Worship Studies by Stephen M. Newman Pastor of Worship and Arts January 23, 2002

Finally, there is hope for every church. No matter what the background or makeup of your church body, they can become a worshiping church. We are all on a spiritual journey, but we are all not at the same place in our Christian walk. We don't pray the same, study the Bible the same, or worship the same. The important thing is that we all continue to grow in our walk with the Lord. We need to pray more, read and study more, and share Christ with our lost friends and neighbors more. The most important pursuit we can work on is our relationship with the Father.

I challenge you that, if you are in a church that is not a visible worshiping
church, you hang tough and teach them. Too many times we want the easy road. Though some of us are not called to teach, it must be a part of our ministry. You show me a person who has been in a leadership position for a number of years, and I'll show you a person that has impacted those around him. If we keep after the goal of teaching our people to worship through our example and life, they will learn to grow as worshipers.

I have a good friend that I spend a lot of time with. Before I met him he used to come thirty minutes late to every service. He purposely avoided the "music" portion of the worship service. It wasn't that he didn't like the music, but he didn't understand worship. He thought of it as merely a music service. Through conversation, sharing my heart, and allowing him to see what worship is really like, he has become one of the most awesome worshipers in our church. He understands what worship is and has become a true worshiper. What an exciting journey it has been to see him grow to where he is now! There are times now when he will stay for both services just to worship.

This same story could be shared again and again of other individuals who have grown in their understanding of worship and its place in the life of the Christian. Each week it delights me no end to see the number of people who are growing in their worship. What was once a music service has now become a worship service. I am not saying that everyone in the church is a worshiper, but that many have stepped out because of the example and lifestyle of those who lead worship from week to week. God is moving here and wants to move where you are.

To some it may seem as though your church will never get there. You may feel that they will never get to the point where you are or where you would like them to be. That's all right. Worship is a God thing and not a man thing. It's all about God. When He decides to bring a worship revival to your church, it will be in His timing and not yours.

There are some exciting days ahead for the church. Worship is exploding across the country and the world. People are coming to Christ through worship services. Young men and women are hungry for a fresh touch from God. Many are receiving it at college worship revivals. Keep after it and do not get weary, because the Lord has called you to the place you where you are at for a reason. Make sure you are there for the right reasons, and when you leave make sure they are for the right reasons. Worship is a slow learning process, as are a host of other spiritual disciplines. Be careful not to judge the church's worship temperature with the wrong thermometer. Many worship leaders look to the "model" churches as a guide on how the people are to worship. Don't fall into that trap, but let your people worship God in their own ways and keep from manipulating them into a specific trend. The results will be huge for both you and the church when you become a worshiping church of the living God together.

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