WORSHIP AND WORSHIP PREPARATION

I was leading churches when the transition was being made from ‘Song Leaders and Instrumentalists’ to “Worship Teams’. The worship tradition of the 1950’s and 1960’s for many churches was to have a song leader who was accompanied by a pianist – and sometimes also an organist.  The following years saw gentle transitions to adding guitars and other instruments. Before long, we were using worship teams to direct our singing. Platforms had to be rebuilt to accommodate an influx of instruments, monitors, mike-stands and speakers!

I read in I Chronicles 13-17 this morning and observed the worship transitions and structures of the Israelites under King David’s influence.  King David: Remember him? He was the youngest in his family of boys and had responsibility for watching over his father’s sheep! He had a poetic mind and wrote lots of songs/psalms. We also envision him with crude stringed instruments – and eventually a harp – playing and singing for his audience of One!

These chapters chronicle the evolution of worship under the new King David’s direction as he reunited Israel [the northern kingdom] and Judah [the southern kingdom]. 

A few chapters earlier [9] we learn that David reinstituted a cadre of families who had responsibility for maintaining the Tent of God and all of its accoutrements. Whole family systems were tasked with caring for the maintenance needs of this sacred area, while other family systems and individuals were assigned responsibility for planning and leading worship times! It’s rather shocking to learn that “…1760 skilled and seasoned servants were involved in the work of worshipping God.” [I Chronicles 9:13  All quotes from The Message unless otherwise noted.]

We can assume from all of this that the worship of Israel was rather important at this stage of their history!  Sadly, through future generations it would deteriorate and be watered down with idols, horrendous things like child-sacrifice and sexual practices!  But while David was king, the worship remained central and pure!  What does THAT tell us about leadership?

I took particular notice this morning of the variety and volume of instruments used in the worship of God:

o   bronze cymbals

o   lyres [small stringed instrument]

o   harps

o   trumpets

o   every kind of brass and percussion and stringed instruments  [all mentioned in chapter 15]

I just wrote in my granddaughter Rylie’s Bible that I’d love to have a video of Israel’s worship from this period! 😲

In a psalm of David included in chapter 16, David exhorts the people to “Shout Bravo! To God”!

There were many responsibilities tied to the worship of the Israelites:

o   Maintaining supplies of incense

o   Making incense

o   Baking bread

o   Maintaining supplies of wine, flour, oil, and spices

o   Around-the-clock guards

o   Maintenance people [remember, the Temple at this time was a massive tent]

o   Priests

o   Levites – the only ones who were authorized by God to move the Temple and its furniture.

o   Instrumentalists

o   Worship planners

The lives of the children of Israel centered on the worship of a mighty God who had chosen them and brought them to this point in history as a light to the world! 

Maintaining this position of influence required total dependence on God and appropriate, constant worship of Him! 

Toward the end of his life, David realized that he was living in a palace while God was still living in a tent. He immediately approached God about building a Temple.  Initially, God gave him a green light, but then told him that his son, Solomon, would be the one to build the Temple. David didn’t seem disappointed at all by this decision. Instead, he began aggressively gathering materials to be available to Solomon for when he was ready to begin construction! 

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Reading all of this may make us pale as we reflect on the miniscule time we tend to devote to the worship of God! Frequently, we walk into church on Sunday morning having given no thought whatsoever to the worship we’re about to engage in.

In the churches that I served we tried to have music playing for a half-hour before worship with an encouragement for people to come into the sanctuary and pray before worship. I tried to spend at least a few minutes at the altar before worship. There were others who frequently visited that altar before AND DURING worship!

I have ALWAYS trained worship team members that worship is NOT a time to show off skills and ability. Humility is essential if worship is to be genuine and meaningful!

When I was a boy, I remember preachers praying before their messages asking God to “hide me behind the cross as I share Your Word this morning, Lord!”  This was a way to express their desire for help in not being a showman but a deliverer of the Holy Word of God! 

We’ve all likely been in churches where worship leaders/team members – and even people in the congregation – seemed focused on performing rather than worshipping God!  This can be  a distraction from worshipping God! There have been times when I’ve moved to another seat so as NOT to be distracted by fellow worshippers.

It’s fitting for us to remember that initially God set apart a whole day of rest. Some still retain this focus on observing the Lord’s DAY! 

It’s also appropriate to remember Psalm 34:1, [NASB, 1995]

"I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth."

A Boost for the Youth Group!

I've mentioned in many blogs the fact that I was raised in a home where the Sabbath was rather strictly observed.

