Our Passion and Pursuit
Worship Articles
by EXW Staff
August 09, 2009
– Knowing God Intimately - By Jim Feiker
The Great commission is not to be our Great Passion. The Great Commission
Will never be accomplished if it is our passion, for we will quickly lose sight of
Who is the real source of power and authority? It is His harvest, not ours. It is
His ministry, not ours. He alone is responsible for the fruit, not us. The Great
Commission is also His problem, not ours. He is in the process of getting His
harvest completed. Our responsibility is to be unreservedly available to
Him, clean of sin, and under the power of the Holy Spirit. Never did Christ
ask us to make ministry to people our number one consuming passion in life.
We often use phrases like - "His last command, our first concern." His last
command should be our concern, but not our first concern. We say the reason
for being on earth is for the sake of the lost. That is partially true. But we are
also here for the sake of His Body, and primarily to worship and know Him.
The joy of knowing Him intimately is not reserved for Heaven. It begins now.
Our role in ministry is not to make things happen, or to do ministry for Jesus.
We are not the quarterback calling the plays, looking to the sidelines once in
awhile for coaching from Christ. Jesus Christ is the quarterback, actively and
personally involved in every move. Our role is to be a servant, a steward, a
shepherd of Christ, a colaborer with Him (1 Corinthians 3:9, 10), pointing
people to Jesus.
"The men and women who have most fully illustrated Christ in their
character and have most powerfully affected the world for Him, have been
men and women who spend so much time with God as to make it a notable
feature in their lives." "To be little with God is to be little for God." "God's
acquaintance is not made hurriedly. He doesn't bestow His gifts on the causal
or hasty comer or goer. To be much alone with God is the secret of knowing
Him and of influence with Him." - E.M Bounds
To influence people for Christ, we have to first reflect Christ. But to reflect
Christ, we must first have a passion for Him that is singular, focused that puts
Him first (as the Father does). Then our passion for Christ reflects Christ,
which leads to influence and spiritual authority in ministry.
Both ministry to God and to people is important. It is not "either-or," but
"both-and." To have a holistic scriptural view of ministry both must be
considered. But only one is to be our passion. The "Mary and Martha
syndrome" has often been the concern of Christian leaders. Should we serve
People, like Martha did or choose to only sit at Jesus' feet? Both must be in
balance. God blesses us so we might bless others. We must not selfishly hold
this relationship with God for ourselves. It must go outward to others. We
are not buckets, but channels of living water to others.
Continue >>>
Used by churches all over the world to help teach worship, the Experiencing Worship study can help your worship team too.
Your team will learn why we worship and gain a better understanding of how to worship.
One user said..."Your 5 week study course has made a tremendous impact on my life in the study of worship... I would like to express my thanks for a well written study course that leads into a higher realm of praise and worship."
This is the debut album by EXW friend Paul Langford. Paul is a Chicago based singer, arranger, keyboardist, producer and conductor. Paul has a career that spans 14 years. Paul's work includes arranging for groups like GLAD, Voices of Liberty, VoiceTrek, The Chicago based "Caroling Party" and Day of Discovery Singers. His arranging has appeared on recordings side by side with greats like Gene Puerling and David Maddux, and he has sung with Don Shelton, Bonnie Herman and Bob Bowker, among others.