Going Together

I know what you are thinking, hey I'm already married, or seeing someone, this is an awkward way for Will to start a post. But wait, perhaps I'm not talking about the type of going together associated with a girlfriend/boyfriend. Maybe I'm talking about something more rich than that.

Recently in conversations with our one and only Phil Kinney we were discussing the depth of response displayed by the congregation. Through our talkings we also looked at our own band and the sometimes dull expressions on our faces and in our demeanor when playing for the one true God. It's pretty unbelievable sometimes that I can worship God and have only the next chord or phrase on my mind rather than thoughts of my creator. But I think that perhaps what we are seeing in the congregation is a direct reflection of what is happening on stage.

I'm going to throw a few thoughts out there and see where they land, please feel free to comment on one or more of them. Keep in mind I'm not really talking about any specific band, these are general observations, not criticisms and many of them are about me and how I have personally been leading...

1. Is if fair for us as lead worshipers to sit back and say I wish people at Genesis would worship more openly, when in our leading we often are quite reserved. My thoughts are often so wrapped up in the next part of a song or the next song that I have moments where I'm not connected to God and my visible response, is not the overwhelming joy I experience when I worship Him.
2. What if we really let loose on stage and showed people that honestly, those moments leading worship were really the best part of our week, we had fun, laughed, sang and played with huge smiles, jumped around, got into a song, shouted at the top of our lungs afterward crying out to God how wonderful He is - would that give the people out front more freedom to do such things?
3. Is the next step for us as lead worshipers to take our bands together in that smaller corporate setting to the next level of response, be it a joyful response, a heartfelt cry to God or another? In doing so, would we spur on the type of honesty we long to see in our the people who join us in worship at Genesis?

I think these are some things to consider. I have sat down with the core of my band and had talks about taking us to new places, and that requires each person being on board to go there personally in front of a bunch of people. I think that can be somewhat scary, but well worth it to serve as a part of bringing others closer to God. I think the key to this is open dialogue, asking and answering tough questions like are we honestly responding on stage, or are we so ill-prepared that we can't worship because we have to "learn" the music as we're playing? I know this happens to me at times. Am I afraid of what people will think if I go crazy in worship in front of them, am I afraid no one else will respond?

I think there are others to ask but hopefully those get us started. And for us to go together to the depths of worshiping God corporately in our bands in front of everyone else, will hopefully give others the freedom to join us on our corporate journey as a church to connect to God.

Salvation is Worship

by Matt Chandler

(This may be somewhat lengthy, but I found it very challenging and relevant to our church. You thoughts and comments are appreciated, mine will be added soon) -W.

Salvation is worship. When I say worship I am not talking about ascribing value to a band or a person, but rather God-Centered, God-saturated worship. The type of love for God that begins and ends with Him and is not dependent on our circumstances or on how we feel we are being treated by God. It is here that our salvation becomes so rich and weighty. It is here that we begin to feel free. Jonathan Edwards in his writings on the religious affections states that a certain sign of conversion in the human soul is a “genuine delight in divine things not for self-interest but for their inherent beauty and excellency.” This means we love Him for Him - not for what He gives or does not give. This type of worship is witnessed throughout scripture. Take Job for instance. In Job 1:20, after Job experiences the loss of material, wealth and family (all except his nagging wife) he falls to the ground and cries out in worship! His worship was not based upon God's favor through wealth and health but rather on God's Godness. Another example is the apostle Paul's exaltation of the sufficiency of God in 1 Corinthians 4:9-14. Paul testifies that he is “hungry and thirsty, poorly clothed, roughly treated and homeless.” This is the man who knew wealth and fame, but their disappearance did not hinder his satisfaction in God. His worship was not tied to earth but rather to heaven where the sovereign of all things existed in perfect knowledge and love.

I often wonder what the foundation is for a lot of what we see in American Evangelicalism. Have we seen Him? Have we as 2 Corinthians 3:18 states been changed into His likeness because we beheld His glory? Or do we worship for other reasons? Reasons that will eventually expose where are hearts really are. When our worship is based on how we feel we are being treated by God, then our love for creation over the creator (Romans 1:22-24) becomes exposed. The pain of life skips over no human being. It will find us all. It is impossible to hide from it. It is a result of a fallen world that groans to be redeemed (Romans 8). When God is loved for who He is, His love creates worship even in our pain because we know that we are not under wrath, but under mercy. What difficulties befall us, God uses for our progressive sanctification.

It is in these thoughts that I begin to understand Moses cry to see the Glory of God. (Exodus 33:18) How helpless we are to love God for God. It cannot be willed or determined into being (Romans 9:16) We need Him to move in us, speak to us, show us, break us, heal us, stir us, woo us, humble us, give us eyes to see and ears to hear. If He does not, then our worship grows stale. It becomes about styles of music and whether or not we are “happy” or “healthy.” It is a worship that is fleeting at best and not true worship at worst. The type of worship that brings joy and freedom, hope and satisfaction, is the praise that flows from our hearts to God, for God, about God and because of God. I pray more than you know that He let us as a generation love Him so. May He make much of Him with so little of us!

