Thoughts on Advent

For: The Institute Of Contemporary And Emerging Worship Studies, St. Stephen’s University, Essentials Red Fall ‘08 Online Worship Theology Course with Dan Wilt.

I have been a member of one church for 20 years.  In all that time, I have heard the word “Advent” uttered once in the church service.  I mentioned it last year.  This year we are about to do something that has not been done in the Sunday service since I have been a part of this congregation.  

Each Sunday we open with a call to worship or a familiar hymn followed by a devotional given by one of the elders, or myself (worship pastor), or the associate pastor, or the head pastor.  For the four Sundays of Advent, I will give the devotional with scripture to help us as a congregation prepare for the Christmas season. The pastor will then base his sermons on the same scriptures looking at people from the Christmas story and how they anticipated the coming Messiah.  The children’s Sunday school program will also be about how the church has historically celebrated Advent.

In preparing for this time, I was challenged by the thought of Advent being the beginning of the church year.  How often do we begin new things, adding them to our already busy lives, without ever laying something down; allowing something to come to an end?  ”Prepare ye the way of the Lord!” I am personally challenged in this and will offer several moments during each devotional, where time of quiet reflection is given for us to ask God what should come to an ending so He can begin something anew.   I believe the new year will be a most exciting year for the church.

We are bombarded with holiday frenzy; hoping that this holiday will “save the economy.”  And then we hear news of a Wal-Mart employee being trampled to death in this feeding frenzy. Has this celebration of Immanuel (God with us) been diminished to nothing more than an economic celebration?  I feel part of my responsibility as a leader in our congregation is to help refocus our attention on the One we celebrate. And even if this 50 year old, Pentecostal rooted congregation has not formally used the period of Advent to prepare in the past, I think we need it now more than ever.  Imagine how Mary’s life changed.  Imagine how Joseph’s life changed.  How does my life change because He came?  PREPARE YE THE WAY during Advent.

Thoughts on Sign-Acts of Worship

For: The Institute Of Contemporary And Emerging Worship Studies, St. Stephen’s University, Essentials Red Fall ‘08 Online Worship Theology Course with Dan Wilt.

In most Christian worship services, the spoken word (reading of scripture, public prayer, liturgical responses, the sermon, singing) is the primary expression of our faith.  But humans seem to have a need to express their beliefs in ways other than the spoken word; specifically, through actions (sign-acts).

Historically, the church has been a center of creative arts which express the story of the Christian faith.  Examples of architecture, painting, sculpture, music, and other art forms are found throughout church history.  Craftsmen and artisans have used their talents to glorify God in beautiful, and often awe-inspiring ways to tell the story of religion.

How do us “mere mortals,” who have little in the way of artistic abilities, get to express our worship in ways other than words or art?  How can we portray our beliefs, our telling of the story?  The church has developed traditions, which over time, help us to remember what God has done for us, and when we partake in these traditions, a spiritual communication seems to take place between the individual and God and among the community of believers who share in the traditions.

What does the tradition, or as some feel the sacrament, of sharing in the Lord’s Supper mean?  It is not my intent to define the many doctrinal positions on communion (Eucharist).  As a Christ-follower, what does it mean to you?  In 1 Corinthians 11:17-34, the apostle Paul tells us to examine ourselves, so I find the action of communion to be one of repentance remembering that  Jesus gave up His life, His flesh and blood, for the forgiveness of sin.  He died with my sin poured out on Him.

The Bible tells us to give honor to whom honor is due.  For me, partaking in communion demonstrates my honor for Him.  And, I also enjoy pledging myself anew to Him.  I remember the Hebrew betrothal banquet when the bridegroom places a cup of wine for the “bride to be.”  He then waits to see if she will accept his offer of marriage by picking up the cup and drinking from it.  When I take the cup, even without speaking a single word, I am saying to Jesus, “Yes, I am yours.”

Taking part in traditions, in ceremony, in celebrations, in sacraments allows us as believers to give action to what is in our hearts.  If the individual’s heart is not engaged in the tradition, the motions are meaningless and it would be better to not take part. We are approaching the season of new beginnings in the church as we prepare for and celebrate the incarnation at Christmas.  It is a season where we can be lost in and overwhelmed by the traditions, or we can engage with them.  When engaged in them, we may find a new spiritual beginning, a new spiritual communication with God and with the community with which we share the traditions.

Thoughts on Public Prayer

For: The Institute Of Contemporary And Emerging Worship Studies, St. Stephen’s University, Essentials Red Fall ‘08 Online Worship Theology Course with Dan Wilt.

This week’s discussion question evoked great response on how public prayer and reading of scripture in a worship service give language to our worship.  The prayers found in books of worship used in many churches give rich, Biblical vocabulary and focus to the worship.  Using these prayers helps eliminate the opportunity for individuals to preach their little mini-sermon under the guise of prayer.  These prayers are focused usually on a single theme or idea, and their reading keeps all on the same thought in the worship. But, from personal experience, they can lose their meaning when used week after week after week in the same manner.

It is my thought that it must be a very difficult task for a church’s leadership to keep the use of these prayers fresh and meaningful to the people.  An example I will offer is our way of creating a public prayer meeting around the Lord’s Prayer.

Four times a year, usually on a Friday night, we have a worship/prayer gathering. Our worship singing offers one or two songs for each of the themes of the Lord’s Prayer (Luke 11:2-4) followed by individuals to come to the mic to pray on that specific theme.  Our elders facilitate the prayer time with the pastor closing the meeting.  These are the themes we pray within:

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name”  

“Your kingdom come”  (Here we pray for our community and community leaders and for the church of our community and for governmental leaders)

“Give us each day our daily bread” (Provision for the advancement of His kingdom and small group prayer for individual’s needs)

“Forgive us our sins…” (A time of personal and corporate repentance)

“And lead us not into temptation” (Strengthening of us as a church body, asking the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us)

Celebratory worship singing, declaring again who God is, and celebrating what He has done, what He is doing, and what He will do.

The pastor then brings us all together with a prayer for unity.

Thoughts on Time and Space

For: The Institute Of Contemporary And Emerging Worship Studies, St. Stephen’s University, Essentials Red Fall ‘08 Online Worship Theology Course with Dan Wilt.

Reading through the class responses to the Week 1 Essentials Red discussion question, I noticed how many classmates grew up in the church.  As we all recounted times and places that we have realized how God has shaped us as worshippers, I began to think about those individuals who Christians would call “unsaved.”  What are their times and spaces where God shapes them?

I believe we, as Christ-followers, are critical to their times and spaces.  The apostle Paul reveals that to us in 2 Corinthians 5:11-21 that God has given us the ministry of reconciliation and that we are Christ’s ambassadors through whom he makes his appeal to the world.  We remember that many times and spaces in our lives shape our life as a Christian.  Let’s not forget that as we become part of others’ time and spaces.