Just Thinking
3 comments Sep 3, 2010 | Posted by admin in Pastor Sam’s Teachings
One of the core things I want us to be known for is placing a disproportionate value on providing worship experiences that boldly celebrate Jesus and attract people far from God.
Integral to this aspect of our identity is the desire and push for excellence in everything we do. There is absolutely no room for second-rate work. We’ll get rid of a worship element we spent dozens of hours planning and implementing if it doesn’t meet our standards. We want to produce the best videos, play the best songs with the best musicians, and proclaim the gospel of Jesus to the best of our abilities.
But there is a danger in this and it’s something I hear recently – its one thing to worship with passion and excellence when the room is full and all eyes are on us.
The real test of worship comes when the auditorium is empty and the only people remaining are the staff, worship team, leaders or small group who now have no responsibilities but to stand before God and still give Him everything they’ve got.
In these moments, if we dial down our intensity and offer mediocre worship, we reveal the true motivation of our hearts. We must always be careful. Our excellence really hasn’t been about worship. It’s been about performance. We’ve tried to engage a crowd instead of leading the crowd to join us in engaging God.
Pastors, worship leaders, worship team, Sunday experience producers, any and everybody involved in leading worship experiences, we can’t operate with excellence simply because people are watching. We have to do it because God is watching and is worthy of our best.
And this truth applies to every Christian. Colossians 3:23 insists that “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.”
The consistent and passionate giving of your best efforts in whatever you do is the best gift of worship you have to give to God every day of your life. Especially when there are absolutely no eyes on you besides the One you are worshipping.
When Saul needed the evil spirit in him calmed he ask for music. He ordered his attendants to find him a musician who PLAYED WELL. They brought to him David who had spent possibly years tending the sheep and playing his harp!! You do a good thing to strive for excellence while knowing that the power in worship is above and beyond our ability in the flesh.
Your brother in Jesus,
John G. Pfeifer
I thank you Lord for waking me up daily with a new song to worship YOU, to praise YOU, to adore YOU, I love you Jesus, amen
Pasor, thank you once again for sharing your heart and for leading us into what and whom we ought to be in Christ, we are His warriors, His voice, His children, we are what He died for, yet when it comes time to praise Him, to give Him thanks it’s as tho we become shy or just can’t seem to really get that close.
But I have found an alive Jesus, He is so real! He is in my everyday walk, decision, unseen pilot in all that I do, He has never failed me, so there is a new song for my daddy God daily. I am in love with Him, my creator. I sing and bow to Him and laugh out loud when I am in Walmart praising Him in song and a stranger looks on and nods as to say, “I hear you, include my name too”. We are never to perform, never to care who is watching but for only to the one that matters….Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, how I love to say your name
No one else matters, He was the one who died on the cross for you and me, thank you Lord.
Your daughter who loves you
This is so true! It must always be about our relationship, our fellowship and what comes out from our mouths and hearts to and for GOD, regardless of the crowds or if the pianists shows or guitarist shows or wether there are drums.. it doesnt matter..
In what areas of your life do you currently need to count the cost of following JESUS???