Confessions of a Clanging Cymbal

No, really, this time I'm back. For a while at least. That's because I recently finished a book geared towards anyone who complains. So, you know, everyone. Including me. My plan is to post each chapter (or segments of chapters to keep each entry from droning on and on) and see if we can generate a little buzz. Obviously, my hope is that anyone reading these entries will be encouraged to adjust how we respond to the various issues of life that cause us to complain. If it helps, then great! 

This first entry is the INTRODUCTION. Hopefully it will cause interest in future entries. Enjoy!

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INTRODUCTION

            Let me ask you a question. Do you ever complain? I know. That’s a ridiculous question. Everyone complains. Some more than others. But the truth is, all of us complain from time to time. In fact, some have turned it into a full-on art form of perfection. But, yes, complaining happens. You complain and I complain. In fact, you are probably on the verge of complaining right now simply because I posed this question…

            My list of complaints includes things like eight check-out lines at the store but only one or two checkers. Worse yet, the self-checkout area.  It’s like they’re setting me up to be arrested if I don’t scan things the right way!

I also don’t like having to give reviews for everything I purchase in life. I once checked into a hotel and when I got to my room there was a ding on my phone. It was an email from the hotel asking me to rate my check-in service. Really? I just checked in! I haven’t even unpacked my suitcase! I can see you from my window, across the courtyard, through the front office window. Can I just give you a thumbs up and we’ll be good to go? I’ll submit a full report upon my departure.

Recently I was given a new coffee maker by my mother-in-law. She heard me complaining that my coffee maker never brewed the coffee hot enough for my taste. I had to zap it in the microwave to heat it up which annoyed me. So, she bought me one that guaranteed a hot temperature once brewed. It works. I love it.

            Unfortunately, through my life, I’ve often found things to complain about. Traffic. Too many commercials. Slow internet. Power outages. Stressed relationships. Missing socks. Squeaky doors. Clogged toilets. Lukewarm showers. Broken zippers. Rain. Really? Rain? Yes, rain! Can you imagine complaining about rain? Who do you blame for that? God? No thanks!

            All of us, at one time or another, find things to complain about. There are many reasons why we end up complaining. Sometimes it’s a lack of patience. Other times it comes from pride. As I began to dive into the start of this book it occurred to me that not only do I complain, but I am surrounded by people who whine or complain or criticize or ridicule every day. The short-tempered auto mechanic. The waitress who’s “had it up to here” with customers. The pizza delivery kid, who is never happy with the tip no matter how much you give him. The world seems to be in a constant state of something I call “clangy-ness.” Not crankiness, which certainly is also an issue. But I’m referring here to a challenging comment made in The Bible.

In the book of First Corinthians, the author, Paul, speaks about the importance of love. In fact, many marriage ceremonies, even those that are not particularly “religious,” offer the familiar “Love is…” passage found in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. “Love is patient, love is kind…” and so forth.

            The previous chapter, First Corinthians 12, offers a long list of what the Christian faith calls spiritual gifts. The passage makes it clear that God gives to each of us certain and specific “spiritual gifts” to be used to encourage and edify others. That list includes things like faith, wisdom, discerning of spirits, others, and, of course, the gift of speaking in tongues as well as the gift of interpretation of that tongue. (This is not a book about “tongues.” That can be a dangerous and divisive conversation, and many amazing books have already been written on that topic. I only mention “tongues” because it directly leads us into the 13^th chapter of that book.)

Paul speaks about the power, impact and edification of these gifts as a way of teaching us how important and valuable they are. But in the very first verse of Chapter 13, Paul says something profound that I’ve taken to heart over the past several years. He says, “If I speak in the tongues of men and angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or clanging cymbal.” Ouch. In other words, you can be given all these various, powerful gifts with which you can edify each other and that is amazing! However, if you do not have love, you are nothing more than a loud gong or clanging cymbal. And there it is. Lacking love can lead to complaining.

