2 for 1

We attended another church this morning while out of town. At our home church we do not sit in pews or sing from hymnals. This church, in Hershey PA, actually meets in a typical sanctuary type room with pews. Since they have pews they also have something called pew racks. It struck me as ironic that there were two hymnals to every one Bible in the pew rack. Honestly I think this is probably because there is an assumption that most people have and bring their own Bible to church with them. After admitting that, I could not help but think it was indicative of the importance that some modern Protestant churches put on music vs. Scripture. It seems we talk, spend, and extend twice as much energy on music than on Scripture.

Trends in Biblical Worship

- Genesis 24:26 Then the man bowed down and worshiped the LORD,
- Genesis 24:28 and I bowed down and worshiped the LORD. ...
- Exodus 4:31 they bowed down and worshiped. ...
- Exodus 34:8 Moses bowed to the ground at once and worshiped.
- 2 Kings 21:21 He walked in all the ways of his father; he worshiped the idols his father had worshiped, and bowed down to them.
- 2 Chronicles 29:28 The whole assembly bowed in worship, while the singers sang and the trumpeters played. All this continued until the sacrifice of the burnt offering was completed.
- Matthew 2:11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him.
- Revelation 11:16 And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God,
- Revelation 19:4 The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, ...
- Revelation 19:10 At this I fell at his feet to worship him. ...
- Revelation 22:8 ... I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of examples of worship in the Scripture. In thinking about worship I did notice what I think is an interesting trend. It appears that many times the person worshiping does so by falling or bowing down before the person receiving the worship. This apparently happens no matter who is worshiping or what is being worshiped. Jews, Christians, pagans, angels, and even the living creatures in Revelation all fall "down and worship". God, demons, and angels are all worshiped by others by the worshiper falling down before them.
It appears to me, as I'm struggling with worship, that worship is often done by the worshiper prostrating oneself before the object of worship.

I would like to suggest worship is NOT music

I'm starting to think about when and how music stop being music and became worship. I was told today that our church does not believe music is worship but that it is "a part of worship". I guess the debate is if that is correct, what else is also worship, and how big "a part of worship" music is. I don't believe that music is worship, but if I'm wrong and it is "a part of worship" I believe it is a very small part. To forge my thinking about this I have decided to go back and see what Scripture says about music and worship. I also think it may be helpful to read what the church in the past believed about both. So if you desire come along with me as I blog for answers to this important contemporary issue in my life. As I began I stumbled across this gem by one of my spiritual heroes of the faith Martin Luther. "The organ in the worship Is the insignia of Baal… The Roman Catholic borrowed it from the Jews." (Martin Luther, Mcclintock & Strong's Encyclopedia Volume VI, page 762)

WWJD?

It has been curious to me what I perceive as the current concept in Christiandom of speaking the “truth in love”, or more specifically the lack thereof. This point of view seems to believe that the Christian thing to do with a fellow Christian is to not confront then or to tell the truth. To speak the truth might offend and of course this would be unchristian. It seems the only way to act Christian would be to make someone feel good or more comfortable.

The picture I get of Jesus from Scripture is one of a straight shooter who didn't pull any punches. He did not soft peddle when dealing with the Pharisees or his own disciples for that matter. When wrong practices were going on in the temple he physically took action and cleaned house. When the women caught in adultery was confronted Jesus told her to leave her life of sin.When Peter tried to persuade Him not to go to the cross he rebuked him and even referred to him as Satan. Today if a Christian was actually to act like Christ he would be considered unchristian and judgmental. Is it unchristian to take a stand for God over clear biblical teachings? Is it unchristian to tell someone to stop sinning? Is it unchristian to tell a fellow Christian that he is wrong and not in step with Biblical standards? Of course the answer to all these is a resounding NO! The example of Scripture is that to be a Christian you have to act like Jesus. Although this doesn't really preach well sometimes to be a Christian you might be offensive after all Jesus was at times.

