car - at the store - in conversations with others - through our monetary gifts and expressions of love for others.  Worship is WHO we are... Worship is not "an event" we conjure up and then count down to.  

Can we stop with the "worship countdown clock" and simply come into His presence with our fellow Christ followers and worship Him with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength?

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

THE "S"ENNCE


Just something that I was pondering yesterday - as I was contemplating what elements, according to scripture, are necessary when Jesus followers gather together.  This is by no means exhaustive, but I think this covers the basics. There seems to be a blessing or, if you will, benefit, to following a method God has put in place which the early church adopted with Kingdom effectiveness.

This loosely follows Acts 2:42-27...

SPIRIT
Everything - EVERYTHING - starts here.  Before the account in Acts 2, we read about the Holy Spirit falling upon the gathered believers.  This was the direct fulfillment of the promise Jesus made just before He ascended.  He clearly told his followers that the Holy Spirit would come upon them and baptize them and give them power that would aid them in reaching the world with the gospel. The Holy Spirit is not an "add on" (like you get with a software program or new media device.) The Holy Spirit is like the gas in your car - no gas and you ain't goin' nowhere!  You can certainly get out and push the car but after a while your arms will get tired!  You're better offer filling the tank! The Holy Spirit is where it all begins. 

SIGNS
At the risk of making some readers nervous, we read clearly that one of the ways the Holy Spirit works is through signs and wonders.  Healings. Manifestations. Encounters.  Whatever words you want to use - this is a reality of operating in the power of the Holy Spirit. I don't personally believe that there MUST be specific signs (ie: tongues, physical healings, laughing in the spirit, words of knowledge, etc.) but I do completely believe that we must allow for the possibility of these to occur in our gatherings - there must be a freedom within our houses of worship for the Holy Spirit to operate completely apart from whatever plans we have devised for the worship service.  And I will add that I have always felt more aligned with God's presence and power in a gathering where this type of Holy Spirit awareness was present.  Allow the Holy Spirit to operate in the gathering. 

SERMON 
A devotion to the teachings of the primary pastors and elders.  A devotion to their leadership.  A choice to pay attention to their wisdom under the joyful assumption that they have been called and ordained by God to lead the flock.  Yes, all teaching is to be measured against the Bible - so, my charge to you, if you don't like what's being said, is to do exactly that - research the preached topic in God's Word on your own and see how it measures up.  Don't simply choose to ignore the teaching because you disagree with what is being said. Be devoted to the pastors and leadership. 

SERVICE
The early church went out of their way to love and serve one another.  There was no special quarterly campaign for one specific need that a few could support if they felt like it.  The regular, day-to-day, posture of these people was to serve others.  They actually sold their belongings to help those in need. By my reading, this was not limited to only those in the church but outside as well.  There was an underlying attitude of generosity and delight within the body.  One other comment on this point - and this is a little delicate - when we bring our own personal wants and wishes; our agenda for what constitutes a "better" worship service - then we are actually being selfish and, in no way, thinking of others ahead of ourselves.  Can we please stop doing that?  Personally, I think that this attitude of love towards one another was the direct result of the joyful and eager welcoming of the Holy Spirit in their gatherings.  Love and Serve one another above yourself.   


SONGS
I realize that this passage in Acts is not necessarily a sequential, step-by-step process to be followed.  In other words it's not A = B = C... At the same time, it seems clear that the singing these early Christ followers engaged in - and - they DID sing - was more of a response than a "pre-show."  They praise God with singing and with glad and sincere hearts - that's what it says.  And they were loud in this activity - so much so that they could be heard outside the walls of the church!  This was a very loud, joyful, expression of praise and joy and delight BECAUSE of Who God is and what He had done for them!  Off the top of my head, I think they must have recalled some of the great miracles they read about in scripture, as well as the most recent re-birthing in the power of the Holy Spirit.  They rejoiced in their singing!  And this was very, very, VERY infectious!  In no way were they hoping to replicate whatever style of music they imagined David using when he composed his psalms.  They were not trying to emulate whatever was "popular music" in their period.  The songs were not sung to delight the people, in other words.  The songs were song as prayers, and declarations, and victorious announcements, and proclamations to the glory of God - and God alone.  Wow... 

SACRAMENTS
They took seriously certain sacraments taught by the apostles, disciples, teachers, leaders... among those was communion.  They did what Jesus said - they remembered Him - whenever the partook of the bread and wine.  They also extended this beyond the sacrificial table and actually gathered for meals together.  This was a huge part of their life as followers of Jesus - community.  While it doesn't specifically mention an "offering" in this passage, there seems to be ample proof that they were generous for the good of their Kingdom partners.  Perhaps we need to view our offering times in our modern gatherings with a similar attitude.  No, we may not sell our boat to pay someone's mortgage, but we gladly offer part of our wage to the "church vault" and let the leaders distribute the money as needed.  In our time, this means things like maintaining the facility and staff, funding missionary work, funding programs that minister to the lives of children and teens, providing leadership for a worship service that helps those gathered encounter all that was talked about earlier.  God gave us the sacraments for a purpose and they are to be followed.

