Better Than One

“Sing a new song” (Ps. 144:9) reminds me of the redemptive process of my spiritual journey.  It also relates to our church music discussions.  “Comeback Churches” by Ed Stetzer and Mike Dodson identified their worship mood of comeback churches as celebrative and orderly.  Celebrative can mean different things.  It doesn’t mean that every worship style will look alike.  There is a sense that when we gather together for worship, there is a sense of celebration, energy, passion, joy and gladness.  There is something worth celebrating that we have to focus on and talk about.  There were churches in the research that discovered their passion for God often by examining their worship. 

Worship matters.  It is about God and not about what we like or don’t like.  We sit around and talk about our style and forget about loving and adoring God.  Worship cannot end the refocusing process but it has often been the beginning.  Many churches in the research began their transformation by focusing on their worship first.

Most comeback churches experienced changes in worship.  How can you lead the church to consider some new ways to express themselves in worship?

1. Make sure there is a biblical foundation for everything you do.
2. Teach what the bible says about worship
3. List churches in your area that offer worship that is connecting people with God in a celebrative way.
4. Visit these churches
5. Consider trying some different worship in your own church
6. Bring it home and discuss the following:                                                                                                                                What are these churches doing?                                                                                                                                               Why are they doing it?                                                                                                                                                             What impact is it having?                                                                                                                                                        What are we doing different from them?  And Why is what we are doing not working?                                               What can we learn?  What can we try?                                                                                                                                 What could we incorporate or implement into our church?

In REV magazine, I found an article by Stephanie Caro about worship planning.  She said her church was not a megachurch or even a large church.  We’re just a plain old struggling mainline denominational church with about 150 in worship on Sundays.  Here are her 10 worship planning commandments:

1. There must be coffee.
2. We don’t use a printed order of worship.
3. Every week is different.
4. Each Sunday has a clear theme and spiritual life lesson.
5. Communicate the message in at least five ways.
6. The entire service is the message.
7. We target our services to be about an hour.
8. When we do have a sermon, which is most Sundays, the length is 12 to 14 minutes.
9. We don’t use official greeters.
10. Cultural graphics are important.

In the last 12 months, Stephanie said that her worship service has experienced a 37% growth in attendance.  In a recent survey of regular churchgoers, over 90% said they leave church without having “felt a touch from God”  We want more for our people.  I know you don’t agree with every commandment but some encourages us to think about what we are doing.

What is the appropriate worship for our context?  People in Peru worship differently from people in Malaysia because they are in a different context.  When Rick Warren planted his church in Orange Co. California, he surveyed what radio station was listened to most and built his worship music around that style.  I know churches who are secure and stayed in their traditional worship style.  I know others who are in the process of moving from traditional to blended in the next months.  I know churches who are satisfied with their blended worship.  I know others who are ready to start offering a contemporary service to reach younger adults.  What form of music and worship would God use in this context to bring Himself the most glory and honor?  How can we have worship here that transforms us and transforms our community and makes Jesus more widely known?

“Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus, Look full in his wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his Glory and Grace” – Helen Lemmel

I’m coming back to the heart of worship – And it’s all about You.  It’s all about You, Jesus – I’m sorry, Lord for the thing I’ve made it – When it’s all about You – It’s all about You, Jesus -Matt Redman

That I’ll wake up to find Your glory defined – And I will finally bow at Your feet – I will lift up Your name in honor and praise – When I cross over Jordan, I know that I’ll be running home to You – Building 429

Tddd Deaton in his editorial in the Western Recorder used this phase:  ”There’s Gold in them there pews” referring to giving and Cooperative Program.  However when I first read his title I thought he was writing about the people sitting in the pews.  Which he was.  That is where the gold is – in the pews.  In the book Comeback Churches by Ed Stetzer and Mike Dodson, one of the top five factors for a church to comeback is “lay mobilization”.  It is people serving, volunteering, working for the glory of God.  It is people getting out of the pews and using their giftedness to make a difference in the church and community.

