Help Me Preach, Already
A blog is an interactive environment, and therefore should be a vehicle for our communal learning. In a few weeks, our launch team will consider the question: Why do we gather for worship? In preparation for that discussion, I'd like to ask that question here so some of you can post your answers.
So what about it? Don't be shy... check your ego at the door and throw an answer out there for us to bat around.
If it's true that we are the church, and that we live all of life before the face of God, and that God is present (and can therefore be worshipped) everywhere, then WHY do we gather together to worship?
(Someone better post some comments, or I quit.)
So what about it? Don't be shy... check your ego at the door and throw an answer out there for us to bat around.
If it's true that we are the church, and that we live all of life before the face of God, and that God is present (and can therefore be worshipped) everywhere, then WHY do we gather together to worship?
(Someone better post some comments, or I quit.)
posted by Bob | 9:08 PM
6 Comments:
i don't have time to post yet....but please don't quit
Let's rephrase the question in an effort to spur further discussion... what activities that a church must do can only be done effectively in assembly?
Lane, you are the single and solitary reason I don't quit!! Having said that, I don't like your rephrasing all that much. I want the focus to be on WHY, not WHAT.
Frock... how exactly do you write a post to say that you don't have time to write a post?
WHY: Because God gets more Glory from us meeting on Sunday. I don't mean that He gets more Glory on Sundays than He does on any other day. BUT, I mean that a bigger abundance of Glory is given to Him through our corporate worship on Sunday in addition to our own personal worship throughout the week.
There is something deep that strikes my heart when I worship with other people vs. worshiping alone. It feels like I am a part of something bigger...something that transcends beyond my own self. I believe that, during worship, God would desire for us to listen to the other instruments that are playing along side of us.
When I think of corporate worship I think of a giant orchestra. It would be silly for me, as a trumpet player, to mute out everyone else...and miss out on the beautiful melody of the violins, or the sweet tones of the flute, or the pounding rhythm of the drums, and so on.
God doesn't just want one instrument. He is jealous for the indescribable sound of the whole orchestra, the whole Body of Christ - worshiping together magnificently.
Amen Tyler. I don't know if I can put it much better than T-zach did, but let me see if I can add anything of value to it.
When I think of corporate worship, i think of a group of people collectively declaring that we have found our satisfaction and delight in God, not in the things of this world. That he is ultimately more worthy of our praise and adoration than anything or anyone. Piper puts it sweetly when he says
"Corporate worship is the public savoring of the worth of God and the beauty of God and power of God and the wisdom of God. And therefore worship is an open declaration to all the powers of heaven and to all of Babylon that we will not prostitute our minds or our hearts or our bodies to the allurements of the world...worship is the flagrant, open enjoyment of God as the fountain of life."
Nice comments T and F, very poetic. I wonder if Bob's question had a practical motivation, i.e. the answers guiding the structures of our assembly... if so, here are a few thoughts.
In corporate worship, we can be challenged as a community on the issues like doctrine, discipleship, etc. We can collectively address the issues affecting our whole community.
It is an opportunity for the Spirit to move in the midst of us all, together, and to unify us in common purpose.
It is a place to recommit ourselves to the body of Christ, to acknowledge that we are a part of a larger whole, and to raise our awareness to the level of community and the needs of others in addition to our own walk.
It is a place to fellowship, to meet the new members/sojourners and welcome them, converse with them and plan more intimate gatherings for the week ahead.
It is a place to be informed of what everyone else is doing, to celebrate victories, inspire and be inspired, to encourage and challenge each other. To rally around our leadership.
Corporate worship can be a staging area, where we can marshall our resources, energies and passion towards a common cause.
To serve, by setting up chairs, wiring up the sound equipment, or watching each others' kids, thus growing closer as a community.
And of course free coffee.
I'm going to go ahead and post unedited and probably incoherent, in the hopes that people will comment on the parts where I make no sense.
Post a Comment
<< Home