SOLUTION
Well, this was the best "S" word I could fine... the meaning here is result, or outcome, or benefit, or blessing... "Solution."  And - what is that solution?  We read it in Acts 2:47 - that the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.  That numerical (and, by inference, financial) growth came about as the direct result of Surrendering to the Spirit and allowing for His moving during the gathering, Devotion to the Leadership, Love, Service and Generosity to one another, Singing Songs of praise in response to God's power and might, gathering together in community and obeying sacramental practices.  No mention of program, strategic planning, guest speakers, high tech, well-performed music, slick media, theater lighting... If you want to see growth, follow the plan.

SIMPLICITY
The final "S" for me - is SIMPLICITY.  As you read Acts 2:42-27 one things that should be obvious is how simple this format was.  It all flowed from one source - the outpouring and power of the Holy Spirit that included miracles and more.  That is what paved the way for devotion to the leaders and to the other followers.  It opened the door to loving and serving one another.  It helped create an attitude of generous giving.  It was the reason those who gathered felt a strong desire to shout and sing songs of praise to God.  They chose to obey sacraments modeled by Jesus and the first apostles and teachers.  None of this was "man-made" or created by man's intellect, wisdom or experience.  People FOLLOWED as the Lord led through Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit.  In other words - the burden of "making church happen" was lifted completely off of their shoulders because they trusted that God knew what He was doing and had imparted that to their leadership.  Keep it simple...

As I said at the outset, this is not meant to be an exhaustive list of what must be followed all the time in order to ensure an effective ministry.  You will need to examine your own church and see if these various "S's" fit your paradigm.  I do believe that the more a church does follow this format - because it has been mapped out for us in scripture - then you will get closer to fulfilling the call to impact the world (city, community) around you that Christ has given to each of us.     

Monday, September 23, 2019

SECOND-HAND WORSHIP


I grew up in a house with two parents who smoked - heavily.  It was the late 50's and 60's and back then, everyone - even doctors on TV - smoked.  It was just the thing to do...

So, I was one of the millions who experienced what came to be known as "second hand smoke." My clothes, books, toys - everything - smelled like cigarette smoke. That was my reality.

I didn't smoke - but I smelled like I did.  It was almost as if I was a smoker - because of my proximity to that activity. 

There is another second-hand activity taking place in a lot of churches today - second-hand worship! This is where people show up, find a seat, read the bulletin, say hello friends, and then - WATCH - as those on the platform (the professional worshipers) DO the worship FOR them.  But unlike me being mistaken for a smoker due to the proximity of the cigarettes in my life, these second-hand worshipers never actually reap the benefits of true worship and, often time, for example in the church parking lot right after the service, it's hard to tell the difference between them and all those other "non-Christians" driving around... In other words - they really have not dived in and encountered the life-changing transformation of true worship of God.  

The question to ask is WHY... Why do we have churches filled with second-hand worshipers?  The easy answer - and the one that most church leaders leap to - is to blame the people in the pews.  If they were more serious about their faith... or if they cared move about God and less about sports... or if they spent more time reading their Bible and praying... why, THEN things would be different.  But I don't think that's the best jumping off point for blame.

I actually think the primary reason we have second-hand worshipers is the fault of the church leaders - the pastors, the staff, the elders, the worship leaders and others in leadership both in our church and out in the world of "church leadership" in general - web and tv pastors, worship celebrities, Christian music stations, etc.  

We have, over time, trained the people in the pews to OBSERVE rather than engage... to WATCH rather than participate.  Many of our churches simply don't offer a gathering that lovingly encourages a deeper encounter with the Holy Spirit.  We create well-timed, 60-minute services that are well-performed, well-themed, well-rehearsed - - to the point of totally missing an actual connection with God.  Most of what we offer is not designed to draw in the pew sitter - songs are pitched in keys most people cannot sing... the tech and media take over and create a show to watch... what we offer in most churches today is something to go and see... and, friends, that is NOT worship.  

I'm thankful that I never took up smoking.  If I had, I would have reaped the damaging effects of that activity on my body. (My abuse of food has done it's own damage - why make it worse with smoking!)  

But flipping this around, second-hand worship has nowhere near the eternal benefits that true worship has.  So, if you are a second-hand worshiper, I encourage you to take up the habit of true worship to the fullest and let God transform you from the inside out!  



THE VALUE OF WORSHIP


Honestly, I'm not really sure how to begin this article.  I know what my heart wants to say.  And I believe that what my heart wants to say is true, at least based on my understanding of what I read in scripture. But I also know that I live in an age where the true, biblical meaning of words and phrases and teachings have been twisted to fit the human-driven agendas or cultural trends.  For that reason, knowing how some of this will be received, I find it difficult to put my heart's thoughts into words.  

So, I am not really sure how to begin this article.  

But, it must be said - so - here goes...

I will begin with the broken record - something you've heard me say before.  I believe that most of today's believers do not have a clear or accurate understanding of what God means when He speaks of "worship."  We have reached a point in Christian history where the very idea of "worship" has been greatly distorted. We have allowed the worship of God to slowly transition into the worship of man or, at the very least, man's selfish desires.  It is rare these days for gatherings of Jesus followers to enter a worship space and actually fall on our faces (metaphorically or in reality) in submission and surrender to THE God of all creation.

What we tend to do, instead, is gather to enjoy and/or participate in some sort of replacement for true worship.  We watch. We listen. We follow the commands to stand or sit. But, in most cases, in many churches, we are following a formulaic process of what we have allowed ourselves to think of as "worship." 

