Participating in the small, family-style worship services up here at Cardinal Village has been a powerful building block in this leadership training that the Lord has walked me through since I first lead worship at Chapel Hill years ago. From the beginning it's been an intense process of learning how to tear my gaze from my selfish desire to win people's approval and fix my eyes on Christ. Success is not based on me or how well I do.
I guess I was a bit arrogant when I first got here and started talking to people about the songs they liked to sing. I've been in the mindset of boycotting a lot of the popular worship songs that aren't 100% conformed to Reformed theology, so when a lot of the songs suggested to me seemed too simplistic or a bit "I" focused, I balked a little bit. I have heard those songs as being labeled as emotionally manipulative or self focused, but maybe I just got a little caught up in theological-elitism.
It was Ken that challenged my perspective in our opening conversations about leading worship at this service here at Cardinal. He told me something that knocked me over:
Think of that! The Spirit of God is bursting in our hearts to give the Lord passionate praise! Galatians 4:6 says that because we are now sons of God through Christ, we are filled with the Spirit of the Son of God who cries "Abba, Father!" The greek word in there for "cries" is krazo, which literally means to cry out with a loud voice. The Spirit is passionately acknowledging our sonship in Jesus; bringing, as Pastor Steve says, the gospel to the forefront of our hearts.
Each group of worshippers have different songs that lead them to that place of letting the Spirit respond to the Father through their voices. Some of them might not be as theologically savvy as the songs I like and that's ok. Its the Spirit that illuminates to our hearts the theological truth of the songs we sing in worship, not the words. We can sing the most simplistic song to the Lord, and the Spirit will use it to show us the truth of the gospel. Having good theology is important, but I think worship is about giving voice to the passion of the Spirit inside of us that already longs to praise the Father.
God understands theology so much better than we do! We can trust him to reveal it to us when we cry "Abba, Father!"
I guess I was a bit arrogant when I first got here and started talking to people about the songs they liked to sing. I've been in the mindset of boycotting a lot of the popular worship songs that aren't 100% conformed to Reformed theology, so when a lot of the songs suggested to me seemed too simplistic or a bit "I" focused, I balked a little bit. I have heard those songs as being labeled as emotionally manipulative or self focused, but maybe I just got a little caught up in theological-elitism.
It was Ken that challenged my perspective in our opening conversations about leading worship at this service here at Cardinal. He told me something that knocked me over:
The Spirit inside of our hearts longs to praise the Lord.
Think of that! The Spirit of God is bursting in our hearts to give the Lord passionate praise! Galatians 4:6 says that because we are now sons of God through Christ, we are filled with the Spirit of the Son of God who cries "Abba, Father!" The greek word in there for "cries" is krazo, which literally means to cry out with a loud voice. The Spirit is passionately acknowledging our sonship in Jesus; bringing, as Pastor Steve says, the gospel to the forefront of our hearts.
Each group of worshippers have different songs that lead them to that place of letting the Spirit respond to the Father through their voices. Some of them might not be as theologically savvy as the songs I like and that's ok. Its the Spirit that illuminates to our hearts the theological truth of the songs we sing in worship, not the words. We can sing the most simplistic song to the Lord, and the Spirit will use it to show us the truth of the gospel. Having good theology is important, but I think worship is about giving voice to the passion of the Spirit inside of us that already longs to praise the Father.
God understands theology so much better than we do! We can trust him to reveal it to us when we cry "Abba, Father!"
what a pretty site! but your words are such a great reminder. i hope you put this out there, but whatever, i love you! thanks for putting words to your good thots! love it!!!!
ReplyDeleteoh Allie, what fun!
ReplyDeleteThis is beautiful!
love you right back Dear One!
xog
Amen, sister!! Keep preaching it! We are all on a marvelous, miraculous journey to find how best to connect with our Savior through worship, and these words are a reminder for me to dig deeper...to let my spirit connect deeper with the Spirit! And I love to be reminded of that!! hugs!
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