JUNE 6, 2021 SUNDAY MESSAGE
JOIN US LIVE AT 10 AM TODAY!
Intro 6.6
Transcription
When I began to attend church, it eventually resulted in attending a small Bible College in Phoenix (about 4 hours away from my hometown), my exposure to new people and places began to broaden. I met students who were missionary kids that grew up overseas and I even had opportunities to go on overseas trips myself.
The first country I ever travelled to was Malaysia and to acclimate us quickly, they dropped us into the middle of city with a little bit of money and a scavenger hunt list of things we needed to collect and places we needed to find! EVERYTHING was different: the sights, sounds, smells and culture - EVERYTHING!! The hospitality was off the charts compared to anything I had ever experienced.
Offering us food, tea (not letting us pay)
Giving gifts
Directions: Get in the car and I’ll take you there
Got to know multiple people that we hung out with and we became sooo close to each other. Most of them were muslim.
We loved them and were challenged by the way they loved us.
A few months later, 9/11 happened (no disrespect) but the way Muslim people as a whole were talked about, treated, and protrayed in the media was horrific (as terrorists, dangerous, religious extremists) and the whole time, I kept thinking: these descriptions were simply untrue because it didn’t square up with the experience I had with Muslim people.
While much of America was reeling from a tragic moment and had only one experience with Muslim (a unique action by a small group of radical extremists) tainted the way a massive religious group was viewed (and had I NOT been exposed to the people in Malaysia I would have done the same!) I was fortunate enough to have interactions that gave me a perspective that fundamentally changed the way I viewed this amazing culture. They were people I knew and did not see them as the enemy but a people who I loved and desperately wanted to introduce to Isa al Massih (Jesus the Messiah)
This is what perspective can do!! Gaining a variety of perspectives helps us to see what we cannot see on our own.
Perspective Shifting is a powerful learning tool that we can apply to our Spiritual Lives:
No matter how many times you read and reread the scriptures, we NEED the perspectives of others to see the fullness of the faith we claim.
In fact, the original Biblical cultures would assume that ANY reading of a holy text would be done in a group setting!
The scripture were ALWAYS meant to be read, interpreted, and applied in the context of Christian COMMUNITY because we need the voices of a diverse village to help us in our blindspots and to get the WHOLE PICTURE.
I’ve heard one person say it this way:
It’s like a “Multifaceted Gem” reflecting all the colors of the rainbow but I can only see one plain of the gem….
NOW, we USUALLY experience a perspective shift INVOLUNTARILY and it may be accompanied by anxiety, discomfort, etc, and IF you have your mind SET on “LEARN MODE,” I think THAT’S EXACTLY what will happen.
SOOO, what would happen if we put ourselves on a trajectory to seek out new perspectives, viewpoints, and cultural contexts INTENTIONALLY for the purpose of learning? This is what our summer series is ALL ABOUT!
We are taking 3 familiar themes - the 3 Pillars - that make up the basic IDENTITY (or DNA of our church) and put a little twist on it by inviting various guest speakers to give us their understanding of the topics of:
Devotion (upward relationship with God)
Community (inward relationship with Christians)
Mission (outward relationship with those who do not follow Jesus)
I will teach once on each topic that I think could challenge us in our understanding and there will be two guests who preach on each topic as well.
You might be thinking “that’s a lot of guest speakers at once!” IT IS! But CGNE values having fresh voices in our teachings but during COVID, we weren’t able to do it and we are able to make room now to do a little catch up. I can’t wait to hear from all of these guests and it is my desire that all of us would come in with open hearts, open minds, ready to receive whatever encouragement and challenge God may be giving us through each and every perspective!!
Now that we have set that up, I want to focus specifically on DEVOTION today (our upward relationship with God and how we connect to Him)...
and the aspect of Devotion to God that I want to share is “WORSHIP!”
I am assuming that ALL of us have an understanding that our WHOLE LIVES are worship -
One of my favorite definitions of worship comes from David Peterson’s book Engaging with God wherein he says...
“[The] worship of the living and true God is essentially an engagement with him on the terms that he proposes and in the way that he alone makes possible.”
He goes on to outline three ways this works itself out based on a Wholistic Hebrew understanding:
Grateful Submission to God
Acts of service to God
Paying homage or ascribing worth to God
...I want you to embrace and ingest that truth BUT, that is not what I am talking about. I want to dial it in a little further and speak directly about worshipping God through music.
WHY just this?? Because, in our modern context, musical worship is also fraught with a disease that I will call “preference.” It is a hindrance to unity, community, and our value of reconciliation here at CGNE.