Currently, I am between church positions.  This has given me the opportunity to see what's out there.  

I was recently visiting a church that was well-attended.  Wonderful pre-service media, a countdown to the start of the service that including escalating music so you knew "something" was about to start.  The lights dimmed and then two "God songs" (as I call them) were led by a high-quality worship band who sounded pretty close to what you might hear on Christian radio - probably playing to a click track as many do these days.  The songs were not really designed to engage people in worship - just songs about how good God is.  Then the sermon - augmented by slick media.  Then the offering. Then a couple more closing songs. People in the theater-style seats did what the leaders said - stand up, sit down, etc. I imagine that most in the room were engaging at some level.  I noticed a few who seemed to honestly express their worship to God physically.  Others were checking their smart phones.  In general, my opinion is that the majority of the audience (and they were an audience) were EXPERIENCING the presentation.   

In contrast, I visited another church. The music was good - but not "as good" as the other church.  Some of the song lyric slides did not fall in sync with the music.  Nobody came off "polished" or "slick" in their stage persona.  The congregation (they were not an audience) were seated in chairs, facing a stage area that was simply a platform higher than the rest of the room.  There was a problem with the first song - the musicians were not together.  There were some problems showing a video - the sound didn't work.  Eventually they got it working.  But here's the thing - there was an unmistakable difference from that first church - these people arrived eager the ENCOUNTER the presence of God in a way that would transform them.  They were not coming to "watch worship." They were coming to "participate in worship." If anyone was distracted by the mishaps, it did not seem to derail the obvious presence of the Holy Spirit in the room.  People sang. People danced. People waved banners. People shouted.  There was a clear "connection" with God in the room.  

I believe that this second church has a very strong value of true worship.  They understand that true worship is not about putting on a slick performance that makes people feel good.  They realize that long-lasing, substantial spiritual and numerical growth comes from an honest and transformational relationship with Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit.  They are not trying to be a popular or hip church that will attract the masses based on program.  As their sub-statement says, they are "simply Jesus."  Of course they miss the mark at times - we ALL do!  But their focus is on ENCOUNTER rather than EXPERIENCE.  

The value of true worship seems to be slipping away.  In many cases we have turned worship into a commodity - a "thing" we can program and measure.  We design "worship sets" of songs that usually start big and end reflective thinking we are helping the congregation prepare for the deep message from God's Word.  We do our best to develop music teams that can replicate what we hear on the radio to ensure that those in the gathering are pleased with our efforts.  

But the VALUE of worship has very little to do with those efforts.  Because the value of worship is Jesus.  The value of worship is me submitting myself to His Lordship.  The value of worship is not driven by the clock, or personal agenda.  The value of worship is something very difficult to explain but once you encounter it, nothing else satisfies.  

If your church desires to impact the world around you, then you must begin by discovering and then raising the value of true worship. 

Monday, September 16, 2019

PREFERENCE VS. PRESENCE


Pick a style, any style...

Let's be honest - no matter how well we craft our church's vision statement or the "about" portion of our website... in the end, in almost every single case, the way we design our church comes down to a particular style... be it music, decor, lighting, banners, sermon length, flow of the service, etc.  We just live in an age where HOW we "do" church takes the primary role. It's as if we have create a jukebox-type mentality when it comes to our worship gatherings.  Search church websites and you will see this played out over and over and over again in almost every instance. 

Almost. 

I say "almost" because, thank God, there ARE churches out there who seem to have grasped the importance of SUBSTANCE over SHOW.  Or, what I am calling in this blog post, PRESENCE over PREFERENCE.

Along the way on our eons long journey of creating these gatherings that we call "church services" (even though, "church" is simply ALL of us - the collective Christ-following community of believers), we have landed on making our decisions to attend a particular church based on our own preferences - those things that we like; those things we enjoy; those things we feel good aligning ourselves with.  You know, the way one might select a particular health club to join. 

Will I like the music? Do I like the pastor? Is the service time acceptable to me? Is the location suitable? Do they use the latest technology? Do they have a cool website? Do they embrace the arts? Are they too big, too small, too stuffy, too loose, too conservative, too liberal...……………..

Does anyone ever ask... Do they create an environment or atmosphere that will help me draw closer to God, through authentic worship of Jesus, in the power of the Holy Spirit?

Or is that too "old school" these days?

"Preference" is a great way to choose a car, or a hair stylist, or a health food store... you want to find a place or service that meets your needs, and that is wise.  But - - GOD is not a "thing" we select by preference.  And, when we do, we turn God into a commodity - a "thing" that WE pick according to the parameters WE have set up that fit OUR needs.  Narcissism 101. 

Here is the hard truth - - God will ALWAYS fill your needs, when you honestly seek Him first, regardless of the particular setting or "flavor" of the gathering.  His ability to work miracles in your life has nothing to do with HOW a particular churches DOES "their thing..." Likewise, God does not work MORE effectively in a church setting that DOES fit your particular list of wants and wishes.  In fact, I would argue that He works less - or, more correctly - is limited in His ability to work in your life because you are far too focused on some personal agenda that you define as "church." And that simply gets in the way.  Always.  

I once worked with a youth director who said to me on more than one occasion that he could not worship God with the pipe organ.  My answer was, "then you cannot worship God."  I am not saying that you need a pipe organ to worship!  I am saying that his inability to worship God had nothing to do with a pipe organ - and everything to do with his attitude.  