I always found it easy to find a lack of love in others. I mean, that’s a basic tendency we all have, right? To see the spec in someone else’s eye while ignoring the log in our own. (Matthew 7:5). But as I have gotten older I have realized the log in my own eyes has been the culprit of my negative vision far too often and it was time to seek an end to that destructive deficiency.

My side hustles have always been in the arts as an actor, writer, comedian, songwriter and performer. But for over 30 years my primary career was in Christian ministry serving as a music and worship director in Christian churches. In each of those areas I have experienced and/or participated in various types of “clangy-ness.” On sets with actors and directors. With music publishers and producers. With comedians and comedy club owners. With performers and managers of performing venues. And, yes, even in Christian ministry. Sadly, “Clangers” seem to be everywhere.

If you are familiar with the gospel accounts of Jesus Christ, he was also surrounded by “clangers.” He was mocked, ridiculed, disbelieved, called all sorts of names, hated and eventually killed. It boggles my mind that the fact Jesus healed and restored people was somehow misunderstood especially by the religious leaders of His day.

A few years ago, I began taking to heart my tendency to “clang” and begin a self-discovery hoping to get to the heart of the matter. Mainly for myself, due to the wake of angst and pain my “clangy-ness” has left behind. And, as I’m prone to do, I wanted to see if a wider net might be cast that could encourage others to consider their own tendencies to “clang.”

This book is the result of my self-discovery. There will be personal stories of failure and success that I hope encourage you in your journey. Full disclosure: I am still in the process. Friends and family who read this book might feel led to point out where I’m not practicing what I preach. That’s okay. I “clang.” They “clang.” We all “clang.” This book is like a wake-up call for all of us. But I’m convinced that provided we aim for love, perhaps the noise of the gongs and cymbals will grow more faint. 

ALL CONTENT (C) 2025 DAN McGOWAN

How Low Can We Go?

According to Gallup, church attendance is now as low as it has ever been - below the 50% mark. There are probably a lot of reasons that some might point to for this sad reality. Some would say churches are filled with hypocrites.  Others say the church only wants your money. Still, some say that the preaching is nothing but shame and guilt-based leaving people feeling depressed.  Plus, Sundays are when most families do family activities - like soccer, hiking, camping, etc.  

While all of those "excuses" are probably true on certain levels, I don't think those are the main reasons why church attendance has declined.  Let me share my thoughts.

1. "Church" is trying too hard to be "American Idol."  Like it or not, we who follow Jesus are called to be different.  We are not called to be "Justin Beiber with a Bible." Jesus was very different from those He hung out with. That's why they followed Him and that's what eventually led to His death. The early church did not seek out the latest and greatest tips and tricks to appear hip and edgy.  Thank God! They also did not remain stuck in old forms for the sake of being stuck in familiar territory.  They did something far more crazy - they focused their attention on the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit in their midst.  (See Acts 2). And because of that, amazing things occurred and lives were transformed.  As those lives were transformed by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, it created a magnetic effect throughout the area and more and more people came to a saving relationship with Jesus. The lure had nothing to do with the exciting presentation!

2. "Performance" has replaced "Presence."  This piggy back's off my first comment.  Today's churches are enamored with, and immersed in, a mindset of performance.  It is sickening.  God could care less if you are the best singer in your church, if you can play guitar better than Hendrix or if you preach using big theological words and phrases.  He does not care.  You will not get brownie points for how well you sing, talk or pray.  Jesus already took care of the brownie points - on the cross!  Sing about the cross. Preach about the cross.  Stop "performing" for God.  He actually hates your weekly "God shows." To those who are whining right now about how God "demands" excellence, and then trying to rationalize this as the reason for your top-notch stage presentations - grow up! That is not what God means when He speaks of excellence.  Please, crack open your Bible and study up on that concept. 

