REVIVE! IN PURSUIT OF PASSIONATE WORSHIP © BISHOP MIKE LOWRY MARCH 22, 2014 CENTRAL TEXAS CONFERENCE WORSHIP LEADERS

THE CENTRALITY OF WORSHIP “TO WORSHIP IS TO QUICKEN THE CONSCIENCE BY THE HOLINESS OF GOD, TO FEED THE MIND WITH THE TRUTH OF GOD, TO PURGE THE IMAGINATION WITH THE BEAUTY OF GOD, TO OPEN THE HEART TO THE LOVE OF GOD, TO DEVOTE THE WILL TO THE PURPOSE OF GOD.” -- ARCHBISHOP WILLIAM TEMPLE

THE HEART OF WORSHIP PSALM 100: SHOUT TRIUMPHANTLY TO THE L ORD, ALL THE EARTH! 2 SERVE THE L ORD WITH CELEBRATION! COME BEFORE HIM WITH SHOUTS OF JOY! 3 KNOW THAT THE L ORD IS GOD— HE MADE US; WE BELONG TO HIM. [A] WE ARE HIS PEOPLE, THE SHEEP OF HIS OWN PASTURE.A

4 ENTER HIS GATES WITH THANKS; ENTER HIS COURTYARDS WITH PRAISE! THANK HIM! BLESS HIS NAME! 5 BECAUSE THE L ORD IS GOOD, HIS LOYAL LOVE LASTS FOREVER; HIS FAITHFULNESS LASTS GENERATION AFTER GENERATION.

THE FOCUS OF WORSHIP 19 BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WE HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT WE CAN ENTER THE HOLY OF HOLIES BY MEANS OF JESUS’ BLOOD, 20 THROUGH A NEW AND LIVING WAY THAT HE OPENED UP FOR US THROUGH THE CURTAIN, WHICH IS HIS BODY, 21 AND WE HAVE A GREAT HIGH PRIEST OVER GOD’S HOUSE. 22 THEREFORE, LET’S DRAW NEAR WITH A GENUINE HEART WITH THE CERTAINTY THAT OUR FAITH GIVES US, SINCE OUR HEARTS ARE SPRINKLED CLEAN FROM AN EVIL CONSCIENCE AND OUR BODIES ARE WASHED WITH PURE WATER.

23 LET’S HOLD ON TO THE CONFESSION OF OUR HOPE WITHOUT WAVERING, BECAUSE THE ONE WHO MADE THE PROMISES IS RELIABLE. 24 AND LET US CONSIDER EACH OTHER CAREFULLY FOR THE PURPOSE OF SPARKING LOVE AND GOOD DEEDS. 25 DON’T STOP MEETING TOGETHER WITH OTHER BELIEVERS, WHICH SOME PEOPLE HAVE GOTTEN INTO THE HABIT OF DOING. INSTEAD, ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER, ESPECIALLY AS YOU SEE THE DAY DRAWING NEAR. (HEBREWS 10:19-25, CEB) “GREAT ARE YOU O LORD, AND GREATLY TO BE PRAISED!” (ST. AUGUSTINE, CONFESSIONS)

WAIT UPON THE LORD 28 HAST THOU NOT KNOWN? HAST THOU NOT HEARD, THAT THE EVERLASTING GOD, THE L ORD, THE CREATOR OF THE ENDS OF THE EARTH, FAINTETH NOT, NEITHER IS WEARY? THERE IS NO SEARCHING OF HIS UNDERSTANDING. 29 HE GIVETH POWER TO THE FAINT; AND TO THEM THAT HAVE NO MIGHT HE INCREASETH STRENGTH.

30 EVEN THE YOUTHS SHALL FAINT AND BE WEARY, AND THE YOUNG MEN SHALL UTTERLY FALL: 31 BUT THEY THAT WAIT UPON THE L ORD SHALL RENEW THEIR STRENGTH; THEY SHALL MOUNT UP WITH WINGS AS EAGLES; THEY SHALL RUN, AND NOT BE WEARY; AND THEY SHALL WALK, AND NOT FAINT. (ISAIAH 40:28-31, KJV)

OUR IMAGE OF WORSHIP VIDEO CLIP FROM CHARIOTS OF FIRE

HEART LANGUAGE  THE LANGUAGE OF OUR CONVERSION, WHEN CHRIST BECAME REAL FOR US!  MUSIC IS A (THE) KEY EXPRESSION OF OUR HEART LANGUAGE.  WE ARE LIVING THROUGH THE “BALKANIZATION” OF WORSHIP LANGUAGES AND STYLES.  IT WILL GET HARDER, NOT EASIER, TO SPEAK IN A LANGUAGE THAT ADDRESS THE HEART LANGUAGE OF OTHERS.  CULTURAL COMPETENCY IS CRUCIAL.