The most important aspect of worship is encountering God's presence.  That's not just my opinion. Flip through the pages of scripture and you will see this truth lived out.  The people in the Bible who worshiped God - both Old and New Testament - did not rely on preferences - but on the presence - of God - through Jesus - in the power of the Holy Spirit.  Now, we can pretend that's not true, or we can pretend that it was only true for "those people way back in the Bible days" - but that only keeps us from truly stepping into the overwhelming, life-transforming presence of God in a way that alters us. 

The thing about "God's presence" (vs. preference) is that when you find it; when you fall into it; when you are immersed in it - there is just no mistaking it for anything other than the presence of God.  And, when that happens, you want nothing else because nothing else will satisfy, fulfill and truly transform you.  I know.  Been there, done that.  Once you encounter the powerful presence of God during an assembly of His people, no amount of slick, highly skilled, well-performed, perfectly timed music, media and tech will ever fully satisfy.  And, here's the rub - you will STILL find something WRONG with the presentation!  (Again, been there, done that...) 

Let me be clear about something - a well-rehearsed and expertly performed "worship set" is not automatically "the presence of God."  "Great Music" does not equal "Great Worship."  Please move away from that shallow thinking!  Listen, if you walk away from a worship gathering commenting on how GREAT the music was - you did NOT worship God.  You worshiped - the music.  If, however, you walk away from a worship gathering and you cannot even remember what songs were sung, or who led that morning, or how long you sang, or if there was a drummer today, etc. but, instead, comment on how you were moved to tears, or how you felt convicted of sin, or realized something about God's never-ending love for you, or something along those lines then I would say - you DID worship God!  Praise Him!  Yes, I realize it is not always so black and white - - but, sadly, the grey areas are growing greyer and greyer each passing year when it comes to our worship gatherings.

So - where do we go from here?  It's all about shifting our focus.  As we enter our places of worship, we all need to remember to focus FIRST on the PRESENCE - - and leave preference to the people at Home Depot trying to figure out what color to paint their Livingroom... 



Monday, September 9, 2019

DOOR NUMBER X


On "Let's Make A Deal," the entire show leads to the chance for the winning player to select between three different doors behind which is a surprise gift. Sometimes, it's a car.  And sometimes, it's a goat eating a bale of hay.  It all comes down to the random choice the contestant makes.  There is really no logic to that choice.  It's based on how they feel in the moment.  You know, like Vegas.  

Now, if there was a clearly defined rule as to how one should make their selection, that might make things easier.  For example, if Door #1 was always green, and you were told that the Green Door is the best one to select, then you would always select Door #1, right?  

What if I told you that, regarding our worship, the Green Door will always lead you to the right place?  Wouldn't you always want to go through that door?  I would.  

But here's what's happened with worship in so many of our churches.  We have not clearly defined what it is.  Most believers think we know what worship is based on our understanding of the Bible.  But even among believers - even mature believers - there continues to be confusion regarding the word, "worship" and how we define, program and chase it. 

The problem is compounded for those who lead in worship, primarily pastor and music or worship leaders.  (Yes, there are even some pastors who are not quite sure what worship is - or - they have simply aligned with the culture to avoid confrontation.) 

The first thing we must do is settle on an accurate definition of the word, "worship."  I have always liked a definition I first heard from Willow Creek church in Barrington, IL.  "Worship is responding to God for all He is with everything we are."  I like how personal and simple that is.  No mention of song styles or worship service length or use of media and other tech.  Just - a full-bodied response (heart, soul, mind and strength) to the God of all we have ever, or will ever, know.  That response can occur with choral music, hymns, moderns songs, rock bands, one guitar player, three people singing a Christian folk tune... how we get there is almost irrelevant.  The most important factor here is that we do, actually, really, authentically, RESPOND to the Almighty God with a heart of surrender and humility giving all that we have to give. 

So, just for clarity - "worship" is NEVER a music style, a hymn, a CCM song, a choir, a band, a prayer or a sermon.  "Worship" is our RESPONSE to God and those things mentioned here (hymn, CCM song, music style, etc.) are HOW we get there.  We are completely missing the focus when we refer to a set of songs, for example, as a "worship set."  A set of songs is only "worship" when those leading and singing are truly surrendering themselves to God, through Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Which leads me to some important distinctions that needs to be made.  

I believe that, today, in our churches, we have (in general) created four "worship doors" we tend to offer to our congregations.  (Only one of them is the "green" door, btw...)  

WORSHIP PERFORMING
This seems to be the current flavor of choice and we all recognize what this is.  There is a high level of stage presence and near celebrity persona taking place.  Choreographed movements, a band in sync with a click track, the hope to replicate and perform the song as heard on Christian radio, lights and other tech to enhance the stage presentation, etc.  The goal here, it seems to me, is to lure people in following a slick, "American Idol" type experience.  The congregation, (which closer resembles an audience than a true "worshiping congregation") for the most part, watches the "worship concert." If they happen to know the songs, they might sing or clap along.  In the end, this can be a very uplifting enjoyable experience or even show that may or may not actually "worship" God.  That is, of course, between the worshiper and God himself.  Just remember that simply singing a song with the words "God" or "Jesus" in them does not automatically mean you are worshiping.  Just like singing along to a secular song that talks about drugs does not automatically make you a drug addict.  It's all a matter of the HEART that is singing.   

