The Challenge of Worship and Evangelism
- By Branon Dempsey
- Published April 24, 2008
Branon Dempsey
Branon Dempsey is the Managing Editor for PraiseCharts Live as well as the Clinic Director and Founder of Worship Team Training: a ministry for local church worship ministries. Branon is a Worship Leader, Clinician and Singer/Song Writer in Cypress, TX. You can read other blogs and articles by Branon on PraiseCharts Live or visit him at www.worshipteamtraining.com.
You can also email him at branon@praisecharts.com.
In the worship of our churches today there is a popular movement of moving toward deeper levels of cultural relevancy. Music, styles and preaching formats have changed, along with the design of our environment, landscapes and architecture. Overtime, we as a people have also changed in our forms of relativity, communication and education. Our approach and purpose for worship has also shifted. However, what has not changed is God’s Word and what He says about worship. What has changed is character and make-up of our complex world. Maintaining an accurate biblical model of worship is something that seems to be in competition with style and format issues of worship services.
Do you find this to be true in your ministry surroundings? How do you make the attempt in preserving biblical worship while reaching today's people?
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7 Responses to "The Challenge of Worship and Evangelism" 
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said this on 28 Apr 2008 6:24:06 PM CDT
How would you define" the biblical model of worship "?
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said this on 29 Apr 2008 4:04:16 PM CDT
There are many verses in both Old and New Testaments that illustrate a Biblical mode of worship, one that I enjoy is Rom. 12:1 that says: "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship."
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said this on 30 Apr 2008 8:32:01 PM CDT
My all time favorite is John 4:24. " Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks." God is seeking worshipers !!! What kind? Those who will worship in spirit and in truth. What do you think that means?
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said this on 01 May 2008 4:33:21 PM CDT
in simple terms of 4:24; it means that we are to worship in the Holy Spirit and in the Truth via Logos (the Word). Our worship is to God alone according to the Word.
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said this on 15 May 2008 8:35:05 AM CDT
On a recent trip to Michigan, I visited two churches and learned a great deal from the experience. One church was clear on who they were trying to be: they wanted to be Christ on the earth. This marked their congregational gathering from the songs they sang to the announcements they made (only focused on their global outreach and local community impact initiatives) to the message. The next church we visited was trying to be MTV. Moving lights, coordinated movements by the singers (not like dancing but moving to certain positions on stage during certain portions of the song: like American Idol). They did a really ridiculous job at trying to be something the church does not do well: be the world.
My take away: the church should be the church, unashamedly. Now, 1 Corinthians 11-14 (or so) gives pretty strong edicts on the hospitality of the church, the accessibility of its teaching and "rituals". These teachings from Paul should be held in tension with our desire to be the church (we shouldn't be cloaked in mystery and unaccessible to visitors: how can we evangelize if seekers/explorers/etc don't understand what we are talking about?). Redeem the things of culture (media, acting, dance, music, etc) but "innovate" the form with the truth of God and don't mimmick. Our truth is much better than theirs. |
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said this on 15 May 2008 9:19:19 AM CDT
Wow! Love the comment on the church is trying to do something they are not good at – being the world! Great word. We are to be Christ to the world – not vice versa. We are to live in the world without being a product of it. Also true to your point, I don’t think we even understand our own terminology in church evangelism, maybe except if you are in the circle of pastoral ministry. Try asking a common church member about either reciting their church’s vision statement or have them define the word “post modern.” You may get answers like a "non-answer" to the first and “MTV” to the second.
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said this on 15 May 2008 10:45:21 AM CDT
Thanks for the kinds words Branon. I finally checked out the site and really enjoyed it. I hope to get into blogging soon my self. This is a nice outlet for some things swimming in my head as I try to get that going.
One of my passions is the verbiage of the church and the spiritual formation that happens in our worship services as we gather as the body of Christ. So when I saw that particular blog I appreciated the opportunity to share. Keep up the good work and keep asking the tough questions. We shouldn't be asking "when is the next great cd coming out" but rather "what is it that God is wanting to say to and through our Church, the body of Christ on earth." Our gatherings are the proclamation of the work of God through His Son by the Power of the Holy Spirit. What are we saying about that on a weekly basis? Is it pointed and clear or is it muddy and thin? |