• no games
• no TV [till later - my dad decided that after evening church it was ok. I'll bet my mom didn't agree with that decision.]
• no playing outside [A few times I recall my dad taking me out to play catch in the front yard. I'm confident that my mom was NOT happy about that!]
• eventually, they did let me ride my bike
• attended Sunday School, Morning Worship, Youth group and the Evening Service.

My mom had been raised in the Scottish Presbyterian tradition. For those who are familiar with the 1981 movie, Chariots of Fire, telling the story of how Eric Liddell refused to run his 1924 Olympics race because it was scheduled on a Sunday  -  this is the tradition that my mother was from.

My dad worked at Townsend Company [mostly in Fallston] for 48 years. Through that long period, he rarely was scheduled to work on Sundays. Even though he resisted, there were a few times that he didn't have a choice and had to submit.

When I became a teenager, I must have overheard a conversation between my parents where they discussed what they would do with my dad's income from a recent Sunday of work. I learned that when he worked on a Sunday, he gave all of his income for that day to the church.

Well, becoming aware of this gave me an idea. Our church youth group was raising funds for a special project. I so wish I could remember what it was, but it was something that we were excited about.

I approached my dad and asked if he would consider giving his Sunday pay to the youth group's project. He - in typical fashion - told me that he'd think about it and talk with my mom. 

In the end, they decided to submit to my request and our project got a bit of a boost as a result!

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Here's some 21st century humor for you to consider. I know from later conversations that my dad never made big wages working at Townsend. I know this because after Debbie and I were married, I excitedly told him about a recent raise I had gotten while working part time at UPS in Lexington, Kentucky. When I told him that I would now be making $4.70/hour, I noticed his lack of excitement.

Being sensitive to him and desiring his approval, I later questioned him about his lack of zeal over my raise. That's when he told me that he'd never made $4.70/hour! I was humbled. This conversation probably took place around 1974.

Factoring this in, I'm guessing that the youth group back around 1967, probably received a gift of approximately $24. 

Last week Debbie and I spent $24 on a meal at Hot Heads!  Perspective is everything!

EASTER AFTERTHOUGHTS

The records provided by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John vary in details, but when taken together they give us a colorful account of the miraculous resurrection of our Lord! 

It was clearly a group of women who found the empty tomb and were spoken to by angels. One account reports that the apostles simply didn’t believe them, but Luke and John report that Peter and John had a foot-race to the tomb, but found it empty. 

It’s not possible for us to imagine the fear and confusion that these early followers of Jesus experienced.  But this confusing news did seem to bring them together!  Should they believe these incredible reports of the women? 

That’s when we read:

So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord.   [John 20:19-20 All quotes from the NASB unless otherwise noted]

But doubting Thomas was not present that evening!  Poor Thomas! Can you imagine his regret?  When they told him about the visit, he said:

“Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”

But John continues his account:

After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” Then He said to Thomas, “Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here with your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.” Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

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We are incapable of grasping the significance of a change that would soon take place among these Jewish believers in Jesus!  For centuries upon centuries they had worshipped on the seventh day – the Sabbath!  This tradition and its exercises had been DEEPLY entrenched in Jewish practice.

However, the death and resurrection of Jesus impacted them so powerfully that somewhere along the way, they gave up the sacred practice of observing the Sabbath and began worshipping the Lord on the first day of the week – clearly to honor the resurrection of Jesus and the hope that His redemptive work had instilled in them! 

We do not know how quickly this massive transition took, but we have hints:

Luke probably wrote his record of the Acts of the Apostles by 62 A.D. In this record we find:

On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart the next day…   [Acts 20:7]

This leads us to believe that within thirty years after the death and resurrection of Jesus this worship transformation had been initiated.

We find further evidence of this transition in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthian Church. It is strongly believed that this letter could have been dated as early as 56 A.D. [a mere twenty-six years after the resurrection]!

On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I [Paul] come.

Let’s look at one more incidence in Revelation which was likely not written until 95 A.D. – probably the last written book to be included in our Bibles.

I [John] was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet…   [1:10]

So, by the close of the first century this remarkable transition seems complete.  The followers of Jesus now worshipped on the first day of the week [instead of the last] and they commonly referred to it as the Lord’s Day [instead of the Sabbath]!

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And we continue this practice today in 2025!  Every Sunday is a celebration of the first encounter with the risen Lord!  Therefore, every Sunday is a ‘Little Easter’! 

The enthusiasm and joy we saw this past Sunday should indeed be replicated EVERY SUNDAY – EVERY LORD’S DAY! 

71 YEARS OF LORD'S DAYS

Sundays have changed!

When I was young, I woke up and ate my mom’s banana nut bread for breakfast; it was a Sunday morning tradition. 