As we are discovering and becoming more aware of cultural differences, the effects of homogeneity (bias that comes from it). We have been intentional to:
Make room for those with other ideas, preferences, and tastes.
Look like the worship of Revelations here and now.
Be in the practice of de-centering our affluent white subculture (We have talked about how you can only imagine another perspective until it is realized (which is also shaped by bias).
Ask the question: how does this shape our worship of God - our posture - as we come before him?
Is it possible that we are missing something because our typical way of worship is so tailored to our preferences that we are not seeing the whole picture.
I want us to take a look at one psalm and we are going to interact with it because it is meant to be a call and response song: Psalm 136 (it WONT be on the screen except the part that is your response).
Psalm 136
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
His love endures forever.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love endures forever.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
His love endures forever.
4 to him who alone does great wonders,
His love endures forever.
5 who by his understanding made the heavens,
His love endures forever.
6 who spread out the earth upon the waters,
His love endures forever.
7 who made the great lights—
His love endures forever.
8 the sun to govern the day,
His love endures forever.
9 the moon and stars to govern the night;
His love endures forever.
10 to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt
His love endures forever.
11 and brought Israel out from among them
His love endures forever.
12 with a mighty hand and outstretched arm;
His love endures forever.
13 to him who divided the Red Sea[a] asunder
His love endures forever.
14 and brought Israel through the midst of it,
His love endures forever.
15 but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea;
His love endures forever.
16 to him who led his people through the wilderness;
His love endures forever.
17 to him who struck down great kings,
His love endures forever.
18 and killed mighty kings—
His love endures forever.
19 Sihon king of the Amorites
His love endures forever.
20 and Og king of Bashan—
His love endures forever.
21 and gave their land as an inheritance,
His love endures forever.
22 an inheritance to his servant Israel.
His love endures forever.
23 He remembered us in our low estate
His love endures forever.
24 and freed us from our enemies.
His love endures forever.
25 He gives food to every creature.
His love endures forever.
26 Give thanks to the God of heaven.
His love endures forever.
Give me a raise of hands - and BE HONEST - how many of you got a few verses in or halfway through and thought,
“how long is he gonna do this?
Is he really going to do this Whole thing?
Who the heck named their kid “OG” and made him king? (is this a Croods movie?).”
Whether we are collectively willing to admit it or not, I am willing to BET that we aren’t used to this kind style - this kind of repetition - in our worship.
We don’t say it directly (we usually say things like we want a song with more depth)
We are also not used to something that goes on this long in a successive order without a structure like v1, Ch, V2, Ch, Br, Br, Br, Br, Ch...but the Psalm we just read is the bible!!
Here is another question I want you to consider:
What circumstances in the life of Israel would warrant such a song?
Say it out loud!
This is the “perspective shift” that I want you consider:
Style: This is an ORAL CULTURE. Memorization AND quick memory recall are necessary SO repetition is necessary.
What about their circumstances?
They were constantly under duress of possible invasion and needed to keep this truth in their back pocket so they didn’t lose hope.
It became long as they added to their historic account of God who continued to rescue them over and over again.
That’s the context of this song! That’s the “how/why” it was written but their EXPERIENCE is so TOTALLY unfamiliar to us which makes us vulnerable to fall into the trap of critiquing this song or similar song that might be written in our day!!
The next year after I went to Malaysia, I was in Cote D’voire (or the Ivory Coast) and I was asked to lead worship for a Sunday service and I picked a song that was popular at the time called All Creation. It had a similar call and response format and so I did what all good worship leaders do:
Strapped on my acoustic guitar
Got the lyrics printed out
Tuned up my instrument and started the song
Play a couple lines
They started clapping and dancing, syncopated beats, and speed up the song..
(I hadn’t even sang verse two yet). They were like, “it’s cool we don’t need it. Teach us that one next week” We kept repeating verse 1 and the chorus over and over.
They were having a blast and I am feverishly trying to keep up with the song
Eventually, a congo line started and they said “Put your guitar down” and join us!
I am the worship leader, we need the acoustic guitar to keep us in key and worshipping!!
Stop it with all that Craziness and worship with me and they are like, put down that silly guitar, get out here and worship with US!!
This is by no means representative of everyone in Africa or the Ivory Coast. This was just one small village in an under-resourced area…but they were my teachers in the moment...
What were they teaching me?
They didn’t need all of the production,
all of the words,
or any of the other things I had hauled all the way across the Atlantic ocean
...they didn’t even need me!!
They were ready to worship Jesus the moment they walked through the door whether or not I gave them the words. They were hungry to be together and to be in the presence of God as one!
