A THEOLOGY OF WORSHIP

I didn't create the term. It's a part of Ann Ortlands classic book Up with Worship where her husband Ray says that a certain pastor doesn't have a "theology of worship." That idea has captured my heart for many years.

Ruth Lynn and I visit a lot of churches. Often I am asked to serve as a supply preacher; we visited hundreds of churches as a denominational worker; and I've led dozens of conferences on "worship". I am thankful that God has given me some spiritual insight into worship, and many of our churches are in trouble.

It is very common for the average church to focus on the wrong things. Churches do a lot of "things", and many of these things are good. But they are not the most important thing.

God created man to have fellowlship with Him. Our very purpose is to worship Him. So we need to spend more time thinking about him. We need to honor Him.

The hour or more that we use on Sundays should focus on worship. We often spend an excessive amount of time making announcements, shaking hands, and doing the secondary when the primary issue is given second place.

Asaph, the writer of Psalm 73, said it this way:
1 God is indeed good to Israel, to the pure in heart. 2 But as for me, my feet almost slipped; my steps nearly went astray. 17 until I entered God’s sanctuary. Then I understood their destiny. Psalms 73:1-2,17 (HCSB)

I pray that God will give me a theology of worship!

WHAT WE'VE LOST

New church buildings . . new outreach ministries . . new ways of reaching people . . change. I've heard these phrases and ideas over the years; I'm probably even used many of them while preaching or leading conferences.



I'm a part of a denomination that is in decline. Oh, we put on a good face and some good numbers. But the truth is this . . we are not experiencing the power of God at work in our churches. We know how to "do church" and how to appear to be successful. BUT . . it is the church at play.



Charles Nuckolls said, "People feel they want something they've lost, and they don't remember what it is they've lost."



What is it that we've lost?



Is there such energy and excitement in your worship that people can't wait to meet together as the body of Christ? That's what we've lost!



When is the last time the altar of your church was filled with people crying out to God for his outpouring? That's what we've lost!



When was the last time that your church felt such unity and love that there was criticism and discord among the people? That's what we've lost!



When was the last time the Holy Spirit took over the worship hour, and no one even cared about a time schedule? That's what we've lost!



Is the bond of love so strong that every age group in the church wants to be with every other age group in the church? That's what we've lost.



As I've aged, I have learned one important thing. It doesn't make any difference how good we look or how good the church looks. The thing that is most important is "our" relationship with Christ. The "our" relationship is the church body. It's all of us, working together.
That's what we've lost.

I'M NOT VERY BRIGHT

If you look at my posts back in July and August, you notice one theme. I did not expect my 102 year old Mother who is on hospice care to survive to October 14. She was just so very weak and seemingly near death.

Was I ever wrong.

Ruth Lynn and I visited with her today. Her bed was cranked up, and she smiled at us when we entered the room. We've known that something was going on in her brain in the background, but she has been unable to talk for any extended period of time. She said "Morning" to us without any suggestion from us. She was very bright and alert, but she still could not communicate except with her eyes and facial expression. It was just a normal day of talking with her or "at" her.

Ruth Lynn then asked if she could write anything. Since I visit with her each day, I had the usual answer. No. I had actually given someone that answer just last week. The only problem with my answer was that we had never really tried to let her write.

So I got a pad and pen. Ruth Lynn held it very tightly as she grasped the pen with her one good hand, her left "writing" hand. Ruth Lynn asked her a question, and she clearly wrote down the answer. It was "Ruth" in response to Ruth Lynn's question of who she was . . as Ruth Lynn pointed to herself.

Ruth Lynn then called me over as she was yelling, and we all had a wonderful laugh, including Mammaw, at her ability not only to think but to write something.

We often wonder how much Mammaw really comprehends. Is she responding to us or just to our physical touch. We know the answer now. She's thinking very clearly, and she wants to talk with us about it.

So, beginning tomorrow, we're going to let her write. I may even post a picture of the author in the coming days.

God is still at work in Birdie Idell Low Cotter's life.