WORSHIP FORCING
I have seen this in a lot of churches.  The worship leadership team feels pressure to replicate what they see on worship song videos from large, mega churches.  They do their best to get their musicians to learn the songs with perfection so they can, again, perform them well.  Then, they launch off into their worship set, telling everyone to stand, singing songs that often times are in keys that most are unable to participate with, which can leave the congregation easily slipping into that first model of Worship Performance - where they became an audience watching the worship team sing for them. This becomes a type of forcing when the worship leader begins offering specific commands into the mic such as "let's all stand now" or "everyone sing louder now."  People don't like to be forced into a mold like that and it has nothing to do with shepherding your flock. 

WORSHIP DIRECTING
This is the term or title that is most often used in churches today.  The lead musician is the church "worship director" which implies that they "lead" the worship.  There are two main problems with this. First, the Holy Spirit actually leads the worship - period.  He does not need our help.  He simply needs us to pay attention to how He is moving (see below).  He decides the direction of the worship as created by the collective and individual spiritual needs of those in the gathering.  Second, in many churches, the church policy dictates that the Senior Pastor of the church is the one responsible for the worship in the gathering making them, by definition, the "leader" of worship for that church.  All choices for the worship service fall under their pastoral leadership.  In the best case scenario, the Pastor has spent time seeking the wisdom of the Holy Spirit for his church, and has clearly communicated that to the chief musician who then shares that vision with his team of musicians which leads to song selections and other elements of the service that support what the Holy Spirit has brought forth.  If that sounds like a lot of work, it is, and, it should be!  And, sadly, this happens far less often that you might care to believe or admit.  When we take on the role of "directing the worship," then we are saying, by implication, that we agree with the reality that the Holy Spirit is our true "worship director" and that everything we do comes from His guidance.  The question to ask is, are we really doing this? 

WORSHIP LEADING
I saved this one for last because, in my opinion, this occurs the least amount of time in most of today's churches.  Contrary to all three listed above, in this situation, there is a spiritually gifted leader - not necessarily a musician - who pays attention to the moving and guiding of the Holy Spirit during the assembly.  I believe this can happen in a setting where the songs have been rehearsed and prepared in a "set" and I have also seen it occur with impact in a setting where no songs are planned, no slides ready to go, no rehearsal.  Because the preparation of the music is not as important to encountering God's presence as we have been led to believe.  But that is not the only thing that helps someone lead a congregation into worship.  In order to be "led in worship," the people in the gathering themselves must be eager to encounter God's holy and mighty presence in the power of the Holy Spirit.  If the congregation does not want to encounter God's presence, the worship leader will be unable to lead and very quickly slip into the role of "worship directing," or "forcing" shouting out commands like, "come on," or "let's clap," or "you can sing louder!"  This is not leading in worship and has nothing to do with paying attention to the spiritual DNA of your congregation.

If you want to see your church explode in its effectiveness and impact your congregation and your surrounding community, I strongly suggest you examine which "worship door" you tend to walk through and see if God might be encouraging you to try a new path.     


Monday, August 26, 2019

TWO CENTS


Here is a very important axiom - a truth, if you will - that not many of us remember, practice or even realize...

Opinion in no way dictates the validity or quality of art.

Now, somewhere, someone is nodding their head in agreement.  And you should! But the reality is that all of, now and again, forget how true this is.

We forget it when we make a face of disgust over a music style we don't like, or an artistic performance that we don't ebrace, or a film script we consider weak... and with that air of disagreement comes the added inference that the work itself is "not good."  I mean, how could it be good if, clearly, I don't care for it?  (You and I both know people like this... maybe us!) 

I happen to have a very low regard for the artwork of Jackson Pollock.  I'm sure he was a creative genius and his works of art carried great meaning.  I just happen to not like them.  My opinion is that they do nothing for me.  On the other hand, the work of Dali or Picasso holds great interest for me. My opinion is that these artist's works are wonderful, certainly better than Pollock.  

I feel the same way about Mozart. I could listen to his musical works forever.  Not so much the musical compositions of Brahms.  My opinion is that Mozart's music is better than the music of Brahms.

But, is it?  Is Mozart "better" than Brahms?  Is Picasso or Dali "better" than Pollock?  What weight does my opinion carry regarding the quality or validity of any one art form over another?

Bringing this into the realm of church music - where opinions are as varied as the individuals who hold them... if someone's opinion is that modern praise songs are pointless, or that traditional hymns are irrelevant, does that opinion validate the quality of the art?  Most people who disdain a hymn or a modern song of praise share their opinion with an air of superiority - as if THEY have been selected by God Himself to dictate what type of music is "correct" for worship to the exclusion of whatever music form they find less worthy of inclusion - - based on their opinion.

Friends - that is nothing less than pure arrogance.

On the other hand, a theologian might consider the lyrical content of a song (hymn, praise song, etc.) and determine that, based on the language of the text, the song in question does not line up with Christian doctrine and, therefore, probably should not be sung as a "worship song."  This is not an opinion - this is based on education and study of scripture.  They may have an opinion that the continuous repetition of a song is monotonous but that opinion has nothing to do with the truth of the lyrical content.  If they base their decision to eliminate a song on their opinion, then they have completely side-stepped the truth in deference to their personal agenda.  

