Spirit filled worship

A couple things happened in the recent few days to draw my thoughts to the question of "Spirit-filled worship."

The first thing was running into a young lady who attended our church until a few months ago. She maintains contact with our fellowship, but has started worshiping with another group. In our conversation, she referred to having been raised in a "Spirit-filled church" and the implication was that this formed a large part of why she now worships at the other church.

The second event involved visiting family out-of-town and going to their pentecostal church service on Sunday. I feel fairly confident that if I had put the question to any of those who regularly worship there, they would confirm that they believe they have "Spirit-filled worship."

So my thoughts over these few days come back to the question of what do we mean by "Spirit-filled worship"?

Both of these fellowships mentioned above have a worship style that encourages people to clap, move (or even dance) to the music, raise their hands and in other ways express themselves freely. Does that validate calling them "Spirit-filled"?

Does that suggest (accuse) my fellowship of not being "Spirit-filled"? We rarely clap to the music and would feel very reticent to dance to the music. A few will raise their hands in praise sometimes. And during the sermon, we occasionally hear an "Amen" or a "That's right" from the audience. Are we not "Spirit-filled"?

Taking it further: I have at least a couple nephews who worship at Anglican churches. They feel drawn into the presence of God in that context. The liturgy, structure and reverence of the services ministers to them and encourages them in their growth in Christ. Are these fellowships not "Spirit-filled"?

I suggest that any fellowship that focuses our attention on the Lord Jesus Christ qualifies as being "Spirit-filled" and that worship can be described as "Spirit-filled worship." I believe this because Jesus told us that one of the primary jobs of the Holy Spirit is to draw attention to Jesus, God the Son. So whenever we believers lift up Jesus Christ, we cooperate with the work of the Holy Spirit. Thus, when this lifting of Jesus occurs in the worship context, we engage in "Spirit-filled worship."

By contrast, just because we clap, dance, raise hands or otherwise express ourselves, does not necessarily mean we are experiencing "Spirit-filled worship." We may indeed be involved in a spirited event. But it may not even be worship. Because Christian worship must--by definition--involve worshiping Jesus Christ. And just because we exercise our bodies in these manners does not mean we are worshiping Jesus Christ.

My experience suggests that often the spirited gathering forgets even to mention the name of Jesus (this weekend's experience did indeed focus on Christ; so it does not fall in this category). Watch someone like Benny Hill or John Hagee. They will talk about Scripture and this concept or that. but the mention of Jesus and lifting up Jesus comes rarely. The spotlight--figuratively as well as literally--stays on the speaker. (Again this Sunday's meeting is not of this ilk.)

At the same time, my pastor, in our reserved congregation, consistently points to Jesus and lifts him up in our eyes. Similarly, pastors in churches stereotyped as stuffy and straight-laced, often point their fellowships to Jesus and lift him up as the answer to the world's needs.

Having said all that, I ask: Which fellowship qualifies as "Spirit-filled worship". The clapping-dancing group may simply be "spirit-filled" (i.e. lower-case "s" indicating human spirit). The reserved group may truly be "Spirit-filled (upper-case "S" indicating the Holy Spirit). Or the clapping-dancing group may also be truly "Spirit-filled" as well as "spirit-filled". And the reserved group may in fact simply be dead--with neither the Spirit nor any spirit.

It all comes back to whether the worship leaders and the preacher draw our focus to Jesus and lift him up as God's answer to our needs.

Having said all this, it occurs to me that I have said nothing new. And that's okay, because I still needed to say it and get it out of my system. To any who were with me in worship yesterday, April 28, I reaffirm: I enjoyed the worship and I felt the presence of the Lord--in spite of being distracted by human activity. God was indeed Emmanuel in our worship.

Bible study, Dt. 15:16

Today's passage brought me to a couple verses that reminded me of one of my father's favorite Old Testament images. When you really reconstruct the scene, it's not all that pretty: A slave pledges his/her loyalty to the master for the rest of his/her life. In exchange, the master brings the slave to the doorpost of the home. There he pounds an awl through the ear lobe of the slave. Thus the slave becomes a "Love Slave." That mark of a hole through the ear lobe says to anyone who sees the person: This slave has chosen to stay with his/her master rather than strike out on his/her own independently.

