Worship

17 December: Tuesday Refocus

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“God is more interested in the workman than the work.” - Warren Wiersbe

Life is as sacred as it is short. The Scriptures compare life to a vapor or mist - here only for a moment (James 4:14). We attempt to make our lives meaningful by following our heroes and historians, social media, and celebrities into earning, achieving, and accomplishing external signs of value, significance, and worth. Even as Christians, we can be tempted to believe that our lives are only as valuable as we have accomplished significant things for the kingdom of God. Yet Scripture teaches that all people are made in the image of God, and therefore their value is God-given, never achieved (Genesis 1:27).

While we are concerned with what we can create to outlast our lives, God is concerned about how we are being conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29). We want a map; God wants to walk with us (Isaiah 41:10). We want to see the way; God wants us to hear and know His voice (Isaiah 31:10, John 10:27).

Father, help us to open our hearts and lives to your work increasingly. Help us lay down our external attempts and value, meaning, and worth, for Your glory and our good. Amen.

Amen,

AB

First Disciples

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When in doubt, I default to task management. Checking things off a to-do list can seem to justify our existence like few things can. But in ministry and in the life of faith, discipleship, relationships, and community are not tasks that can be checked off a list - because they are not tasks at all. They are postures of heart, the calling of every follower of Jesus, and inextricably tied to our discipleship and formation as Christians and leaders.

Serving on a team is a great launch pad for relationship but insufficient in cultivating the kind of depth required for ongoing transformation. As a worship leader, how are you working to grow relationship with those you lead and among your team outside of a shared common task? Are you carving out time for relationship throughout the week? Are you curious about the lives and longings of the people who serve on your team? Are you aware of your own heart and how you are showing up in rehearsal, services, and the moments in between?

While we are called to disciple our congregation as we lead sung corporate worship, our ‘first disciples’ (apart from ourselves and our families) are those who serve on the platform and in the booth.

26 November: Tuesday Refocus

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“Faith is not opposed to knowledge; faith is opposed to sight. And grace is not opposed to effort; it is opposed to earning.” - Dallas Willard

Faith is not blind but is informed by the character of God. As songwriter, Sam McCabe, sings: Faiths a gamble on His faithful history, cause if you want to follow Jesus, you can’t bet on what you see.” As the depth and knowledge of our relationship with God grows, so also does our faith. Faith exists on a spectrum of belief and unbelief, which is why we must make every effort to supplement to our faith and work out our salvation with fear and trembling (2 Peter 1:5, Philippians 2:12).

Father, as we move toward Advent - would you grow our faith and knowledge, affection, and attention in the person and work of Christ? For your glory and our good, amen.

Amen,

AB

Learning To Lead In A Church Plant

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Every church and context is different. Whether an established church with large resources, and a deep bench of skilled musicians, or a church plant that is scrappy and industrious, every church and context has strengths and challenges.

As I have reflected on my experience serving in a number of church plants, here are a few things I wish I would have been able to learn sooner:

What Sustains You

Energy, momentum, adrenaline, and enthusiasm can take you farther than you would expect. But ultimately they are insufficient in their ability to sustain the long-term discipleship work of planning a church and making disciples. Once the energy is spent, moment wains, adrenaline empties and enthusiasm turns to routine - if love is not the undercurrent animating and motivating your service, you will be hollowed out.

The People

The chaotic, entrepreneurial nature of church planting is often attractive to people who enjoy starting something new. Many people who join you in the beginning will not be those who stay for the long haul. And that is okay. Some people will be with you for seasons. If and when people leave does not negate the very real investment they made in the church, or that you as a leader made in them.

Learning

As a worship leader, it takes time to learn your people. But this can be challenging when you do not even know the people who will be showing up at your church! Take time to learn about your church, your people, and the songs and liturgy that will resonate with your people. Be consistent - bordering on stale - as you plan your gatherings. There is enough uncertainty for people arriving at a church plant, keep songs familiar and regular as things take shape.

