Paul's Passing Thoughts

The apostle Paul said it is the mind of Christ; but we really struggle with that—don’t we?  Christ said we live by two things: bread; and every word that comes from the mouth of God, but we really struggle with that—don’t we? The apostle said that we are to demolish every thought that is contrary to God’s wisdom, but gee—sounds harsh doesn’t it?

It happened on the way home this morning; I hadn’t done it in a along time, so I thought I would give it a try. I reached down, manipulated the necessary radio knobs, and tuned into “K-love.” First thing I hear is a (if I remember the name correctly) Kathryn Graham espousing a ministry moment. It went something like this: “When we are in the midst of suffering, we often feel like we need to do something. But God will lead us out of our suffering in His time and in His way.” Sounds good, but is it true? No, it isn’t. My readventure with K-love lasted about 30 seconds. Throughout Scripture, trials are a call to many specific actions; and in the face of what we REALLY feel like doing: nothing!—except maybe wrong thinking, which can be a worship service of the baser sort.

Speaking of worship, I got home and logged into Facebook because my daughter texted me (via FB auto-text) with a link to an article written for Crosswalk.com by a Dr. Joe McKeever (hereafter “DJ”) entitled, “7 Things We Regularly Get Wrong About Worship.” At this writing, there are 32 comments praising the article up, down, and even sideways: “SO TRUE!” etc., etc. Really? Well, let’s see:

It’s Sunday around noonish. As the congregation files out of the sanctuary heading toward the parking lot, listen closely and you will hear it.

It’s a common refrain voiced near the exit doors of churches all across this land.

“I didn’t get anything out of that today.” “I didn’t get anything out of the sermon.” “I didn’t get anything out of that service.” “I guess her song was all right, but I didn’t get anything out of it.”

Sound familiar? Not only have I heard it countless times over these near-fifty years in the ministry, I probably have said it a few times myself.

This is like dry rot in a congregation. Like a termite infestation in the building. Like an epidemic afflicting the people of the Lord, one which we seem helpless to stop.

But let’s try. Let’s see if we can make a little difference where you and I live, in the churches where we serve and worship. We might not be able to help all of them, but if we bless one or two, it will have been time well spent.

No, it’s not helpless—it’s a leadership problem. The premise of DJ’s article is totally wrong. This article shouldn’t be addressed to parishioners; it should be addressed to pastors. The student looks like the teacher, that’s what Christ said, so if we change a few leaders—we change a bunch of parishioners, not just a few.

1. You are Not Supposed to ‘Get Anything Out of the Service’

Worship is not about you and me. Not about “getting our needs met.” Not about a performance from the pastor and singer and choir and musicians. Not in the least.

Stop right there. Again, the very premise of this article is in error. It targets the wrong audience, and it feeds a gargantuan misconception among contemporary Christians—the Sunday morning assembly is NOT primarily “worship”; that’s like calling an automobile a “hubcap.” The Lord said that we are to worship God in spirit and in TRUTH. Therefore, every time we tell somebody the truth—that’s worship. Every time we teach our children a correct biblical principle and how to apply it to their life—that’s worship. Furthermore, Christ prayed to the Father that we would be sanctified by the truth, and then he said, “Thy word is truth.” Our role in all of sanctification is worshiping God via truth. When we say a kind word to our wife—that’s worship. When we speak words properly fitted for the occasion—that’s worship. When we stop to help a broken-down motorist on the way to church—that’s worship (more so than the supposed “worship” SERVICE, as we call it). And by the way, if we confront parishioners that we hear talking that way (as DJ describes) when we’re leaving church—that’s worship too.

Moreover, this statement: “You are Not Supposed to ‘Get Anything Out of the Service’” is blatant biblical error. The apostle Paul made it clear to the Corinthians that EDIFICATION is one of the primary purposes of gathering together.

2. Worship is About the Lord

“Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name.” That Psalm 29:2 verse atop our article today is found also in I Chronicles 16:29 and Psalm 96:8. It deserves being looked at closely.

a) We are in church to give. Not to get.

Again, this is only half true, and if pastors teach their students how to worship during the week, they will know how to worship when they come to the Sunday morning assembly. Parishioners who don’t know how to worship on Sunday, don’t know how to worship on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday. But in this article, DJ offers “biblical” support for how Christians should do ‘Sunday worship.’ DJ doesn’t get it.

c) We do so because glory is His right. He is “worthy of worship.”

This is the theme of the final book of the Bible. 

• “Who is worthy?” (Rev. 5:2) 
• “You are worthy…for you were slain, and have redeemed us” (Rev. 5:9). 
• “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain” (Rev. 5:12).

No it isn’t; worship is NOT the theme of Revelation—that’s utter nonsense. “The” (theme) is a definitive article, but there are many primary themes in Revelation. Grammatically, THE theme is, “The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place.” And, “Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later.” It amazes me how Christians readily accept anything that sounds good, as truth.

3. Self-centeredness Destroys All Worship

If my focus is on myself when I enter the church–getting my needs met, learning something, hearing a lesson that blesses me, being lifted by the singing–then Christ has no part in it. He becomes my servant, and the pastor (and all the other so-called performers) are there only for me. It’s all about me.

