Hey everyone, lets have a discussion. Here is the question. Feel free to answer this however you like.
What makes a worship gathering meaningful or powerful for you?
6 Comments
I just read Revelation 4, and there I was reminded that ultimately worship is not about what happens around us (place, style, liturgy, music, silence, clapping, etc.) but what happens in us. Do we enter God’s presence with our crowns in our hands [v.10, symbolizing our whole self], offering it to Him wholeheartedly! If I am not prepared to surrender myself to God, then no matter how ‘moving’ the gathering might be, I will not experience it deeply in my heart. My only hope is that God will break me, like Jericho, until my walls come down.
Thanks for the responses so far. Thought I would also add my own thoughts.
My heart worships better when I am alone, when I am outdoors. Somehow that is when I sense/experience the Lord most powerfully. Having said this, I am impacted at worship gatherings…
(a) When I have prepared my heart and am eagerly going in to experience God.
(b) When I forget about my role as leader, and am just one of the group, focusing on God and not on what comes next in the service, when I can just be me, when I can relax. Unfortunately, my role often makes this difficult.
(c) When something that I hear/see (in the message, in a song, in a testimony) touches me deeply, connecting to something in my own life. A profound thought in the message, or a convicting word.
(d) When the worship music leads me gently into the awareness of God, His love, His work in my life. I personally find it more meaningful to enter into His presence in a reflective, quiet, calming way. It helps ease the ‘noise’ of life that I still end up bringing with me. From the stillness, as I encounter God, I am able to move into a more upbeat, energetic expression of praise and thanks.
(e) When I do not feel pressured to do something. I can sit, when others are standing. I can close my eyes and just listen, when others are singing. Sometimes I feel the need to walk around…
(f) When the focus is not on people. I personally try not look at the worship leaders as we are expressing worship, I find it distracting.
(g) When the words of the worship music or readings seem real to me. I pay attention to the words carefully, and often find myself getting stuck, thinking, “do I really mean that?”
(h) When the whole gathering is simple, not showy or formal. I am not a big liturgy fan (this is just a personal thing, some people experience God better this way).
(i) When the Spirit moves in a surprising way. No way to plan for this, though we can hinder it.
(j) When a personal, real, simple yet profound testimony is shared. Not a “glory story” but just a real story, a God-moment, a neat experience. Especially when it is the story of someone who has been impacted/changed by God in a powerful, wonderful way. Or when someone has been through a difficult experience, and yet has experienced God through it. Oh, for more of these stories.
My response is found in / through these two songs that God placed upon my heart as I hungered /sought worship….. It’s all about God! Only when we come to a gathering prepared to offer our hearts in total surrender to God will we experience worship as He desires us to. Worship is a lifestyle and must be 24/7 – not just something we do on Sundays or whenever we come together. It’s all about the heart and must come from the depths of the heart especially in times of hurt, anger or frustration. It cannot be faked – it must be honest, completely sincere and authentic. Anything else offered to God will not be annointed or even received. Whether a meeting, a service or daily life, corporately or individually, we must place our hearts at His feet in total surrender and allow Him to do what only He can do! It’s up to me! It’s up to you! He is always ready to pour out His Spirit in worship.
TOTAL ABANDONMENT
I come to You, Lord, I quiet my heart. An off’ring of love, prepare it I pray.
I seek Your face, Your Glory I see, a moment to bask in Your Radiancy.
I reach for Your Love, I know Your embrace, my spirit soars as I worship You, Lord.
It is here that You meet me, inhabit my praise. In total abandonment, I love You, Lord.
I reach for Your Love, I know Your embrace, my spirit soars as I worship You, Lord.
It is here that You meet me, inhabit my praise. In total abandonment, I love You, Lord.
It is here that You meet me, inhabit my praise. In total abandonment, I love You, Lord.
Words and music by Karen L. Bruinsma
Copyright 2005 Karen L. Bruinsma/SOCAN
I WORSHIP YOU
I will worship You; I will lift my hands unto Your Holiness.
You alone are worthy of much more, but all I have to offer is myself.
I will lift my voice, I’ll exalt Your Name. I worship You!
I will sing Your song; I will dance Your dance for all the world to see.
You alone are worthy of much more, but all I have to offer is myself.
I will sing Your song, I will dance Your dance. I worship You!
I’ll get on my knees, I will bow before You Lord in quietness.
You alone are worthy of much more, but all I have to offer is myself.
I’ll get on my knees, I will be still. I worship You!
Words and music by Karen L. Bruinsma
Copyright 2005 Karen L. Bruinsma/SOCAN
When the worship is ‘real’
When I am honoring God and wanting to worship Him, to listen to Him and respond to Him.
When the leaders are truly worshipping, not thinking about performance but when they are meaning the words they are saying or singing. When their relationship with God is evident…
I agree with Reta; when the I and the congregation are able to participate and want to respond, and when Holy Spirit is present. He is present when the above two things happen and He comes when we invite Him in.
1. Focus on God and His awesome character (like “My King” at the leadership summit)
2. Presence of the Holy Spirit — I need to feel IT.
3. Ability to participate. It is great to watch but I need participate even if it is only singing along, raising my hands or praying through the worship.
A gathering where God is remembered and His Prophets. A gathering which inspires me, makes plain to me my faults and offers encouragement to mend them.
