A Theology of Worship

In Luke 5, Jesus sees Peter cleaning his nets and asks him to put his boat into the water. Through this encounter with Jesus, Peter hauls in an enormous catch of fish. But Peter’s response is what is most important in this story. When he realizes the power and glory of Jesus, he begins to worship: “When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, ‘Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man” (Luke 5:8). Jesus reaffirms his faith, and then gives him a new purpose: fishing for men.

At its core, Luke 5 demonstrates true worship. Often we are too tired from work, too preoccupied with other things, or too wrapped up in our own problems to truly encounter God. Yet he has a fundamental way of showing us his glory in the midst of these difficulties. As we encounter the glory and the presence of God we become aware of our own insufficiencies and our unworthiness. When confronted with Jesus, Peter cries out because of his sin. In Isaiah 6, Isaiah is ushered into the throne room of God, where he beholds God’s glory and might. Isaiah cries out, “Woe is me! I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty!” (Isaiah 6:5) Through worship we encounter the glory and presence of God, and we are reminded of our smallness and our unworthiness when confronted by his awesomeness.

What amazes me most about these stories, however, is God’s response. In Luke 5, Jesus redefines Peter’s direction and gives him a mission, calling him to be a disciple and a “fisher of men.” In Isaiah 6, God cleanses Isaiah’s sin and gives him a new calling. Isaiah’s life is transformed, and he emerges from this experience as a prophet for the LORD. Our encounters with God should fundamentally transform us, reminding us of our sin and yet reminding us of the grace that God has bestowed upon us sinners. And through this encounter our lives should be fundamentally changed, and we should come away with a new purpose or a redefined vision for our lives. Worship had the power to transform us, to define us, and to shape us into the image of Christ.

We lose sight of what worship is, however, if we simply confine it to the Sunday experience. Worship is not a one day, once-a-week affair; rather, it is a way of life. In his letter to the Colossians, Paul reminds them, “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Col. 3:17, emphasis mine). This passage follows Paul’s admonition to live in harmony with one another and to worship God with gratitude and thanksgiving. He then reminds them that every aspect of their lives can be worship to God.

Worship is not just about what happens in the corporate assembly. Instead, worship becomes a way of life that defines who we are. “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship” (Rom. 12:1). Worship is a lifestyle. Through spiritual disciplines (praying, fasting, reading, celebrating, etc.), our hearts are aligned closer to the heart of God. We worship the God who created and sustains us, and we begin to listen to God’s prompting in our lives. These disciplines then prepare us for the corporate assembly, where we worship God together and encourage others to do the same.

The danger in worship is that it often becomes selfish. We must always remember one thing: Worship is not about us! Worship is given to God, because he is the only one worthy of praise. Worship is not about our preferences or our desires. Instead, worship is about praising the LORD of Hosts! We must lay aside our own personal preferences in order to worship God, because it isn’t about the songs we like or the length of the prayers. Through worship, we praise God for who he is and what he has done. And through corporate worship we encourage one another in our spiritual journeys. Our own desires rank below these other two facets of worship. Worship brings us into communion with God and fellowship with one another. Worship allows us to fulfill God’s mission in the world, to be with his people.

God’s ultimate desire is to be in relationship with his people. Through their sin, Adam and Eve removed the perfect communion we experienced with God. The rest of the Bible is the story of God restoring that perfect communion through Israel, through Jesus, through his Spirit and through the church, his Body. Worship, whether corporate or individual, gives us a glimpse of this perfect communion. No matter how great the singing or the impact that worship has on us, it is nothing more than a glimpse in a dim mirror. Rather, it reminds us that a time is coming when we will experience the full glory of God. The time is coming when we will gather with the whole heavenly host to worship God in word and song, to partake in the final banquet, and to live in perfect communion with God.

Our worship today exalts God and humbles us. Through our worship, and through our individual spiritual disciplines, we are reminded of the greatness of God and our own sinfulness. Yet we also are given hope, because God has cleansed us and made us his own. And our worship empowers us with a vision and a mission to reach the world for His glory.

*** Please do not use without the express consent of the author.***

Acts 11-13

This post is copied from the Hawks for Christ blog. Hope you enjoy it!
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Hey guys, sorry it has been so long. I am posting 11-13 here, and 14 and 15 tomorrow, then we will be caught up. Again, sorry about the delay. Hope you are keeping up with your reading.