Dad used to use this image to challenge congregations to devote themselves so fully to God that we become "Love Slaves."

But something I read a while back tells me something more about this image: It says something amazing about the slave master. It tells neighbors that this slave master is such a caring, kind master, that the slave feels he/she is better off serving him faithfully than striking out in independence.

That says something to me about serving my God faithfully. I want to be that kind of Love Slave who finds it more beneficial to stay in service to God than to go it on my own. I also want to be the kind of slave/servant to the Lord that witnesses to others of the kindness, mercy and care I receive at the hands of our all Holy God.

Rejoicing in the Lord

On re-reading yesterday's post, I realize that I may have given the wrong impression.

I am far enough along in my walk with Christ to know that just because I don't feel anything, doesn't mean God is not present. So I do not put a lot of stock or importance in whether a certain emotion or emotional reaction occurs when I worship. When my wife and I go for our weekly date, we sit in a restaurant and talk. We may sit across the table from each other and gaze into each other's eyes while we talk. We may sit side-by-side and cuddle while we talk. As we do this, any variety of emotions may occur. Sometimes I feel a deep warmth of intimacy. Sometimes I feel great gratitude that God has brought such a wonderful partner into my life. Sometimes I feel frustrated that I am not able to communicate adequately in a way that she can track what I'm trying to say. Sometimes we get into heated discussions, with the attendant emotions.

In all these feelings, I never doubt either my love for her or her love for me. Also, I never question her presence with me and her desire to communicate and draw closer.

The same pattern holds true in my times with the Lord Jesus Christ. Whether I feel warm intimacy, great gratitude, frustration or even anger: God is still present. He loves me and I love him. And both he and I want a closer, deeper relationship. That much is no longer in question.

What I wonder about--what yesterday's passage brought to my attention is this: What about rejoicing? When we gather as a group, when we join with other believers, where is the rejoicing? Sometimes, I think we sing fast, peppy songs or choruses just so we can get excited. But are we getting excited about the Lord's presence? Are we rejoicing that "The Lord is Here"? Or are we just excited because it's a fast song and we can clap our hands and sway our hips and tap our feet? I think that sometimes (often?) we feel more the latter than the former.

Would I rejoice just as much if the opening songs (or all the songs) were slow hymns? What if we had no instrumentation at all--if the entire music portion of the service were done a capella [look it up in a dictionary if you don't know that term]? What if we had no music in the service at all? Could I still rejoice in the Lord? Simply because we have gathered and simply because the God of the universe has humbled himself to come into our presence?

All of that to ask myself: How/when/why do I rejoice in the Lord?

I am eager for your comments....

Bible study, Dt. 12:12,18

This morning I came across a different kind of statement--one not nearly as difficult to reconcile as yesterday's. In Deuteronomy 12 (verses 12 & 18), Moses exhorts or encourages the Israelites to "rejoice before the Lord your God."

This made me think of how I come to the Lord when I gather with other believers. For a number of years, I did indeed gather to rejoice before the Lord. He was bringing healing in my spirit at a level I never expected. I gathered with hundreds of others to rejoice before the Lord. Often, tears flowed as the presence of the Holy One of Israel made his presence known. Meanwhile, this holy God was changing me internally. Hurts that had festered for long began to wash away. I was indeed becoming a new person in Christ.

But in recent months, that spirit of rejoicing has slowly ebbed away. I must admit that the spirit of rejoicing has rarely accompanied my worship of late.

So what would it look like now to rejoice in the Lord?

Previously, my rejoicing came in the midst of hundreds of fellow followers of Christ. Now I gather in a much smaller congregation. Does the number of worshipers affect my rejoicing? Was I previously rejoicing simply because there were many of us together? Or was I truly rejoicing because God's Holy Spirit came among us?

I feel confident that God's Spirit can come to us regardless of the number of worshipers. So, it must be something in me that is holding me back from rejoicing before the Lord.

I'll have to give this some more thought.
Do you have any input on the subject?

Bible study, Dt. 10:13-15

I came across a strange statement in my Bible study this morning. In Deuteronomy 10:13-15, Moses continues his warnings and promises to the Israelites prior to their crossing the Jordan. He assures them that if they will obey the laws and commands he gives them--has given them--certain blessings will follow.