Hey everyone, lets have a discussion. Here is the question. Feel free to answer this however you like.
I just read Revelation 4, and there I was reminded that ultimately worship is not about what happens around us (place, style, liturgy, music, silence, clapping, etc.) but what happens in us. Do we enter God’s presence with our crowns in our hands [v.10, symbolizing our whole self], offering it to Him wholeheartedly! If I am not prepared to surrender myself to God, then no matter how ‘moving’ the gathering might be, I will not experience it deeply in my heart. My only hope is that God will break me, like Jericho, until my walls come down.
Thanks for the responses so far. Thought I would also add my own thoughts.
My heart worships better when I am alone, when I am outdoors. Somehow that is when I sense/experience the Lord most powerfully. Having said this, I am impacted at worship gatherings…
(a) When I have prepared my heart and am eagerly going in to experience God.
(b) When I forget about my role as leader, and am just one of the group, focusing on God and not on what comes next in the service, when I can just be me, when I can relax. Unfortunately, my role often makes this difficult.
(c) When something that I hear/see (in the message, in a song, in a testimony) touches me deeply, connecting to something in my own life. A profound thought in the message, or a convicting word.
(d) When the worship music leads me gently into the awareness of God, His love, His work in my life. I personally find it more meaningful to enter into His presence in a reflective, quiet, calming way. It helps ease the ‘noise’ of life that I still end up bringing with me. From the stillness, as I encounter God, I am able to move into a more upbeat, energetic expression of praise and thanks.
(e) When I do not feel pressured to do something. I can sit, when others are standing. I can close my eyes and just listen, when others are singing. Sometimes I feel the need to walk around…
(f) When the focus is not on people. I personally try not look at the worship leaders as we are expressing worship, I find it distracting.
(g) When the words of the worship music or readings seem real to me. I pay attention to the words carefully, and often find myself getting stuck, thinking, “do I really mean that?”
(h) When the whole gathering is simple, not showy or formal. I am not a big liturgy fan (this is just a personal thing, some people experience God better this way).
(i) When the Spirit moves in a surprising way. No way to plan for this, though we can hinder it.
(j) When a personal, real, simple yet profound testimony is shared. Not a “glory story” but just a real story, a God-moment, a neat experience. Especially when it is the story of someone who has been impacted/changed by God in a powerful, wonderful way. Or when someone has been through a difficult experience, and yet has experienced God through it. Oh, for more of these stories.
Oh well, just some thoughts from me. Anyone else?
My response is found in / through these two songs that God placed upon my heart as I hungered /sought worship….. It’s all about God! Only when we come to a gathering prepared to offer our hearts in total surrender to God will we experience worship as He desires us to. Worship is a lifestyle and must be 24/7 – not just something we do on Sundays or whenever we come together. It’s all about the heart and must come from the depths of the heart especially in times of hurt, anger or frustration. It cannot be faked – it must be honest, completely sincere and authentic. Anything else offered to God will not be annointed or even received. Whether a meeting, a service or daily life, corporately or individually, we must place our hearts at His feet in total surrender and allow Him to do what only He can do! It’s up to me! It’s up to you! He is always ready to pour out His Spirit in worship.
TOTAL ABANDONMENT
I come to You, Lord, I quiet my heart. An off’ring of love, prepare it I pray.
I seek Your face, Your Glory I see, a moment to bask in Your Radiancy.
I reach for Your Love, I know Your embrace, my spirit soars as I worship You, Lord.
It is here that You meet me, inhabit my praise. In total abandonment, I love You, Lord.
I reach for Your Love, I know Your embrace, my spirit soars as I worship You, Lord.
It is here that You meet me, inhabit my praise. In total abandonment, I love You, Lord.
It is here that You meet me, inhabit my praise. In total abandonment, I love You, Lord.
Words and music by Karen L. Bruinsma
Copyright 2005 Karen L. Bruinsma/SOCAN
I WORSHIP YOU
I will worship You; I will lift my hands unto Your Holiness.
You alone are worthy of much more, but all I have to offer is myself.
I will lift my voice, I’ll exalt Your Name. I worship You!
I will sing Your song; I will dance Your dance for all the world to see.
You alone are worthy of much more, but all I have to offer is myself.
I will sing Your song, I will dance Your dance. I worship You!
I’ll get on my knees, I will bow before You Lord in quietness.
You alone are worthy of much more, but all I have to offer is myself.
I’ll get on my knees, I will be still. I worship You!
Words and music by Karen L. Bruinsma
Copyright 2005 Karen L. Bruinsma/SOCAN
When the worship is ‘real’
When I am honoring God and wanting to worship Him, to listen to Him and respond to Him.
When the leaders are truly worshipping, not thinking about performance but when they are meaning the words they are saying or singing. When their relationship with God is evident…
I agree with Reta; when the I and the congregation are able to participate and want to respond, and when Holy Spirit is present. He is present when the above two things happen and He comes when we invite Him in.
1. Focus on God and His awesome character (like “My King” at the leadership summit)
2. Presence of the Holy Spirit — I need to feel IT.
3. Ability to participate. It is great to watch but I need participate even if it is only singing along, raising my hands or praying through the worship.
A gathering where God is remembered and His Prophets. A gathering which inspires me, makes plain to me my faults and offers encouragement to mend them.