Matt is the Pastor of The Village in Dallas, TX. His passion is for church reform and the Glory of God to be seen and worshipped. He conveys this passion not only at his home church but at many conferences and events across the country.

Response: Known Within or Learned?

If handing offering our bodies is our spiritual act of worship, how do we do this in an authentic way as lead-worshipers at Genesis? Let me take liberty in offering that there is much more. But for today let's take a look at one small side of this idea.

How do we respond to God's love in worship, giving our bodies and our lives? For me this was a learned, experiential journey. When I first heard worship music and would go to church I would hear the songs being sung and would feel much more than when I listened on the radio. However, it wasn't clear what I was experiencing. I was a skeptic to say the least, I didn't think God would allow me to experience Him in such a real and powerful way. My eyes would be drawn to the raised arms in the air in front of me, and I would think is that real? Is that a way to get attention or... (jealously, enviously) do they have something... are they experiencing something I'm missing out on?

The first time I raised my hands, because I wanted to, during a song was in a single moment the most frightening and freeing experience in worship I have ever had. But had I never seen that very outpouring of demonstrative response, I may have never tried it, at least not while anyone else was around. And even today, I feel a bit of apprehension when I lift my hands and I know others can see me where I am at. (Just to be clear, I'm not saying our church needs to become more demonstrative or anything we are not authentically, but I think there are areas of worship that you have to slowly wade into as a person who is disconnected with God - as we all are on some level).

My questions go deeper, but let's start there. Is a response to God during times of worship as natural as we sometimes say it is or should be, or is it possibly something that is learned through the very journey and experience of it all? Furthermore, should we (and how do we) encourage people to take those next steps in responding to God?

Music v. Worship: The Ultimate Battle

Whenever I have the opportunity to lead worship I am blessed. Mainly I am blessed because I am a worshiper and for me there is no greater joy and being a part of other people drawing near to a waiting God who is longing for us to come near. Most times when I lead I get people commenting on the "set" we played or the "songs" we sang and how they "like" our sound or whatever. Most of you have been, are in a leadership capacity and have experienced similar things. However there are times when people come up and say things that make you think about and evaluate what you are doing, why you are doing it and how you are doing it. For me this is a good thing...

After the Sunday night service this week I was approached by a young lady who wanted to talk about the music to someone, and I apparently was the most identifiable person she could find to talk to about it. She wanted to offer up some constructive criticism. She comes from a church that ironically I know very well and am friends with the lead worshipers. There musical preference for worship is mainly centered around a movement call Hillsongs, which has a young adult band called United. They are good in their own right and I listen to them. However, this is not the point. The girl I was speaking with was offering some "constructive criticism" as she called it and I was anxious to hear what she had to say since so often people only come up and say they like the singing etc. I was excited to hear someone give an honest look at ways we could improve worship so more people could connect. What the conversation boiled down to appeared to be style. She was hoping we would do more high energy, rock-styled songs, which I guess people sometimes call "praise." She observed that we are more laid back in our style more times than not at Genesis and seem to repeat a chorus or portion of a song over and over making it lag on. I guess to summarize there were two issues:

1. We don't play as many high energy - get people out of their seats clapping and worshiping/praising God openly - songs as she would like to have in a Sunday of worship
2. We tend (maybe this is me more) to repeat choruses over and over and sometimes (she said) that's great to meditate on, but other times it makes the songs "drag on."

So here are my questions: First, does the music we have in our "core" set lists reflect who we are as worshipers at Genesis and do they offer enough variation that people who attend Genesis are connecting with enough of the songs to authentically respond to God during those musical worship moments? My second question is, how do we get people to stop focusing on what we are playing whether that be style, repeating of lyrics, or song choice and focus on being ready to connect with God when they get to church? How do we help foster and develop a hunger to connect with God on an intimate level and create an atmosphere where people can respond honestly and authentically regardless of what their response is?

Initiation

Welcome and greetings. If blogging is new, don't worry, it's not as scary as it might appear. This is simply a place for you to come and comment on and express your views on worship. The hope is that through this community dialogue we will continue to explore how we connect with God individually, yet within a community setting. If you wish to become a member so you can post your ideas and not just comment on others' then email me: will@wchullinger.com

Otherwise, let the blogging begin, first topic. Defining worship - outside of music, what is worship. My take is in response to our scripture:

Romans 12:1
[ Living Sacrifices ] Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual [ Or reasonable] act of worship.

Comments are encouraged, otherwise it's just people reading what someone has to say and that is never as much fun.