3. "Pandemic Blues."  Granted, this has been a very difficult year. And "church" seems to have been hit hard. Suddenly churches are realizing that church attendance is as fluid as the press of a mouse button. Within seconds anyone viewing a worship service online can find "a better show" a few clicks away. So, churches are trying to offer the BEST shows they can.  Keep the audience! Keep the viewers! Again, as Solomon might say, "vanity of vanities."  I suppose offering an online gathering of someone leading the viewers in a Holy-Spirit-led time of prayer might seem boring to some.  What a shame that is. How sad that we have turned the gathering of God's people into a riveting spectacle.  How insane that we can't "keep the viewers" if we don't offer "entertainment-driven" music.  I don't know about you, but I can hear the tables being turned over... Can you?

Church attendance is not declining because of weak performances or crummy preaching. It is declining because churches have forgotten their first calling - to glorify God, to praise Jesus and to operate in the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. We don't need to up our game with polished church performances.  We need to up our game on submitting to the presence and power of the Holy Spirit when we gather. Period.

How low can church attendance go?

Only time will tell.
 

Business As Usual

 

So, here we go...

Little by little businesses across the US are starting to re-open.  Of course, everyone's notion of what the looks like seems to vary - and that's simply because there is no 100% accurate way to measure what "re-opening" should look like.  The government doesn't know.  The WHO doesn't know. Doctors and scientists and even religious folk don't know.  And, of course, you or I don't know either. In a sense it is all up for grabs.  Wear a mask - don't wear a mask. Practice social distancing in some places, gather for riots in close proximity to others in other places.  Nobody knows what to do.

And, yet, here we go...

I've been trying to get a sense of what churches are doing in the midst of this "almost re-opening" season and what I am finding is a bit surprising - and disturbing.

Trust me - I have served in Christian churches for over four (4) decades so I fully understand the need for pastors and church staff to "get back to normal" by creating worship experiences that include familiar music, meaningful times of prayer and sermons that both encourage and call to action new ways of living our lives for the Kingdom.

But... here we go...

Back to business as usual.  Back to the same old same old.  Back to "doing church" the same way we always "do church" with - what - a hope that suddenly everyone will hop onto the bandwagon and join in with something they barely were connected to before the pandemic?

Do we honestly need sermon series on topics like Living a Godly Life, or Tithing, or 30 Ways To Pray, or How To Follow Jesus... I am asking seriously - is that what we need right now?  Bible talks? Churchy music performed for us by well-skilled and well-meaning musicians?  

I don't think so.

It occurs to me that what people - all people - so desperately need right now - right now in the midst of pandemics, right now in the midst of racial tensions, right now in the midst of fear and stress and hopelessness - what people need right now is NOT another sermon or another well-performed song about God.  

What people need is JESUS - not in word, but in DEED.

People need to BE loved.

People need to BE welcomed.

People need to BE heard.

People need to BE met with open arms.

People don't need "the church structure" - they need "the church people" doing first and foremost what Jesus calls us to do... listen, come alongside, love, heal, restore... 

This is not the time to "get back to normal" because, unless I'm way off base here (and I may be, but I don't think so) - doing church "back to normal" has not been working for us for a long, long time.  

Jesus told us to feed His sheep.

Let's get back to doing what JESUS did... even if it does not appear to be "normal."

To God Be The Glory?

 

Almost every church in the world includes music in their worship gatherings.  The style of music, of course, varies from church to church but, with few exceptions, music is a huge part of worship gatherings.  

I am not going to re-visit earlier conversations on music styles - you can simply read back through this blog and see previous comments.

That said, I do wish to pose the very basic question: WHY do we include music in our worship gatherings?  And what purpose does it serve?

A quick place to start is to simply refer to God's Word and see how music was described in Scripture.

In a very general sense, it seems there are only a few ways music is "used" in connection with anything Godly or "worship" minded.

We see examples in the Old Testament of the musicians (Levites) going out ahead of the armies entering into battle.  This is like a bold proclamation of, "Hey, watch out, our God is great and we will proclaim his mighty power by blasting trumpets and singing and shouting!"  It is both a warning and a battle cry; a call to recognize the power of God.  