A PROBLEM WITH HEART LANGUAGE  OUR CURRENT IMAGE AS MAINLINE CHURCHES IS DOMINATED BY THE REFORMATION.  WE TEND, AS WE GET SMALLER AND LESS IN TOUCH WITH THE WIDER CULTURE, TO MOVE TOWARDS OUR ORIGINAL HOME IN ANGLICANISM. (HIGHER EDUCATION IN WORSHIP – MUSIC AND THEOLOGY – IS OFTEN BIASED TO THE INTELLECTUAL AND CONTEMPLATIVE.)  WE TEND TO DISMISS THE HEART LANGUAGE OF PEOPLE WHO FIRST COME TO CHRIST.  “WE DO THEOLOGY IN ORDER THAT WE MIGHT DO DOXOLOGY!” DR. SCHUBERT OGDEN

WHAT WE KNOW (OR THINK WE KNOW) 1. PASSIONATE = “AN EXTRAORDINARY EAGERNESS TO OFFER THE BEST IN WORSHIP, HONORING GOD WITH EXCELLENCE AND WITH AN UNUSUAL CLARITY ABOUT THE PURPOSE OF CONNECTING PEOPLE TO GOD. … WORSHIP IS ALIVE, AUTHENTIC, FRESH, AND ENGAGING.” (BISHOP ROBERT SCHNASE, FIVE PRACTICES OF FRUITFUL CONGREGATIONS, P. 37) 2. EXCELLENCE = OUR UTMOST FOR THE HIGHEST 3. CONNECTION = WITH GOD AS FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT 4. AUTHORITY = NO ONE COMES FOR YOUR OPINION; ANCHORED IN SCRIPTURE, REFLECTED IN TRADITION, EXPERIENCE, AND REASON

WHAT WE KNOW (OR THINK WE KNOW) CONT’D 5. THE PASTOR IN CHARGE IS IN CHARGE BY DISCIPLINE. 6. WORSHIP IS THE FIRST AND MOST BASIC ACT OF CHRISTIAN DISCIPLESHIP. (JOHN WESLEY) 7. A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER (MAJORITY?) LEARN VISUALLY. THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY IS IMPORTANT AND NOT GOING AWAY. 8. THEOLOGY IS CENTRAL. WE MUST BE ARDENT BY PUTTING CHRIST AT THE CENTER AND LIFTING UP THE HOLY SPIRIT.

WHAT WE KNOW (OR THINK WE KNOW) CONT’D 9. PEOPLE CAN HANDLE A FLEXIBLE WORSHIP STYLE WITH AN ANCHORED THEOLOGY OR AN ANCHORED WORSHIP STYLE WITH A FLEXIBLE THEOLOGY BUT NOT BOTH! 10. RECOVER LAY WITNESSING. 11. WE ARE IN THE EARLY STAGES OF DEVELOPING A WHOLE NEW POSITION IN CHURCH LIFE CALLED A WORSHIP LEADER. 12. WE WILL CONTINUE GETTING BOTH BIGGER AND SMALLER. 13. THE EFFECTUAL CURVE MATTERS.

MESSING WITH TECHNOLOGY  WE MUST EXPERIMENT AND RISK.  THIS IS NOT AN INVITATION TO BE SLOPPY OR STUPID.  EXEGETE THE CONGREGATION/AUDIENCE AS WELL AS THE SCRIPTURE PASSAGE!  BIBLICALLY AND THEOLOGICALLY FAITHFUL CONTENT MUST RULE.  WE MUST RECOVER EXCELLENCE IN PREACHING YOKED WITH THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY.  SERMON SERIES ARE LINKED TO VITALITY OVER LECTIONARY.

QUESTIONS AND RESPONSE?