Of course, sadly, there are some songs from our hymn traditions as well as from our modern collection that simply rub up against theological truth and, therefore, probably should not be included in a worship service regardless of how well-loved they are or how easy it is to tap our toes and clap our hands to the beat.  And if that decision is based on theology then we're good to go. 

We need to be very careful with how much weight we give our opinions of the creative art forms God has blessed us with.  There are some songs that will never be included on the Air-1 or K-Love playlist and that is most likely because they are not "hooky" enough to earn money.  In no way, however, does that mean such a song has no place in a worship service.  My opinion might be that the song "doesn't go anywhere" or "is boring" or "sounds the same as other songs."  And, to be honest, it probably will!  That's part of the unfortunate "Contemporary Christian Worship Song" machine that has been developed and applauded over the past several decades.  But if that song speaks of loving Jesus, calling Him my Lord and Savior, and glorifying Him, then that song has value - no matter what my opinion of it might be.

All of this to say - perhaps it's time to put our two-cents into the offering plate - where it belongs.

Thursday, August 22, 2019

IT'S ALL IN THE PLANNING


The verse is familiar.

Jeremiah 29:11 - "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord.  "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future."

And, from where I sit,  those are dang good plans!  In fact, most of us who read that verse, or have heard sermons about that verse, find ourselves landing on the content of those plans... that part about prospering, and not being harmed... about finding hope and a future... sounds good to me!  I'm fully on board with prosperity, safety, hope and a future. Sign. Me. Up!  

Yet, the other day, I found myself suddenly focusing on the first part of that verse... the part about "the creation of the plans."  And, it occurred to me that - God is the one who has the plans in mind.  

Not us.  Not me. 

We don't make the plans. God does. 

God actually tells us in this verse that He KNOWS the plans that HE has for us.  That is utterly amazing. So simple and, yet, so easily missed.

I don't know about you, but, I am always creating lists of my "plans" for the day.  I do this every day. Some of those plans are rather mundane... go to the post office, buy some milk, check the pressure in the tires... But some of those plans are far bigger.  Currently, one of my plans is to "find the next job" because (if you've been reading my previous posts) I have been laid off from my church job for budget reasons. 

This verse reminds me, however, that God is the one who not only HAS the plans ready for me, He also knows them and - will even set them in motion!

I guess what I'm saying is that, it doesn't take a degree in rocket science to realize that if I want to know God's plans for me, then I need to spend time asking Him to reveal them!  

Which might mean I hold off on my own list for a day or two...

Monday, August 12, 2019

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT


I had the opportunity to share some closing thoughts yesterday to the church where I have faithfully served for nearly four years.  (for those just joining us, I was released from my position due to budget cuts).  

I received many encouraging comments about what I shared and, so, I decided to offer an abridged version here on my blog for those who missed it. 

First - I thanked the church for their love and support.

Then I reminded everyone that earlier in the service we had all made a vow, via reciting The Lord's Prayer.  Basically we affirmed that God is the Almighty ruler of all and that He is to be hallowed. Then I reminded us, as the prayer does, that it's God's Will - not OURS - that we seek to be "done." We must seek GOD'S will - not our agenda for what we think should be done.  Not our ideas of the correct music, or color of the room, or pastoral leadership - but God's will.  This is true, by the way, for all churches.  Today's church seems sidetracked and eager to do God's work for him, making decisions that tend to be more in line with what we humans want to the point of practically ignoring what God may have for us which (as rumor has it) is ALWAYS better.  

Before I left the platform I responded to the question I've been hearing... "...how do you feel?"  My answer to that question is that I have peace like a river, joy like a fountain and love like an ocean in my soul.  The river is the moving and power of the Holy Spirit.  The joy is Jesus Christ in my life.  The love is as vast as an ocean - that is God's love for us and our love for each other.

Thanks MPC for being my home these past four years. And thanks to the many who I was able to serve within the area of music, worship and the creative arts.  Blessings as you continue in your search for the next Pastoral leadership.

Dan McGowan
August 12, 2019

Monday, August 5, 2019

WATCH YOUR LANGUAGE!


Okay, this post will not be very long.  Just a "thanks" and a "suggestion."

At 62 I find myself seeking whatever is next in terms of a ministry position.  The church in which I have served for 4 years has suddenly found itself losing members and money (this happens in churches, sadly).  Bottom line - few key positions have been cut - one of them being mine.

So, the search has begun.  

My primary role in churches has been leading music and worship, so that's my starting point. The quest has been a little confusing and somewhat disheartening mainly due to the current climate of Christian churches today and the lack of clarity in job descriptions.

So, first, I want to very honestly say "thank you" to those churches who clearly state in their job description that they are specifically seeking younger, hipper, edgier, stage-savvy musicians with a knack for being up-front and performing their worship leading.  Truly - this is helpful!  Because it saves me (and you) from wasting time submitting resumes for a ministry position I neither want nor am qualified for based on the call sheet.

I also want to thank the churches who have the courage to admit that they are seeking a quality musician who is less interested in performing and more interested in helping the congregation discover a depth to the worship encounter through music and other elements.  Because that is me and I gladly send off my resume to those churches. 

Then, my suggestion - to all the churches out there who offer ambivalent or "expected and appropriate" wording that says one thing but means another - at least when the interview arrives...  Please go back and re-write your job listing!  You are doing a disservice to your church and music and worship leaders out there who are seeking their next ministry position.  Don't beat around the bush.  Just honestly say who you are and what you are looking for.  

