Experiencing Worship

The Worship Experience

Much has been said in recent years about worship and the feeling of some who believe some changes need to be implemented in our approach and style of worship in order to attract and retain membership. I hear a lot of talk about the attitude of those who are not coming regularly or who are seeking certain innovations. The conventional wisdom is that

worship experience

Are you looking for a worship experience?

if they would just seek to do things in God’s way and put something into the worship then they would get something out of it and that would result in spiritual growth. We certainly want people to desire to worship God in spirit and in truth (John 4:23) and be faithful in their attendance to our services (Hebrews 10:24–25; Matthew 6:33). The reason why so many are not, I fear, is because we have, in many cases, failed to provide the right kind of atmosphere that is conducive to a meaningful worship experience.

I don’t mean an environment of emotionalism or entertainment but an air in which one could say, as David did, “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go into the house of the LORD’ ” (Psalm 122:1). Christ meant for his disciples to be family (Matthew 12:48–49) and the worship experience should feel like a gathering around the family dinner table. I remember, as a child, feeling warm, safe, encouraged, and uplifted while I was “at church.” And we worshiped according to the pattern laid forth in the New Testament. It wasn’t boring or tedious! The problem today, as I see it, is that some churches are so sound doctrinally that you cannot feel love within ten miles of the building. What these congregations need to remember is, as one old preacher once told me, “If that is the case then they are NOT sound.”

So what can we do, without going beyond what is authorized in the word of God, to create an atmosphere conducive to helping bring people into the church and helping them go to heaven? Focus on our own individual attitudes toward God, worship, the church, and others! Here are some suggestions:

1. Enter Expectantly. Many folks show up to Bible Class and worship simply out of habit; with no preparation or expectation. When this happens others will sense the lack of anticipating anything meaningful and will follow suit. We need to come together expecting to learn more about God’s word and how it can impact and improve our lives. We need to anticipate being uplifted and encouraged and more importantly we need to look forward to encouraging others.

2. Greet Others Cordially. Many congregations talk about being friendly but I honestly found few that are. Some congregations where my family and I have attended as visitors showed only cursory interest in our visit and some were, well, creepy. We visited one congregation several years ago where my grandfather had served as an elder. We hadn’t been to this congregation since his passing more than 10 years prior and we were anxious to visit again. We arrived well before services began and lingered for several minutes in the pew where we had sat…not one person spoke to us. We won’t be back.

3. Worship Soulfully. Sadly most worship experiences are not meaningful for the visitor or newcomer because the congregational worship isn’t meaningful. The prayers are dry, canned, and in some cases unintelligible (“What did he just say?”). The singing is dull and uninspiring and some of the members are engaged in other behavior. The sermon is not filled with the word of God and application but “fluff” and contemporary psychobabble. When the congregation is not actively involved in worship, with great praise and adoration, the mood will not be conducive to a meaningful experience for the member or the visitor.

4. Leave Thoughtfully. The church doesn’t cease to be the church once we leave the doors of the local congregation to return to our “respective places of abode.” The early church did life together daily (Acts 2:46). When we leave the assembly we go into back into the world but not to be of the world. We need to use our worship times as motivation to live lives of brotherhood and discipleship. Who can I encourage, serve, visit, or teach this week. How might I create more fellowship opportunities with others?

I truly believe a sound, faithful, loving congregation of the Lord’s people can (and will) grow while holding to the “Old Paths,” doing “Bible things in Bible ways,” and “calling Bible things by Bible names” if we will embrace the church as family, truly love and appreciate others, seeking to glorify God, go to heaven, and let other know we care and want them to come along on this wonderful journey with us.

One last thought: Being right with God and helping others go to heaven is impossible if we only live it while we are together. More importantly we must “Live Faithfully!” Every day striving to be a better disciple, sharing the message, living the Way! We can’t take others to heaven with us if we do not go there ourselves. Be faithful!

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The Guilt of Yesterday

How Can I Live with Yesterday

We have all made mistakes in life. However, some mistakes we make are larger than others are. Some mistakes have greater consequences. While some mistakes and blunders only affect us, others have an impact on others—family, friends, church and such like. When they are spiritual blunders—sin—they have an impact also upon our God. For many of us, while we understand that God forgives us of the sin itself, we cannot let go of the guilt—it is an unbearable burden. We may even ask the question, “How can I live with yesterday?”