Acts 11:
I love the story of Barnabas, "The Son of Encouragement." Barnabas seems to have the gift of discernment and encouragement; he always seems to know those who have the best hearts and those who are truly seeking to follow God. Here's what we know about him: "He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord." What an amazing thought! Barnabas was the one who spoke up for Paul before the disciples; he was the one sent to Antioch to encourage the new Christians and to teach them in their faith. And he was the one who brought Paul to Antioch to minister to the people there.

I hope I can be a Barnabas in the lives of other people.

Acts 12:
During this time we begin to see the church being truly persecuted. Herod gets in on the action, having the apostle James killed for his faith and jailing Peter. He surrounded him with soldiers, and yet God STILL managed to pull of a miraculous escape.

One of the things that always sticks out to me about this story is the actions of the church. Luke tells us that the church is gathered together praying for Peter's release. Yet when Peter shows up they are sure that he had died! Rather than believing their prayers worked, they instead think that the worst has happened!

Don't we sometimes pray like that too? I know I do. I pray that God will act, but then I try to explain it away when he actually does. It seems like I could have been an integral part of this church's ministry!

Acts 13:
How do you make decisions in your own life? How did you decide to go to KU? How did you decide what to major in? How do you know what God wants you to do in your life?

These are important questions to consider.

In Acts 13 we find the church in Antioch engaged in worship and fasting. It seems like this is a typical part of their practice. In the midst of their worship the Holy Spirit told them to send Paul and Barnabas out on a trip to spread the Gospel.

It doesn't seem like Paul and Barnabas are looking to leave; it doesn't even seem like the church is looking to send people out as missionaries. However, when the Holy Spirit speaks, they listen!

What do they do next? They continue to do what they were doing before! They continued to fast and pray about the Lord's decision, then they decided to obey. They blessed Paul and Barnabas and then sent them out to do the Lord's work.

I sometimes think that I refuse to listen to God's leading in my life. Sometimes I spend all of my time praying about the future and forget to listen for God to lead me!

Ultimately, however, I think God's guidance comes from a life of worship, fasting, and prayer. These practices don't seem to be new for the church; rather, they seem to be a part of their system of worship. I believe that our hearts become attuned to the heart of God as we worship him and seek to honor and glorify him.

Worship

O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!



You have set your glory above the heavens.
From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise...



When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?
You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You made him ruler over the works of your hands.



you put everything under his feet:
all flocks and herds and the beasts of the field,
the birds of the air and the fish of the sea,
all that swim in the paths of the seas.






O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Worship and Social Justice (part 1)

Too many of us think that worship is all about our time with God. It's about the songs we sing, the sermon we hear, the Lord's Supper... These are (some) of our acts of worship. We believe that worship is what we do on Sunday mornings when we assemble together. Or, if you were to ask another (more well-informed) Christian, he/she would tell you that worship is more about a lifestyle. Romans 12:1 tells us: "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship." Thus, worship is about a lifestyle, the way that we act in the various aspects of our lives. It's about bringing God glory and honor in whatever circumstances we find ourselves in. It's about the way we treat our co-workers, our friends, our family, the guy we see standing on the street corner... It's about our reaction to homeless people and the poor... And about our reactions to those where God is the furthest thing from their mind.

Let me see if I can illustrate it a little better... If you were to ask an Israelite during the period of the Divided Monarchy, he would tell you that worship involved (1) following the Law of Moses, and (2) offering the proper sacrifices to Yahweh. However, when God was talking to his people he told them that the sacrifices and the Law were a good starting point, but without a life of mercy it was all worthless:

Isaiah 1: ""The multitude of your sacrifices— what are they to me?" says the LORD. "I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you, this trampling of my courts? Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me... wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow."

Micah 6:6-8: "With what shall I come before the LORD and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."

A host of other verses make the same requests. God does not need the sacrifices; they are for men, not for God. What God wants is for us to make a difference in the lives of other people... But, let me make a confession: this is REALLY difficult for me to live by.

More to come tomorrow!

Women's Roles in Worship (Probably Part 1)

Hey guys. I hate leaving my engagement story but I guess I will have to keep blogging. Thanks for all of the well-wishes. I am STILL the happiest man in the world! The wedding will be July 18th in Kansas, so be there!

