I read a story this week of a little boy whose parents were avid sports fans. They didn’t miss a game.
On the other hand, they went to church services only sporadically.
In his mind the little boy was attempting to learn what was alike and what was different about the two meeting places which his parents took him to.
Finally he found the one thing that is done both at the ball field as well as in church.
On the Sunday before Independence Day, they began the worship service with the “Star Spangled Banner”.
The boy recognized this song from the ball games and sang his heart out.
He loved the ending where they were able to sing loudly as they wanted.
This morning it was GREAT!! The entire congregation roared, “O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.”
As the congregation became quiet - and - right on cue the little boy shouted, “Play ball”.
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Then there was a little boy who didn’t really want to go to church service.
He wanted to stay home and do something else.
When he arrived at the church building with his parents, he noticed pictures in the lobby.
Being a little boy, he didn’t realize there was a war going on and that these pictures were honoring those men and women who had lost their lives on the field of battle in defense of our nation.
He asked, “Who are these people?”
The head usher said, “These are pictures of people who have lost their lives in the service.”
With a questionable yet fearful look the boy shyly asked, “Was that the morning service or the evening service?”
To the little boy who said, “Play ball” we should say that worship is not a game.
And to the other boy who was afraid of dying in the service, we should say that “worship should not be like a funeral.”
Vance Havner, a famous early revivalist of the 1940’s, said, “If things are quiet and undisturbed in your church, it is not necessarily a good thing. Things are generally pretty quiet around the sick and the dead -- especially in the grave yards.”
In John 4:23, “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.”
So What is Worship? Why bother going to church?
Everyone’s take on worship is different. Ask a Pentecostal; an Anglican; an Episcopalian; a Catholic; a Wesleyan/Methodist; ask young people; or older saints…
However you define it; or whatever your take or viewpoint is; one thing is I think we would all agree on is that:
We need to rediscover the dynamics of worship in our services once again.
Because you can’t find deadness in worship anywhere in the Scriptures.
Someone has well said of American Christians, “We have become a generation of people who worship our work, work at our play and play at our worship.”
And when our worship grows stale, so does our passion for God.
Because worship is the furnace of the spiritual life.
Too many come to worship because it’s Sunday, rather than coming on Sunday to worship.
This morning, I would like to show you in scripture, how two close friends show us the art of discovering true worship.
Today, let God shake your foundation – Rattle your cage – and roll away the door that confines your view of worship as you know it
Shake, Rattle n’ Roll!
Developing the true worship, wherever you are – Acts 16:16-34
1. Worship awakens a hungry spirit (vs. 25) - “other prisoners were listening to them”
Worship is not AN EVENT – because you can attend a worship service without worshipping.
Jesus echoed the words of Isaiah when He said of the Jews of His day, “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me” (Mt.15:8).
Illustration: Dressed Up For Sunday
One Sunday morning an old cowboy entered a church just before services were to begin.
Although the old man and his clothes were spotlessly clean, he wore jeans, a denim shirt and boots that were very worn and ragged.
In his hand he carried a worn out old hat and an equally worn out bible.
The church he entered was in a very upscale and exclusive part of the city.
It was the largest and most beautiful church the old cowboy had ever seen.
The people of the congregation were all dressed with expensive clothes and accessories.
As the cowboy took a seat, the others settled down in areas away from him.
No one greeted, spoke to, or welcomed him. They were all dismayed at his appearance and did not attempt to hide it.
The preacher gave a long sermon about Hellfire and brimstone and a stern lecture on how people ought to be finding more people to win to Jesus because baptisms were down.
As the old cowboy was leaving the church, the preacher approached him and asked the cowboy to do him a favor.
"Before you return next time, maybe have a talk with God and ask him what He thinks would be appropriate attire for worship.
You might find that would help you fit in a little better and feel more at home with us."
The old cowboy assured the preacher he would.
The next Sunday, he showed back up for the services wearing the same ragged jeans, shirt, boots, and hat.
Once again he was completely shunned and ignored.
The preacher approached the man and said, "I thought I asked you to speak to God about your attire and get his input on the matter of appropriate dress for worship in His church."
