You'll notice a new book "on my nightstand" in the sidebar. It's Warren W. Weirsbe's, Real Worship. I've read many of Weirsbe's books and I count him a personal favorite amongst a handful of other authors. He cuts to the chase and I like that. Here's an example of his forthrightness for you to chew on: "If we look upon worship only as a means of getting something from God, rather than giving something to God, then we make God our servant instead of our Lord, and the elements of worship become a cheap formula for selfish gratification."
He goes on to discuss the our call in Romans 12 to be transformed, not conformed. In spite of this calling, many Christians steer away from transforming worship. He believes the reason for this is that the consequences may be dangerous. We don't want to "pay the price" of leaving what's comfortable. He follows with...
"when transformed believers show up in a crowd of conformers, people are immediately threatened by their presence--and this can lead to some difficult situations in homes and churches. Transformers don't create problems; they reveal them!
Transformers are participants, but most Christians want to be spectators. Most Christians are content to attend church, give their money, and allow a professional staff to 'lead in worship' and provide religious entertainment Sunday after Sunday.
Transformers patiently wait for the Spirit to change them and make them more like the Saviour, but most church members want immediate results that can be categorized and computed. The transformer looks for fruit while the conformer calculates results.
Transformers quietly resist the 'celebrity attitude' that marks the church today, with so many professed believers taken up with 'famous Christians' that their dedication to them almost becomes cultic. A believer with the renewed mind is happy to hear God's Word from any sincere servant of God, known or unknown; but other Christians insist on listening to the 'leading expositors of the day' and the media superstars.
Transformers trust God to do His work as they worship, pray, and sow the seed of the Word, but conformers run from seminar to seminar, seeking to discover new techniques for getting God's work done in this world with more speed and less personal cost. They often follow the latest fads without asking where these fads originated or on what biblical principles they are founded.
Transformers have different set of values from that of their conforing friends. They're not impressed by budgets and buidings, but they doo look for fruit that glorifies God. To them, it is more important to care for they needy than to build another fuilding or start a new organization that really isn't necessary.. Transformers might rather see a growing fellowship divide and start a new church where one is needed than unite to build a larger sanctuary.
Transformers aren't concerned about getting the approval of the world or being popular with the world's leaders. They're content to live to please the Lord and serve others. If they are noticed, they get embarrassed; if they are unnoticed, they rejoice.. So-called Christian celebrities don't excite them, particularly those of the "Hollywood" variety who sing in nightclubs on Saturday night and in a church service on Sunday morning.
...if you decide you want to pursue a meaningful worship experience, don't expect much encouragement from the average church member. True worship examines and exposes the depths of our being; God helps us see our true motives and values. In worship, God calls us to wholeness; but first reveal our brokenness and our blemishes. He calls us to spiritual health, but first He must expose our 'wounds and bruises and putrefying sores' (Isaiah 1:6), and we can't go elsewhere for a second opinion."
Well there ya have it! And in the spirit of candidness, in the side column of my little book I have a big "YIKES" written next to the very words in the above quotes. These truths are not something any of us want to hear, but something we need to hear in order to prepare our hearts for that transformation Paul speaks of in Romans. I'm up for it, are you?
posted by Kushmama @ 5:09 PM
3 Comments:
Kelli and I both have read this. It is a great book. I like it so much that I have the student worship team members read it as well. I was blessed by it!
It's knocking my socks off! So glad to hear you enjoyed it, too.
I'm passing it along to a good friend who I know will enjoy it as well.
What a great idea to have the worship team read it. That could cause some real transformation!
this was refreshing to read...thank you for sharing it.
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