Beyond Sunday Worship

Worship Podcast & Blog

Is Your Ministry A Mask?

This morning I was reflecting a bit on the importance of a personal life in God. What I mean by that is, ‘Who are you apart from public ministry settings?”

When you have a noticeable gift, people compliment. It blesses them and they want you to know about it. This feels good. Though their compliments are strengthening and encouraging, we must not let it go too far.

Back in the summer of 2004, I was part of a traveling band from North Central University, called One Accord. We traveled all over the US ministering in churches, youth camps, and high schools. It was a blast. One of the reasons it felt so good is that we were important…at least in our small bubble we were.

Kids clamoring for our attention.

Constant signings of t-shirts and CDs.

Traveling the nation.

Seeing people blessed by our ministry.

Awesome.

My friend and a mentor of the team, Nate Ruch, spoke a powerful word to us at a Michigan camp that I will never forget – ‘They are only loving the mask’. What he was teaching us was that who we were was so much deeper than what all these people on tour could see. Yes, we had a CD, t-shirts, were a ‘premier’ traveling group, and were good-looking (well, some of us).

What mattered was not so much what they said, but what God said of us. Man sees the outward appearance…

Here’s my question for you: Who are you when you step off your public ministry platform? Do you love and serve your wife? Are you honest? Do you worship God with intensity when you are all alone? Are you pursuing a life that glorifies God? This is what matters.

What are your masks?

Song Story – "Forever Near"

“Forever Near” is a song that took a while to craft. I am not a huge fan of fast food songs – songs that need prefaced with: “God gave me this song in 45 seconds and I’m keeping it just as it is.” While I do believe God gives me inspiration, I still want to craft my songs theologically, thematically, melodically, and musically. I once heard David Ruis say songwriting is a sacred trust (read a powerful article here). In other words, if this is something people are going to sing, I want it to be true.

This song was the result of prayer and study. I was really overcome by the love of God to draw me close to Himself. This song is my testimony, and captures the theme of the whole record.

  • Verse 1 speaks of the work of Christ in drawing me close to Himself.
  • The Chorus speaks of the majesty of this Truth. Near the Source of perfect love, yet also near the glory so beyond us. What an amazing paradox.
  • Verse 2 is my response to catching this revelation. Passion for Jesus. The more I lose in this world the more I gain in knowing Christ.

This is probably my favorite track on the album. I love the direction we took this one musically because it enhances the lyrics with a ‘contemplative’ feel. At the beginning I quote Psalm 65:4 (ESV), and at the end I quote Psalm 73:28 (ESV). What I love about this is listening becomes meditation on Scripture (check it out on myspace).

Jesus, You have redeemed my life from sin
Tore the veil and called me in
Opened my eyes to see and fear
Appointed me to be forever near

Forever near the Source of perfect love
Near the Glory so beyond
Open my heart to this revelation, this truth
Forever near to You

Passion for You has overtaken my heart
Now all I want is all You are
The closer I’m drawn the more I change
The more I lose the more I truly gain

Why I love complexity

What place does cool music have in worshiping the King of kings? What place does excellent artistry have in worship? Does the utilization of drum loops and click tracks cause God to focus more on our worship? Is the Holy Spirit waiting to show Himself strong on behalf of those who have the hippest hair style? Newest Chuck Taylor’s (or most destroyed)? Will the glory fall on those who consistently sing Chris Tomlin’s top 5?

Not exactly.

I don’t believe God is drawn to any particular sound or quality of music. But I do believe God is the most creative being in the universe and He has created us to do the same. That is why I love complexity in worship.

I believe Christian musicians, hearts rooted in the glory of God, should make the coolest music this world has ever seen. ‘Worship music’, in the truest sense of the term, should be the best because of Who we worship.

We should strive to be complex and creative for the sole purpose of Christ’s glory. We need to carry our styles, our instruments, our artistic endeavors, ALL OUR PLANS, into the presence of God and create so as to reflect the glory of our Creator.

So I love the simplicity of worship…but I also love the complexity.

What are your thoughts?

ds

Don't love what God forbids

I am reading through I Kings today and was struck by these verses:

“Now King Solomon loved many foreign women, along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, from the nations concerning which the Lord had said to the people of Israel, ‘You shall not enter into marriage with them, neither shall they with you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods.’ Solomon clung to these in love” (I Kings 11:1-2).

A wise, rich, blessed King of Israel…fallen.

“God, keep us from reading this verse and judging Solomon for his seeming stupidity. Instead, may we cry out with humility and desperation:

‘Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it. Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain! Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways’ (Psalm 119:35-36).

Amen.”

Why I love simplicity

I am going to do a couple posts on why I love simplicity in worship and why I love complexity in worship (if you’re confused as to what that means, keep reading).

Tonight during our ‘Hour with God’ at Allison Park Church, we had a time of worship with just an acoustic guitar and a lot of voices. Why do I love this? Sometimes we can overproduce worship to the point that we lose the heart of it.

From a leader’s perspective, you’re so focused on the right sound, the coolest arrangement, and trying to please everyone. From a worshiper’s perspective, you’re just waiting for your favorite song so you can REALLY worship. We tend to be consumer’s of a product and not consumed by the beauty of God.

We all know this is NOT what it’s about. When you strip everything away it is easier to focus on the beauty of Christ and engage your heart, while not relying too heavily on external emotional supports.

I love simplicity. But I also love the complex, creative side for a number of reasons. That is coming soon.

DS