Worship

1
Worship

• By
• Embra Jackson
• Administrative Assistant to the Bishop

2
Our Mission

• To live (Ephesians 1)
• to the praise of His glorious grace (vs. 6)
• for the praise of His glory (vs. 12)
• to the praise of His glory (vs. 14)

3
Agenda
1. Welcome and Introductions
2. Scripture Psalm 1031
3. Prayer Embra Jackson
4. Workshop Session
5. Hands-On Project
6. Evaluations
7. Closing
4
(No Transcript)
5
Goal
Jesus said, You shall worship the Lord your
God, and Him only you shall serve. Matthew 410

• The object of our Worship
• The Person of God Himself
• Through Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1315) by the Holy
  Spirit
• The Reasons for Worship
• God Desires It
• God Demands It
• God Deserves It (Psalm 292, Revelation 4-5)

6

• The Process of WorshipJesus said that we are to
  worship in spirit and truth.
• Worship in TruthTo worship in truth is to
  worship the right God in the right way. It is to
  worship according to Scripture and not according
  to the tradition of men (Matthew 151-8)
• Prayer (Matthew 65-15)
• Praise (Acts 246-47, Romans 159-11)
• Confession of Sin (James 516)
• Confession of faith (Romans 109-10 Testimony)

7

• Scripture reading and study (Luke 416-21, 2427
  Romans 1017)
• Preaching (2 Timothy 42, Acts 214)
• Lords Supper and Baptism (1 Corinthians
  1117-34, Matthew 316-17, Acts 241-42)
• Offering (Lives Romans 121-2, Means 2
  Corinthians 8-9)
• Music and Singing (Ephesians 519, Colossians
  316, Psalm 150)
• Fellowship (Acts 246-47)
• Physical Acts of Adoration such as lifting of
  hands, clapping of hands, kneeling, bowing (1
  Timothy 28, Psalm 282, 471, 634, 1342, 1412)

8

• Worship in Spirit Lets think about how we ARE
  NOT to
• Worship God with an impure heart that is full of
  hypocrisy (Matthew 151-8)
• Worship God with an impure faith that is based on
  tradition (Matthew 151-8)
• Worship God with an impure motive that desires to
  be seen of men (Luke 147-11)
• Worship God with an impure attitude that involves
  pride instead of humility (Luke 147-11)

9
Reality

• Worship wars are ragingWhat is ironic and
  especially pertinent is that many debates about
  worship are just indirect ways of talking about
  ourselves, not God. Our debates devolve into how
  we like our worship served up each week. Its
  worship as consumption rather than offering. Its
  an expression of human taste, not a longing to
  reflect Gods glory.If we worship Jesus Christ,
  then we are to live like Jesus. In fact, Jesus
  says in Matthew 2531-46 that our worship will be
  measured by how we have lived.The heart of the
  battle over worship is this our worship
  practices are separated from our call to justice
  and, worse, foster the self-indulgent tendencies
  of our culture rather than nurturing the
  self-sacrificing life of the kingdom of God.

10

• The real crisis over worship, is this will Gods
  people worship God in a way that demonstrates we
  are awake? By loving our neighbor in Gods name?
  Will we worship the living God as he asks to do
  justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly
  with our God?Worship leaders may want to
  focus only on what seems culturally and socially
  immediate. But if we are to worship the Lord of
  all creation, the Savior of the world, then while
  we are checking the sound system or pondering
  prayers or sermons, we have to hold on to a wider
  vision of Gods love.

11
Options
Should worship be Traditional, Contemporary of
Both?

• Depending upon what is meant by the terms
  Traditional and Contemporary, the answer might be
  neither. Then again, defined another way, the
  answer might be both. Regardless, the best
  answer is not a simple choice based merely on
  preferred style.

12
Guidelines for Worship

• A good guide is not merely what we prefer or what
  really moves us but understanding some basic
  ideas about Christian worship. Consider, for
  example, this definition of worship.
• Worship is a corporate (meaning common or shared)
  act of the church as the Body of Christ, an act
  that is from God, to God, and done before God.

13
Rules of Worship

• Praise God,
• Thank God,
• Confess sin,
• Tell the big story about what God has done in
  Jesus Christ,
• Apply this gospel to us here and now,
• Give us an opportunity to offer ourselves to God,

14

• Intercede in prayers for others, and
• Unify us with one another and with God.
• Having a list like this can help a church make
  decisions about what style of worship is most
  appropriate. If we want to sing our churchs
  brokenness in sin, then ask what kind of music
  allows the congregation to truly access their
  heart before God.

