PASSIONATE

We have four church purposes at Journey.  Just four.  No more.  We don't do everything; we just do a few things.  We didn't decide ourselves what our church purposes should be.  We just read the New Testament and there they were - what the church is called to put its time and energy to.

We just decided how we would say them to each other.  So here they are - our four Journey Church purposes:

Enthusiastic Service
Authentic Community
Offering Hope
Passionate Worship

Let's talk worship.

We tend to equate the word worship with singing.  We shouldn't.  I mean, some singing is worship, but all singing isn't worship.  Worship can certainly be singing, but all worship isn't defined by singing.

Worship is also prayer, fasting, reading the Word, meditating on it, generously giving, a sacrificial lifestyle -- it's all worship.

True passionate worship is Jesus-centered.

True passionate worship is Jesus-centered.  It isn't at all human-centered.  This is one of the most important truths we'll ever absorb.  True worship isn't about you getting your needs met.  It isn't about your preferred style or personal taste.  In true worship we encounter the presence of a Living God and we declare His greatness and glory.

Since worship isn't about you it's easy for it to get off center because we are continually bent to focus on ourselves.

Worship gets off center when it becomes casual -- and by that I don't mean wearing shorts or tennis shoes.

For instance, imagine what happens when folks come corporately before the presence of the real God.  I don't expect they respond this way:

We're leaving because they aren't doing the songs I want to hear.
I like it when the other team leads.  I'll come back when they're up.
I want worship to be different than this.

Worship becomes about us when that happens.  It becomes casual.

One way to prevent that is to come ready and prepared to worship whenever we gather corporately.  I know that it takes great effort for many to gather corporately some weekends.  People are busy; they have multiple obligations.  My office has an entire wall of floor to ceiling windows that face our largest parking lot.  I get to watch folks walk in from their cars on the way to worship every weekend.  I have a habit of praying for them as they're making their way in with kids, diaper bags, Starbucks cups, Bibles, etc.

Sometimes it takes heroic effort just to get to the corporate gathering on time.  But I would ask for one more heroic effort.  Don't just get your body to the gathering.  Prepare your spirit to be there.  Get your heart ready.

Spend some time late in the week or even the morning of - meditate on a Scripture.

Play some worship music in your car on the way.  Play some of those songs you know they aren't going to do that morning.

Pray with your family in the car before you get out.  Get there a few minutes early to pray before the gathering begins.

There are a lot of ways to prepare.

Invest yourself in every moment.

And then, invest yourself in every moment.  Don't drift.  Say to God, 'I'm here.  I'm fully present.  Every second I'm offering myself to worship You.'

Come with a sense of awe for the God who created the universe who will be the focus of your worship - the One who made the mountains shake - the One who caused the thunder to roar - because you serve the King of all kings and He deserves your best and passionate worship.

And be blessed.