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the purpose-driven church. when you think of worship… what comes to mind?. organ music, liturgies and choirs?. how about guitars & contemporary music?. maybe you think about prayers & bible readings. do you imagine crowds of people gathered together?.
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perhaps you connect worship with spiritual growth & excitement
or maybe you think of it in terms of boredom & naptime (except, of course, during one of my sermons!)
Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they sang: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped. Revelation 5:11-14
before there were liturgies and organs… before there were guitars & drums… before there were bible readings & sermons… before there church buildings & traditions…
the purpose of st paul lutheran church & school is to be a worshiping community of believers in JESUS whose goal is to give HIM all the glory, honor & praise
because this is true it is our fervent desire to offer a worship to GOD that both honors HIM and that is meaningful to those who participate in the worship
we seek to continuously adore and praise the LIVING GOD it IS all about HIM
and we seek to continuously make sure that our worship speaks to our culture it IS all also about THEM
and in speaking to our culture, we direct people away from the false worship that shackles them to the true worship that alone will liberates them
to truly be a purpose-driven church, we need to be a congregation that insists that the worship of GOD be our utmost desire and goal
no half-hearted, every-other-sunday, when-it-suits me kind of attitudes
no let’s preserve the traditions of a million years ago because that’s what we like and it makes us feel comfortable attitudes
no insisting on change-for-the-sake-of-change attitudes, either
and no running away to the willow creek churches out there because they supposedly do it “better”
no… we work together on it right here at st paul… we insist on making our worship the kind of worship GOD is looking for… from all of us!
and we insist on making our worship the kind of worship in which others… can meet GOD
let WORSHIP be a purpose that DRIVES us as a congregation that drives YOU!
the heart of worship When the music fades All is stripped away And I simply come Longing just to bring Something that's of worth That will bless your heart
I'll bring You more than a song For a song in itself Is not what You have required You search much deeper within Through the way things appear You're looking into my heart
I'm coming back to the heart of worship And it's all about You It's all about You, Jesus I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it When it's all about You It's all about You, Jesus
King of endless worth No one could express How much you deserve Though I'm weak and poor All I have is yours Every single breath
I'll bring You more than a song For a song in itself Is not what You have required You search much deeper within Through the way things appear You're looking into my heart
I'm coming back to the heart of worship And it's all about You It's all about You, Jesus I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it When it's all about You It's all about You, Jesus xx