Labels

Labels don’t always ring true.

There’s an old practical joke that has been played on newlywed couples. They arrive home after their honeymoon, and unbeknownst to them, someone has gone through their pantry and switched all the labels from the canned goods. Dinnertime arrives and they go to open the fruit, however there’s corn inside. They wanted corn, so they open the fruit, however it is tomato soup. The labels are deceiving. Even when the labels are on the correct cans (fruit label on the fruit can), what you get when you open the can is not always what you expect. On the fruit cocktail label you see cherries covering the bowl, but when you open the can, it’s mostly peaches with a cherry or two hidden at the bottom. Do we, the church, give a true representation of who Christ is? Do we hide behind the label of “Christ follower” or is that genuine label (and the lifestyle of loving others) something that has become a natural and authentic part of our daily lives?

Labels, Labels, Labels…

I’m a daughter, mother, sister, and aunt. I’m a pianist, guitarist, composer and singer. I laugh at Monty Python, cry over Steel Magnolias, run with Forrest Gump, get adventurous following Indiana Jones, and overcome great odds with Scarlet O’Hara. I am refreshed and challenged by Holy Communion at the seashore (John 21:1-19). I am lifted up and joyful in services where contemporary Christian praise songs are sung (Ps 100:2). I am reminded of my Christian heritage found in traditional liturgy, and thankful for the saints who have come before me (Ps 52:9). I am filled with awe and wonder as I sit in a chapel listening to Bach’s notes and the people’s prayers rise up together as I contemplate the mystery of our faith (Neh 8:6).

And all that… is only a tiny fraction of who I am. How does one perfectly and succinctly describe themselves within the fullness of who they are and how they live out their lives? If I say that being a daughter is the only way to define myself, then I would miss out on the joy of motherhood. If I only play my piano and never sang again, I would feel quite empty. In our complex lifestyles, we move in so many different directions at once and can end up overloaded with information, scheduling problems, and being pulled apart by opposing ideas and values. If you and I lead such complicated lives, maybe it’s time to revisit what it really means to be one who truly follows Christ and get back to the basics of our faith.

Simplify

Is the wearing of that multitude of labels weighing you down? Are you constantly having to justify your choices regarding how you spend your time and money? Are you letting your busy life in the office, in your home, and even in your church steal your passion for Christ? I’m not suggesting that the labels in themselves are wrong. I am suggesting that life is not about the multitude of labels which can build a wall between us and Christ.

When God said that we are to love Him with everything that we are (Deut 6:5), and to worship Him using everything at our disposal (Ps 150), He is saying that He should be our focus. When we make Him the center of everything, then we begin to live our lifves using one big and enduring label, “Christ Follower.” In the simplicity of that heart-set, a new journey begins where the traveler yearns to move according to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, instead of self-focused direction. The old labels still exist and many of them retain their value, but they are moved to sub-category status that easily ranks below the authentic desire to please God first.

Different Mindset

So if pleasing God comes first before all things, then my status as a preacher or mother is not the key issue. If I am putting God first, and God has called me to preach and given me the joyful responsibility of being a mother, then God honors that God-centric lifestyle and uses the my labels within His perfect plan. If we are called to worship God in spirit and in truth (John 4:24), then should the labels of “contemporary”, “traditional” or “blended” services be the focus of worship? Should they take priority over allowing the Spirit to move beyond our preconceptions and opinions?

What if the church came together to for a unified time of seeking God and praising Him without the labels, or music, or format being the drawing factor or a stumbling block? Are you ready to wear the label “Christ follower” in a bold new way by letting Him be the center of all things? Are you ready for God to do something fresh and exciting in you? … in your community of faith? … in the world beyond your church doors?

Spending Time Together

“Mom, I’m kidnapping you, so clear you calendar for the whole day.” The invitation was made, and with that I was told to prepare for celebrating my birthday with her. My daughter wanted me to set aside the other things I might do that day, and spend time with her. I didn’t know her plan. I just knew that we would be in each other’s presence.

On “the day”, she brought me a beautiful card that told me we were about to embark on a journey of memories, and she told me how much she loved me. With that, we were off and down the road. That was basically our day. She took me places that were special in our lives and gave me more messages and gifts that spoke about how much she loved me. I was overwhelmed by it, and I knew she loved me. But just being in her presence that day, knowing that she really wanted to be there with me and tell me those things, touched my heart and gave me the opportunity to respond to her, telling her how much I loved and appreciated her. (Ahhh, what a lovefest.)