One of my students from last year recently got in touch with me to ask me a biblical question she is wrestling with: What is a woman's role in church? Here's part of her email:

"Is it ok for girls to read scripture during Bible class at churchand at school?? I've read the Bible about this, and gotten my parents opinion. I would really love to hear your input on this situation.
I know the Bible says for women to be silent during church and to ask their husbands questions afterward...but I don't have a husband (haha). so, do I count as a child? is it based on age or spiritual maturity?"

I have recently emailed my student back, and I am going to share my email with you guys. I would value your input. Some of you will think it is a little to "left-leaning." Others of you won't think it is as "progressive" as you think it should be. Sorry... this is where I sit as I have studied it. I have a feeling my ideas might change as I get older/study more/progress in my faith. BUT... this is where I sit as of now:

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Dear _________-

Hey there. Sorry it has taken me a while to get back to you. I completely apologize; ministry/life have both been busy. I hope life is going great for you. How are things with _______?

Getting down to your question: What should a woman's role be concerning scripture reading, worship, etc...

Here are my thoughts (take it for what it is worth.) The passage you are referring to is found in 1 Cor. 15, where it tells women to remain silent in church and ask questions of their husbands at home. Intriguingly, however, we often leave out 1 Cor. 11:5, which discusses what a woman should do WHEN she prays/prophesies in the assembly. Intriguingly, the church in Corinth was (partially) founded by a woman: Aquila and Priscilla were part of Paul's team to reach out to the Corinthian people, and they stayed around after Paul left for another location, and then eventually wind up moving to Ephesus. Interestingly, when we first meet Aquila and Priscilla, Aquila the husband is mentioned first. But throughout the rest of the Bible, anytime they are referred to the Biblical authors put Priscilla's name first. (Quite possibly to reveal who was the more dominant one for the gospel.)

1 Timothy 2:9-15 is also used in our discussions of women's roles in church. It tells us that women are not permitted to teach or have authority over a man, for they must be silent. There are two things I thing that are important to remember here: at this moment Timothy is in Ephesus, where Priscilla and Aquila were (once) workers for the Gospel. Secondly, we don't follow the instructions Paul sets out for men in 1 Timothy 2:8, but we hold 9-15 to be binding.

One of the problems about taking verses of Scripture and quickly trying to build an argument is that we never ask the question, "Why are these things written? What is going on within the churches in Corinth and Ephesus that causes Paul to say these things?" I think the situation is the most important part of the whole question. From reading the entire book of 1 Corinthians, we realize that the Corinthians are having a hard time respecting one another within the church. It seems as if the married women are questioning their husband's abilities to preach/teach the Gospel and making them look foolish in front of the church. In 1 Timothy the cultural situation is even harder to grasp, because the book is written to address Timothy's needs. It seems as if the women are trying to call attention to themselves through their wardrobe/accessories and through their disrespect in the assembly.

Wow, this is really long. I am sorry. Sadly, I'm not even done yet! =)

I think that 1 Cor. 11 sheds some light on women's roles within church. They do have a role; Paul even allows them to prophesy and pray. The question becomes, “Who is in charge?” Paul places women under the authority of men by tossing the argument back to Creation (and in 1 Timothy, by reminding them of the consequences of their disobedience in the Garden.) Paul tells them that Christ is the head of man and man is the head of woman (yours might say husbands/wives, but the words for man and husband and wife/woman are the same.) Thus, men are placed above women in the church. However, we are to also be reminded that Christ is the head of both, and men are to treat their wives with love and respect just as Christ loves the church. We are to place the needs of one another above our own needs.

So… what does all of this mean? I have no idea. =) Just kidding. Here’s what it means for me. I believe that women have a role to play in worship and in Bible class. That is why I ask the girls/young women to read and pray in class. The question is, who is in control? Ultimately, the Bible class teacher is the one in authority. Within the church, it is ultimately the elders who are in authority (under Christ.) Thus, any time I ask a woman to do something in Bible class, I believe that I am helping them fulfill the commandment in 1 Cor. 11, because her “head” is covered by my authority. (Really LOOOOOOOOONG explanation there that I didn’t include here, but I do have a grad school paper I wrote that was 20+ pages long if you are REALLY interested!)

