Baptism Celebration!

54 people were baptized this past Sunday in an all-out celebration!

One guy staggered and almost fell over as he came up out of the water. I asked him later what happened and he said "I'm not sure. I was so overwhelmed with God's presence, my family and friends there, something amazing happened... I wish I could do it again this week!"

Another guy relayed his struggle with addictions and believing this was the next step in dying to his past and going forward with Jesus and the support of community.

Here is a sampling of the personal responses to "Why are you getting baptized?"

"I gave my life to Christ a few years ago and want to seal my promise I gave to him."

"I want to get baptized because I don't remember when I was baptized as a baby and I want a closer relationship with God."

"I am re-dedicating my life to God. Without him I am nothing and can do nothing."

"I have been serving Jesus for a couple years, and was baptized when I was younger, but it was my parents choice. I feel this will be a great opportunity for me."

"I am being baptized today to show my friends and family that Jesus is in my life and always has been."

"I was baptized as a baby. I want to be baptized as an adult by my own choice to show my dedication to Jesus."

"I am getting baptized because I want to let go of the past, feel closer to God and lead a faithful life as a follower of Jesus."

"I want to live my life in a way that is closer to God."

"I am getting baptized because I am obeying God's direction this time to demonstrate my love for him and to put to rest the "old man" and raise up the new."

"Because the first step for me is acknowledging Jesus is the TRUTH and without him you have nothing."

"To be cleansed of past sins and to freely move forward with all that God has planned for me in the service of others."

"I just want to give my life to Jesus!"

"I want to be cleansed from my sins and be closer to God."

"I want to live a life for God and nothing else so it is the first thing people notice about me."

"I have finally learned who I am because Jesus has loved me and I feel His presence. I want to acknowledge my commitment to His purpose in my life."

"God has transformed our family and I want to show everyone how important He is to us."

Is that cool or what?!!! What a privilege to share this milestone together!

The teaching function of worship, p. 4

John Newton used to write worship songs to go with his messages. He wanted to reinforce the truths he was teaching, and for the people to express them in song.

Of course Newton is best known for writing "Amazing Grace" and that song has done pretty well...

Worship historically served to “teach” in that people came away with expanded understanding and experience of God’s nature.

Expressing some revealed aspect of God’s mercy strikes a chord in our hearts and minds. It sets our feet upon a Rock, taking us above our circumstances where we can see more clearly. Just think about coming away having expressed and experienced the revelation of God as Provider, or Peace-Giver, Healer, Deliverer, Comforter, Forgiver, God of Heavenly Armies (what’s up with that?), Defender, Safe House, All-Knowing, etc.

I remember singing some worship songs dozens of times, then to be blown away by some of the words I'd never noticed before. It was as though they were being highlighted by the Holy Spirit. We were singing "Your lovingkindness is better than life" (Psalm 63:3) and I was hit right between the eyes. An issue I was struggling with quickly faded into the background as I saw His lovingkindness permeating everything.

Expressing those words to God versus just about Him is also central to worship. It is like prayer in song (kinda like the Psalms...).

Worship leaders have an obligation to instruct. They are leading God's people into His presence, in spirit and in truth. The songs can be used to make the worship leader feel better by impressing people with their skills. Songs can make the people feel better in the moment through self-expression and catharsis (see last post). Or they can bring people into an awe-inspiring encounter with God.

I'm all for creative expression and for using musical styles people enjoy. It is vital to use language people can relate to, and keep it simple (being out of breath trying to sing 20 words in 5 seconds isn't so helpful).

Bottom line: there is a way to be profound and simple at the same time in worship, and that is the challenge. That's when teaching really happens.

About God and not about me, worship p 3

Why does worship (and worship leading) so easily degenerate into self-expression as the highest priority?

I remember the first time attending a large Vineyard Conference in Southern California. While everyone was worshiping, the worship leader stepped back from the microphone, weeping, composing himself, then stepping back up to lead. I was blown away because I’d seen leaders “milk their experience” to rev everyone up. He didn’t draw any attention to himself. I doubt very few even noticed what was going on with him.

Afterwards I approached and told him how much I respected him for not “working it” when God was touching Him. He said “Seriously?? I can’t even imagine people doing that…” all of which just furthered my respect.

Maybe self-expression dominates today because so many worship songs are marked more by “How I’m feeling” than by Adoration.?

Adoration is "the intense admiration culminating in reverence and worship, together with the outward acts and attitudes which accompany such reverence." (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia)

Richard Schmidt in his book “Glorious Companions” points to Isaac Watts’ ‘When I Survey the Wondrous Cross’ as the first English hymn written in the first person. He says “Many at the time considered it vain because it called attention to the author rather than focusing entirely upon God.” Wow, seriously!?! Things have changed...

Schmidt goes on to describe Charles Wesley’s hymns (also in the 1700’s) as being “marked by their warm, personal tone.” That was awesome! A positive transformative shift was occurring, leading the worshiper out of dry formality.

Fast forward and it seems our worship is in need of a radical movement out of self-absorption into revelation of God’s greatness.

We could say the same thing as they did in their critique in the 1700’s, not because the word “I” is used a handful of times but because the rest of the words are mostly about us. The same song would more typically be “When I survey my desperate heart, I’m feeling dry and needing You…” Can we keep the warmth and change the focus?

Can we write more songs with authentic lyrics from the heart, but primarily God-focused? Can we write songs that describe God with vocabulary beyond “amazing,” “wonderful” and “awesome”? The Bible is full of God’s self-revelation, anything but boring or redundant...

There are encouraging signs... a movement is stirring among artists to rework hymns keeping the rich language but adjusting the music. Some are writing new songs along these lines of being more God-focused. Greg Russell (our worship pastor) and I share this burden and have been talking with worship leaders and songwriters who are pondering the same stuff. We're charting a course in this direction, looking to join others in training a new generation of worship leaders.

Surely God is up to something.

Worship p. 2

Growing up I had very little understanding of worship (I still feel like a novice). Over the years I’ve experienced some insights; mostly from being around people who love to worship, from studying the Bible, and personal and corporate worship.

In our little church in Southeast Kansas, the numbers for all the songs in the hymnal were posted up front. The organist played, the choir sang, it seemed like the most important thing was to look like you knew what you were doing (at least that is what I thought).

On more popular songs people would look up from their hymnals during refrains they knew. A few people would sing extra loud and I always wondered if that was to show off. I’d catch my dad glancing at the person and then doing a little eye roll to my mom, and smiling at me.

On the positive side there was plenty of reverence (yes, positive). This wasn’t a time to goof off and there were no “Jesus is my buddy” type songs. We were there to worship a holy God, and that meant an attitude of absolute respect (which my mom was quick to remind me).

However, I never really knew what many of the words meant, and can’t remember anyone explaining them. We never talked like this around the house (King James English) even in respectful conversation, and I had no idea what the “Royal Diadem” was, but we were bringing it forth…

Years later when I first experienced God’s love, most of the words began to make more sense. Even if I didn’t understand them I got the gist of what was being said. I couldn’t get enough.

Then we started attending other meetings where the songs were simpler, the leader played guitar, and words were ones we sometimes used in conversation. But we still weren’t singing the “Jesus is my buddy” songs. They didn’t come into vogue until the 90’s.

Many times I wonder if we’ve lost something in the area of reverence…

How could John, the “disciple whom Jesus loved,” considered by many His best friend, record this of his encounter with the Risen Christ: “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.” Rev. 1:17

Opposite reverence we can get overly familiar, especially when we sing mostly about how we’re feeling or how we want to feel. But I’ll save that for a future post.