The Worship Artist

There’s just something about church buildings that allows people to abandon all the normal rules of social conduct. This is especially obvious from a leadership perspective, but I see it happening even through congregations. The simple element of being on stage seems to welcome people to criticize how you do your job, what clothes you wear, or your age. I’ve heard other horror stories where the pastor’s wives and children become the target of the rudeness. In virtually any other social situation these types of comments would be very distasteful and rude, however, once people step into “God’s house” it all suddenly becomes acceptable. Next time John Mayer does a concert, why don’t you go hear his show then meet him backstage and tell him what songs he should not have or should have played and how he should have played them. Or next time you’re talking with a financially struggling family be sure to tell them that their clothes really don’t fit what most people are wearing and they stick out like a sore thumb. Neither one of the circumstances are socially appropriate, so why do people do it when they gather to worship God? I blame the walls.

If this comes true, are we ready?

At some point in the twenty-first century, Christians in Africa will become more numerous than Christians in any other single continent & more important than ever before in articulating a global Christian identity in a pluralist world”

Kevin Ward (found in quotations from the book “The Changing Face of Christianity” edited by Lamin Sanneh and Joel A. Carpenter, 122).

Will our Christian-Western-centric pride be hurt? Are you ready to start reading commentaries, theology books, and take church advice from Africans? Sometimes I think we can be more racist that we realize.

Our DNA seems to know that it is wrong for babies to die, for disease to pillage our bodies, for government to abuse those they are called to protect. The earliest literature we possess speaks of humanity’s quest for immortality. Humanity somehow knows that it should not die, even though in all remembered experience humanity has died. And this sixth sense is not restricted to those who believe. No, all of the sons of Adam and daughter of Eve somehow know that Adam is not what they were supposed to be, that there is something profoundly wrong with the world as it is. I believe this sense is evidence of the residual presence of the image of God in humanity. The image is broken and marred, but it remains. And it is this aspect of humanity that recognizes the “wrongness” of this world and continues to cry out for the world as it should be–Eden.

The Epic of Eden by Sandra L. Richter

Giving It All To You | audio | chord chart | lead sheet
Come Thou Fount | audio | chord chart | lead sheet
Be Thou My Vision | audio | chord chart | lead sheet
You Amaze Me | audio | chord chart | lead sheet
Holy Is The Lord | audio | chord chart | lead sheet

Cue Sheet

I Will Boast | audio | chord chart | lead sheet
God Moves In A Mysterious Way | audio | chord chart | lead sheet
Not All The Blood of Beasts | audio | chord chart | lead sheet

Cue Sheet

Who would have thought a forward in a book would stand out to me so much. Here’s Sally Morgenthaler in the forward to Dan Kimball’s book, “Emerging Worship:”

When it comes to irony, worship in late twentieth century evangelicalism takes the prize. Just as the world was reenchanting the universe (think Deepak Chopra, The X-Files, candle-and-teddy-bear grief vigils, Final Fantasy video games, and Lord of the Rings), user-friendly Christianity was practicing religious reductionism: shrinking the divine to the size of a three-point outline and four songs in the key of perpetual happy.

Time magazine lists their top 10 Ideas that are changing the world right now. Coming in at number 3 is “New Calvinism.” Check out Pastor Mark Driscoll, he has some great thoughts on Time Magazine’s article on New Calvinism:

1. Time Magazine Names New Calvinism 3rd Most Powerful Idea
2. More Thoughts on Time Magazine and New Calvinism

In the goal of being “Missional”… I want to hear from you. Should a church’s worship gathering be Missional? If so, what does that mean and look like?

On the same lines… should the style (music, graphics, and over all feel) of the church reflect the culture and age of that which is currently in the church, or who they want to be and reach?

Just hashing some things out on my own.

On a side note: Check out Wikipedia if you don’t know what the term “Missional” means.