Several people preserved in divine scripture actu­ally can understand how we feel and can help us. One of these is the apostle Paul. As a young man named Saul, Luke introduces us to him at the grisly stoning of Stephen (Acts 7:58). While not actively participat­ing in the murder, he “was consenting unto his death” (Acts 8:1), or in other words, he approved of the deadly deed of his Jewish brethren. Then, Luke records him making “havoc of the church, entering into every house and haling men and women…to prison” (Acts 8:3). He even “beat in every synagogue them that believe on” Jesus (Acts 22:19) and “compelled them to blas­pheme” (Acts 26:11). Nevertheless, his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus literally changed his life (Acts 9). He would look back upon his past with grief, referring to himself as the chief of sinners (cf. 1 Tim. 1:15). Thus, here was an individual who could certainly have opportunity to struggle with his past. How did he cope with his guilt of yesterday?

First, the apostle Paul believed in the grace of God (1 Cor. 15:3-10). While he recognized that the eternal plan of God for Jesus to resurrect from the dead for our sins was a manifestation of His grace, he applied that to himself when he referred to himself by stating,

For I am the last of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace, which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet, not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

He was able to live with yesterday because he believed in the grace of God. When we have difficulty living with our past, we need to believe in the grace of God for our lives. His outpouring of grace upon us was also not in vain—God has a purpose for our lives, and we can express appreciation for this grace by laboring more fervently in the kingdom!

Second, the apostle Paul believed in the compassion of Christ (1 Tim. 1:12-16). Upon writing to his protégé Timothy, he referred to Christ Jesus who

…counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious…howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

In other words, the apostle Paul believed on the mercy of Christ in his life. When we have difficulty in living with our yesterday, we need to believe on the compas­sion of Christ in that He showed us mercy, for which we can appreciate and express by living for Him ev­eryday as a testimony to others.

Third, the apostle Paul believed in the power of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 7:19-8:39). While he spent Romans 7 detailing the struggles of his own earlier life, he led that into Romans 8 and the power of the Holy Spirit in his life. When it seems as if we cannot cope with yesterday, we need to believe in the power of the Holy Spirit in our life.

Therefore, how can we live with yesterday? We learn from the apostle Paul—believe in the grace of God, the compassion and mercy of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit!

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Attack of Judgment

That Day Came Unexpectedly

On the morning of Sunday, December 7, 1941 (67 years ago), Japanese warplanes unleashed a stunning surprise attack on the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor. The attack, which came while many U.S. military personnel were still in their bunks or going about the usual routines of a casual Sunday morning, was so startling that not much of a defense was able to be raised against the onslaught.  As a result of the events of that day, it is estimated that 2,402 U.S. military personnel were killed and another 1,282 were wounded (not to mention non-military casualties).

attack

An Attack of Divine Judgment is Coming.

On the morning of September 11, 2001, terrorists pulled off a surprise attack against the United States that was so unexpected and shocking that many of us watched in disbelief as the events unfolded on our television screens.  The attack, which came while people were coming and going through the usual routines and paces of daily life, was so startling that virtually no defense could be raised against the onslaught.  It is estimated that nearly 3,000 innocent people perished that day.

These two tragic events were indeed horrible and shocking (to say the very least), however nothing we have ever experienced can compare to the “Day” in which Christ will return to judge the world (also known as “the Day of Judgment”).  It will be a great day for those who will be saved (cf. Matt. 25:34), but it will be sad and terrifying day for those who will be lost (v. 41).  Just as men were caught off guard on December 7, 1941 and September 11, 2001, so shall many be caught off guard on the last day (Matt. 24: 36-44).

Jesus revealed that no one (except God the Father) knows when that day will come (Mk. 13:32), nor do they know what hour (v. 35).  Therefore He said, “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly.   For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.  Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man” (Lk. 21:34-36).  Friends, are you ready for that Day to come?

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Heart Transplant

Do You Need a Heart Transplant?

When I turned seven I decided I wanted to be a heart surgeon more than anything else in the world. I found an anatomical picture of a human heart in an old textbook, traced it on notebook paper, and put that drawing on my bedroom door as a constant reminder—I still have that sketch today. I’ll never forget spending literally hours in the cadaver lab studying, memorizing, and marveling at such a phenomenal creation. Over the years my career choices changed, but I still retain a deep passion for the human heart. While man has tried to create a substitute or an artificial heart—our efforts have truly paled in comparison to God’s original model.

heart

Do You Need a Heart Transplant?

