"Straight from the Heart"

I often wonder at times why we bother to do anything. I mean, why do we do what we do?  Is it something that is required or is it something we enjoy or is it just because we don't stop and think?

Take this thing we call "worship".  In today's setting it is often referring to the music portion of a religious service.  Some even go as far as saying it is a lifestyle (I'm in this camp.). So why do we worship (do) the way we do and why is it so hard to let this thing just die a natural death?

As some of you know I am reading a book titled "Transformational Church". I am learning and relearning some things. Not bad for an old dog huh ?  I would like to go where angels fear to tread and mention some things about our modern day worship settings and experiences. Mind you now; I am in the midst of finding our way through and along this long journey.

I will try to list page numbers so those who would like to can read it for themselves.

page 148   Transformational churches actively embrace Jesus through music.

From here on our Transformational churches will be referred to as TCs

page 149   TCs have such a love for 'god that they know worship is a manner of living and not a mode of church programming.

page 150  In a TC people arrive with expectancy and leave with excitement

page 154  Corporate gatherings should push people beyond mere observation of religious activities to an experience with the gospel. When people attend worship, are they simply observing a show or being transformed by God?

page 154 and 155  Worship serves to connect us with Christ and equip us for ministry. Little of substance will be done in the name of a God we have never experienced. True worship allows us to experience God at a deeper level. When you experience God on a deeper level, personal and corporate mission will always follow.

page 156  Worship is the volitional act of engaging and speaking publicly about the work of God. Worship is not music but includes it. Style does not determine the message of Christ.  WORSHIP IS A MATTER OF THE HEART.

page 157  When worship becomes an issue of style instead of heart, then there's a problem.

Reducing worship to a focus on style removes God as the reason for gathering.

page 159   Remember, worship is an issue of the heart. And from the biblical record, we find no such thing as Christian music, only christian lyrics.

page 162  TCs find a way for people to avoid debates about place, style, and method.

page 164  Worship must never be about me but about God and His glory.

 In corporate gatherings we are never called to lead worship but to lead people into the presence of
God. 

Worship is a spiritual discipline that communicates a biblical meaning in a cultural form.

Worship from your unity and choose music out of your mission.

page 166  Research confirms the fact that growing churches tend to be more contemporary in worship style than traditional.

Worship is to be understood by those in need of transformation.

page 167  The message of the Messiah should always be "seeker comprehensible".

The challenge might be for your congregation to move out of their church "comfort zone" to speak the language of people in your community who need Christ.

Well I think you get the picture by now.  This worship thing is way more than my preferences. In fact
if I even remotely try to introduce my preference/s I am not really worshipping.

IT IS ALL A HEART ISSUE !!!    When we get our heart in tune with Jesus; style and method doesn't matter.  When are we going to lay aside this nonsense and get busy reaching the world around us with the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

The old ways are just that OLD !  Do they have a place  YES! 

What is being asked here is that you me they us all everyone lay aside the personal preference/s and do our best to reach those who are in need of a Savior.   We will all of eternity to quibble over the 1st and 3rd beat is devil music thingy.  Really now......................................