Encourage

Set up and tear down, evangelism and discipleship, learning on the job, building a team - planting a church is relentless and can be exhausting. If God in his kindness has provided one or two other people to serve on your team with sound, lyrics, musicians, or vocalists, thank him! And thank them. Notice, celebrate, and honor your people for the way they serve and sacrifice. I have been on the receiving and sending end of thank you notes, and I am always surprised how valuable these can be in feeling seen and appreciated. Buy a stack of cards, and write to your team regularly.

What would you add?

19 November: Tuesday Refocus

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‘When I want to pursue humility, whatever happens to me is okay…’ - Gary Thomas 

We love humility… in other people. Experiencing humility in others is disarming and magnetizing. But often, we run from or avoid the very circumstances and experiences in our own lives where humility can take root and grow.

“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.” James 4:10

Being conformed to the image of Christ means that humility should also deeply mark our lives. Our thoughts of and toward ourselves are based on sober judgment, not thinking more highly than we ought to think (Romans 12:3).

As we move toward the Advent season, one of the realities we are invited to remember is that Christ “…emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (Philippians 2:7-8).” And through his humility, he was exalted: “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:9-11).”

Father, would we trust that our lives are safe in your hands. That humility in us is a beautiful reflection of your heart and character. In Christ’s name, amen.

Amen,

AB

17 November: Liturgy & Set List

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  • CREATOR

    Call to Worship: Psalm 27

  • LAMB OF GOD

  • WE FALL DOWN

    Sermon: 1 Corinthians 13:4

    Scripture says, greater love has no one than this, that they would lay down their life for their friend. How do we know what love is? We look to the cross. But Scripture also tells us that when Christ died for us, we were not God’s friends, we were his enemies. And if you are here this morning as someone who has received the saving love of Christ through the cross, you have been called not just to love your family, friends, and the people you like, but your enemies. If God is able to reconcile sinners to himself as a holy God, what a small thing for him to reconcile one sinner to another. But that is not something that we can do in our own strength and ability, we need God’s help to love God, and love others. Let’s respond in song as we ask him to help us do that…

  • JESUS PAID IT ALL

  • YET NOT I BUT THROUGH CHRIST IN ME

    Benediction: Romans 5:8-11

Advent Preparation

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If I have not clarified before, I love the Church calendar. However, one of the ways I find it incredibly useful in the spiritual formation of the people of God is around the idea of longing and expectation. Advent and Lent give us as the people of a God a unique opportunity to grow the muscles of longing and expectation because we live in a world that is impatient and instantaneous. Almost anything can be delivered to our front door within 48 hours. But the seasons of Advent and Lent cannot be rushed - they can be hurried - but not rushed. The slow march to the arrival of Christ - the growing longing for His second coming. The slow setting of Christ’s face toward the cross - the slow longing for our own resurrection. These invitations we find in the Church calendar - but not in a calendar governed by national holidays and school schedules.

As you plan for yourself, your family, your team, and your church to enter the season of Advent, how will you invite them to slow their pace, set their gaze, and ponder in their hearts? These things will not naturally occur, they must be planned, cultivated, invited. This is part of our work as worship leaders, not to use our people to meet our needs and agenda but to bless our people with a clearer view of serving God and His people in the season ahead.

You might also like these other Advent resources:

12 November: Tuesday Refocus

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"God patiently waits until we are ready to trust and surrender, In other cases, we genuinely have the desire, but need more time to grow. Even though God's grace moves swiftly, all authentic human growth happens slowly. Little by little, his grace stretches us through holy desires, careful not to break us.” - Fr. Derek Sakowski

In sorrow and suffering we can be tempted to believe that God is distant. But perhaps, these realities for the children of God are not evidence of God’s distance, but of His nearness (Psalm 77). And the good news for the people of God is that God’s nearness is always our good (Psalm 73:28). He is holding our days and our longings in the same hands where are names are engraved (Psalm 31:15, Psalm 38:9, Isaiah 49:16).

Father, thank you that our lives and longings are safe in Your hands. Amen.

Amen,

AB