Utilitarian Worship

What is the purpose of sung corporate worship? We can articulate theological truths, ascend to intellectual ideals, and quote chapter and verse of Scripture. Still, our worship has become utilitarian when worship is primarily about hammering the truth into people, filling time before a sermon, or experiencing God.

Utilitarian worship is a pitfall for every theological stripe. For my reformed brothers and sisters, utilitarian worship can become an appetizer to the main course: the sermon—a sampling of scripture for the real biblical work of the preached Word. We can so limit our choices of songs, that we force our people to run a mental marathon. For my charismatic brothers and sisters, we can so emphasize worship as the place of experiencing and encountering God that everything else becomes secondary. Ultimately, we turn our people into sugar fiends, chasing an ever-elusive high.

But what if worship is not about mental marathons or sugar highs?

What if our aim in discipling our people, leading sung worship, planning set lists, choosing songs, and leading the liturgy is to help turn the affections of our people to delight in God? What if our worship is aimed toward the delight of God? Songs and experience matter - but only so much as they turn our attention from ourselves and toward the God who is worthy of our delight, and who delights in the praises of His people. Utilitarianism and delight cannot occupy the same space. Lead toward delight.

10 March: Liturgy & Set List

• TRISAGION

  Call to worship: Psalm 150

  Welcome to this fourth Sunday during Lent, and this family worship weekend. Throughout the Psalms, the Psalmist speaks to his own heart reminding it of what is true, because our hearts do not always tell us the truth we need to tell them what to believe. This next song is a new one that speaks to our hearts about who God is, what He has done, and who he has called us to be…

• GOOD GOD

• HOLY FOREVER

  Every week during the season of Lent we have taken time to confess our sins to God and to one another. Many times people believe they only need to confess their sin to God when they first accept they need a rescuer in Jesus. But the act of confession is not a one-time act, but the continual act of followers of Jesus. The Bible tells us that we are to confess our sins to God so that we might be forgiven and to our brothers and sisters so that we might be healed. Let’s confess our sins to God and one another:

LEADER:

Merciful God, for the wrong things that we have done,

ALL: 

Forgive us

LEADER:

For the right things that we have failed to do,

ALL:

Forgive us

LEADER:

For the times we have acted without love

ALL:

Forgive us

LEADER:

For the times we have reacted without thought

ALL:

Forgive us

LEADER:

For the ways we have not loved You with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength

ALL:

Forgive us

A prayer of confession, especially mindful of Children, The Worship Sourcebook

Brothers and sisters, hear the Good News: if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Praise the Lord, amen.

Sermon: John 17:24

In the 1700s, Jonathan Edwards said:

God is the fountain of love, as the sun is the fountain of light. And therefore the glorious presence of God in heaven fills heaven with love, as the sun, placed in the midst of the visible heavens in a clear day, fills the world with light.

The apostle tells us that "God is love"; and therefore, seeing he is an infinite being, it follows that he is an infinite fountain of love.

Seeing he is an all-sufficient being, it follows that he is a full and overflowing, an inexhaustible fountain of love. And in that he is an unchangeable and eternal being, he is an unchangeable and eternal fountain of love.

There, even in heaven, dwells the God from whom every stream of holy love, yea, every drop that is, or ever was, proceeds. There dwells God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit, united as one, in infinitely dear, and incomprehensible, and mutual and eternal love...

And there this glorious fountain forever flows forth in streams, yea, in rivers of love and delight, and these rivers swell, as it were, to an ocean of love, in which the souls of

the ransomed may bathe with the sweetest enjoyment, and their hearts, as it were, be deluged with love.

Would you stand if you’re able as we sing to the fountain of all love…

• DOXOLOGY (English/Spanish)

• HYMN OF HEAVEN

  Benediction

The Louder Song

Whatever has been of 2023, and whatever will be of 2024 - may the song of the Father be louder than the song of your enemies (Psalm 13:2).