Thanks!

Okay, back to the ministry job search...

Thursday, August 1, 2019

AHHHHHHHH


Recent life events have caused me (forced me?) to pay attention to an area of my life that I have struggled with over these past several decades.  It is the issue of contentment. Or, more to the point, my lack of contentment.  Even more direct - my inability to choose contentment in the various situations I find myself in.  And it is only because of the minimal amount of growth I have seen in that area up until recently that my eyes have been opened to observe a persistent lack of contentment with some of my fellow followers of Christ and, in particular, how we approach the weekly gathering called "a worship service."

Many of us (I won't say "most" because nobody like hyperbole) seem to struggle constantly with a sense of contentment when it comes to the worship services in our churches.  Some of that lack of contentment comes from the comparison game - we look around at the nearby popular churches and wish our church could be just as popular.  Or, we have our own agendas and ideas of what would make our church "better" or, dare I say it, "perfect."  

The list is long and, almost, endless.  But here's a short list:

The songs are too fast / the songs are too slow / the songs are repeated too much / the music is too loud / the words on the screen are too small / why can't we sing hymns / why can't we hold the hymnals in our hands / the guitar player is too showy / the singer is pitchy / the room is too light / the room is too dark / the service time is too early / the service time is too late / I can't stand for 3 songs / we need more art / communion takes too long - - - - - - shall I go on?

Some actually believe (they have told me) that God will be "better worshiped" if the items on that above list were "fixed."  Newsflash - God doesn't give a hoot if the slides don't flip on time and he is not "better worshiped" by a stellar musician who is up there for the "gig."  God cares about the heart. And before you start whining about "excellence" please research the Bible and do a word study on "excellence" and "skill" as they are used in the famous passages always tossed about.  You might be surprised...

Why is it we are simply not content with the manner in which our church leaders put together the worship gathering?  If you read the previous post, another question might be - why are we focusing on the fingers and missing the masterpiece?  

Well, this is going to sting but I believe it is true...

The reason we are not content with the worship service is because we are not content with God.  
Yes, we think we are.  We said the prayer.  We teach Sunday school and have been since the Roosevelt administration.  Or we go to modern church camps that offer a fantastic worship show during the week or listen to the fantastic Christian music playing on Christian radio and then come home to our "average" church musicians and we feel let down.   

Right before Jesus was killed... stop, read that again.  RIGHT BEFORE JESUS WAS KILLED.  What was he doing?  Was he pacing around looking for a way out of his situation?  No, he was not pacing around.  Yes, he did pray that if there was any possibly way for God to stop it, then please do it, Father.  But he made that statement with a spirit and heart and attitude of contentment in his situation. He was in a garden praying.  A few hours later he'd be hung on a cross to die.  

The only way to find contentment in whatever situation we face is to first find contentment with God.  And that is far more than hanging a fish on the trunk of your car.  

Challenge - this next Sunday when you go to your church, pray first - at home, in the car, on the walk up to the doors - pray that God gives you the gift of total contentment. Make the choice to not make one comment about anything you feel is "wrong."  When that thought arrives, kick it to the curb and remember that it did not come from God.  (So, where did it come from?  Yep, that's right!)  Leave that thought or comment where it belongs - smoldering in the fire and ashes of hell.  And then - shift your focus, adjust your vision, align yourself with God, Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit.

Choose to be content.  

Wednesday, July 31, 2019

MISSING THE POINT


As I was on the road this morning I was, as usual, trying to find a way to lovingly talk about how far worship has drifted from biblical reality in most of today's churches.  It's a difficult topic to discuss because many of us, unwilling to confront and discuss possible problems, simply divert the conversation saying that "worship is personal" which basically means - shut up.

For some reason (I like to think God was behind this) the image above came to mind.  This is the eternally famous center of the Sistine Chapel ceiling painted by Michelangelo.  I've never see this in real life - I can only imagine how awesome it must be!

I had to go find an image to prove my belief about one aspect of this painting - something that really bugs me - it bugs me a lot, in fact.  I'm not even sure if you notice but, to save time, let me tell you what it is that really bugs me.  For clarity, the figure on the left is Adam (first man).  The figure on the right is God surrounded by His angels.  It is heaven reaching down to touch earth.  The only thing is... GOD'S FINGER IS NOT ACTUALLY TOUCHING ADAM'S FINGER!  It just sort of lingers there, not even making contact!  And that bugs me!  I am focused on the fact (and it IS a fact, because you can see it right there in the painting!) that the fingers ARE NOT TOUCHING!  Would it have been so hard for the painter to just add a few more micro-inches of paint and make the fingers TOUCH?  I bet even I could have done that!  Grab a brush, dab on some paint and FINISH THE PAINTING!

I bet at least one of you reading this thought to yourself, "Hey, uh, Dan - you are missing the unbelievable beauty and effort of the rest of the painting that surrounds what you perceive to be a mistake..."  To which I would say, "Yep."

Friends - this is exactly what we are doing in most of our churches today.  We enter a sacred room set aside for the purpose of completely glorifying (and I mean REALLY glorifying) the Creator, the Master, The Awesome God of all we have ever, or will ever know.  But instead of doing that, we "notice" that there is one extra music stand on the stage that should not be there.  Or we "notice" that one (or dare I say two) of the slides flipped a few seconds late.  Or we "notice" that the worship leader sang the word "the" instead of "a" during the song.  Or we "notice" that one of the lights is out in the sanctuary.

