*Note: This months guest article is from my childhood friend and former drummer from my first Christian band. He is now Pastor of an exiting church in Swift Current, SK, Canada. We can now officially say we have taken this web site internationally! Please read on and enjoy. -Chris Moore

Passage John 4:24:

23 -24"It's who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That's the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship. God is sheer being itself—Spirit. Those who worship him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, their true selves, in adoration." The Message translation

Rev. Rory Grooters

Worship is something you do...

I agree with those who say the idea of "worship" has become a cliche and the meaning has gotten lost in the sea of all the really well written and performed songs out there. Sometimes the bigger some churches grow the more "spectatorish" they become with sensory overload, where people are inspired to watch rather than participate. But that's not worship. Worship isn't something you watch or listen to other people do. Worshipping God is something you do that builds an alter to God in your life and plugs into what is constantly going on in Heaven. It's the privilege of expressing Admiration of God, Appreciation and Adoration for God, and Allegiance to God. And while worship uses music, worship is much greater than music and stands alone and apart from music. Worshipping God is lifting your eyes a little higher than the horizon of humanity, to see the God of Heaven by faith. Worshipping God is so believing in your heart that it's expressed out of your mouth in praise and prayer and thanksgiving to God for who He is and what He's done in your life. Worshipping God ushers in the shekiniah glory of God in your life and or refocuses you on the glory of God, in your life. Worship also prepares people to listen to and learn from God's Word. God's Word and our Worship go hand in hand, as God's Word touches the heart of people, worship touches the heart of God, and moves mountains in people's lives. Corporately and collectively speaking that's why the Pastor and Worship leader or Worship Pastor need to work closely together in harmony each week, because one compliments the other.

While we're pretty elaborate musically here at Family Community Church and for the most part on the cutting edge using contemporary worship music from various artists, we do mix in and segue to parts of, or in some cases, all of certain hymns that fit thematically and key wise. And while Pastor Brenda leads and teaches the band in musical skillfulness, above all we're careful to not just through the motions of music in our services, but that we make the music worshipful to God, tools in our hands that build alters of praise, prayer, appreciation, adoration, admiration and allegiance to God, and encourage the congregation to regularly do so, by singing, raising our hands in surrender and allegiance to God, need for God, and volunteering to be used by God. The congregation knows they're part of the praise team here at Family Community Church. If you want the power of God at work in your life, then you have to participate in the praise & worship of God, because worship is something personal between you and God. The rest is just music. While we appreciate having modern technologies and conveniences like power point projectors, what we're most concerned with is that the power of God is at work in our lives. Sadly some Christians and churches are more concerned that the power point projector is working properly, than they are that the power of God is at work in people's lives. Long before The Church had power point, they had the power of God, just look at Acts 1 & 2 and beyond. Worship gets you into the peaceful presence and power of God, in your life. It really does. Make music into worship. Don't make the mistake of making worship into just music.
Blessings in Jesus' name.

Rev. Rory Grooters is the Senior Pastor of Family Community Church, Swift Current, SK, Canada
www.fcchurch.ca

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