"Oh, I did that… I truly did," replied the old cowboy.
"If you spoke to God, what did he tell you the proper dress should be for worshiping in here?" asked the preacher.
"Well, sir, God told me that He didn’t have a clue what I should wear here these days – He says He’s not attended here in a long time."
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When you hunger for worship, you will find yourself seeking and listening for the Spirit to touch your heart through music or the Word.
And you will find yourself looking less at others and more toward things of the Spirit.
“...for the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
The prisoners that were in the prison cells close to Paul and Silas began listening to them.
They were not concerned with what they wore because they were all in rags as well.
The prisoners heard Paul and Silas worshipping and it awakened a hungry spirit within them.
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Illustration – Lunchbox worship
Have you ever been sitting in the break room at work or somewhere during lunchtime with your friend or coworker, and begin to eat your lunch that you brought from home?
Your friend or coworkers lunch is made from homemade fluffly bread, that’s a two-hander meal, stacked with fresh lettuce, chopped tomatoes, a slice of cheddar cheese with a dill pickle on the side...
Not to mention the side items of a small dish of macaroni salad or chopped fruit, topped with a slice of cake wrapped in cellophane.
While yours is just a couple of pieces of flattened bread with bologna and cheese and a smear of mayo, a stale bag of chips that has been hiding in the back of your pantry, and a coagulated plastic dish of pharmaceutically sealed jello pudding.
As you look at their lunch, and discretely wipe the drool from the corner of your mouth, you let out a silent sigh, and munch down on your quick grab lunch
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Many times when we come to church, we just slap something together and come to church to expect something to wow you, just as you were “wowed” with your coworkers carefully prepared lunch.
We need to do more than just the “grab n’ go” when it comes to worshipping our God.
Isn’t it interesting that at the wedding in Canaan, Jesus waited until their resources had run dry before he performed the His first miracle.
Only when the people came to the end of their supply were they ready to receive what Jesus had to give.
John Piper, in an article entitled “The Present Power of a Future Possession,” said, “The cost of food in the kingdom is hunger for the bread of heaven, instead of the white bread of the world.
Do you want it? Are you hungry? Or are you satisfied with yourself and your television and your computer and your job and your family?”
Likewise, the cost of the new wine that Jesus is offering is thirst. Are you thirsty? Do you want something more?
If so, when you come to Jesus you have come to the right place, for he is the God of abundance and life.
He gives extravagantly. To receive this wine you have to come to him with your thirst.
As you stand there with your empty life, follow the instructions of Jesus’ mother when she says, “Do whatever he tells you.”
If you do, something wonderful is about to happen — a miracle.
And when Paul and Silas worshipped God amidst their difficult circumstance, others noticed and listened as well, because they were hungry in spirit.
And when people are hungry for worship…God answers…
2. Worship shakes the foundations of confinement (vs. 26) - “foundations of the prison were shaken”
I grew up in a church where we sang hymns, just as you hear Dorothy bring to us on occasion. Hymns such as “Holy, Holy, Holy”, “The Lily of the Valley”.
We would also sing hymns such as “An Unclouded Day” and “I’ll Fly Away”.
And on those fast songs…every now and then you would get a “clapper” that snuck in the service. The “clapper” would either be the brave one to clap and others would join in…
Or they would receive stares from other church members that seemed to say “What are you doing!”
And on a rare occasion, you would be singing a hymn and a “handraiser” would be sitting in the congregation. These people seemed to be more worse than the “clappers”, so the stares that were given to those people seemed to say “what church are you from!”
The “hand-raisers” were usually labeled with another denomination, and to a young boy, I was waiting in anticipation to see if they were going to jump the pew in front of them.
Worship shakes the foundations that were taught to you -- but you’re not quite sure why you do them.
Rituals you’ve always done but never know why.
Such as who makes those little crackers we eat for the Lord’s supper that seem to crumble in my fingers when I pick them up?
I always want to turn back and grab a handful, but fear the ushers will grab me or slap my hand.
