Worship

***WARNING*** stream of consciousness follows:

Today at +First Baptist Church of Farmer City, we had a really good overall worship experience, though it was a tad long. Margie decided that she wanted to play the organ today. Kind of a funny story, too. We were practicing A Mighty Fortress Is Our God by Martin Luther when her husband Randie, one of our deacons, mentioned that it would sound better if she played the organ. We finished practicing and then she decided that she might like to give it a go. By this time some of the older women in the church had arrived for the senior adult Sunday school class that meets in the sanctuary. I'm not sure I'm comfortable with that name anymore, but that's another post. Anyhow, both of them were delighted that Margie was playing the organ, so it was decided. Our first song was a more contemporary piece, but the rest were as old as the Reformation, or at least as old as Bill Gaither (He Touched Me) so we were going to do the first piece with the piano and the rest with the organ. The only thing was, there is really no graceful way for Margie to get from the piano to the organ and she is our only accompanist. So, in Sunday school, I was preoccupied with finding a scripture that I could exposit and give Margie the time she needed to get over to the Organ and get settled. Well, Pastor +Michael Jenkins had a better idea, but didn't tell me until I got up to lead the first song. We had a missionary speak after the first song in the song service. This made things a tiny bit more awkward than I'd like. I'm plenty awkward on my own and I don't really need any help. However, it all fit together nicely. I still read the scripture and only explained that dwelling in God's house meant anywhere we were, not just in church on Sunday mornings. We had a really nice song service, then, only making one really noticeable mistake by singing the wrong words. Awkward! What? I did warn you about being awkward. Anyone who would like to donate a new projector so we can have words put on the BACK wall for me, or whomever is leading service, would be greatly appreciated. I am kidding, of course, but only slightly.

Fast forward to this evening. I'm going through my Facebook feed when I come across a post by our former children's pastor, Joey Krol. He had posted a blog by +Rory Noland about worship called 5 Indications Your Congregation Undervalues Worship which is a good read, and the solution is exactly what I had been thinking about most of the day doing anyway: studying and teaching about worship. As a worship leader, I can teach in small, twitter-size -- okay maybe Facebook-size -- chunks as calls to worship or between songs, where it would be appropriate. I think I'm going to check out Noland's book Worship on Earth as it is in Heaven to see what he has to say on the matter. It is one of, if not the most often discussed topics in the Bible, so I'm sure I'm not going to run out of material... like... ever.

Another think kind of going on in the back of my head is the fact that Pastor Mike is wanting to get serious about youth. I think it would be great to get some youth involved in some of my favorite parts of modern-day ministry, such as our YouTube channel, Facebook page, and music. However, I really don't have the time to devote to being in any kind of central leadership role, but would be more than happy to take one or two young people as proteges while harnessing their youth and energy into making those things more of what I'd like them to be.

Father, help us to realize that You alone are worthy of our worship and deserving of our praise. Help us to understand how to worship in a way that is pleasing to You, and not get mired down in our "preferences" and lose the meaning of worship. Please guide us and bless us in all that we do for Your honor and glory. In Jesus Name. Amen.