Archive - May, 2010

[QOTW] Surveying the Crisis of Worship

May 27, 2010 in QOTW, Worship with 0 Comments

There is a crisis of worship in our land. People are staying away from church in droves. One survey indicated that the two chief reasons people drop out of church are that it is boring and irrelevant. If people find worship boring and irrelevant, it can only mean they have no sense of the presence of God in it. When we study the act of worship in Scripture and church history, we discover a variety of human responses to the sense of the presence of God. Some people tremble in terror, falling with their faces to the ground; others weep in mourning; some are exuberant in joy; still others are reduced to a pensive silence. Though the responses differ, one reaction we never find is boredom. It is impossible to be bored in the presence of God (if you know that He is there). Neither is it possible for a sentient creature to find his or her encounter with God a matter of irrelevance. Nothing—and no one—is more relevant to human existence than the living God.

- R.C. Sproul via www.ligonier.org via Of First Importance.

Worshiping Together: 5/23/10

May 26, 2010 in Sunday Setlist with 1 Comment

This week was another week of the “Improving Our Serve” series. Our focus this week was what it meant to serve like Jesus. That concept is tossed around a lot, but not always fully understand. Our primary focus was Philippians 2:5-11. We also had some other special elements this week.

Our series mascot, Skip, made a live appearance this week. Instead of a video, Skip was interviewed live about what he had learned so far about serving. It was great to have him as part of the service, and to have him help us bring serving around to the spiritual side of things. Don’t worry, there was some characteristic Skip elements, too.

This was also the Sunday where we take some time to focus on graduates and youth. They were involved more in various aspects of the service. Click through to find out more… Continue Reading…

[QOTW] All blessings are grounded in the blood of the Lamb

May 20, 2010 in QOTW with 0 Comments

As I considered our expression of communion during May, this quote seemed quite fitting.

“All Christian blessings and resources are grounded in the blood of the Lamb.

Do you find yourself accepted before this holy God? If so, it is because of the blood of the Lamb. Have you received the blessed Holy Spirit? He has been poured out because of the blood of the Lamb. Do you have the prospect of consummated eternal life in glory? It was secured by the blood of the Lamb.

Are you in the fellowship of saints, brothers and sisters who love Christ, the church of the living God, a new body, the body of Christ on earth? This is bought, secured, and constituted by the blood of the Lamb. Are you grateful for the spiritual armaments that Paul tells us to deploy (Ephesians 6)? The entire arsenal is at our disposal because of the blood of the Lamb. May we go to God in prayer? It is because of the blood of the Lamb. Do we find our wills strengthened by the Spirit? That incalculable benefit was secured by the blood of the Lamb.

Every whiff of victory over the principalities and powers of this dark age has been secured by the blood of the Lamb.”

—D.A. Carson, Scandalous: The Cross and Resurrection of Jesus(Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2010), 99

[Video] A Special Message from Skip

May 19, 2010 in Creative Worship Element, Media with 2 Comments

This past Sunday (May 16), our friend Skip offered us a special message about how to have a “powerful” serve.

Worshiping Together: 5/16/10

May 18, 2010 in Sunday Setlist with 1 Comment

This week we continued in our series “Improving Our Serve.” We took a look at what it means to have fruitful service that is empowered by Christ and not out of our own self. Our basis was a number of lessons that can be learned from the Christ’s teaching about the vine and branches in John 15:1-8.

Our time of worship through music drew our attention to the sufficiency of what Christ has already done and that in Him and Him alone is everything we need for life and godliness. We don’t serve to earn or maintain our salvation, for that is found in Christ alone. When we have a right perspective, our life and service flows out of Christ and we find joy and song in the complete work of Christ in us for the Father’s glory.

As with other weeks in this month, we had some special elements, but everything seemed to work together as we worshiped this past Sunday. Continue Reading…

[QOTW] The Economics of God

May 13, 2010 in QOTW with 0 Comments

“When sin is depicted as a debt, the New Testament calls Christ our Surety (Heb. 7:22). That’s an economic term, just as debt is an economic term. With this language, the Bible tells us that Christ is the One Who cosigns the note. He is the One Who stands there, backing up our indebtedness, taking on Himself the requirement of what must be paid.”

- R. C. Sproul,The Truth of the Cross (Orlando, FL; Reformation Trust Pub., 2007), 42.

[Video] Skip Tries to Serve Others

May 12, 2010 in Creative Worship Element, Media with 0 Comments

Worshiping Together: 5/9/10

May 11, 2010 in Sunday Setlist with 0 Comments

This week we continued in the “Improving Our Serve” series as we focused on what it means to serve even when people don’t accept or receive the service well. The title was “Serving Buzzards and Crows”, and it raised some eyebrows since it was Mother’s Day. We spent time in 1 Peter 2:11-12 and 1 Peter 3:15-16.

The challenge with May in our church is that during this month there are so many different elements to coordinate. It can create some challenges in creating a smooth flow of worship that allows people to hear from God and respond to Him. Honestly, I felt that this week’s service was a bit “bumpy,” but others have said that it all seemed to work. I’ve learned that when I think it’s not so great, God still uses our faithful offerings to draw people to His presence. Continue Reading…

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