The strange thing is this: He promises that he will send rain and that he will bring good harvests for them. Other places he says that the Lord God will give these blessings. But in this passage, he takes that role on himself.

Doesn't that seem strange?

Thinking

Why does my mind work so slowly?

Others have often complemented my

memory, intelligence and insight.

But no one has ever accused me of

quick thinking.

How many times has someone

made a statement with which

I disagree.

I just stand there, looking stupid,

while my mind races for a snappy comeback.

Nothing.

Just a blank stare.

I shuffle away, embarrassed.

Hours later, rehashing the event,

I see, I hear, what I should have said.

But by then it is too late.

Ah, the things I wish I had said.

Maybe those will come out in other entries.

Since no one is reading these

(which that's just fine),

then I can say whatever here.

And I can take however long it takes me

to say it!

Bye for now.

Health

We have a tiny lawn at our home. And it was finally time to mow it. In Oregon, it can be a little tricky mowing the lawn in the springtime. We tend to get just enough rain to keep the lawn wet, which makes it messy at best to mow the grass. But at the same time, we get enough sunshine that the grass grows really fast. So today was the perfect time to do the job: We had gone a couple days without rain. But all the forecasters were calling for heavy rain tomorrow (Saturday).

Sooooooo, this afternoon while dinner was heating up, I decided to tackle it. We have an electric lawnmower, so I don't have to battle the gas engine trying to get it started. But the downside: we live on a hillside. So I start at the top, coast the mower down a couple steps and pull it back up to do another swath--this after mowing the front area which is relatively flat.

All of that to say: When I was finished, I felt more exhausted than usual. I felt very thirsty--more than normal. And for a while, just sat there while my wife put the food out (normally I help getting the meal on). Just made me feel a bit concerned. It seems to me that the lawn is too small to have that much effect.
Any thoughts?

Persecution

Here is a link to a pastor in Uzbekistan who has been arrested for his stand for the gospel of Jesus Christ: http://www.prisoneralert.com/ On this website, you can learn about Dmitry Shestakov as well as others who have recently been arrested. Others have already served their time and been released. I encourage you to take action on behalf of these innocent witnesses.

The beauty of our world

We (my wife and I) live in a house that overlooks the Columbia River. Every morning, I get to look out on a picture postcard scene. On the north side of the house, we have a deck facing north from which I see the Columbia River. Beyond the river, the hils of Washington rise. Between the cleft of the hills, I see Mt. Adams. Today, it is shining in brilliant white. People from other parts of the country think of this region as cloud covered and rainy. I think they perceive it as always dismal. But the facts are that we often see the mountains and all the beautiful scenery. Today is such a day.

Even on cloudy days, it seems like a picture postcard. Even then, we enjoy beautiful wisps of clouds hanging in the valleys. Still the river runs, adding its beauty.

When we drive into Portland, we go through the Columbia Gorge--an incredibly beautiful stretch of scenery. We regularly give God glory and praise for the beauty of his creation. Cliffs rise to the south of the highway. The river parallels our drive on the north. Birds fly: some catch the wind currents and just seem to float along. Others seem more purposeful in their flights. Bald eagles, osprey, ravens, and smaller birds whose names I don't know.

Thank you Lord God, for the beauty you have given us.

Give them a break

Maybe more on this tomorrow; I don't know. But for now I just want to comment about one aspect in the aftermath of the shooting at Virginia Tech. You're right: I don't know what it's like to lose a child, from any cause much less something like this. But I definitely know what it's like to be blamed for something I had no control over.

What I'm referring to is this: The university president and the police chief were acting on all the information they had at the time. When they sent out the initial alert and closed down the dorm where the first killing occured, they had no reason to think additional killings would follow.

It's a very easy thing to look back and say, "They should have this or that." But all they had to go on was the evidence from the initial 2 killings. They acted responsibly, based on the evidence at hand.

I'm sorry the parents and other family members lost their loved ones. But it's not the fault of the university president nor of the police chief. Give them a break.

a beginning

We'll have to see what develops here--if anything. Just feeling like, since I enjoy writing and since most other formats just leave me blank, maybe if I do the writing in this context I can get something, or some things, out of my system and into some format where it can be read by others. Not necessarily that a ton of people will flood in to see what I've written. But at least it's there.