“The Lord your God is in your midst,

    a mighty one who will save;

he will rejoice over you with gladness;

    he will quiet you by his love;

he will exult over you with loud singing.” - Zephaniah 3:17

29 October: Liturgy + Set List

• BEFORE THE THRONE

  Call to Worship: Psalm 27:7-13

  When we gather, we behold the goodness of God in the land of the living. We see in part now what one day we will see in full, we behold the glory of the Father in the face of the Son. We see His goodness. Let’s sing to Him:

• THE GREATNESS OF OUR GOD

• ABIDE

  Sermon: Mark 11:27-12:12

  If you are here as a follower of Jesus, Scripture tells us ‘Your life his hidden with Christ in God.’ And one of the things that means is that when God looks at you - he sees Christ’s perfect obedience, Christ’s perfect righteousness, the song of delight the Father sings over the Son He sings over you, the eternal inheritance which rightfully belongs to Christ, Christ shares with you and me. I hope that makes us humble, grateful, and worshipful. Would you stand if you’re able, let’s sing together:

• THERE IS A REDEEMER

• LAMB OF GOD

  Benediction

Theology Matters

Theology is the study of the nature of God. The word theology comes from two Greek words: Theos - meaning God, and Logia - meaning to study.

I have heard worship leaders, both staff and volunteer, both musician and vocalist, and both sound and technology describe themselves as musicians, artists, and creatives. Rarely have I heard anyone describe themselves as a theologian. Because the truth is many of us see our role as primarily musical, not pastoral, and therefore do not value theology in the same way we value excellence in our musical pursuits. But as C.S. Lewis reminds us:

"If you do not listen to Theology, that will not mean you have no ideas about God. It will mean you have a lot of wrong ones."

Theology should matter to worship leaders for the same reason it should matter to every follower of Christ: our understanding of God shapes everything about who we are. As A.W. Tozer famously said,

“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”

Theology should matter to us as worship leaders because:

Worship is formative. We are putting words in people’s mouths to understand who God is, what He has done, and who we are as His people, and express their hearts to God.

Because we need to be wise. We need to know the songs that we are choosing are saying something true about God. Because our words and our songs are teaching people about God.

Because it realigns our priorities. When knowing, loving, and walking with God is in its rightful place, everything else falls into place.

Because God looks at the heart. Talent is obvious, and visible, and honestly, easy to come by. But it is God who sees and judges our hearts.

Because you are first a follower. Before a role, or title or responsibilities as a worship leader, you are a disciple of Jesus. And every disciple of Jesus will become more and more like Him.

Theology matters. Let it matter to you as a follower of Jesus. And let it matter to you as a worship leader.

The Messy Work of Leading Worship

Ministry of any kind is a front-row seat to some of the most beautiful and painful moments of people’s lives. As a worship leader, I have often stood at the front of a church as a bride meets her groom at the altar - this is a beautiful moment. And I have sung while friends buried children - this is a painful moment.

In the Old Testament, the priests would slaughter the animals, burn the sacrifice, splash the blood, and throw the incense. This was hard physical work. This is holy work. This was work that required time, cleansing, and intentionality. This was the work that was required for a sinful people to not be consumed before a holy God. This was messy work.

But thanks be to God because of Christ Jesus…

“…holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted about the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself.” Hebrews 7:24-27

The messy work of sacrifice has been accomplished once and all for Christ. But God has made us a kingdom of priests - those who intercede on behalf of another. Those who bear the burdens of one another before God. To point people to their Great High Priest:

“…To him who loves us and has freed us from our sings by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” Revelation 1:6

“As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 2:4-5

Followers of Jesus are called into the messy work of laboring for and on behalf of our brothers and sisters. We must know the people we lead, so that as we stand on a platform we are singing over them, to them, and on their behalf as we look to the One who daily bears us all up.

August 16: Tuesday Refocus

“The spiritual life does not remove us from the world but leads us deeper into it.” - Henri Nouwen

God made everything and called it good (Genesis 1:31). Sin broke, warped, and distorted everything and everyone. This is true for even the people of God - but as the people of God we are also carriers of God’s presence into a sin-sick world (1 Corinthians 6:19). Followers of Jesus are those who are not of this world, but are called to be a city on a hill, salt and light, and to make disciples of the whole world (John 17:16, Matthew 5:13-14, Matthew 28:19-20).

As carriers of the presence of God, there is no sacred and secular dividing line. All of life is spiritual and all of life is lived before the face of God. For the follower of Jesus, a life that is lived to the glory of God will always be a life lived for the good of others. Because abiding in the life of Christ becomes a lifeline to a broken world.

Lord, may You not remove us from the world, but enable us to abide deeply in You, amen.

Coram Deo,

AB

May 24: Tuesday Refocus

“We consider what we do in the way of Christian work as service, yet Jesus Christ calls service to be what we are to Him, not what we do for Him.” - Oswald Chambers

Doing for God will always be easier than being with God. That is because honoring God with our lips while having hearts that are far from Him is our default posture of heart (Matthew 15:8). The appearance of holiness is not as costly as giving ourselves to the slow, painful, sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit.