And why do we drink grape juice at the Lord’s Supper? Why not apple juice or orange juice or red koolaid?
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Illustration: Easter Tradition
A Sunday School teacher was attempting to teach her young students the true meaning of Easter. So she asked them “Why do we celebrate Easter?”
When the children replied “because of the Easter bunny, Easter eggs, candy, spring, etc.,”
She said, “No, those are Easter traditions and symbols, but what is the REASON why we celebrate Easter? What happened at the very first Easter?”
A little girl raised her hand and said, “Easter celebrates Jesus coming out of the tomb.” “Yes!” said the teacher, excited and relieved that finally the correct answer had surfaced.
Encouraged, she prompted, “Jesus arose from the tomb, and what does He do for us?”
The youngster replied, “He looks to see if he can see his shadow, and if He can, he goes back in for another six weeks.”
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We develop our own theology according to our spiritual habits that we have grown up with.
Churches may have a “music minister” as we called them when I was young. Or perhaps a “worship leader” and maybe even a “praise team”.
We may sing hymns of worship, we may sing praise and worship choruses -- but having the music does not guarantee our worship.
Your idea of what worship is that you grew up with -- may be the very thing that confines you or keeps you from discovering true worship.
PLEASE DON’T MOB ME, because I’m not discounting your spiritual heritage in any way. But sometimes the things we cherish so much confines us from experiencing new things with God.
You may have been taught that the music is the way you worship God – but music is a VEHICLE to take us to the place of worship.
When you’re without a car, any vehicle is a blessing to get you to where you need to go.
Such as music is just a vehicle to take us to the place of worship—when you become spiritually desperate, any music that praises God will be a blessing — even if it’s not you’re particular taste.
What happens sometimes is that many believers depend on the VEHICLE to be their means of determining how they worship.
And if that music or VEHICLE isn’t what you like or are used to, then you refuse to worship…you become a spectator.
Charles Wesley, brother of John Wesley a founder of Methodism, wrote hundreds of hymns and poems.
Although he was one of the most prolific poets in the English language – much of his sacred hymns of the church were written to bar tunes – and He was criticized for those.
We have a lot of “bus stop Christians” when it comes to thinking music is worship – they wait around for the right bus that’s going their way before they get on.
But usually are left standing by the bus stop because the bus never goes to their particular address – or their way of how they think that worship should be.
Worship shakes the foundations of confinement just as the “foundations of the prison were shaken” when Paul and Silas were praising and worshipping God.
God inhabits the true praise so much, that when you worship, it will shake the very foundation it’s built on if it was built from rituals instead of the true righteousness of Christ. Maybe it’s freedom that calls you to worship…
3. Worship opens doors to set us free (vs. 26) - “at once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chain came loose”
Worshipping with the freedom is the ability to express yourself to God by opening your heart unknowingly what God may do with you.
Sometimes God, in a direct connection with Him may want you to do something specific, and sometimes He may just want you to sit there like Paul and Silas.
Freedom sometimes means changing formats in the way we do things at church or the way we worship.
Just because it’s the way it’s always been done around here, doesn’t always necessarily mean it’s the right thing to do.
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Illustration: Psychological Conditioning of monkeys
Experiment #1
If you put five monkeys in a cage and hang a banana on a string at the top of the cage with a ladder leading up to it, before long a monkey will go to the stairs and start to climb towards the banana.
As soon as he touches the stairs, spray all of the monkeys with cold water.
After a while, another monkey will make an attempt with the same response -- all of the monkeys are sprayed with cold water.
Keep this up for several days. At this point you shouldn’t need anymore cold water.
If, later, another monkey tries to climb the stairs, the other monkeys will try to prevent it even though no water sprays them.
Experiment #2
Now, remove one monkey from the cage and replace it with a new one.
The new monkey sees the banana and wants to climb the stairs.
To his horror, all of the other monkeys attack him.
After another attempt and attack, he knows that if he tries to climb the stairs, he will be assaulted.
Experiment #3
Next, remove another of the original five monkeys and replace it with a new one. The newcomer goes to the stairs and is attacked.
The previous newcomer takes part in the punishment with enthusiasm.
