THE PRACTICE OF PASSIONATE WORSHIP John 4:23-24, Hebrews 13:15

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1 Dr. Addis Moore, Pastor Bible Study January 7, 2015 THE PRACTICE OF PASSIONATE WORSHIP John 4:23-24, Hebrews 13:15 Robert Schnase says vibrant, fruitful, growing churches offer Passionate Worship that connects people to God and to one another Matthew 2:37:39. People gather consciously as the body of Christ with eagerness and expectancy; encounter Christ through singing, prayer, Scripture, preaching, and holy communion; and respond by allowing God s spirit to shape their lives Hebrews 10: Lives shaped by God s spirit become the nucleus for congregations with extraordinary warmth, graciousness, and belonging. People are searching for worship that is authentic; alive; creative; and comprehensive, where they experience the life-changing presence of God in the presence of others. Worship describes those times we gather deliberately seeking to encounter God in Christ. We don t attend worship to squeeze God into our lives; we seek to mold our lives into God s. It s a time when we think less about ourselves and more about God (His Word), less about our personal agenda (what we want), and more about God s will. 1

2 Comprehending the meaning of worship requires looking beyond what people do to see with the eyes of faith what God does. God uses worship to transform lives, heal wounded souls, renew hope, shape decisions, promote change, inspire compassion, and bind people to one another. God through Christ actively seeks a relationship to us through worship. Without passion, worship becomes dry; routine; boring; and predictable, keeping the form while lacking the spirit. Psalm 100 describes that attitude and posture that believers are to approach worship Passionate Worship grows out of an intense love for God and deep desire to please Him John 14:15, Hebrews 11:6. There is nothing in Scripture that teaches the church or believers that we can worship God any way we please worship must be done according to God s standards, not our ways Isaiah 55:8, John 4:23-24, John 6:63, John 17:17. To worship speaks to devotion to God, the practices that support honor and love of God. Passionate describes an intense desire, surrendered spirit, and strong feelings (Psalm 42:1-2) and speaks of an emotional connection that goes beyond intellectual consent. It connotes eagerness, anticipation, expectancy, deep commitment, and belief. Passionate Worship means an extraordinary eagerness to offer the best in worship, honoring God with excellence and unusual clarity about the purpose of connecting people to God. 2

3 Passionate Worship is not restricted to a particular style; it can be highly formal, with robes, stained glass, orchestral accompaniment, and hardwood pews and hymnals, or Passionate Worship can take place in an auditorium, gym, or store front with casually-dressed leaders. Even with a thousand distinctive ways to worship, congregations marked by the quality of Passionate Worship stand apart. Worship is alive, engaging, appealing, life-changing, and leaders take seriously the importance of spiritual and practical preparation. People recognize that pastors and musicians love God and love worship. Leaders are clear about the purpose of connecting people to God and God s desire to form people into the body of Christ. In whatever culture or context, Passionate Worship includes the aha moments that change people and mold them. It is that moment that pulls them out of themselves, deepens their understanding of life and their relationship to God, and makes them feel richer, stronger, and truer to what God has created them to do. Congregations must work hard to speak the language, engage the culture, and use the voice, music, and methods that offer authentic and effective worship experiences for younger generations. In many churches, the elected leadership and the people with the greatest influence and resources still prefer traditional forms. If they only support worship that suits their own 3

4 taste (Isaiah 55:8) and speaks to their own niche, the church fails to reach younger generations. Vibrant, fruitful, growing congregations succeed because spiritually-mature and passionate leaders visibly support and encourage worship and music in diverse forms and expressions 1 Corinthians 9:22. They keep the end in mind, helping people find a way to God by making God s gracious message available in worship. Our perspective on worship changes when we comprehend that God gathers us for worship. Whether in conversation with Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:1-12, 4:18-20); with Isaiah during his vision (Isaiah 6:1-3); with Mary at the annunciation (Luke 1:26-38); or with the disciples on the Emmaus Road (Luke 24:13-35), a similar pattern is found. 1. God approaches (initiating a conversation) 2. The person experiences discontinuity between the divine and the human (amazement, unworthiness, confession, denial, etc.) 3. God speaks 4. The person responds 5. God sends 4

5 This pattern is seen repeatedly throughout Scripture. Its essence is that of revelation and response. God reveals Himself and His message; the one addressed responds. Revelation/response is the heart of Christian worship. Worship is the expression of a relationship in which God, the Father, reveals Himself and His love in Christ; and by His Holy Spirit administers grace, to which we respond in faith, gratitude, and obedience. MOVING FROM PASSIVE TO PARTICIPATING WORSHIP Constance M. Cherry In this post-modern, information-age culture of the Twenty-First Century, people will go to those churches that offer them an experience with God that lifts them beyond their everyday existence. In an entertainment world, filled with images and sound bites, everyday experience will be hard to match except in one way; the live, hands-on experience of worshipping the Living God in a community of faith. These are encouraging words, for they assure us that the younger generations are ripe for participative worship. In order to help move your congregation from passivity to participation, there are six principles and applications: 1. Recognize that participation is the very thing that this generation desires. For worshippers of the 21 st Century, participation equals experience and experience equals worship. Participative worship is experiential worship. 5

6 Application: Design and lead services that involve the whole person (all five senses). 2. Recognize that participation involves partnering with others. A biblical understanding of Koinonia includes fellowship and partnership in worship. It is the basis for true Christian community Hebrews 10:25 (AMP). Application: Design and lead services that involve connecting with others. 3. Recognize that most people will naturally tend to be shy. Some, rather than taking action, will prefer to be acted upon (passive) and will need opportunities and encouragement to participate. I need you, you need me The Jesus in me loves the Jesus in you 4. Recognize that congregations have been largely oriented toward an audience mentality in our culture. Application: Design and lead services that redistribute the activity from the platform to the people (gestures, raised hands, movements, hand clapping). 6

7 5. Recognize that worship is work. It comprises scared duties that I perform as a minister of God. I should, therefore, assume that worship will cost me something 2 Samuel 24:24. I must invite others into the work of worship; they will experience a higher degree of worship. Application: Design and lead services that expect a high investment from worshippers. 6. Recognize that encountering God in worship results in power responses. Anytime we have sincerely encountered the Holy one, we will be changed. Application: Design and lead services that involve worshippers responding to God. When we worship, we should have the following testimonies: I expose myself to the power of God without any personal control over the outcome. Sometimes it brings healing, peace, forgiveness, confrontation, or hope. Always, it calls me to move beyond the farthest point I have yet reached and pushes me into unchartered territories. 7

8 Going to church is easy most days. Worship is another matter. It is an awesome thing to know oneself fallen into the hands of the Living God Theme: Back to the Basics, Acts 2:41-47 Vision: A Vibrant Community Living by Faith Mission: Empowering People to Transform Themselves and the Community 8