Online Seminar

I will be speaking at an online worship seminar, this Thursday, August 30th at 8PM Eastern time. It's free and the participants are from all over the globe.
Cut and paste this link into your web browser: http://www.worshipteleseminar.com

Corprate Worship: Vertical or Horizontal?

Worship is a huge topic and you can go many different directions in defining and explaining worship. In this article I want to explore the corporate dynamic of worship over and against personal and private worship or worship as a way of life, or many other of its aspects. There is now doubt that corporate worship has changed dramatically over the last 35 years, yes it’s been 35 years plus since the Jesus Movement sweep the world and began introducing a whole new approach to our corporate worship. Locally here in Southern California it was manifest through the ministry of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa led by Pastor Church Smith. In those early days bands began to form like Love Song, Parable, Children of the Day and simple songs that people could sing along with began to emerge. Songs like Heavenly Father We Appreciate You, I Love You Lord, Seek Ye First and many others. A record company, Maranatha Music, was started specifically to record and in the end document this new sound. If you witnessed this it was a remarkable experience. There was a sweetness, innocence and intimacy that couldn’t be achieved with the traditional hymns. Now I don’t want to open that can off worms right now, but hymns by and large were written literally centuries ago and the music, language and arrangements reflect that. These new songs were coming forth from a new generation of believers and although simple, which some people criticize, they not only drew people in and allowed them to participate at a new level and actually acted as a teaching tool. You may be critical of the simplicity of the music of Seek Ye First, but are you honestly going to argue about its content. Frankly I believe that inculcating people with the message through music is one of the most powerful tools that can be utilized to teach. That is precisely what the Wesley brothers did in the 1700’s, Charles Wesley writing over 2000 songs most with the expressed purpose of imparting biblical and doctrinal knowledge to the Methodist. Things have changed significantly from both the 1700’s and even from the 1970’s. When Love Song used to do their concerts and lead the people at times in ‘worship songs’, it was very simple in every way. But it was engaging and people would appear to be transported into a euphoric state as they opened their hearts to God. Today the music has progressed in a remarkable manner, the ‘garage bands’ have been replaced by highly skilled ‘worship artist’ and ‘praise bands’ that have generated some incredible music, through which we can engage and participate in worship. But the one thing that we need to be sure to remember is, it really isn’t about the band, the atmosphere or even excellence. All of those things are good and fine, as long as we don’t ‘progress’ to the point where we lose the vertical aspect of worship. When it becomes horizontal and we move into either entertaining or being entertained we loose the main component, meeting with and connecting with God. In corporate worship that is the goal, to come together as His body and based on the promise of His presence ‘where two or more are gathered’, we come before him opening up our lives and our hearts anxious to experience more of Him in our lives.

Funeral Today!

I am particapating in a funeral today. We don't use the word funeral very often these days, usually a memorial or celebration service. But this one certainly isn't a celebration, it's a tragety.
The sevice is for a young lady, 29, who died of alcohal poisoning. I don't know her and don't know much about the circumstances surrounding this situation. I just know that the husband asked if I would sing, so I will, but it is so sad. We actually don't know much if anything about her faith, whether she came to Christ as some point and strayed, or was a Christian addicted to alcohol or what. I just know if it takes the faith the size of a mustard seed to move a mountain, which is pretty minuscule, then if there was a speck of faith in her troubled heart, Jesus would respond to it like it was the size of a 5 carrot diamond.
Recently a friend of mine observed in his blog the heart of the Father, as revealed in the heart of the prodigals father. He made the point that when the father was standing scanning the horizon in the hopes of seeing his son, he had no idea what the son had gone through, no idea that he had hit bottom, no idea that he was returning with a repentant heart, but he stood, he watched, he hoped and when the son came into view his heart lept with joy and he held his arms open wide, his soud flooded with love and relief.
I don't know the heart of this young women, no human being really did, all I know is if she even glanced toward God He took notice and has now welcomed her with a warm, forgiving and loving embrace.
I know that my hope is just that, it is hope that all we read, all that we see revealed in Jesus will no longer be hope, but be realized as we are welcomed home.