Experiment #4
Replace the third original monkey with a new one.
The new one makes it to the stairs and is attacked as well.
Two of the four monkeys that beat him have no idea why they were not permitted to climb the stairs, or why they are participating in the beating of the newest monkey.
Experiment #5
After replacing the fourth and fifth original monkeys, all the monkeys which have been sprayed with cold water have been replaced.
Nevertheless, no monkey ever again approaches the stairs.
Why not? "Because that’s the way it’s always been done around here."
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We have a wonderful thing called Christian freedom.
It allows us to do anything we want within the realm of God’s permission – and God has given us wisdom to be more than monkeys.
It’s good to regularly consider why we worship the way that we do.
What things are harmful? What things are beneficial? What can change? What shouldn’t change?
Are there good bananas that we are not making use of, simply because they aren’t traditional?
Or are we afraid either of getting the “stink-eye” from others or sprayed with criticism?
Worship opens doors to set us free -- “at once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chain came loose”
When the chains have been loosed, the prisoners including Paul and Silas didn’t run like wild men out of the prison to celebrate their freedom.
They stayed in their cells to so the jailor would be at peace and assured that all is well to prevent him from killing himself.
They didn’t bolt out of their prison hollering “it sucks to be you” while enjoying their freedom. In their freedom, they chose to remain and worship because they saw a need.
Because when God gives us freedom, it’s not always to run away – sometimes it’s to run to someone that he has put in your path.
Worship opens doors to set us free -- worship breaks loose the chain of unknown rituals that prevent you from trying something new from God
Maybe it’s time to take action, once the door has been opened…
4. Worship creates a call to action (v. 32) - “Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house.”
Worship creates in us a call to action do to something…may it’s a testimony of endurance that will bless other believers
Maybe it’s a call to challenge for the week from the pastor
Maybe it’s a chance to pray for someone - encourage one another
Worship is A RESPONSE TO GOD and when we worship God, we are responding to Him.
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This is a true story. Two guys in a church, Paul and William decided that they really wanted to become godly men.
So they started meeting with one another to pray and encourage one another; they even set goals for themselves and their behavior, and then were accountable to the other one.
Paul decided he wanted to break his habit of using profanity. He decided he was going to put five dollars in the offering for every time he swore during the week.
In order to stay accountable, he would tell William how many times he’d failed. The first week cost Paul $100.
Now, Paul must’ve been doing OK financially, because that didn’t stop his swearing.
In fact, while he improved somewhat over the next couple weeks, he really wasn’t having the success he wanted -- and was losing a lot of hard-earned cash.
After the fourth week, William told Paul he had decided that the deal needed to be changed for the coming week, but he wasn’t going to tell Paul how it would change.
He just said, “Trust me. It will cost you both less and more.”
When they met the following Sunday before worship, Paul admitted he’d failed again.
William put a hand on his shoulder and said, “Paul, I told you this was going to cost you both less and more. It’s called grace.”
William took out his checkbook, and made out a check to the church, leaving the amount blank.
He gave the check to Paul and said, “Your sin still costs, but for you it’s free. Just fill in the numbers. And next week there will be more grace.”
William’s grace cost him $55 the first week; the second only cost him $20. There was no third week.
Paul couldn’t bear to see what his sin was costing his friend, so he quit sinning by his profanity.
Worship is a call to action to those around us in need – just showing up for church attendance doesn’t mean that you’ve come to worship…
What action will worship stir up in you?
To pray over someone? Then do it. To testify. Then do it. Perhaps to give. Then do it. It’s God’s prompting you for a blessing.
5. Worship creates an awareness of cleansing (vs. 33) - “At that hour of the night, the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized.”
Worship is much more than a few songs on Sunday mornings. Worship is a lifestyle.
Worship is constantly putting God first in what we say, what we think and what we do.
When we gather together to sing songs of worship, we are merely putting music to the song that is already in our hearts.
And cleansing our hearts is essential. Washing away our wounds of the enemy, being baptized into newness, holding each other accountable in keeping ourselves clean unto Christ.
