‘I’ve Been Thinking About How I Expect God’s Kingdom to Show Up on Earth..In Our Lives”(Essentails Green)

For: The“ Institute of Contemporary And Emerging Worship Studies, St. Stephen’s University, Essentials Green Online Worship History Course with Dan Wilt”

“Do we expect [God's kingdom breaking through] when we prepare, when we begin worship? Do I personally expect that God will interact and respond?”[1]. Our worship group prays for God’s kingdom to come and that he would have his way; that his will would be done right before our Sunday worship. I used to get frustrated when I didn’t see God move in miraculous ways. After seeing visible manifestations of God’s love can I hope and trust that all kinds of things are going on in his timing? These are things God is working in my heart.

Richmond Vineyard prays expectantly on Tuesday for what God has in store that Sunday. Our worship leader seeks the Lord for the song set expecting God give him songs to inspire and guide us. Thursday the worship group prays for God to move in our lives knowing he holds back no good thing from us. During worship we have chosen places to possibly linger when we see God at work in people’s hearts. The pastor invites the Holy Spirit to come and work in us just before the message. Do we all expect? Do we all truely believe is at work?

As ministry leader I give training classes on praying for people especially after the service. The Vineyard prayer model is a great way for people to ask “Do I personally want to see God change hearts” and “Do I expect change, healing, restoration.?”[2] I regularly tell people that John Wimber prayed for people for over a year before anyone was healed and that some got more sick. I trust God is doing things I can and cannot see and I’m usually O.K. with that. “In the Spirit of God we “see” God our Father without seeing… Faith is the bond that unites us to him..”[3]

Hpw many of us are truely expecting God to move? How many expect miracles that are visible? Are we satisfied with long term transformation?
I confess I struggle with these questions in my life regularly.

[1] Dan Wilt “Essentials Green: The Value of Kingdom Expectation” video

[2] Ibid

[3] R. Foster & J. Smith “Devotional Classics”
(HarperCollins,N.Y,N.Y.) 1993 p. 62

‘I’ve Been Thinking About Accessibility and Cultural Relevance in Worship’(Essentials Green)

For: The “Institute of Contemporary And Emerging Worship Studies, St. Stephen’s University, Essentials Green Online Worship History Course with Dan Wilt”

The Richmond Vineyard [1] is about a mile from Virginia Commonwealth University. We attract a mix that includes a tatoo artist, a lawyer, teachers and I.T. workers, a bartender and a tow truck driver and students. Our musical influences range from country to rap and all in between as a congregation. As a worship team we pray before the service that God focuses us on Him so that through intimacy and integrity[2] we are worshiping in spirit and in truth.

Our worship leader is constantly searching for new and ancient worship songs. He focuses on simple and melodic songs. If our worship leader struggles with the melody line it can’t be very accessible[3] for the congregation. If we as musicians stray too far from our roots it comes of as gimmicky. We seem to have a continually evolving sound, but we do have a ‘sound’.

As a worship team we range from sixteen to fifty three. We bring our influences from metal to indie pop to blues and classic rock. We do not conform to the ways of the world, but transform our sound slightly and slowly. When the congregation comes expectant [4] for God to move, we don’t want to get in the way.

I am the bartender and one of my main ministries is over my bar. I have a number of regulars who believe in Christ but rarely dive in to the riches of the Bible. My prayer is that God give me His words and heart in words they will understand. My prayer is that he give me the stories of the Bible and give me words to make them relevant in this time and space. To make them relevant in light of this culture.[5]

[1] http://www.richmondvineyard.com

[2]Dan Wilt “Essentials Green: Intimacy in Worship” video

[3]Dan Wilt ” Essentials Green: Accessiblity in Worship” video

[4]Dan Wilt ” Essentails Green: Expectancy in Worship” video

[5]Dan Wilt ” Essentials Green: Cultural Relevance” video

‘I’ve Been Thinking About the Art and Music of the Church’(Essentials Red)

For: The “Institute of Contemporary And Emerging Worship Studies, St. Stephen’s University, Essentials Red Online Worship History Course with Dan Wilt”

It is good for us to view and hear, to taste and see what art and music precedes us in God’s earthly realm. Hopefully we are inspired and experience a little bit of heaven on earth. The discipline of searching out all forms of fine arts, technical arts and performing arts[1] from the past and from around the world opens new vistas for us to draw from and to incorporate into our own personal soul language[2].

