I'm reading a book by that title, about worshiping as a family. I haven't read it all, so don't take this as a recommendation, but I found this to be excellent insight:
The Meaning of Worship
Worship is not a refueling to get us through another week. Worship is not a time to unwind, relax, tune out or take a mental vacation. Worship is not an hour of Christian entertainment.Worship is the surrender of our souls to a God who is jealous of our attention, time, and love. Worship is a challenge.
The way we define worship has everything to do with how we respond to worship as a family.
If worship is all about us, then we need to have someone else parent our children (or entertain them, as the case may be) while we worship. If worship is all about us, the music has to be a style we like and enjoy, hymns or contemporary praise & worship, dependent on our preferences. If worship is about us, we need to find a pastor who's style we enjoy.
BUT
If worship is about God, and not about us at all, then the style of music doesn't matter. It's worship, not a concert. If worship is about God, then we're happy to wipe our children's noses while singing praises to the God who blessed us with those precious children. If worship is about God, it doesn't matter if we like the pastor's preaching style. It only matters if the teaching is biblical.
5 comments:
I read that book about a year ago and found it to be quite good. It is full of insights like the one you posted. I was encouraged by it at a time when keeping certain little ones with me was quite the challenge some weeks.
This is EXACTLY where Kyle and I are regarding worship! He is currently reading 'Family Driven Faith' which is stirring our souls and implies many of the same concepts/ideology! My heart is heavy-laden for the way in which "The Church" of today views/regards/defines/lives-out worship... We as parents are at a place of wondering how/whether we are to live out pure, Christ-honoring worship in a fellowship of people who think and see things very differently than us, or whether we are to search for a place (that seems non-existent in our area) that shares our vision and makes true worship a reality...worship in every sense of the word! It makes it even more complex for us since Kyle is the worship leader at our church... As the Lord changes our hearts and our vision to be more in tune with His, we seem more as foreigners than family...
This has been on my heart lately for a slightly different reason ( special needs kiddos and family worship) .
May I ask though, What do you do for Sunday School? Do the kids and adults split up ? Does Everyone do Sunday school?
Or, is there no Sunday school and just worship?
At our church, there is one kids' class available for littles (under 6) during Sunday School or we can keep them with us. We actually don't go to Sunday School currently b/c it's so early (8:30am). It's a season. ;)
Ginger - This was a fantastic post and very refreshing. I can't help but think that God is stirring the hearts of many God seeking family oriented believers for a purpose bigger than will be realized in our generation. Perhaps as God's body, our lights will once again shine bright and our salt regain its savor. As a Church universal we have made a mockery or our faith by placing the focus of our worship on ourselves. What a novel and compelling thought to put it back where it rightfully belongs.
Thanks for sharing.
Ed
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