But as followers of Jesus, we are called to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, a spiritual act of worship (Romans 12:1). As followers of Jesus, we are called to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Matthew 22:37, Luke 10:27). Ours is a faith of internal, heart transformation that gives way to external change. Not moral behavior modification. It will always be easier to be a Pharisee than a disciple of the One who is gentle and lowly, the One who learned obedience, the One who came to serve rather than be served (Matthew 11:29, Hebrews 5:8, Matthew 20:28). 

Lord, may our service to you be surrender to the work of Your Spirit in us. Again and again. Amen.

Serving,

AB

February 6: Liturgy and Set List

• HOW GREAT THOU ART

  Call to Worship: Psalm 70:4-5

  We gather not for a spiritual pick-me-up, but to delight our hearts in the salvation of our great God. The One who has enabled us through Jesus to be in right relationship with Him. Let’s delight in that truth together:

• WAYMAKER

• MY JESUS, I LOVE THEE

• Sermon: Joshua 5:1-9

  The people of Israel saw God do great and glorious things and still did not obey. Brothers and sisters, we sit on this side of the cross of Christ and still do not obey. Our obedience to God does not earn God’s love for us. God loves us, so we desire to obey. Let’s remind one another of that truth together - would you stand and sing:

• HOW DEEP THE FATHERS LOVE FOR US

• RAISE UP THE CROWN (ALL HAIL THE POWER)

November 2: Tuesday Refocus

“By affliction He teaches us many precious lessons, which without it we should never learn.  By affliction He shows us our emptiness and weakness, draws us to the throne of grace, purifies our affections, weans us from the world, makes us long for heaven.” - J.C. Ryle

Pain can make us retreat.  Or perhaps it can feel as though pain makes God retreat.  And yet, how can that be true when our Savior is a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief (Is 53:3)?

God has never been absent in our affliction - in fact, He is so near to our affliction that He took it upon Himself - ‘But He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed (Is 53:5).’

We may be tempted to believe that doing the right things means we will have an easy life - that things will go well, that God is somehow indebted to provide us with peace for not causing a raucous.  There are many examples throughout Scripture that obedience does not equal ease.  Christ was perfectly obedient to God the Father, and would any confuse His for an easy life?

The world, our flesh, and the devil beckon us toward the wide gate and the easy way.  This is a road easy, well-worn, and leading to destruction (Matt 7:13).  But Christ invites us to walk His road: ‘For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.’ (Matt 7:14)

Lord, may we walk Your road filled with your strength, close to Your heart, undivided in heart, hungry for Your truth, and in eager expectation of Your return.  Amen.

Walking,

AB

Songs As Prayers

Our songs are doing more than filling space before a sermon.

Our songs are forming us, shaping us, giving us language.

Our songs speak to us and speak for us.

Our songs instruct us as little pieces of portable theology.

But our songs are also prayers.

Prayers that say:

‘This is what I believe!’

‘This is what I desire to believe!’

‘Lord, I believe, help my unbelief!’

Our songs are confessions of sin, and professions of faith.

Our songs remind us of who we are, and who God has always been.

As worship leaders we must choose songs with wisdom and discernment.

As congregations we must sing out - not mumble - these prayer songs.

We must sing our prayers like we believe they are true.

We must sing our prayers like we are trying to believe they are true.

‘The one who sings, prays twice.’ - Augustine

September 21: Tuesday Refocus

‘Life has no other purpose than to be rendered up to God in adoration and gratitude.’ - C.F.D. Moule

All is grace.

The very breath in our lungs, placed there by God (Gen 2:7).  The beating of our hearts, the movements of our bodies and brains gifted to us by the One who knows the number of our days, and has numbered the hair of our head (Ps 139:16, Luke 12:7).

And what is the purpose of this grace and goodness?  What is the aim of this life and breath and everything (Acts 17:25)?  To glorify God and enjoy Him forever - as the Westminster Shorter Catechism reminds us.

All is grace.

All is gift.

All is given by God to be given back to God in adoration and gratitude.

‘The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein…’ Psalm 24:1

Father, would your lavish grace, goodness, and gift to us lead us to respond to you in adoration, gratitude and surrender.  Because all we do is give back to You what always has been Yours.  In Christ’s name, amen.

Grace,

AB