I think we have done women a great disservice by not allowing them to have roles within class and worship. The fact is, women were a large part of early Christianity. The faithfulness of men AND women caused the church to spread, and a number of women are mentioned throughout the later NT for their faithfulness, their desire to serve God, and their willingness to host churches within their homes. There are even female deacons in Scripture (1 Tim. 3:11.)

So, can a woman speak, ask questions, read the Bible, and pray in class? My argument is yes, they can. I would draw the line at preaching, however, because a woman is supposed to be under the authority of a man.

Wow, this is long and I apologize. I hope it helps. If you have other questions, please let me know! I might not have answered them all.

In Christ,
Daniel <><
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What are your thoughts? Where is my logic flawed? (I personally don't think it is.) Please realize this is a SHORTENED version of what I have come to in my own thinking.

I do think that I need to state this: I believe that there are things that women are ALLOWED to do that I am not yet comfortable with. My own personal comfort would be stretched and pushed by my theology here. However, I DO believe that certain worship practices are acceptable and biblical.

What are your own thoughts? Where do you agree or disagree? I value each of your insight and I want to hear from you (whether you agree with me or not.)

Thanks for your time! I have a feeling we will discuss this topic more.

Lament as Worship

In American, we believe in “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness..." It is our constitutional right, according to the laws of our land. Happiness is anything that makes me feel good, anything that gives me a momentary high or makes me feel better (if only for a moment).I believe that we in religious circles have fallen into the same trap. We believe that God desires our personal happiness, and if we aren’t happy then there must be something wrong with us. How many of you have ever heard the phrase, “God wouldn’t mind. He just wants me to be happy.” One of the ministers who best exemplifies this way of thinking is Joel Osteen, minister of the 40,000 member Lakewood Church in Houston, TX and author of bestselling Your Best Life Now. On his weekly TV program I routinely hear him say something to the effect of, “God will give you fulfillment, he will provide for the new car, he will give you the new job, because God just wants to bless you. He just wants you to be happy.” With all respect to Joel, I wonder if he’s ever read the book of Job or Habakkuk... The fact is, we are so concerned about what makes US happy that we assume that the same things will make GOD happy…

Similarly, I’ve heard this statement too many times before: "You have depression?!? Well, if you just had more faith then you wouldn’t be depressed!" OR “You just need to trust God more…” Or some other version of the same statement.

We are so concerned over our personal happiness that we think it trumps everything else. If we aren’t happy then there is something wrong with me, other people, the world, or (most importantly) GOD! Because God just wants me to be happy.

* I have HUGE theological problems with this mindset, mainly because our own happiness could and WILL lead us to

Aside from the major theological ramifications of this thinking, I have another problem with this mindset: It negates an entire range of human emotion and experience. It essentially tells us that there is no place for sadness, grief, suffering, complaining, etc. It simply tells us that we cannot be CHristians if these things are present! But the fact is that the world is full of suffering, both personal and communal
1. Victims of war
2. Victims of violence: Virginia Tech, etc.
3. Children who are forgotten and abandoned, even within their own homes
4. Etc.

At times our own lives are, at times, full of grief
1. Loneliness: away from home, away from loved ones
2. Lost friendships, lost relationships, lost opportunities
3. Sickness, of yourself or a family member
4. Someone close passes away and you wonder why

I want to tell you a secret: It’s ok to be sad and it’s ok to be angry, and it’s ok to yell and scream at God and wonder why. Indeed, it is the essence of relationship!

Part of a relationship with God is being able to question, to ask the big questions, to have doubts and wonder if God cares.

It’s ok to have times of lamenting towards God. Indeed, what we find out in Scripture is that not only is it ok to lament towards God, it is a part of worship!
It can be worship to question God and to wrestle with understanding him and his ways! Indeed, approximately 1/3 of all psalms are songs of lament.

Guidance from the Lament Psalms:
According to Rodney Plunkett, there are five elements that are typically contained in a lament
psalms
1. Address God: With a term of respect.
2. Complaint to God
3. Request for help
4. Affirmation of trust
5. Vow to praise God
“Lord, here is my complaint, and I trust you to help. And I promise to give you glory!”

Lamenting doesn't mean just complaining about all of our personal problems in our own lives. Laments in the Bible are both 1^st person and 3^rd person: we are learning to lament for ourselves and for others as we live in the midst of community. We are called to lament and question at the injustice, oppression, and violence that goes on around us. Indeed, if we don't I fear we have missed the point. We are called to be angry about the injustice in our world, because these things make God angry too!