We "notice" that the fingers are not touching...

In a time when the worship in many churches has become not much more than a hectic attempt to produce and perform well-crafted "sets" that include songs about God (so you can call them "worship" with a sense of integrity) but never really ushering the congregation into a deeper awareness of being in the transforming presence of God, through Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit, it is upon each of us to stop noticing the disconnected fingers - and focus on the beauty and wonder that surrounds those fingers.

Monday, July 29, 2019

HELLO, GOODBYE


That's me - well, you can't see me - I'm off-camera... but I'm the fellow the imaginary doorman is calling out to.  Read on...

The church in which I have served for nearly four years suddenly announced that, due to an array of changes that have taken place in the church (we're on our 3rd interim pastor in about 3 years) numbers and finances have drastically dropped causing the church to eliminate a few key staff positions, one of them being mine.  So, I'm on the job-hunt, waiting on God for what's "next."

Of course this has led me to seek new ministry positions on sources like ChurchStaffing, Indeed, Linked-in, Google and others. 

If you've read any of my posts on this blog you already know I have a deep passion for worship that is more than a show or just a collection of well-choreographed God-songs.  For me, worship is not a song set, or a style, or a format... worship is about one thing - responding to the Almighty God who created all with every part of my being - my brain and body; my heart and soul; my mind and strength.  I am not interested in watching a thematically-driven, media-laden worship performance.  (If I wanted that, I'd head over to a "worship concert" being performed by one of today's "worship celebrities."  Or just pop in a Hillsongs DVD... did I say that out loud?)  

But I am in church - gathered with other men and women who need to sense the powerful and transforming presence of God empowered by the Holy Spirit.  

Today's church culture, sadly, has turned worship (an ACT; a RESPONSE of THE HEART) into a commodity (a THING; something to WATCH and ENJOY).  So, it's not surprising to me that nearly every single job listing for "worship director" or "worship leader" or even "worship pastor" begins with a long list of biblical qualifications to be a church leader and then eases into the performance aspect of the job.  Some of the descriptions have, honestly, left me with my mouth wide open.  

"... under 40, a healthy appearance, not overweight..."
"... accomplished vocalist and front man..."
"... able to perform worship well..." (what? PERFORM worship well?)

About 1 out of 25 shows hope. It is clear by the church website and their description of worship (and other aspects of the church) that their first love - the primary passion - has nothing to do with learning how to become yet another church that simply performs worship on Sundays.  They are intentional about truly worshiping (adoring, glorifying, honoring, praising) God - regardless of music styles, the age of the team, the make-up of the band, or the color of the room!  They simply want to give to God all He deserves with all that they are.  That is so refreshing!!  And, sadly, so rare.

Most of these churches want to see footage of you in action.  On one hand, this makes perfect sense, especially if you are looking at a church out of state.  They simply want to know that you can do what you claim to do on your resume. (side note - it seems odd to me that the fact you have served in this role at other churches for long periods of time doesn't seem to "prove" your value.)  The truth is, these churches want to see how well you "perform."  One church even listed the requirement of sending in... "footage of yourself performing worship."  And a-one, and a-two... Eeek.  

"I'll take a side of worship, please..."
The other thing I notice is the very low level of care some churches even give to the office of "worship leader."  Generally speaking, and certainly because of budgets, I am sure, many churches want a "music leader" in a very part-time position - yet the job listing is nothing close to a truly part-time job.  Basically, they say, "we want someone to totally transform the hearts of the congregation and help us build a worship culture that changes the community by leading large teams made up of band and singers and be someone who attracts others to the church because of your immense talent and showmanship and ensure all songs fit the pastor's theme and recruit and train more musicians to create multiple praise teams and know all about sound and lighting and media and be able to create media-driven gatherings with exciting visuals and also, as time allows, lead the youth ministry." And then the next line says, "10-12 hours per week."  These churches simply have no idea of how important a ministry of worship (not just "music" but the overall call of God for us to become people of worship) is to the body.  Deep down they realize what they know they should be seeking (as made evident in their description) but then they treat it like a side-dish.  But if you truly desire to fulfill all the wonderful (and needed) elements in the job listing, then you need to realize there is a value for that - for the experience and skill - and that it takes a lot of time to actually develop a worship culture in a church.  It's a full-time job if you want it done right.  If, however, you simply want a great showman to lead the band - then just say that - be honest about it.  

Several things I need to consider on this new journey...
1. I am not a hip millennial who looks good in torn jeans with hair (ha!) dripping over half of my face.  I'm more of a "seasoned worshiper with a comb-over." 
2. I do love performing - COMEDY.  And I even enjoy SINGING as a performance.  But no part of me is interested in "performing" worship.  I can't imagine that pleasing God. 
3. I am called and gifted to guide a gathering into a deeper awareness of being in God's presence through music (and, really, any styles is fine with me) - but that music has a purpose and it is not to entertain the audience (or, as we used to call them, the "congregation.") 

So, the hunt continues.  I pop through revolving doors joyfully anticipating God saying, "Next!" And when He does, I go.  

Because that's what a worshiper does.