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An old well that stood outside the front door of their family farm house in New Hampshire.
The water from the well was remarkably pure and cold.
No matter how hot the summer or how severe the drought, the well was always a source of refreshment and joy.
The faithful old well was a big part of summer vacations at the farmhouse.
The years passed and the farmers son moved into the farm house and eventually the farmhouse was modernized.
Wiring brought electric lights, and indoor plumbing brought hot and cold running water.
The old well was no longer needed, so it was sealed for use in possible future emergencies.
One summer day, years later, the son had a desire for cold, pure water.
He unsealed the well and lowered a bucket for a nostalgic taste of the delightful refreshment he remembered.
He was shocked to discover that the well that once had survived the severest droughts was bone dry!
He asked local residents why his well had gone dry.
He learned that wells of that sort were fed by hundreds of tiny underground rivulets which seep a steady flow of water.
As long as the water is drawn out of the well, new water will flow in through the rivulets, keeping them open for more to flow which keeps the rivulets clean.
But when the water stops flowing, the rivulets clog with mud and close up.
The well dried up not because it was used too much, but because it wasn’t used enough!
Can you see the comparison to worship and developing a daily time of prayer and devotion.
The consequence of not drinking deeply of God is to eventually--lose the ability to drink at all – through lack of cleansing. The bible calls this “hard heartedness” or “callousness”
Don’t let your well run dry, because if it does, you may need to clean it to unclog those spiritual rivulets that God pours his blessings.
-----OBJECT LESSON-----This really amazed the congregation! --------
Demonstrate by pouring a gallon pitcher of clear water into a 6 ounce glass with dirt at the bottom (I used two pinches of koolaid I had put in the bottom of the glass before service) sitting in a LARGE bowl with on top of a heavy SOLID object to elevate the glass above the large bowl. If you want, you can put a towel under it to absorb the overflow should it occur. (practice this first at home to get your technique perfected...if you mess up, it detracts from the object lesson)
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While you’re pouring the water, SAY:
Sometimes when we come to worship, we do it half -heartedly and it only stirs up the things that make us bitter or angry inside of us. (the koolaid should turn the water red as you’re pouring - Fill glass almost full. The glass should be red koolaid now)
SAY: We only get enough worship to really upset us or make us cranky after the service is done because we haven’t worshipped with a true heart and let God cleanse us while we rid ourselves of any unconfessed sins that the Spirit brings to mind.
(Continue pouring the water in the glass until it overflows and dilutes the koolaid to change into clear water)
SAY: As we worship, The Father cleanses us by pouring out His grace out of heaven, filling our spiritual vessels, overflowing onto this world to affect those around us.
And once our worship cleanses us, and makes our heart pure, unto the Father, we can taste the goodness of God.
(pick up glass and take a drink) And the Word of God encourages to taste that which is of God, for it will bring you joy.
Just as “at that hour of the night, the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized.
Notice too how much clearer our vessels are after worship! Once we are cleansed, then joy can fill our soul…because…
Worship satisfies your spirit with joy (vs. 34) - “he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God – he and his whole family.”
Like sunlight to a plant when facing the sun, we engage in a type of spiritual photosynthesis, we as believers receive joy if we truly face the Son.
There’s a recent song that was written by a young man who lead the worship at church.
He was an extremely talented singer, but the preacher there took him aside and told him that he could not lead the singing at church until things changed…
Because he saw that this young man who lead the singing was more interested in the attention he received than in the JOY of worshipping the Lord.
This young man became angry at first and yet the words of the preacher were true, and he knew it.
Six months later he wrote a song and taught it to the church there. The words are these entitled “Heart Of Worship” – the last song that we sang this morning.
Some do not understand it what it means to have joy in worship.
David’s wife Michal did not -- as David was returning the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem in 2 Samuel, chapter 6:16 it reads…
“The ark of the LORD was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, she despised him in her heart.”
Sometimes when you discover true worship, you will be despised.
The disciples experienced joy as Jesus was entering the city on a donkey in Luke 19:38-40 that reads: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”
Jesus replied: “I tell you, if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”
Some worshippers never receive the joy that comes with it.