If this picture of Christ is Biblically accurate then the converse of the popular church model is correct. It is not Biblical or Christian to look the other way or to be non confrontational in regards to clear biblical teaching.I wonder if avoiding confrontation ultimately really helps the offended, the offender or the rest of the body. When asked WWJD? My response is that he would confront and speak the truth in love no matter weather is was well received or not.

July 4'th

Today in the US is the day we celebrate our independence from British rule. This year we took a family field trip to Philadelphia. While there you can't help but feel the enormity of what the founding fathers of this country did by signing the Declaration of Independence. I believe many felt that it would be the death of them to be associated with a movement that would attempt to separate from the King of England.
Recently I have been listening to a audio lecture series about Martin Luther by The Teaching Company. As an aside you might want to check them out at www.teach12.com and see some of the great courses that they offer. In a similar way to the founding fathers Luther also put his neck on the line by producing a document questioning the authority of his day, the Roman Catholic Church. The spiritual independence that came because of Luther has similarities with what we celebrate on the Fourth of July. Luther also took a bold step by questioning the Church's practice of selling indulgences and had no idea the fight he was about to start by his actions. He faced many troubles and even attempts on his life because of it. But by his bold step Christians have what Americans have and celebrate today, independence from tyrants. Thanks be to God that on this July 4'th I'm celebrating both political and religious independence because of those who fought and died to attain it for me.

July 4'th

Today in the US is the day we celebrate our independence from British rule. This year we took a family field trip to Philadelphia. While there you can't help but feel the enormity of what the founding fathers of this country did by signing the Declaration of Independence. I believe many felt that it would be the death of them to be associated with a movement that would attempt to separate from the King of England.
Recently I have been listening to a audio lecture series about Martin Luther by The Teaching Company. As an aside you might want to check them out at www.teach12.com and see some of the great courses that they offer. In a similar way to the founding fathers Luther also put his neck on the line by producing a document questioning the authority of his day, the Roman Catholic Church. The spiritual independence that came because of Luther has similarities with what we celebrate on the Fourth of July. Luther also took a bold step by questioning the Church's practice of selling indulgences and had no idea the fight he was about to start by his actions. He faced many troubles and even attempts on his life because of it. But by his bold step Christians have what Americans have and celebrate today, independence from tyrants. Thanks be to God that on this July 4'th I'm celebrating both political and religious independence because of those who fought and died to attain it for me.

To teach or not to teach that is the question

I have been thinking lately about the need for more adult biblical education. It would follow to reason that if people need to be taught, then competent teachers are also needed to teach them. It has been surprising to me after teaching adults in a Sunday School type class setting for several years now how much some people know and how much others do not. I have thought for some time that a great need for the church is sound Biblical and Theological training. It seem that this is even more a pressing need in modern Protestant Evangelical circles. It appears that the current trend is to ignore all historic creeds and catechisms as "high church" or "Roman". This thinking has led to throwing the baby out with the bath water.

On the other hand we have never had more opportunity for attaining biblical knowledge than in this age. You can enroll in distance educational classes from most Bible Colleges and Seminaries. You can get training materials in book form or periodicals shipped directly to your door. You can watch Christian TV, listen to Christian satellite radio 24/7, or purchase material on CD or DVD. You can stream it over the Internet or listen to podcasts on any MP3 player.

Education or the lack thereof is not a new concern but has probably always been a concern of the church and it's leaders. Because the need has always been so great it may or may not be important who teaches as long as the teaching gets done, right? That is what I thought until I came across this verse in James 3:1. "Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness."

Wow, who needed teachers more than the early church? Yet the writer of James warned those aspiring to be teachers to be wary because those who teach will face a stricter judgment. Teachers must be considered and chosen carefully because of the importance placed on conveying biblical truths.

What a wake up call for us in this modern age. If the great need for the church is biblical education it should be done only by competent mature believers who have the gift and ability to teach. To teach or not to teach should be considered carefully by both the individual and those responsible for overseeing the local church. The responsibility of teaching should not just be handed over to anyone who is willing and special consideration should be given by all because of the warning of James 3:1.

Acts 26 and the Resurrection

26:8 Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?

26:22-23 But I have had God's help to this very day, and so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen—that the Christ would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to his own people and to the Gentiles."