A while back, a Facebook friend and fellow writer, Steve Hutson, posted an article that critiqued much of modern worship. Some valid points, some not. The resulting discussion motivated me to further explore worship. If we are to follow Jesus, what we worship and how we worship will drive the depth of our faith. At its core, worship celebrates the reality that…
Read MoreCursed by Quality
A few years back on the Sunday before Thanksgiving, our pastor made it a long week off. Most of the praise team grabbed the same opportunity. Totally deserved, by all of them. After decades as a pastor (not once leading music, praise God!), I know that spiritual leaders need recharging. Jesus patterned that for us, by the way. I suspect he knew some would slide into workaholism.
But their absence impacted the overall worship service. Our pastor does a fine job applying solid Bible truth to living as a follower of Jesus. Our praise team leads in both energetic and meditative genuine worship. And, frankly, the fill in teacher and pared down praise team just didn’t deliver the quality I…
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Image from Tee Public
LIghts Cameras Action
With your forbearance, this week’s post will depart from the pattern. Just a poem. A poem that expresses many of the concerns I’ve had for some time about the practice of our faith. A poem where I ask you to think, to pray, to ponder, to reflect. I would love to read your thoughts, either on Facebook or on the Unconventional site. Agree fully, disagree fully. Agree or disagree in part. Or questions. Concerns. Uncertainty. Yeah, pretty free wheelin’, like a long bike trip should be. What prompted this? We…
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image by Priyesh Hiwaley
Worshipping Worship
At its core, worship celebrates the reality that God has more innate worth than anything we can find in heaven or earth. Our English word comes from “worthyship,” so in worship by definition we focus on him. Get that well, it forms the foundation of all that will follow. Similarly, the most common Greek word for worship is “proskuneo” (Matthew 4:10 for one example), to fall at the feet in adoration, or to acknowledge that God is our superior. That concept scares me. Greatly.
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image by haruth.com
Passionately Pursuing Worship
Forget Judge Judy—even though reports claim she’s the highest paid woman on television. Forget Judge Wapner—even though he was the first TV judge on the old “People’s Court.” Why? Put me in a worship service, and my church seat miraculously transforms itself into a judge’s bench. Just replace Judge Judy’s pic above with mine, and you get the idea. Well, skip the best paid and the gender, but you get the picture.
I judge the music—is it loud and strong enough, too loud, or too hymn-like?
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