By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death; and he was not found because God took him up; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God. —Hebrews 11:5, NAS
That which set Enoch apart from the rest of his generation was his sudden disappearance, and yet there was something that lay behind that disappearance in which his real secret is to be found: Enoch "
In 500 words, I’d like to tell you how to take your worship to the next level. Before you click away thinking I’ve lost my mind, hear me out. I believe this 3-step approach will increase your awareness of worship in personal and corporate worship.
Ready? Here we go.
I know we worship during our Saturday or Sunday services, but becoming a daily worshiper means finding a specific time on all the other days to bring our worship before the Lord. And if you can’t find time, that may mean you need to make the time.
This will look different for all of us. For me, I find space in my day to worship by shutting out the noise around me, and spending a few minutes praying, and reading God’s word. Many days I worship and offer praise by thanking God for His goodness and faithfulness. The Bible tells us in Psalm 22:3 that God inhabits the praises of His people-so when we praise and worship Him, it means we are inviting God’s presence in our lives.
So, why wouldn’t we want His presence in our lives every single day?
Just because we are called music director, worship leader, worship pastor, or artist, doesn’t automatically qualify us as a daily worshiper. That’s something we must deliberately choose to do, and it’s a choice we can’t afford to skip over.
Have you ever joined the Y? Cross Fit? Curves? Choosing to join is the first step, but joining isn’t what gets the results. Results come from using the equipment consistently. Saying we are a member of the YMCA is one thing. Using the machines is another.
It’s much the same when we choose to live a life of worship. Becoming a worshiper takes relationship. Relationships take time. Choosing a life of worship is important, and at first, getting there may sound simple enough. But it’s not…It takes desire. You have to want it. Becoming a daily worshiper means planning and organizing our priorities to carve out deliberate time each day to pray, meditate, and spend time with the Lord. How? That’s really up to you. Again, it’s a decision we can’t afford to miss.
Consider posting this statement in several places where you will see it every day. Post it where you can read it while you brush your teeth. Post it in your car. Post it on the fridge. And, every time you see it, say it out loud. Habits usually form when we spend 30 days focused on a specific thing. Why not start today? What should those 30 days look like? Try it and see. I could tell you what I think, but that may not be how God intends you to worship Him. Regardless, you can’t afford not to make this a priority.
Source: http://www.churchleaders.com/
In addition to leading and teaching, pastors are called to protect or guard the flock (Titus 1:5, 9; 2:15; John 21:15-19). Therefore, it logically follows that it is important for pastors to know who is in attendance and membership within the congregation. There are obviously many practical reasons for this, but one is certainly to protect the flock from potential harm.
So I ask you, “Who is the most dangerous guy at your church?”
Here I am not so much aiming at an individual as I am looking at a type of person.
Sure, we all can spot the unbeliever who doesn’t fluently speak the language of Zion, we can identify the person from doctrinally anemic backgrounds because they keep cutting themselves with the sharp knives in the theology drawer, and of course, any Calvinist can sniff out an Arminian within 20 seconds.
But I submit that these types of people are not the most dangerous people that attend your church. At least, they are not in my experience.
Instead, the most dangerous person at your church is the apparently smart guy who is unteachable.
When I say ‘unteachable,’ I mean that he has it all figured out. He is the classic, “Don’t confuse me with the facts, I know what I believe” guy.
The great commission has learning embedded in it (Matthew 28:18-20). This means that being a disciple is being one who is always learning. Therefore, to have it all figured out is to deny who you are. As Christians, we have to be people who are learning; this includes everyone from pastors to children.
If this guy is not being moved by the ministry of the Word, he is likely gathering bullets to shoot at leaders. He sits quietly during the sermons and teachings only to pick apart everything like a Monday morning quarterback. His unteachability looks the exact opposite of what James 1 teaches:
Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore, put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. (James 1:20-21)
(Please note this is not a repudiation of constructive criticism. This is desperately needed. There is a difference between constructive and destructive criticism, however.)
This is dangerous for the church in that it invariably brings division (Titus 3:10). This type of boiling pot eventually spills over, and when he does, he hurts unity and people.
In my experience, division in the church usually is a result of somebody being unteachable. This type of thing has a long legacy. Consider how Diotrephes liked to put himself first and stir up division. How did he do this? He did not submit to the teaching of the Apostles (3 John vv. 9-10). He was unteachable.
This is obviously dangerous for his own soul but also the church. Just like Diotrephes had influence in that congregation, so too the unteachable guy no doubt has influence in your local assembly. The influence of an unteachable guy is a vehicle for division.
A church that is teachable brings its leaders joy. A church or church member who is not robs them of joy. It’s that simple (Hebrews 13:7, 10). I can attest to the fact that this is very true.
Let me be careful how I say this. I don’t mean that labor in the ministry is a waste of time. But what I do mean is that unteachable guy is one who continues to take up pastoral leadership’s time with arguments. He just keeps resetting the same issue over and over again. He can find anything to nitpick and be critical about. So in this sense, he is a waste of time. Or, as Paul might say, the labor is in vain (Philippians 2:16; 2 Thessalonians 3:5).
So what do you do with him?
Forbid it that pastors become callous and unmoved themselves! The desire is for growth in the gospel. Therefore, pray (Colossians 1:9-14; 2 Peter 3:18).
Pastors should always be careful about who is appointed unto leadership. In this case, it would obviously make sense not to just put the Bible trivia champ in charge of teaching and leadership items. This is because the Bible trivia champ could also be a spiritual MMA champ on the side.
If this guy is a Christian, then he must be cared for too. The pastor must do this while guarding and caring for the flock. This is the type of thing that keeps pastors up at night (see #4 above).
Keep on keeping on (Titus 2:15)
When there is sin involved, Jesus is clear (Matthew 18:15-18).
This type of thing weighs heavy upon pastors and church members alike. Therefore, even the consideration of such things should cause us to pause, evaluate our own hearts, and pray for receptivity of the word of Christ (James 1:20ff; Colossians 3:15).
Source: http://www.churchleaders.com/