Which brings up a great point, are you entering into the gathering ready to engage or at least attempting to do so?
Parties involved: You, Worship Leader, Pastor (mc), GOD!
You can prepare yourself to be ready for worship no regardless of what we have prepared or even if everything falls apart
Pella worship
For all I had prepared, this community in the Ivory Coast just needed hope and the truth of that statement to carry them into the week so they could remember God and sing.
THEY were going to sing that song, lifting their voice, with all creation in a way that I never had as they got up with the sun to go to work “all creation comes from you”
And they were going to be more thankful than I ever could for the water they pulled from the well as they sang “all provision comes from you...”
We get so conditioned to think our norms and preferences are the way it is supposed to be for everyone else!
The problem with preferences is...until we are put into a situation with alternative possibilities, we usually don’t realize we have them. It just IS the norm for us at that point.
Do you know what one of the major factors for determining your preferences is? FAMILIARITY! There are others but familiarity is one of the LEADING factors in deciding whether or not you like something. This isn’t just speculation, it is a phenomenon called “the Mere Exposure Effect.”
The more exposure you have to something the more you consider it good, normal, or the standard of good:
This applies to a song, basic chord progressions, types of chords, or style of music you listen to a lot,
the more you listen to it, the more you tend to like that song, that style, or songs similar to it.
Of course you can get sick of something but the general principle is true and the opposite is as well.
If you DON’T listen to a certain style, or if it DOESN’T come from a context you can relate to, you could easily conclude that it’s not a good song or not good for worship!
It is similar to eating preferences! This is an analogy I use with worship leaders all the time:
You have been conditioned to eat the kinds of foods that you were brought up with so, if you’re not used to eating new foods and you bite into something unfamiliar, your first response is “ YUCK!” You may like. Music is the same!
○ The Solution: Training your own (and the congregations) palette to eat something new.
*This is all difficult enough on your own but, when you’re doing it in community, it can be even more difficult.
I want to give you some examples of the breadth of worship expression from scripture and as I do it, think about the ones you’ve witnessed in church (generally) and in our gatherings:
Hebrew postures of praise :
58 Hebrew words that are often given the one translation of “worship” in our bible.
READ Examples
What are OUR moves??
Hands in pockets?
Very controlled, very reserved, no emotive response.
There is no room for true celebration/excitement or sorrow/grief
You know what that level of reserved, quiet, expression is called in a typical white, middle-class, culture? “Self-control” and we consider it to be “responsible public interaction” - You know what the bible calls something that is neither hot nor cold…“lukewarm” and he spits it out
David was so EXPRESSIVE - so exuberant in his worship, that people said he was acting like a madman (dancing in the streets with a linen ephod).
There are time for reserved/reflective worship but when we default to that preference (our actions communicate) that’s not okay here and others are hindered in their expression ‘cause they don’t want to stand out as odd. too because
Let me give you some criticisms I’ve heard before with worship songs:
You should stop using Bethel and Hillsong...WHY?
They are theologically shallow and repeat things too much.
What do you mean?
Well Hymns, for instance, have 4-8 verses that cover lots of theological topics
There is a lot of theological depth. It just doesn’t measure up to the standard.
When were hymns written?
During the aftermath of the age of enlightenment wherein the church was creating systematic theologies (categorizing the narrative of God)
going through lots and lots of theological tension and DIVISION (30 years’ war). These were FIGHT SONGS, meant to establish which theological camp you were a part of..
The lyric “You unravel me with a melody.” doesn’t mean anything. It’s confusing and we should not use it.
So what you’re saying is you just didn’t like the artistry because it wasn’t DIRECT enough (good art is typically indirect otherwise we would just make cold statements about God).
EX: God you are Creator OR
And as You speak A hundred billion galaxies are born
In the vapour of Your breath the planets form If the stars were made to worship so will I
I can see Your heart in everything You've made Every burning star
A signal fire of grace If creation sings Your praises so will I
Reckless Love of God - “God can’t be reckless if he is sovereign”
My answer: “the lyrics to the rest of the song which clearly attributes the choral response to the parable in Matt. 18 and Luke 15. That parable is so radical in depicting God’s loving abandon for humanity that it’s hard for us to comprehend. In fact, the parable itself FEELS heretical but causes us to reorient our understanding of God according to His own description via the parable. With that in mind, is it possible that “Reckless” is too weak a word in this case?”
“My mother told me, she told me well, forget your failures, forgive yourself.”
What if you come from a home with single-mother and she is taking you church every Sunday to keep you connected to God. Mom is the Shepherd of this household and the pastor who conveys biblical wisdom.
