Worship Has To Stay on Our Radar
I was shocked!
Some things will shock us by their presence and others catch our attention when they are absent. In this case, it was the absence of a very critical part of the Christian life that grabbed my attention.
I gathered with a group of denominational leaders yesterday to continue a process that is already almost two years down the road. Thousands of church leaders have met, prayed, conversed, innovated, and expressed their thoughts on one specific topic: What desired future do we want to see in the church?
I was delighted to see a heavy emphasis on Mission/Evangelism/Church Multiplication/Outreach… call it what you will. In our gathering this was a consistent and strong theme. I was also encouraged to see a strong focus on Discipleship/Spiritual Formation/Christian Maturity. This also rose to the surface in most of the cluster groups.
What did not really show up in any of the reflections from past gatherings or in any of the groups at our gathering was worship. There was no attention paid to this and no goals or direction to make this an emphasis in the churches represented in this gathering. I was surprised.
Maybe it was an oversight.
Maybe it is assumed.
Maybe the feeling is that we already do this well and the other areas need more emphasis.
Whatever the reason, it caught my attention. If the first and greatest commandment is to love God with everything we have… heart, soul, mind, and strength, I think that worship should always be on the top of our list for the church and our personal lives. Reaching out is contingent on intimacy with God. Spiritual growth comes as we are near God and responsive to His Spirit. As you start a new week, make sure you are worshipping God as you walk through your days and as you gather with God’s people.