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Do it

www.journeytoworship.orgRecently I rediscovered a simple truth.  Do it.

I recently posted someone’s critique of a well known pop singer.  They pointed out on several levels that she wasn’t promoting Christian values.  They didn’t say she couldn’t sing well…or dance well…or that she wasn’t smart….or pretty….or powerful…..or nice to people when she meets them.  They didn’t say that she wasn’t a great humanitarian or mother or actress or daughter or wife…..they just pointed out that she wasn’t promoting the values that we find in the bible, specifically the things that Jesus taught and did while He was here.

I like listening to many of the songs of this singer.  So I came to an important crossroads: If I know that her music promotes values that are against my values than why don’t I stop listening to her music?  I mean, if her song comes on the radio or pops up on Facebook or YouTube why don’t I just turn away from it and ignore it? I have a problem.  I don’t live what I believe!

I use to think that I would finally get to the place where I knew enough that I’d be able to figure out all the important spiritual questions of my universe.  But I no longer wait for that day 🙂  What I feel is a more pragmatic approach is this–I’ll choose to live up to what I currently believe.  That’s a huge deal!  After being stuck in the mode of thinking if I just heard the right sermon or attended the correct workshop or read the latest “deep” book I’d get to the point where I now would be the authority on all things spiritual and be able to discern all truth from error and know that I was right and others were wrong.  But over time I see that while my broad principals remain there were things I didn’t know that I became aware of that have changed how I view the world.

And rather than list all my current revelations I’d rather share the truth I’ve gleaned through this journey to worship.  If God has said “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another”(John 13:35) and we aren’t loving in our homes than what’s the point of ANYTHING ELSE?  If we can’t get along in church because we fight and gossip and put down others, than why invite someone else to come join in the mess? We need a revival!  But we need a revival of love!!!

I’d like to suggest this:  Revisit the basics of the bible and do it!  I love the study of bible prophecy and last day events.  But I have marveled how preachers and teachers and saints of great prophetic understanding have become such hateful people.  Instead of flocking to the new and improved Revelation Seminar, why not show love to our neighbor.  Do it!

Yes, I believe that we are living in the last days…I think one clear characteristic of the last day saints is their lukewarm nature.  In Revelation 3 the description of the church of Laodecia sounds a lot like where I’m living today:

14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

When you or I come to the place where we think we know it all and therefore are better than everyone else we become horrible to be with.  No one likes a know it all–especially a spiritual no it all.  But here’s the antidote.  Become a do it all!  Just do it!  Do the works of rightness and love that God desires and requires.  Do it right now!  Don’t wait for a revival or special invitation.  Help the needy now.  Do it!  Call the lonely now.  Feed the hungry now.  Do it!

I love you and that’s why I wrote this.  Today I will not spend endless hours reading and learning more stuff that I’ll have forgotten most of tomorrow.  Instead I’ll take what I know and DO IT!

Remember:

www.journeytoworship.org
Do it!
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Better Worship

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What is better worship? I remember asking my parents if it was OK to sit up in the balcony with my friends for church.  I was so excited when they finally gave in and said yes.  They had always taught me to pay attention in service–they even taught me the game where you count how many times the preacher says “Jesus” to help me focus.  But to sit with my friends in the back offered me escape from the boredom I was sure more than not people were feeling. Even then I wondered if there was a better way of meeting God for worship.

I stayed going to church as I grew up but started having a deeper interest in finding other ways to connect with God and others (see Worship That Nourishes)

In high school my freshman English teacher, Bruce Freeman, started a youth to youth ministry group called “The Light Company.”  In the light company I learned about creating an atmosphere for fellowship.  We often would use Ice Breakers (click here for an awesome list of 40 icebreakers or mixer ideas) as a way for folks to get to know each other better.  Sometimes we would have something to eat.  Than we would get into Bible study in small groups of 2-4 people where we would share about a Scripture.  Then we would share with the larger group what we had explored in the smaller group.  Everything was lead by a facilitator who often gave special insight.

He trained me to be a facilitator of small group worship.  In my opinion there is nothing better.  I really miss those gatherings to this day.  It reminds of the description in the beginning of Acts of the early church.  Let’s read about it:

The Fellowship of the Believers

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (NIV)

When you invite friends over to your house and play games don’t you develop a sense of closeness?  Also, do you find that when you eat regularly with friends from work that you develop a strong bond?  Well the early church had that bond.  Today’s church often lacks that bond.  This concerns me.

a meaningful context that isn’t informal for the sake of being cool but that is intimate for the sake of being real

The picture above is me holding my baby girl, Maia.  I don’t want Maia to be turned off to Jesus by our practice of worship.  I want her to find a way to connect with her Savior and with others in a meaningful context that isn’t informal for the sake of being cool but that is intimate for the sake of being real.

I don’t want my children to be bored by church. I want them to understand that Jesus isn’t boring–just our ritual of worship.  So I’m on a mission to find better worship.  Can you help me?

What is better worship for you?

Please share your comments below.

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