DevelopingWorship Forum

I'm only four chapters into a nine-chapter book, but already I can tell you that this is one of the most insightful, challenging books I've read in a long while. It especially speaks to the way we self-sufficient Americans do church.

Let me paraphrase pages 47-54 or so: We are part of a system that has created a whole host of means and methods, plans and strategies for doing church that require little if any power from God. Rather, we substitute

* a good performance from everyone on the platform, especially the preacher and his band

* a nice building with room enough to hold the crowds that will attend the performance; every facet of it must be excellent and attractive, for our audience demands it

* once the crowds get there, we have to hook them to keep them coming back - first class, professional level programs for each age group and demographic, run by true professionals

God's power is at best an add-on to our performances, personalities, programs and professionals. What is strangely lacking is a dependence on God. We're good, and we can handle this pretty much on our own. Our skill, resourcefulness, and drive to succeed can overcome any barrier. It's the American dream!

Contrast this to Joshua at Jericho. It was his first battle as commander. At the end of Joshua 5 he wonders what lies ahead, how he will defeat the strong fortress of a city before him. A full frontal attack? A trick of some sort? Or just lay siege and starve them out? No. God had something better in mind, something that seems totally ridiculous. Simply march around the city once with all the armed men. Put seven priests with rams horn trumpets up front of the ark. That's all! Do it for six days. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing those trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast, have all the people give a loud shout. They did, and the great walls came a-tumblin' down!

That's weird! That's not how an army acts!! It will never work!!! But it did. God orchestrated it so that only He would receive praise for winning the battle. Nowhere do we read about someone coming up to those trumpet players asking for a DVD series on how to hit that high C there at the end. Nobody asked about what kind of ram's horn it was. No one asked what kind of shoes they were wearing as they marched around. Everyone knew that it was God's power that had gotten the victory!

That's not how we do it today, is it? After a victory like that, today's Joshua would build a first-class theater in which to organize great conferences, probably near a favorite family resort where would-be Joshuas could come learn how to do what exactly what he did. Those seven priests would be selling their recordings like hotcakes, and everybody would want a horn just like theirs! A rival "Joshua" would announce that he was attacking an even stronger city, and that he personally was going to march around it fifty times! (Please send money to help.)

Contrast that to the little church in Acts - a timid, scared little band of disciples huddled together in an upper room. They knew they desperately needed God's power. What are they doing? They're not plotting strategies. They are "joined together constantly in prayer." They are pleading for the power of God, knowing that without it they can do nothing. God answers their prayers, and sends the Holy Spirit. These uneducated Gentiles start speaking the gospel in multiple language so that everyone can understand. The crowds are shocked! Peter, who just a short time before had been so cowardly that he wouldn't even admit he knew Jesus, stood up and preached, under the power of God, and 3,000 people were saved. In one day! It was God at work, not the skills, knowledge or wisdom of those first disciples. They were decidedly ordinary men.

God's power is so vastly superior to ours that it is amazing that we've ever fallen for the temptation to rely on our own. "God delights in using ordinary Christians who come to the end of themselves and choose to trust in his extraordinary provision. He stands ready to allocate his power to all who are radically dependent on him..."

Sorry for the long post, but this book is grabbing both my mind and my heart, and convicting me in a big way. I recommend it!

cotten

So true mate.

I've been struggling a little with this over the last few months. God has given me a really BIG vision (that I will share with you all one day soon - promise). How can I, with limited musical skill, the resources of a church of only about 130, and a whole lot of self doubt go about making that vision a reality?

Answer is I can't. I'm constantly reminded that it will not and cannot happen in my own strength, and that the only way is by complete dependence on God and the Holy Spirit, and by absolute surrender and total abondonment of self. It sounds easy when I write it all down in one sentence like that - but it's a real struggle for me. In my day job, I work in a large corporate environment where success depends making things happen for yourself, and often by yourself - it's all too easy to get into this mode when working on the things of God, or even just leading worship on a sunday.

Thanks for the timely reminder Cotten! If you ever hear me sounding like I can do it in my own strength, will you give me a gentle nudge (or it might require a hard slap...) back in the right direction?

I'll be happy to, Mike, but not in my own strength.

cotten

I think I'll order this book. Thanks, Cotten.