The context of the content was unfamiliar to you.
Our temptation is to overly critique something that isn’t familiar. The crazy thing is that all of these types of expressions are found in the Bible and Psalms in particular!
As a result of these encounters, I’ve become MUCH LESS critical of the content and style of worship music and much more discerning of my own stylistic bias as I’ve asked myself when a song hits me wrong? Is there something about this that sits outside of my small, familiar context?
Next time this happens to you, I want you to consider TWO THINGS:
Is the song written in a format, style, or perspective that serves a community from a DIFFERENT ethnicity, socio-economic background, or life circumstance than the one I reside in.
If so, how can I learn from this to broaden my understanding of worship...especially if that context is in the bible!
Does the song address or situation that is so unfamiliar to me that I am struggling to connect.
If so, how can I try to understand, empathize with, and even pray for that situation instead of opting out and disconnecting because it doesn’t serve my immediate needs?
Analyzing the elements of the song!
○ Attributes - musical style, slow/fast, complicated/simple,
○ Perspective - focused on “I” and “me” or is it focused on “we”
and “us?”○ Lyrical content - Theologically rich or devotion oriented?
○ Theme - Uplifting, lament, celebratory, reflective, repentance,
praise anthem, proclamation of truth, teaching,
● Trying something new:
○ New dish - song, artist, tone etc
○ New cuisine - genre or culturally different style.
We can all get into a style or sound or content RUT and conclude: “this isn’t even a worship song” simply based on the level to which you are removed from a familiarity to it.
This response isn’t intentional or malicious but it is automatic and it creates preference-based barriers between us and others who have had different life experiences than you!
My hope today is to tear down some barriers and help us to embrace a kaleidoscope of perspectives, genres, and styles.
I want you to make room in your musical, lyrical palette to make room for LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of different worship expressions. Are all songs good and equal? No! We may come across a song that is not good, harmful, or theologically problematic but, more often than not, unfamiliar trips our preference buzzer before we actually had a chance to think it through or gain another perspective. What do I want you to do?
When it comes to music worship, give new styles, lyrical content, perspectives the benefit of the doubt.
I am asking you to Intentionally LOOK for a way to see how this would be perfectly biblical from a different perspective.
Do the work in YOUR heart to seek out God when something isn’t quite what you would have wanted in that moment!
End on leading worship in TURKEY...St Basil, trinity, doxology:
One girl came up to me with TEARS and said, “your worship of God is SO beautiful. It’s like you are interacting with someone you know and love so deeply. I have never felt that for God - thank you so much for this!”
I don’t mean to speak to you today as a means of rebuke. The worship expression God has given you and all of us is incredible...BUT there is more.
I don’t want any of us to miss out just because we were too close minded to learn from others around us!!
I want all of us to see the fullness of the beauty and power of expressions found all around the world and even the worlds we have separated ourselves from that live in our own neighborhoods, schools,
Our worship has power, the power to engage with the Living God, the power to unify, and the power to proclaim God.
It isn’t just devotion, it’s community AND mission all in one and I encourage you to throw off some chains and come into our gatherings with an expectancy that you will encounter the divine...see what begins to happen.
COMMUNION:
(1 COR. 11:23B-26)
“The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
SAVE THE DATE: The 2020 Marriage Retreat is scheduled to be Saturday and Sunday, November 7 and November 8!
PRAYER REQUESTS:
We are hosting prayer team meetings for both the congregation at large and individuals to sign up for individual prayer.
SUGGESTIONS FOR WORSHIP:
“Praise & Worship” Spotify playlist and “Praise & Worship” YouTube playlist (slightly different from each other), both of diverse music that are being constantly updated!
Bethel Music :
Bethel Music’s hours of live music YouTube Playlist, also being constantly updated
Bethel provides chords to most (if not all) of their songs here (just have to register email, but free!)
Live worship moments from the Upper Room YouTube Playlist
Journal writing! (I’m a writer too, so sometimes creative writing and writing my thoughts to God is my form of worship.)
Declare and worship with truth by singing and praying scriptures.
WORSHIP NIGHT! Dedicate a night to worship with friends and family, your house church or neighbors, those who need prayer, love worship, or just enjoy music through a video chat platform like Zoom. You can have one person leading at a time (switching off to whoever else wants to lead) while others sing along, pray, or prophesy, etc.
Serving your community, both online, in person, or both, is a great way to worship God, from spreading encouragement and God’s Word online to physically serving food to others. If you are able to go out and serve, click here for opportunities.
COMMISSIONING:
As Jesus said in John 20:21,
"Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you."
Go, be the Church!
In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Amen.