Lose Your Religion
Although not through biology or physiology, it is through His death, burial and
resurrection that we have been adopted into His family. It is through this blood-bought
relationship from which our worship to Him should come. God wants so much to bring us into
a deeper, supernatural dimension of worship and a broader realm of praise. As believers we
would see God for more of Who He is if we would adhere to the divine standard of worship,
rather than to the traditions we have learned over the years that make, and keep us comfortable.
I am not criticizing, or in any way speaking against the whole of church traditions.
There are some that should always remain; such as rich musical traditions, families serving
in the church together, gleaning valuable God-given wisdom from our senior saints and imparting
that wisdom to our children. But what if we really lost our religion and offered up to God that
which He most longs for? That being worship that exudes Jesus' chief requirements of spirit
and truth (John 4:24). What if we as children of the Most High moved out of our comfort zones
into the uncomfortable? What if we chose to defy the empty rituals we have internalized for
so many years and ask God to wash our hearts with His Word and fill us with His Spirit, so we
could come before Him out of a heart filled with praise, willing to offer Him honest, open, vulnerable worship?
Since over time I have come into a revelation knowledge of the truth, I have lost
my religion many times. However, there are two experiences that are most notable and dear
to my heart. I lost my religion when I received the baptism of the Holy Spirit at a Baptist
church some years ago. My Christian experience that night was free, unashamed and completely
devoid of traditionalism. I lost my religion again when I attended the International Worship
Institute for the first time. I saw God in a way I had never seen Him before. It forever
broke me from mere ritualistic worship. As a musician I learned to bring God more than a
song. I didn't want to leave His manifest presence.
You have everything to gain by losing your religion to total worship and praise.
Take off the mask of lifeless tradition and religious perfectionism and completely open up
to God. You be real with Him, and I guarantee He will be more than real with you.
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.