Why Worship Together?

In a first (as far as I know) in Stokesdale, we are having a multicultural, bilingual worship service on Friday, January 13, 2017. Oak Springs Baptist Church, a predominantly black church, will host this event in cooperation with Iglesia Luz de Jesuscristo, a Hispanic church, and Crossroads Community Church, which is mostly white. I've known the pastor of Oak Springs for years, and recently met the pastor of Iglesia. I count both of these men as friends.

Why is this worship time a big deal? Maybe it's just a big deal for me. God has shown me how limited my perspective is. I am beginning to see how much Christians need each other, especially those from different cultures.

For too long I have seen my ways and perspectives as normative. That is, I'm normal, and everything else is a deviation from "normal." I felt like God saw me as normal, and saw everyone else as, well, different, but OK. Yeah, that's kind of sad. It's like the universe would need to be measured according to me as the standard. How much more egocentric can you get?

Now I see that God loves all kinds of people, and I'm just one flavor. But here's the big insight. I need other people who are different from me. I need to see how they worship. And I need to have some of what they have.

I'm grew up with dignified worship, where people are fully in control of every facet of expression: standing, sitting, unison, solo, loud, quiet. All of this is carefully scripted in the order of service. We don't want people getting too excited about God, you know. Just keep it under control. And with us in control, we have predictable, manageable worship. We keep God on a leash and arrange everything for him.

But I believe God does want us to become carried away with him. He wants us lost in his mystery, begging for his intervention, caught up in his glory. This is where cultures besides mine have it right. We can call out to God from the depths of our souls. We can sing our hearts out. We can get excited about the One who loves us and walks with us and gave Himself up for us!

So I need to be around people who get this. I need to see how inhibited my own worship is. I need to approach God with abandon. Now, it is possible that others can gain something from observing my worship, too. I'm not sure what it is, though.

Worshipping with people different from myself is only a start. I want to develop deep friendships. Jesus gave his life to break down the barriers that separated people. Over the centuries, we have carefully built them back up. We do need each other. We can serve together, do life together, enjoy social occasions together, build the kingdom together.

We are all created in the image of God. To understand God better and love him more, we need to appreciate the diversity of the people he has made.

Come, be a part of something new. Let God stretch you as we approach his throne together. We all have something to learn. And we all need to give glory to God.

Stokesdale Multicultural Worship Service
7 p.m. Friday, January 13, 2017
Oak Springs Missionary Baptist Church
9070 US Highway 158
Stokesdale, NC  27357

Christmas on Sunday: Uh oh...

Occasionally Christmas falls on a Sunday--about one-seventh of the time, I would think. I have to admit that I don't like it. It messes with our Sunday routine and our Christmas routine. This interruption forces us to make choices, and it may make us think a little more clearly.

How is a Christian to celebrate Christmas on a Sunday? Some will bag the church service entirely; some will opt for part, but not all, of the Sunday services; some will probably go all out for Christmas at church.

Of course that will depend on what their church is offering.

Some churches have cancelled services entirely on December 25.
Some churches will have streamlined services, like we will at Crossroads.
I imagine that some churches may have even more elaborate services than usual.

Christmas on Sunday brings to my mind some questions.
Isn't Christmas all about Jesus? Isn't church all about Jesus? If so, wouldn't it be twice as celebratory to have both on the same day?

Or maybe Christmas is about family, food, decorations, music, and gifts. We have to consider our stated beliefs in light of our practices.

But at the same time, there is grace and freedom in Jesus. Celebrating Christmas (which is never called for in the Bible) should not become a legalistic requirement. Even Jesus missed some weekly synagogue services. Can we skip church on Christmas, and truly celebrate the freedom we have in Christ?

Do we really celebrate Jesus in our Christmas family gatherings? Or is Christmas just a good occasion to gather family and friends?

Maybe I'm the only one to get so analytical here. Or maybe a lot of believers are thinking this, and I'm just saying it.

Here's my encouragement to you: Let Jesus break through to you as you celebrate his birth on Sunday this year. Enjoy your freedom in Christ, purchased for you on the cross. Know that he came for you and longs to enjoy your fellowship--whether that is around the fireplace, the dinner table, or in a worship service.

Receive the blessing of Jesus this Christmas!

In the Beginning

Stokesdale Elementary School Cafeteria

It was 16 years ago today that Crossroads Community Church held its first public worship service.  For months we laid the ground work, doing door-to-door surveys, hosting events at my house, and looking for meeting space.  We found guest vocalists to bring some sound equipment and sing along with our music leaders for our launch.  For weeks we had promoted the event with posters, fliers, doorknob hangers, ads in the Northwest Observer, and an insert in the Greensboro News & Record.  We rented the Stokesdale Elementary School cafeteria, and prayed for good weather.

Earlier in 2000, there were several good snows.  I love snow, and had a blast playing with my family.  But then I realized that snow could really shipwreck our launch service.  Suddenly I began praying for milder weather.  On February 13, 2000 it was misty and foggy, but above freezing.  And I was a nervous wreck. 