Let me tell you about another day- another lovefest. There is a day that I set aside each week, because I’ve been invited to just spend time with someone who loves me. I am given time to anticipate that day together and prepare for it. Then, when that day comes, there is a celebration. The Person who adores me comes to me and tells me how much He loves me and reminds me of the love and gifts that have been given to me that show me of His great love for me. The special time that we spend together is a time to listen to Him, and gives me the opportunity to respond to His great love by telling and showing Him how truly thankful I am that He is present in my life.

Of course, this goes way beyond a birthday celebration. This is what should happen as we celebrate and worship our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. God doesn’t demand that we worship Him just because He’s the greatest thing around (which He is). He is telling us that we are so important to Him that He wants to spend that special time together with us, AND, He wants us to want that also.

Too often we view “worship” as a block of time that we “have to do”, because we are afraid of wrath, or honor-bound to do our “duty” on that day, or simply out of habit- a habit that has lost site of the joyful anticipation of gathering with others to celebrate. Worship should be anticipated throughout the week and culminate in excitedly arriving at the church building where you enter the worship space ready to be in a communal response to God’s love. None of this arriving 10 minutes late every week because… (insert repeated excuse here). None of this half hearted singing and inward complaining about the music because… (insert gripe out too loud/ soft, too fast/slow, “we’ve done this song before”/”I’ve never heard this song before”). No quick exit afterwards to beat the church down the road to the nearest restaurant.

Instead, it is your primary concern to be there, connecting to God, connecting to one another, and preparing to go back out in the world to serve others with love. THAT… is worship… worship with a full heart of love, ready to give, ready to receive, and ready to give again. Thanks be to God.

Giving Your Best in Worship, Part II

Recently, I left the question open as to who is responsible for preparing and participating in worship. The leader, right? Let’s look at King David, a king who took leadership seriously.

When you read chapter 6 of 2nd Samuel, you read how David, being mindful of earlier irreverent acts, wanted to give God his very best in bringing the ark to Jerusalem. David gave great sacrifices and abandoned his own thoughts about being dignified in the eyes of people. David was focused on giving the best of his energy, thoughts, and possessions to God in a display that said God was the priority. David was the leader, but he was not alone in this time of praising God. Verse 15 says that, David “and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouts and the sound of trumpets.” They were in it together. They were prepared and participating in praising God- together.

Who prepares our weekly worship? Clergy? Staff? Members of the church? While it is true that the church staff (clergy and lay people) “put together” worship, they are not alone in their responsibility. Every worshipper is responsible for preparing for worship. The average person may never be a part of selecting scriptures or hymns, but there is more to it than that. Everyone should prepare for worship by reading the scripture ahead of time. Pray about it. Meditate on it. What is God saying to you about worship and the life of the church in that scripture?

As far as participation, there are more than the clergy, the choir and the ushers who participate in the worship service. Every worshipper should come prepared and ready to participate in worship by entering the worship space with awe at God’s presence and joy for the opportunity to praise Him along with all the other voices. Every worshipper should participate by being focused in on what the readings, prayers and songs have to do with honoring and revering God, and then be ready to hear and receive what God has to say to us as individuals and as a community of faith.

Yes, those who facilitate and plan the worship service readings, sermon, and music have a large responsibility as to the flow and logistics of worship. But they can not be alone in their activity. Worship is sometimes said to be “good” when the music or the preaching went well, or when something hit an emotional high during that hour. When it goes “bad”, it is the staff who have surely missed something and not created an atmosphere where the congregation is fed and filled.

The church, meaning the clergy and the laity, the staff and the membership are responsible together for giving our best in worship. We are all responsible together for preparing an atmosphere where God is the priority and where the people come together, seeking to give their best worship, their best prayers, their best quiet time of listening, their best tithes and offerings, and their best praises to the one who gave His best, His only Son for us. What are you willing to give?