You don’t have to serve – you get to serve!  It is an opportunity and gift that God gives us to be part of his body, army, and company.  The book gives four actions to mobilize people into ministry:

1.  Create an atmosphere of expectation.  In most churches the atmosphere is of non-participation.  The vast majority of the people in the church are not engaged in ministry.  We have made it normal to not serve the Lord.  Often the people most disconnected to ministry are the most resistant to reaching people for Christ and change.  People were taught that they are responsible for the ministry of the church.  Dr. Don Simmons says, “We don’t have a recruitment issue with volunteers.  We have a retention issue.”  Simmons gives his Top 10 reasons volunteers quit or fail to perform their services.

1. A sense that their service is not valuable.  2. A sernse that they do not matter as a person only as a “worker.”  3. A sense that their contribution is not as valid as others.  4. A lack of community.  5. A lack of connection with a bigger purpose.  6. Poor leadership and management.  7. Poor communication/direction.  8. Lack of appreciation.  9. Failure to recognize them as a donor.  10. Lack of development of them as a person.

2.  Create an atmosphere of equipping.  Comeback churches employ a strategy and process to equip people for ministry.  Typically in most churches they use Spiritual Gifts inventories.  We all have a God-given divine design that is broader than spiritual gifts.  Using the word SHAPE or PLACE helps a person see the divine design in themselves.

S -Spiritual Gifts  H – Heart (passion)  A – Abilities  P – Personality  E – Experiences

P – Personality Discovery  L – Learning Spiritual Gifts  A – Abilities Awareness  C – Connecting Passion/Ministries  E – Experiences of Life

People must realize their divine design.  When people understand how they are made and formed by God’s hands and design, they are eager to find their shape and place in God’s body.  Other helpful resources are:  The BodyLife Journey – Guiding Believers into Ministry by John S. Powers;  Jesus on Leadership – Becoming a Servant Leader by Gene Wilkes;  Network by Willow Creek Assoc.;  “S.H.A.P.E.” by Erik Rees.

3.  Create an atmosphere of empowerment.  Give people permission to step up and empower them.  If God is calling you to start a ministry, then start a ministry.  We have to consistently communicate to people they are called, gifted, and designed and we will help them find their place.

4.  Comeback churches make sure people are appreciated for their ministry activity.  Some have an appreciation banquet.  What we celebrate we become.  Celebrate the role models of people who are involved in ministry.  Share the stories that it is the normal activity for them to get involved in ministry.  You must appreciate and recognize the value of every ministry not just the “out front” ministries. 

For a church to comeback and move forward, it must have leaders.  Many times in our churches we attempt great things but lack enough leaders to pull off the event or ministry.  How many leaders do you have in your church?  Do you know the number and where they are serving or what they are doing?  Could you double the numbers of leaders in one year (from 25 to 50 or 50 to 100)?  Aubrey Malphurs states leadership development in a 3-D process.

1st D – Design – We have talked above about the necessity of discovering your design

2nd D – Direction – Once a person knows his design, they have a much better read on God’s ministry-direction for their  lives.  Passion often provides the direction a person is searching.  

3rd D – Development – Once a person finds their place of service, skills, resources, guidance needs to be provided so a person grows in the likeness of Jesus Christ.  Actions like prepare, equip, develop, and train must constantly be part of our support for leaders.

Ephesians 4:12  “to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be build up” is my “equip the saints” verse.  Our job as pastor or minister is not to do the work but equip the people to do the work and serve and be blessed.  Are we stealing the blessings God has for our congregation?  It is often easier to do ministry ourselves than prepare the people?  That is our calling.  Can you walk away from your church and it will continue to minister without you?  Great!  You are on your way! 

This quote comes from Alan Nelson’s  (editor of REV magazine) book “Me to We”.  It is an excellent equipping resource.

“This is where the congregation beomes incarnate, living out its faith beyond the walls, so that those outside the church see our good deeds and we bring glory to God.”