We had volunteers setting up tables, greeting worshippers, serving snacks, and working the children's ministry.  A Sunday School class from Osborne Baptist Church in Eden provided support by showing up to worship.  My dad took pictures with a film camera.  I preached on "Getting the Love You Want," a nod to Valentine's Day.

I had no idea what I was doing, but believed God could make kingdom work happen in Stokesdale.  He has done that.  He has gathered a unique, talented, passionate, innovative, caring, risk-taking community at Crossroads.  And the ride has just begun.

On February 21, 2016 we will host the Crossroads Sweet Sixteen Celebration, recalling God's blessings and responding to his call.  Join us at 10 a.m. as we worship and give the glory to God!

Fighting the Contempt of Familiarity

They say that familiarity breeds contempt.  I know young folks who don't want to get jobs at their favorite establishments, because they don't want to lose the exhilaration of eating or shopping there.  Workers at Starbucks can no longer smell coffee.  Workers at Christmas tree lots can no longer smell the Frasier firs.  When I worked at a bank, I came to hate the smell of money.

It's not just about the smells.  I wonder if cast members at Disney World soon lose the sense of magic in the Magic Kingdom.  When you are around something all the time, it loses its special feel.

Sadly this can happen in the kingdom of God.  Paid workers and volunteers in Christian ministries can get bogged down in routine operations and miss the wonder of the grace of God.  Even telling people about the grace of God can become routine.  We understand the mechanics of the work of Jesus and lose the wonder, gratitude and awe.

That's why I need to worship.  As our band sang a new song yesterday, the words penetrated my heart and reminded me of God's great sacrifice and love for me.  As we broke the Bread and shared the Cup, I experienced again God's grace.

I need it every day. 

Lord, save me from any contempt that might come from being close to you.

The Power of Praise

Reading Tim Keller's book on prayer, I received a powerful reminder of the power of praise.  Giving praise to God actually changes us.  Yes, we are commanded to praise the Lord, but it makes us better.

It reminds us Who is in charge.  It connects us to the Source of life.  It changes our perspective.  It opens the way for him to share his blessings.  It fuels life. 

When I saw the tireless praise of believers in Uganda, I wondered how long it could last.  Apparently a very long time.  They never tired of expressing praise to Jesus.  It wasn't like a long worship service.  It was an attitude of reflective thanks and joy in Jesus.  I saw it as they worked, as they ate, as they visited.

When our praise is powered by emotion, it will fade with time.  But when praise is fueled by the Spirit, he gives us renewed energy.  We can embrace moments of life with joy. 

Praise connects us with reality.

The Point of Worship

Yesterday in our worship celebration, one of our worship leaders asked the congregation, "Why do we worship?"  Someone responded, "Because it pleases him."

We need to understand the point of worship.  It is all directed at God.  He is the audience.  We are all performers for God's pleasure.  The worship leaders encourage the congregation to sing and surrender to God.

Think about cheerleaders at a football game.  Real fans don't go to a football game to see cheerleaders.  They go to see the game, to root for the team.  Cheerleaders just organize the cheers of the fans.  How strange it would be to have a stadium packed full of fans who watch quietly as two dozen young people shout, "Block that kick!"  The shouts would barely carry across the field.

So when we gather, we need to turn our attention to the One who is worthy.  We cheer for him.  We give praise to him.  We open our hearts to him together.  We are not the audience.  He is.

It pleases him.

Leaning into Lent

The season of preparation for Easter begins this week with Ash Wednesday on March 5.  I don't always dive into Lent, but I see the importance of spiritual disciplines more clearly now than ever.  This is a good occasion to open myself up to all that God wants to show me, about himself and about myself.  I'm praying for God to show me how to celebrate.  What will I give up for Lent?

Traditionally, Christians have celebrated 40 days prior to Easter in a season known as Lent.  The term "lent" comes from the German word for "long," as the days become longer in the spring.  The 40-day period does not include Sundays, so the Lenten season is actually 46 days long, including Easter Sunday.

At Ash Wednesday services, some believers have ashes smeared onto their foreheads in the shape of a cross.  The ashes represent repentance, harkening back to biblical repentance "in sackcloth and ashes." 

There were intervals of fasting in the early Lenten practices.  Today as part of the Lenten season, believers will often choose to sacrifice something, whether it is food or something else.  The sacrifice reminds us of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross for our sins, and our surrender to him opens us to the work of God in our lives.

Some may choose to forgo eating on every Friday (or other day) during Lent. 

Here are a few other suggestions of things you may consider giving up for lent:

• Social media
• Dessert
• Television
• Chocolate
• Soda
• Alcohol
• Fast food
• Shopping
• Snack foods
• Coffee
• Bread
• Texting
• Movies

The point is to do something with your body that draws you closer to Jesus.  You may start a habit you keep forever!