The Heart of Worship - Today's Christian

From: Subject: The Heart of Worship - Today's Christian Date: Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:23:39 +1000 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/related; type="text/html"; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0000_01C89AA1.1FAEF130" X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3198 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0000_01C89AA1.1FAEF130 Content-Type: text/html; charset="utf-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://www.christianitytoday.com/tc/2007/001/2.27.html =EF=BB=BF The Heart of Worship - Today's Christian

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Home = > Today's=20 Christian > Build=20 Your Faith > Spiritual=20 Growth

Today's Christian, January/February = 2007

The Heart of Worship
What it is, and what it isn't. An = interview with=20 Saddleback Church's Rick Muchow.
Interview by Dawn = Zemke

Rick = Muchow

Contemporary, traditional,=20 blended=E2=80=94lately worship has become a divisive, = rather than=20 uniting, force in our churches. Rick Muchow, worship = leader at=20 Purpose-Driven Life pastor Rick = Warren's=20 Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, is = author of The Worship Answer Book (J. = Countryman). TC=20 talked to him recently about what worship is, and what = it=20 isn't.

What is=20 worship?
Any expression of our love to = God=E2=80=94for who=20 He is, for what He's said, and for what He's doing. = The Bible=20 says, "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, = do it=20 all for the glory of God" (1 = Cor.=20 10:31). Worship is a physical expression of our = spiritual relationship with Him.

What's = the most=20 common misperception about worship?
That = it's=20 synonymous with music. The Bible does mention music as = being=20 one way to worship. But Jesus exemplified many ways of = worshiping=E2=80=94through obedience, teaching, = reading and quoting=20 Scripture, prayer, fasting, and giving.

Is there = a wrong way=20 to worship?
Focusing on yourself. There's a=20 difference between "service" and "serve us." A lot of = people=20 go to church for what they're going to get out of it. = But it's=20 not about us. Though we benefit from worshiping God, = that's=20 not why we should do it. You don't love your kids for = what you=20 can get out of it. You love them because you love = them.

How can = we keep the=20 focus on God?
Understanding what the Bible = has to=20 say about worship=E2=80=94that God commands it, that = it must be done=20 in love, with humility and reverent fear, and that it = involves=20 surrendering your entire life as an offering to = God=E2=80=94will keep=20 our focus true.

How can a = smaller=20 church with limited resources compete with = megachurches that=20 are able to offer multiple styles of worship=20 services?
Churches should be encouraged to = be=20 themselves, to find their own identity and not try to = cater to=20 an audience as if it were entertainment. The question = our=20 churches should be asking is not "How can I compete = with the=20 church down the block?" but "What has God called our = church to=20 be? What is our mission field in this community?" The = goal is=20 to reach people for Christ. We'll need many different = styles=20 of worship and expression to reach them all.

Copyright =C2=A9 2007 by the author = or Christianity=20 Today International/Today's Christian = magazine.
Click=20 here for reprint information.
January/February 2007, Vol. 45, No. 1,=20 page 27

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