Sunday is Mother’s Day and I ask you to allow me to become a little sentimental.
I had some extra sky miles and so a couple months ago I few up to Virginia to see my Mom. She’s in an assisted living situation that is located in a very rural area. While is it is a great facility, there are no towns with in 15 miles. I have a sister who lives approximately 20 miles away and takes care of Mom as much as she can. However, there are many days and hours that Mom is left alone except for the other occupants. My visit with her went very well. She didn’t know I was coming and was elated when I walked into the room. She gave me a hug and a kiss that only a mom could give. I spent most of the day with her sharing pictures of the family and church members. She seemed to enjoy looking at grandchildren and great grandchildren, asking questions about various family members. When I left to fly back home I had an emptiness inside. What would it be like to be stuck in a building with no family around, and now ability to go anywhere? I’ll have to say it hurt me to leave. Before I left Mom, there was one thing she said and always says to me every time we talk.
“Phillip (always Phillip, not Phil), I’m proud of you.”
That is heartwarming and challenging. Heart warming in that a man’s greatest fan club is his parents, and challenging in that now I have to live up to it. I came away thinking I don’t want to disappoint my Mom. It’s great accountability. I thank God for my Mom. She’s the greatest.
Friday, May 11, 2007
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Last night at our Prayer and Praise service I asked a question that was designed to help worshipers to examine why we come together at church to worship. Are most of the things we do in worship possible in other settings? If they are, then why must we come to a church to worship? I gave it as a homework study, Below is possibly part of the answer. This is an excerpt from Rick Warrens Ministry Toolbox that is published weekly to pastors via E-mail. Read and see what you think.
"Worship is expressing our love to God for who he is, what he’s said, and what he’s doing."
We believe there are many appropriate ways to express our love to God: by praying, singing, obeying, trusting, giving, testifying, listening and responding to his Word, thanking, and many other expressions. God - not man - is the focus and center of our worship.
God is the consumer of worship Although unbelievers cannot truly worship, they can watch believers worship. They can observe the joy that we feel. They can see how we value God’s Word and how we respond to it. They can hear how the Bible answers the problems and questions of life. They can notice how worship encourages, strengthens, and changes us. They can sense when God is supernaturally moving in a service, although they won’t be able to explain it.
When unbelievers watch genuine worship, it becomes a powerful witness. In Acts 2 – on the day of Pentecost – God’s presence was so evident in the disciples’ worship service that it attracted the attention of unbelievers throughout the entire city!
Acts 2:6 says, "... a crowd came together.” We know it was a big crowd because 3,000 people were saved that day.
Why were those 3,000 people converted? Because they felt God’s presence and they understood the message.
I believe both of these elements are essential for worship to be a witness.
God’s presence must be sensed in the service. More people are won to Christ by feeling God’s presence than by all of our apologetic arguments combined.
Few people, if any, are converted to Christ on purely intellectual grounds. It is the sense of God’s presence that melts hearts and explodes mental barriers. Worship without this yields few evangelistic results.
I believe there is an intimate connection between worship and evangelism.
In the first place, the goal of evangelism is to produce worshipers of God. The Bible tells us that "the Father seeks worshipers” (John 4:23). When we recruit worshipers, that’s called evangelism.”
On the other hand, worship provides the motivation for evangelism. It produces a desire in us to tell others about Christ. The result of Isaiah’s powerful worship experience (Isaiah 6:1-8) was Isaiah saying, "Here am I, send me!” True worship causes us to witness. … Rick Warren
Why do you come to worship? Worship has a definite purpose however I am concerned that many come out of habit. That may be why some churches are dead. They have forgotten the purpose of worship. Habit is not bad. It may help us in times of discouragement. However, for worship to be truly meaningful it must have Biblical purpose.
"Worship is expressing our love to God for who he is, what he’s said, and what he’s doing."
We believe there are many appropriate ways to express our love to God: by praying, singing, obeying, trusting, giving, testifying, listening and responding to his Word, thanking, and many other expressions. God - not man - is the focus and center of our worship.
God is the consumer of worship Although unbelievers cannot truly worship, they can watch believers worship. They can observe the joy that we feel. They can see how we value God’s Word and how we respond to it. They can hear how the Bible answers the problems and questions of life. They can notice how worship encourages, strengthens, and changes us. They can sense when God is supernaturally moving in a service, although they won’t be able to explain it.
When unbelievers watch genuine worship, it becomes a powerful witness. In Acts 2 – on the day of Pentecost – God’s presence was so evident in the disciples’ worship service that it attracted the attention of unbelievers throughout the entire city!
Acts 2:6 says, "... a crowd came together.” We know it was a big crowd because 3,000 people were saved that day.
Why were those 3,000 people converted? Because they felt God’s presence and they understood the message.
I believe both of these elements are essential for worship to be a witness.
God’s presence must be sensed in the service. More people are won to Christ by feeling God’s presence than by all of our apologetic arguments combined.
Few people, if any, are converted to Christ on purely intellectual grounds. It is the sense of God’s presence that melts hearts and explodes mental barriers. Worship without this yields few evangelistic results.
I believe there is an intimate connection between worship and evangelism.
In the first place, the goal of evangelism is to produce worshipers of God. The Bible tells us that "the Father seeks worshipers” (John 4:23). When we recruit worshipers, that’s called evangelism.”
On the other hand, worship provides the motivation for evangelism. It produces a desire in us to tell others about Christ. The result of Isaiah’s powerful worship experience (Isaiah 6:1-8) was Isaiah saying, "Here am I, send me!” True worship causes us to witness. … Rick Warren
Why do you come to worship? Worship has a definite purpose however I am concerned that many come out of habit. That may be why some churches are dead. They have forgotten the purpose of worship. Habit is not bad. It may help us in times of discouragement. However, for worship to be truly meaningful it must have Biblical purpose.
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