By the time you’re pulling out of the church parking lot, you’re already snapping at eachother with frustrations either with “where we gonna eat” or “about the services”.
How do I know? Because I’ve done it.
If you’re like me, At times, maybe you’ve given Him your songs, but you’ve never given Him yourself – and that is why there is no joy.
Rick Warren notes the mark of spiritual maturity occurs when a believer "takes off the bib and puts on an apron."
Immature children wear bibs and expect others to meet their needs. Those who don aprons have learned the joy of serving others.
Which attire are you wearing?
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The Window
Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room.
One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room’s only window.
The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.
The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation.
And every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his room-mate all the things he could see outside the window.
The man in the other bed began to live for those one-hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.
The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats.
Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color of the rainbow.
Grand old trees graced the landscape, and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.
As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene.
One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by.
Although the other man couldn’t hear the band - he could see it in his mind’s eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.
Then unexpectedly, a sinister thought entered his mind.
Why should the other man alone experience all the pleasures of seeing everything while he himself never got to see anything?
It didn’t seem fair.
At first thought the man felt ashamed.
But as the days passed and he missed seeing more sights, his envy eroded into resentment and soon turned him sour.
He began to brood and he found himself unable to sleep.
He should be by that window - that thought, and only that thought now controlled his life.
Late one night as he lay staring at the ceiling, the man by the window began to cough.
He was choking on the fluid in his lungs.
The other man watched in the dimly lit room as the struggling man by the window groped for the button to call for help.
Listening from across the room he never moved, never pushed his own button which would have brought the nurse running in.
In less than five minutes the coughing and choking stopped, along with that the sound of breathing.
Now there was only silence - deathly silence.
The following morning the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths.
When she found the lifeless body of the man by the window, she was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take it away.
As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window.
The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.
Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the world outside.
Finally, he would have the joy of seeing it all himself.
He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed.
It faced a blank wall!
The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window.
The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall. She said, "Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you."
CLOSING:
You can’t stop the joy of Christ when it’s in you as you worship.
Finding true joy by looking at a blank wall can only come from within.
Joy is a product of worship. Because if you have no joy, then you haven’t really experienced the art of true worship as Paul and Silas did.
Two good buddies who love the Lord despite of being wrongly beaten for what they believe, made the best of things.
And although they had every human right to be angry or bitter and set there stewing, they made a choice to sing and worship.
The bottom line is this: When Paul and Silas discovered the art of true worship, it brought the house down around them because it pleased God so much.
You have the chance to bring down the walls that confine your worship within you also. How?
1 Peter 2:20b says: “But if when you do what is right and suffer for it, and you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.
Whatever you are going through right now, or have gone through in the past, God is wanting to give you favor.
He gave Paul and Silas favor in a big way.
This is accomplished by worshipping Him with all your heart regardless of any difficult circumstance, confrontation or calamity you have encountered.
What is your call to worship today?
Do you have a hunger inside of you for something new from God?
Many times people leave to go elsewhere to find that hunger for worship, when they really have it in their own backyard.
What about overcoming old rituals – things you’ve always done, but seem empty and void and you don’t know why you still do them? Maybe it’s time to listen to the Spirit inside of you.
To break out of the box and experience the freedom of worship as God intended you to have with Him
Could be that God may be prompting you for a call for action…
As you’ve worshipped Him, you’ve heard His quiet voice inside to do something and maybe you’ve brushed it aside.
Maybe God is calling you to actively become involved in our church family with a ministry or to help us in our community.
Have you been cleansed inside while worshipping? Do you need your joy of the Lord restored?
Let’s just spend time for a moment or two and worship Him.
And while we’re worshipping Him, we always like to offer those who don’t know Christ, the opportunity to ask Him into their life.
If you would like to do that, we would love for you to come this morning so we can celebrate with you.
Maybe you have need for reconciliation unto God, or have not yet been baptized.
Let God shake your foundation, rattle your cage and roll away the door this morning as you discover the art of true worship.
--------POWERPOINT SLIDES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST-------
