Autumn Ministry School part 6
Tom, our Worship and Youth Pastor, tells us about the thinking behind the Autumn ministry school he is leading on worship.
Worship School
Worship is never defined in the Bible. The attributes of worship are described but a definition is never given.
Worship is often assumed to be singing or music or the bit before the preach on a Sunday. How many times have you heard ‘Now we will go into a time of worship’ or ‘We are going to close our worship here. This may be semantics but at worship school we are learning to think outside the box of moments of singing and ‘times’ of worship.
Knowing who we worship and who we are, knowing the purpose of worship and what we are called to do with worship is our focus.
Who we worship and Who we are
Using the Bible along with the wisdom and experiences of worship leaders such as Matt Redman, Jeremy Riddle and understandings from Pete Greig we are unpacking the musical myth around worship. Of course, song and music are essential parts of our worship to God but to only see them is to neglect the wealth of gifts that God has given to each one of us to lift His name higher.
We are rediscovering the foundations for worship in paying tribute to God’s character and nature. The heart of worship is essentially the work of God the Father through His creation and re-creation through Jesus on the cross. This leads us to be certain in our identity as children of God loved by Him.
Purpose of Worship
When we acknowledge God’s nature and character, His work in redemption and give Him glory for this we will fall more in love with Jesus. We won’t fall more in love with songs, music or the vehicles of worship. Jesus is our focus and our heart’s response is to Him.
From this foundation, and the closer we get to Jesus the more we will encounter His love and the presence of God in our lives. Being sure of God, sure of ourselves, falling more in love with Jesus and encountering the presence spurs us then to share more about the love that we have found to those around us.
Who wouldn’t want to sit in the presence of the one who has made it all, paid it all and won it all for us?
In the words of the hymn by Charles H. Gabriel:
I stand amazed in the presence
Of Jesus the Nazarene
And wonder how He could love me
A sinner, condemned, unclean
Singing, how marvellous! how wonderful!
And my song shall ever be
How marvellous and how wonderful!
Is my Saviour’s love for me!
Video: I stand amazed
Thank you Tom