This is partially true, but the last thing you ever want to teach any Christian is that they shouldn’t come to church with LEARNING as one of their motives (later, he even writes, “learning the Word” as an example), and an expectation for the teachers of that church to deliver! In fact, husbands / fathers in particular have a duty before God  to expect just that and nothing less. Furthermore, “self-centeredness” doesn’t destroy “all worship,” it creates opportunities for worship if the person is confronted and discipled. In fact, one of the specific purposes stated in Scripture for assembling together is not even discussed by DJ: “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

We have strayed so far from the biblical concept of worship–giving God His due in all the ways He has commanded–it’s a wonder we keep going to church. And it’s an even greater wonder that our leaders keep trying to get us to worship.

The poor preacher! Trying to cater to the insatiable hungers of his people, even the best and most godly among them, is an impossible task. One week he gets it right and eats up the accolades. Then, about the time he thinks he has it figured out, the congregation walks out grumbling that they got nothing out of the meal he served today.

Note: supposedly, the parishioners are the problem. This mentality is not indicative of godly leadership. In an open forum where mid-week small groups were being discussed by a group of pastors, one said he was against small groups because they foster clicks. I suggested the following to the group in response: the possibly of that result is a leadership issue. All self-centeredness isn’t bad; hence, more pastors need to look in the mirror—some don’t even know what a biblical definition of worship is to begin with.

4. Evangelism & Discipleship, Giving & Praying, Grow Out of Worship; Not the Other Way Around

The disciples were worshiping on the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit filled them and drove them into the streets to bear a witness to the living Christ (Acts 2).

Isaiah was in the Temple worshiping when God appeared to him, forgave his sins, and called him as a prophet to the people (Isaiah 6).

It was in the act of worship that the two distraught disciples had their eyes opened to recognize Jesus at their table (Luke 24).

This is a leadership cliché that is presently in vogue in our day—that ALL doing flows from worship (ie., singing with hands in the air, self-depravation, etc., etc.). Again, worship is doing (whatever the doing is, including singing) and doing is worship (James 1:25,26, and especially 27)—the two cannot be separated unless done for wrong motives. Though the verses cited above have what DJ calls “worship” as first in order, these verses do not say: “All doing flows from worship.” That’s an assumption. Besides, just as many verses in Scripture reverse the order (for example, Philippians 4:8,9).

5. We are to Give Him Worship and Glory in the Ways Scripture Commands

I don’t take issue with this statement except for the following: he seems to limit “worship” to some kind of emotional experience—“The Lord Jesus told the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well, ‘Those who worship God must worship in spirit and in truth’ (John 4:24). That is, with their inner being, the totality of themselves, their spirit, not just their lips or their bodies going through the motions.” Nevertheless, in regard to DJ’s point, if you go to a church where the music is taken from Favorite Funeral Songs of All Time, and the praise leaders are hyper-geriatric, how do you get the whole, “with [your] inner being, the totality of [yourselves], [your] spirit, not just [your] lips or [your] bodies going through the motions” thing going? He doesn’t say. These kind of nebulous truisms are the order of our day, and indicative of why instruction / teaching / doctrine cannot be dissected from worship.

No pastor can decide or dictate whether we will worship by the quality of his leadership or the power of his sermon. Whether I worship in today’s service has absolutely nothing to do with how well he does his job.

Common sense should tell one that this is a ridiculous statement. Especially this part: “Whether I worship in today’s service has absolutely nothing [emphasis mine] to do with how well he does his job.” If this is true, what do we need pastors for to begin with? Surely, if they are a “gift” from Christ to the church, they must be more important than that!

When Mary sat before the Lord Jesus, clearly worshiping, He informed a disgruntled Martha that her sister had “chosen the good part,” something that “will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:42). That something special was time spent in worship. Such moments or hours are eternal.

Lest someone point out that Martha could have worshiped in her kitchen by her service for Christ, we do not argue, but simply point out that she was not doing so that day.

Mary was sitting at the feet of Jesus being TAUGHT. It was a teaching session. I thought DJ said people shouldn’t come to church with an expectation of being taught—which is it? DJ likens it to worship, soooo, I’m getting confused—but I guess that’s my fault!

Even if a church has no pastor and has to make do with a stuttering layman or some inept fill-in, I can still bow before the Lord, offer Him my praise, and give Him my all. I can humble before Him and I can bring my offering.

Offering? In that situation, explain, “offering.” It sounds good, but what in the world does DJ mean by that? In this article, we have seven things we get wrong about worship, but the fact that DJ doesn’t add corrective instruction is the hallmark of contemporary teachers. What, and maybe some why’s, but no how’s. The article made the readers feel good while saying, “amen!”—but what now?

Lastly, when one interacts with the Christian landscape around us, a constant flow of contradiction in music, speech, conduct, and wisdom is perceived when compared to the mind of Christ. Whatever happened to the Bible? Whatever happened to the light unto our path? Whatever happened to what makes us fully equipped for every good work? And whatever happened to the ability to apply biblical truth to real life?

paul