Giving Your Best In Worship- Part I

(Watch for Part II on Friday)

Ask any Christian about what one should give to God and they would agree that certainly one should give their very best to God. We believe that in theory, but do we practice that belief? If we truly believe that our best is due God, then we would naturally offer our best to him in worship. Stop and ponder a moment and think about your weekly worship service and your participation in that service. How do you view that hour during the week? Is it a time for you to go and be filled? Is it a time for you to be obedient to honoring the Sabbath? Is it a time for you to sing God’s praises and teach your children?

Those are fine things to do, but when we look deeper at what worship is, we must be mindful that worship is to be God-centered, not me-centered. If the only time during the week that you are being filled with God’s presence is Sunday, there’s a problem. If you only go to worship because of duty, worship becomes a chore. If Sunday is the only time you sing God’s praise and teach your children about His love, then you are missing out. Jesus said, “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth." (John 4:23-24 NIV). We need to pray, sing and teach all during the week and be aware of God’s omnipresence in our lives, and then, being filled, faithful and eager to join our voice to others, gather for spirit-filled worship.

But how often do we drag into the church at the last minute, scurry into a seat while something “minor” is going on, and sit there with our mind on what we just left and where we need to go next? Does that show “awe” at God’s presence? Donald English, author and New Testament scholar, reminds the church that when you lose an awareness of God’s presence, worship can lose its “life and meaning.” He says:

“Hymns become merely artistic activity; prayers are moments of human reflection; the readings an intellectual engagement; and the offering is a way of sustaining the economy of the church as a human institution.”

The next question is, “whose responsibility is it to prepare and participate in worship?”

Super Fans

Superbowl Sunday is a day that a nation full of football fans look forward to with eagerness. In addition to those who tune in to see the game, there is the multitude that tune in just to see the commercials. That would be me. Sure the game is interesting, with the back story of the players and the question of the underdog versus the undefeated, but I know that I don’t appreciate the beauty of the game like some of my friends. I’ll see a long completed pass or run for the goal line and be wowed by the technical accuracy of it all, and then be satisfied briefly. It is an enjoyable experience, but my heart and mind aren’t focused on the game.

On Sunday, as I watched the game, I looked at the people in the stands and saw the excitement on their faces. They prepared for the game weeks and months ahead, making plans to be there. Calendars were marked, bank accounts checked, travel plans were made, tickets and reservations were paid for, bags were packed, and the game was attended and enjoyed. During the game, hands were waived, comments were shared, and shouts were lifted up. After the game, the trip was relived through telling the story to friends and family saying, “You have to go with us next year!” The crowd couldn’t help but show their excitement as they praised the team and showed awe and reverence for the game. Their zeal, focus and fervor sounds a lot like some scripture I’ve read:

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Ps 100:1-2

I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders. I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High. Ps 9:1-2

I will give you thanks in the great assembly; among throngs of people I will praise you. Ps 35:18

Shout with joy to God, all the earth! Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious! Say to God, "How awesome are your deeds! Ps 66:1-3

Just imagine those Old Testament folks, joining in with King David and others, rising up to praise God and “shout with joy.” Can you hear their songs? Can you see them so full of wonder that they sink to their knees and sing of God’s awesomeness? When was the last time you participated in praise and worship that unashamedly praised God and fully offered yourself in worship of your Creator? I’m not pointing to a style of service or asking when the choir or praise band was so animated and sounded so good that you felt it was safe to “let go” a little. I’m asking: When was the last time you went to worship prepared, with your mind set on hearing God’s word, with your lips eager to sing about God’s greatness, and with your heart open to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to guide you into awe inspired and joy filled celebratory worship?

As a society, we are quick to celebrate our celebrities, and proclaim our political opinions, claiming “free speech”, but we clam up when it comes to honoring God and celebrating His might. It’s a momentary bobble when we find that an office mate supports the other team, but that doesn’t stop both sides from openly discussing their “beliefs” about their team. But too often, Christians shy away from being just as open about their Christian beliefs. Too often, Christians arrive at church with little enthusiasm, expecting the preacher, the musicians, and the other members to put on a “good service”, with little input from the pews.

You, church… You, body of Christ… You, people of God, are here to respond to God’s love and His saving grace. Take time during this season of Lent to rediscover God’s greatness. Take time to read Psalms of praise and join the saints throughout history as they fill the eternal stadium, shout their unending praise, lift their hands in worship, and celebrate the One who is worthy of all praise.