Then, we went to Sunday School and morning worship.  We came home and had our biggest meal of the week; it always included mashed potatoes!  [We would eat leftovers for several days!]  Quite often my mom invited people for Sunday dinner; like Debbie, her gift was hospitality!  They would visit for a while and then we’d just be lazy in the afternoon.  My dad would read the Sunday paper in the living room while snacking on green leaves and salted, red-skin peanuts.  No television until after Sunday night church.  No outside playing.  Occasionally we’d play a game, but no cards.  Youth group was at 6:30 and then evening church followed.  It was usually 9:00 PM when we got home. 

College changed all that!  I still got up and had breakfast.  Not many came so they would fix almost anything I asked for.  It was my favorite meal of the week!  Then I taught a boys Sunday School class at Pearce Memorial Free Methodist Church (on campus).  After that I attended worship.  Afternoons were for study.  Sometimes I went back for evening church.

Married life brought more changes.  We began in Wilmore, KY, where I attended seminary.  We attended the Wilmore FMC.  Again, we went home to our big meal of the week!  Later, I became the student-pastor at the Tunnel Hill FMC in English, IN.  We drove 150 miles to get there and stayed in their trailer/parsonage for the weekend.  Then after Sunday night church, we drove back to Wilmore!  Travis was born during this season! 

Then, I was appointed to the Jeannette, PA FMC where I officially began my ministry.  Wow!  Lots of changes!  A brand new church building and about forty people!  I did my best, but struggled with the isolation after having lived in the seminary community.  We went to the farm on my Mondays to relax and get away.  We had Sunday School, morning worship and evening worship.  The church grew – more than doubled in size in two years, but I was so strongly opposed by the key leaders in the church that I asked for a move [something I’ve regretted ever since]. 

While at McClellandtown, PA FMC, Troy and Tracie were born.  It was a coal-patch town.  Attendance was about 60 when I got there.  During our four years, the church grew – again doubling in size.  But key leaders opposed the building of a new church on property they already owned on a major route a mile away.  The official board did vote to go ahead, but with a slight majority vote.  Shortly after, I was moved to East Liverpool [Oakland FMC] where we stayed for thirteen years.  Travis started and finished school there.  The church nearly tripled in size, but I didn’t have the knowledge or skill to help it grow larger. 

I was exhausted after this appointment due to the stress of a divided congregation, so left the Pittsburgh Conference and took a church in Spencerville, MD [FMC].  A small, country church saddled between a mega-church and a fast-growing post-modern church.  In spite of this, we saw significant growth and nearly doubled in size until a family crisis necessitated our moving back to Pennsylvania.  I was unemployed for over four months and we were essentially homeless.

Then by God’s grace, we landed a job running a licensed home for severely behaviorally challenged children in Akron, OH.  We began attending the Cornerstone Church!  I was immediately hired part-time.  Shortly after, I was made the Lead Associate Pastor.  The church exploded with growth, with three packed services – largely due to Brenda Young’s leadership and preaching/teaching!  It was a great joy to be a part of this!

Then, I was asked to lead the New Middletown, FMC, and Debbie accepted the assignment since it would put us close to her family 😂.  Although I had the hardest beginning to a ministry that I’d ever experienced – within six months peace had been restored and twenty new members were received!  The growth continued until we ultimately started seeing over two hundred in worship and went to two services!  After nine years, we felt the call to missions and decided to go to China!

Our three years in China deserve a book of their own.  Sundays were very different, but a pure delight!  We worshipped with our team in the mornings.  Then, after dinner, we went to an international church with [60-80] from many nations [where I was sometimes asked to preach]!  At 2:00 PM we attended a Chinese/English service led by college-age young people and held in another official Chinese church!  IT WAS AMAZING!  I had many opportunities to preach here, as well [through an interpreter, of course]!

Then, home, where we felt truly lost for a long time due to culture-shock!  I accepted a commuting/part-time pastoring role at the Kittanning FMC.  Travis died!  Then, Deb’s dad died.  We were devastated!  After two years and some significant growth, I knew I wasn’t cut out to be a commuting pastor.  I retired.

Life since then has been an ongoing adjustment!  I miss leading the church, even though I realize that I don’t have the energy to do that anymore.  However, I do still have the passion!  Debbie was ordained this morning as an elder at the Bethel Evangelical Presbyterian Church.  She’s quite a leader there now: elder/session, leads the library, on the Vision Team.  I’m a regular attender and, so far, the pastor has used me to preach on occasions.  I’ve also taught Sunday School some.  I’m a retired pastor in process!  😊

I’ll be 71 this month, so it’s been a seven-decade journey!  I have a new ministry that’s very lyfting!  I’m learning to be content with it!  God still has a lot of work to do in me and hopefully through me.  To God be the glory!