Ok, so I am having a really hard time not being super excited. I have also realized that I haven't been writing like I should, and I really want to rectify that, so I decided to kill two birds with one stone. Hold on, I will be right back...
Ok, now that I have the birds cooking in the oven, I can tell you what I want to write about: why I am so excited (It should also be noted that when I get excited my jokes get far worse).
Many of you know that I have been hired as the Worship and Youth Minister at Pleasant View Church of Christ in Angola, IN. Now technically, I do not start until June 15th, but if you know me at all, you will know that I lack a certain ability to not do things. I jump in with both feet. I like to think and dream and plan. It's how God wired me, and I am totally cool with that. Obviously this means that I have already been thinking and dreaming and planning and all sorts of other things that pertain to the work that has been given to me.
This brings me to the point of this post. I want to let you all into my mind when it comes to ministry, the church, and worship. There are a couple of videos that I think sum up nicely where I am...
I want to be as contemporvent as possible. Ok, just kidding. Obviously this was a parody. I'm pretty sure that no one is looking at this video and thinking that it is exactly how church should be done. However, while I know they zero in on the fact that it is a modern worship service, but I hope that none of you focus on the style of the service as much of the heart of the service.
That is the real issue in this video and it is one of my greatest convictions in ministry. It is true that the overproduction of some modern worship services can be somewhat off-putting. It easy when there are a lot of moving parts to have to think through the impact of every small detail in the service. Because of this, it feels ridged. It is almost as if they plan the Spirit of God out of the building. But this can equally be a traditional church.
The real issue in the service of the video is a lack of authenticity. This is true in a lot of churches, from churches that have screaming electric guitars, to churches that have had the same piano and organ since they were invented, and even to churches that haven't ever used an instrument. Style does not make or break worship. There isn't a particular style of worship that solves anything. It is about the heart of worship that matters.
A word that you will hear me use way more than you will ever want to hear me say anything is authentic (this includes all variations such as authenticity). Being authentic in your worship is a choice. It is a choice to worship God even when the music isn't your favorite this means that if the worship is too old for your liking, you still choose to worship God. If the worship is too new for your liking, you still choose to worship God. We owe it to God to lend our voices to His praise.
Authentic worship isn't about what is happening on the stage. It isn't even entirely about what is happening in the church as a whole. Authentic worship is about being glad to come before God.
Hopefully this has given you some more perspective about who I am. I know that many of you at PVCC haven't had much opportunity to speak with me or dive into the depths of conversation about the Church and ministry. This is a small snapshot and I look forward to the conversations that are sure to follow with many of you. See you in a few weeks.
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