15
What

• Dynamic, effective worship is the foundation for
  a healthy, vital congregation. It should convey
• A sense of expectation!
• A sense of celebration!
• A sense of inspiration!
• A sense of incorporation!
• A sense of restoration!
• A sense of liberation!

16
Ten Ways Worship Benefits Us

• Worship dispels loneliness.
• Worship brings hope.
• Worship counters self-centeredness.
• Worship reminds us of important values we tend to
  forget.
• Worship strengthens courage.
• Worship gives us the opportunity to express
  thanksgiving

17

• Worship brings us a sense of forgiveness.
• Worship renews faith.
• Worship is a transcendent experience that helps
  God call us out of what we are to what we are yet
  to become.
• Worship is a highly organized form of corporate
  prayer that brings positive change to people.

Reprinted from Herb Millers Connecting with God,
Abingdon, 1994.
18
Essential Components Vital to Worship

• Vital worship celebrates the goodness of God and
  who God is.
• Vital worship is alive.
• Vital worship is participatory.
• Vital worship is spiritually warm.
• Vital worship is transformational.
• Vital worship is invitational.
• Vital worship is culturally relevant.

19

• These components affect every aspect of the
  worship celebration from the sermon, to the
  anthem, to the way ushers greet people as they
  enter the sanctuary. With these elements in
  place, worship moves from a habitual weekly
  gathering into a time of celebration and
  transformation. A quality worship service is key
  to attracting people to a congregation.

20
How To Lead An Effective Worship Service

• Have the congregation sing throughout the service
• Encourage active involvement of the congregation
• Limit the number of announcements
• Be as timely as possible
• Plan the service in conjunction with a worship
  team that includes the pastor, musician, etc.
• Maintain as much consistency with the service as
  possible
• Celebrate the Lords Supper with the appropriate
  demeanor that it deserves
• Do not try and cram a lot of events into the
  worship service
• Remember we are to worship in order to honor and
  thank God

21
How to Lead a Lousy Worship Service
Have a lot of congregational singing in one block.
Let the congregation sit passively for long periods of time.
Have lots of announcements.
Wait for everyone to arrive before you begin the service.
Put your watch on the pulpit.
Dont plan the service.
Change the order of worship frequently.
Have a long, slow, dignified Eucharist.
At the Eucharist, play Beat the Clock
Cram lots of special events into one service
22
Elements of a Worship Experience

• Gathering coming together of Gods people in
  preparation for worship
• Prayer entering into a dialogue with God
• Adoration act of expressing love for God. This
  can be done via silence, hymns, etc.
• Proclamation this is centered in the scripture
  and in the Word of God
• Response our response to what God has done for
  us. It can include baptisms, the Lords Supper,
  renewal of membership vows, etc.
• Confession the act of seeking freedom and
  renewed life in Christ (1 John 19)
• Thanksgiving corporate thanking of God for our
  many blessings
• Sending Forth reminder of Gods presence in the
  world and our role in the sharing of Gods love
  to the world

23
Create An Effective Order of Worship

• Divide into teams of church members
• Select a person to portray the role of a worship
  team (pastor, musician, liturgist, board
  chairperson, etc.)
• Using the handouts provided, develop a brief
  order of worship (Remember the elements of an
  effective worship service.)
• Select a spokesperson and present the order of
  worship to the participants

24
(No Transcript)
25
Evaluations

• Please complete the evaluations. You do not have
  to share your names or other personal information
  if you do not wish to do so.

26
We wish to thank you for attending our session
today. We know that you did not have to do so but
you did. We appreciate that very much. We hope
that something that we were able to share with
you or others shared with you has helped you
learn more about worshipping God in Spirit and in
Truth.
27
Closing Prayer

• The time has come, O Lord - for us to leave this
  place Guide us and protect us and lead us in thy
  Grace. Wherever life may take us as we go our
  separate ways, Help us share with others the
  things we've shared today.
• May the peace of God, the Father, and the love of
  Christ, His Son, Guide us in the days ahead and
  strengthen us each one. May the blessing of the
  spirit fill us from within God bless us and
  return us to the fellowship once again.
• Amen.

28
Sources of Information

• http//www.thetruelifechurch.com/coreFiles/realWor
  ship.htm
• http//www.christianitytoday.com/global/printer.ht
  ml?/le/2007/summer/7.81.htmll
• http//www.gotquestions.org/true-worship.html
• http//www.experiencingworship.com/articles/genera
  l/2006-11-Humility-in-Worship.html
• http//www.intimacywithgod.com/worship.html
• http//www.pbc.org/files/messages/11499/0711.html