Another way we see music used in worship gatherings are when, for example, in the early church, after the proclamation of God's word, after the miracles performed, after the sharing of each other's belongings with others, and more - these early Christians sang songs of praise (though it is not 100% clear that they sang - it could have been shouts and prayers, too.) 

And, of course, we see examples of people like David, alone, with his lute, singing (and composing) songs of praise to God.  Take a walk through Psalms if you have not done so in a while.  

Somewhere along the line, churches brought in organs and choirs to aid in their singing.  Hymnals were created to offer per-sitters the opportunity to sing-along.  All of this was great - but it causes me to wonder if, by doing this, we began to lose touch with the intimacy we enjoyed in previous eras? 

Then - in rushed the Jesus Movement which led to what we now call Contemporary Christian Music which, for the most part, is even further removed from an intimate connection with God and more connected to the performance of "God-themed" songs in front of spectators.  

Yes - there are churches where the intimacy is still strong.  But it seems that the modern way of approaching music in the church is to create something for the congregation (audience) to watch, rather than engage in for the purpose of encountering the presence of God.

So - I ask again - what is the PURPOSE of music in our worship gatherings?  

Is it to simply remind everyone that there is a God?

Is it to entertain?

Is it to create a space for intimate connection to God through the Holy Spirit?

Is it to give a platform for musicians who would probably not work in the "real world?"

Is it to show off our talents to the masses?

What is the purpose of music in our worship gatherings?

Ponder that.,,

NEW NORMAL CHURCH

 

I write this during week 6 (give or take - because who's keeping track of time any longer?) of the 2020 Corona Virus Pandemic hat has, in many ways, altered the course of our lives across the globe. 

It is definitely a new day with new challenges and new opportunities to explore new ways of doing just about everything on a day to day basis - including attending church. 

Over my many years serving in local church ministry I have been a part of conversations where well-meaning people pontificated on the notion that we don't need to "attend church" in order to worship God and, while there is an element of truth to this statement - that we don't NEED to "go to a church building" in order to commune with our God - could it be that there actually is something we are missing by not gathering together with others in a worship setting?

To combat the "new normal" of social distancing, we "church leaders" have decided to create a means of "attending church" online - through the broadcasting of our worship services to our congregations. Music leaders, pastors, and others have found ways of offering their ministry gifts via a camera and computer hook up.  The congregation can tune in, watch, and engage as they are led.

But - are we engaging?

This leads me back to a similar theme you have heard me speak about before - - what, exactly, is worship?  Is it truly satisfying; is it "enough" to sit in my den and watch worship on my laptop?  Is that actually "worship?"  Or is it something else?

I wonder if we are, collectively, rediscovering just how important it is for believers in Jesus to gather together and actually fellowship with each other as we unite our hearts and spirits to glorify the Creator of all - the Lord, God, Almighty.  

Personally, I think it's a noble effort churches are making to bring the Word of God to their church congregations by offering online services and other ministry meetings.  But is this "new normal" church honestly working?  Are people tuning in and worshiping?  

Here is the bottom line - - we need each other.  God designed us to be in relationship - real relationship - face to face and heart to heart.  We are not designed to observe each other from a distance.  That is not "relationship."  It seems to me that we are, due to very severe circumstances, learning the valuable lesson of our need for one another.  

And taking this a step further - perhaps we actually need to be around... people we don't always agree with... people who don't share our political values... people who have different tastes in church music... all of it.  We need to be around people who are different from us - so that we can learn to love others without the ease of "clicking away"from an online video or comment.  

My prayer is, I'm sure, the same as everyone reading this - - that this Corona Virus would come to an end and we would return to a world where we are forced to be in close proximity again; where we can re-learn what it means to accept and love one another regardless of our values and opinions.

For now, do what you need to do in order to maintain a sense of "virtual togetherness."  We don't really have another choice.  But, when the time comes to return to what we had, step into that reality with a new-found love for your fellow human.

And maybe sit just a little closer to each other in the pews.

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!  

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! 

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?

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.     

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. 

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... 

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.