The word heart appears in the Bible hundreds of times in both the Old and New Testaments. However, in the English language the word heart rarely means the cardiovascular pump within your chest cavity. Instead, it is almost always referring to the essence of man—your inner being. When someone says, “Follow your heart” they are not talking literally about following the organ that pumps blood.

While your anatomical heart is vital to your earthly existence, your inner heart reveals who you really are, and who you have chosen to follow— and gives a good indication of where you will spend eternity. The world is quick to toss around the word heart in phrases like: Trust your heart. Believe with all your heart. Follow your heart.

In other words, trust in yourself. But the Bible says “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). The Son of God said, “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies” (Matthew 15:19). If this organ is so wicked, what is a Christian to do?

The answer should be obvious. A serious examination of your heart will reveal it is sick and needs to be transplanted. We read, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh,” (Ezekiel 36:26). God stands ready to give you a new heart if you are willing to give up the old one. This is a part of putting on the “new man” (Colossians 3) in an effort to cleanse the inner man.

Many people have bought into the humanistic teaching that man is not so bad, and thus, they bristle at the thought of needing to cleanse their heart. Rather than embracing a heart transplant and the desire for a new heart, they would rather allow their hearts to become calloused and hardened like the Pharaoh in Egypt (Exodus). The Apostle Paul warned, “But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,” (Romans 2:5).

Solomon delivered this fitting piece of wisdom regarding the heart: “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life,” (Proverbs 4:23). The inspired Psalmist declared, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me,” (Psalm 51:10). This should be the cry of every human on the planet, because only then can we truly, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

What does your heart look like? What shape is it in? Our society has trained most people to look primarily upon external features. Many young people idolize reality stars that “look” good but are living ungodly lives. Christians should always remember, “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart’” (1 Samuel 16:7).

When God looks into your heart does He see a servant who desperately wants to serve Him, or does He see someone who is wanting to be in control of his or her own life, giving God the leftovers of time and money? Does He see words and thoughts of kindness and compassion, or does He see harsh words and a mean spirit? The Bible says, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8). If you haven’t had a heart transplant let me strongly encourage you to schedule your surgery immediately. Isn’t it time you got rid of that old diseased heart and received a new heart that is pure and ready to serve Him?

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Ebola and Christianity

Spiritual Lessons: Ebola and Christianity

The introduction of the deadly virus, Ebola, in our nation has captured the attention of most Americans. It has been the featured story on all newscasts. What American is there who has not heard of it, and how many of us have not had a sense of fear about its impact? It would help us if we could learn some spiritual lessons from all that has happened.

Think about how rapidly this disease has spread. When it first arrived in Dallas, it impacted the life of just one man, but in the days which followed, we learned more about the disease. That single person touched the lives of more than one hundred others even before he entered the hospital. Suppose each of them had become infected and had also spread the disease to one hundred others. Instead of there being one individual, that “second generation” of infected people would number 10,000. If each of those spread the sickness to 100 additional individuals, the third generation would number 1,000,000. It was this kind of geometric progression that created such a stir around this nation.

Apply these numbers to the spread of Christianity, and you can understand why the first-century church spread so rapidly. The church began on Pentecost with just a handful of disciples, but by the end of the century it is estimated that there were over 6,000,000 Christians. This growth continued into the next century. Unlike Ebola, it did not bring death, but it brought life to a dying world.

While Ebola reduplicates itself in just 21 days, teaching the gospel to others can sometimes take longer. The seed of the gospel lands in various kinds of soil, and the soil, not the seed, determines if it will germinate. However, that seed has always been “living and active” (Heb. 4:12). The redeemed have “. . .  been born again, not of corruptible seed, but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever” (1 Pet. 1:23).

Our commission has never been to go into all the world and baptize every creature. It was not the task of the early church. He said, “Preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). It is easy for Christians to become discouraged because they have not led another to the Lord. The issue is not whether they became Christians but whether we taught them! As much as we long to see those we teach being baptized into Christ, we must remember what is involved in the great commission we have received from the Lord. He said, “Go . . . teach.”

The spread of Ebola can teach us. If each of us would win one soul each year and teach them to do the same, what impact would that have? Do the math. In just 34 years every person on earth could be a Christian! He said, “Go…teach!”

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