Anything worth talking about is worth praying (and lamenting) about. And anything worth praying about is worth doing something about. Thus, we are called to lament AND to be instruments of peace.

Let us live as people who lament about our world but don't just stop at the complaining... Let us be willing to take action as well.

Worship of GOD, not of ourselves

Thought:

We worship God for who HE is, not because of what he has done for us or what we get out of it. Part of God's nature is wrapped up in what he does for us, yet if that is the only reason we worship then we have sorely missed the point. God doesn't exist to serve us; he isn't a genie who does our bidding. Rather, God is qadosh: holy, other, apart. Our worship should flow from who God is, not what we will get out of it or as a manipulation of God...

What are your thoughts?

The Heart of Worship (Part 2)

My biggest pet peeve is this statement: "I just didn't get much out of worship today." (Ok, honestly, my biggest pet peeve is loud teenagers, followed closely by these statements...) Equally as annoying: "I loved worship today, because it was so upbeat and I loved all of the songs."

Most of us worry about what we will GET out of worship rather than what we BRING to worship. Worship has, in essence, become about us. We think worship revolves around what we like, either:
o Instrumental (because we like it), or noninstrumental (because we think you are wrong)

o Contemporary songs vs. Traditional songs

o Clapping/Raising Hands vs. Not

- Worship becomes a war

- Worship becomes a THING rather than a LIFESTYLE

o Worship is reserved for corporate, Sunday/Wednesday

o Worship becomes something we DO, rather than something we ARE

- Worship, in essence, can become an idol

Can I let you in on a secret? Worship isn’t about us! Sorry to burst your bubble. Ok, let me rephrase that differently: Worship isn’t about what we like or don’t like, what we are comfortable with or discomforted by, what makes us happy or “causes us to stumble.” It just isn’t. Worship isn’t FOR US; it is FOR GOD!

Worship comes down to the heart.

Worship: Reflection of the Presence of God (Part 1)

The next few blog posts will be on the nature of worship. I am beginning a new series in my ministry on the "Heart of Worship," and I am trying out a few ideas on this blog. Please let me know your thoughts through your comments and emails. Thanks!

~Daniel <><

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Worship is acknowledgment that God is worthy of our praise. God is holy, other, set apart, distinct. The transcendence of God calls us to worship a God who reigns on high, who created the world and established its foundations, who creates and sustains life, who establishes the universe and sets all things into motion. This alone is cause to worship God. Yet it is only one facet of his character. We also worship a God who is immanent, who interacts with his people and intervenes in their lives.

Throughout the OT, we find God constantly interacting with humanity. Genesis 1-11 tells the story of YHWH's provision even for those who refuse to acknowledge him as God. Genesis 12ff tells the story of YHWH's interaction with humanity through the descendants of Abraham, a Chaldean who moves to Canaan at the command of the LORD. God tells him that God will bless him and increase his family/position/wealth SO THAT, through him, God might bless the whole world (Gen 12:3). God's story is an interaction with the people of Israel as he seeks to accomplish his purposes on the earth through them.

Rather than acknowledging their role in God's plan, the people of Israel find contentment within their own "achieved status." They were Yahweh's people, his chosen race, his kingdom of priests and holy nation (Ex. 19). They were God's favorites, and thus all other peoples were seen as inferior. God reminds them constantly that they were not chosen because of their greatness, their strength, their holiness, or their ability. God chose them specifically because they WEREN'T great, strong, holy, or able (Deut. 7-9). If God hadn't intervened, they would still be slaves in Egypt! But God chose them specifically to be a light to the world. They were to be priests, chosen ones who intervened for OTHERS who were not able to come to God on their own. They were called to be holy (1) because God is holy, and (2) so that the world will notice their distinctiveness and realize the God who causes them to be holy.

God’s charge to Israel was to be a revelation of the immanence of God, to be his presence among the world because he was present with them. Their worship was to be a life that was wholly devoted to the LORD their God. Their lives were to be an offering to God, and he demanded that every aspect of their lives, from their sacrifices to the condition of their homes to the proper way of treating others, and everything in between. Every aspect of their lives was done in worship of the God who created and who still sustains them. Their lives were to reflect the presence of God within their midst. Israel was not called to simply sit back, content in their salvation. Rather, they were called to reflect the presence of God.