1. Facilitating Genuine Worship Source: George Barna, Inward, Outward, Upward: Ministry that Transforms Lives John.chandler@vbmb.org

2. Survey of 1800 Christians When asked to define what worship means, two out of three had no idea or offered bogus responses: “attending church” “being a member” “believing God exists”

3. Survey of 1800 Christians Asked households who are regular (more than twice per month) attenders of Christian worship: “When did you last experience the presence of God in worship?”

4. Experiencing God’s Presence (Among regular attenders of Christian churches) Instructions: This is an embedded graph. To edit this graph simply double- click anywhere on the graph. When you’re done editing the graph, click outside of the graph to return to PowerPoint.

5. Conclusions 32% who regularly attend have never experienced God’s presence in church; 48% have not in the last year Note: the younger the person, the less likely Millions regularly attend worship events … … but relatively few worship

6. Conclusions Many worship poorly in evangelical American churches! We are not leading people in worship to connect with and experience the presence of God

7. Conditions That Prevent People from True Worship Cultural conditions “Burger King” spirituality “Have it Your Way” only my needs matter Personal conditions thinking worship is something that God does for us

8. Conditions That Prevent People from True Worship Church conditions trying to please people, not God learning about God rather than interacting with God wrong criteria: attendance, enthusiasm, or professionalism instead of humility, awe, intimacy

9. What We Can Do About It Provide people a corporate worship experience that facilitates connection with God Two main means: Preaching Music

10. Worshipful Preaching 3 points of preaching guidance 1. Prepare people to grow spiritually. Most people don’t believe the Bible can be taken at face value believe Christian faith is multiple-choice, cafeteria-style Help them take the Bible seriously for everyday life For example: MP3

11. Worshipful Preaching 2. Provide perceived value. People remember twice as much about the way you preach as they do the content of what you preach Tone: Fiery mad/glad? Schaller: “offer a note of hope” Focus on how Scripture might change the way you face something this week

12. Worshipful Preaching 3. Recognize human and cultural limitations. Average boomer/buster attention span to a great solo presentation: 6-10 minutes. Average US evangelical sermon: 32 minutes Average sermon preached at 12th grade level Average congregant hears at 7th grade level We’re still preaching way over their heads

13. Worshipful Music Music enables people to focus on God rather than ourselves can soften hard hearts establishes deeper levels of intimacy with God stirs us beyond superficiality to the “soul” level

14. Worshipful Music Music quantity Barna: Minimum of 20 minutes of uninterrupted music needed don’t yo-yo people with the order of worship !

15. Worshipful Music Musical style has to be primarily participatory rather than presentational people don’t connect with God by mostly watching others play and sing

16. Worshipful Music Musical style has to be accessible to people notes on notes, stanzas, organ people have to feel that it expresses their sentiments: “from us to God”

17. Conclusions Definition of “insanity” “doing the same things over and over, expecting different results”

18. Conclusions We must make significant changes in our worship and music if we are going to help the 48% of Christians who do not connect with God in worship... … to say nothing of seekers.

19. Facilitating Genuine Worship Dr. John P. Chandler www.rasnet.org Copyright John P. Chandler, 2003