I was stunned by acappella singing groups in Haiti and the perfect cadence and sway from foot to foot that seemed innate. I was mesmerized watching two drummers play one drum kit and how the bass drum and high hat were on the opposite beats of our western sensibilities. This was a new song[3] for me. I didn’t know the words but I knew the presence of God draped on the evening like a warm blanket.

I want to synthesize these experiences into my song input for our generation of worshipers. In fifty years won’t the next generation be calling our songs “classic” contemporary christian worship” (hopefully not oldies)? We must keep our part of the lineage in humble perspective while knowing it is significant to his overall story. We don’t want to drastically change the God inspired flow of worship music; we do want to apply what we glean from history and other cultures to it.

The influence Ancient-Future Time[3] has had on me in this area is one of discipline. When I choose to study and be focused as opposed to slothful[4] and undisciplined in writing a song or in contemplating the last week of Jesus’ life on earth, I sense an extra portion of God’s pleasure welling up in me. How long did Michelangelo work on the Sistene Chapel? How great is the reward? What was Handel’s true reward while writing the Messiah, the amazing music or being holed up in God’s glory for three weeks?

Christ drew on all the teachings from before his incarnation (of course, didn’t he write them?) and said “love God with all that you are and have and love your neighbor as yourself.”[5] Jesus words were spoken in a new context, in a new language, to a new generation. And then he demonstrated his words with actions that conveyed the ultimate in sacrifice and celebration in his death and resurrection. Rightfully, it will take eternity for us to find all of the creative ways to proclaim this.

[1] Dan Wilt, “Essentials in Worship History’
S.S.U. p.31

[2]ibid, p.31

[3] Robert E. Webber, “Ancient-Future Time”
(Grand Rapids:Baker Books,2004)

[4]Ibid, p.115

[5] The Holy Bible, NIV; Mark12:30(paraphrase)
(Grand Rapids:Zondervon, 2004)

‘I’ve Been Thinking About Christian Sacraments (Essentials Red)’

For: The “Institute of Contemporary And Emerging Worship Studies, St. Stephen’s University, Essentials Red Online Worship History Course with Dan Wilt”

” I tell you the truth no one can seeSt.  the kingdom of God unless he is born again”[1]. Baptism is an outward sign that conveys this inward grace[2]. I know there must be many worship songs throughout the centuries that convey the symbolic act of dying to the flesh and being reborn of God’s Spirit. The one that comes immediately to mind is “Let’s Go Down to the River” in the movie “O Brother, Where Art Thou”.

In Haiti last year I was able to view at least twenty mostly young adults sing and dance in procession from the churchyard, through the town streets proclaiming and declaring their allegiance to Christ and down to the river where they announced their new life to all who were washing their clothes and bathing. The brilliant white dresses and head coverings for the women and equally sharp white pants and shirts on the men were in stark contrast to the trash filled river banks. The group took their time in the service savoring each song sang by different vocal groups, enjoying the escape from the daily struggle for survival. Families watched from the banks in joyous celebration.

I believe that as contemporary worshipers we are missing the significance of marking these events with songs of reflection ad celebration. I want to write about the here and now meaning of the physical and spiritual act of the sacraments and the yearly church patterns[3] or seasons. I want to walk with Christ through those events. I want it to be known that I honored the thoughts of the brothers and sisters from past generations and reflected on them in a way that is clearly from my space and time[4].

The Richmond Vineyard went to Monroe Park a couple of years ago and washed the feet of about twenty people who were willing. At the outset I was a bit apprehensive about (honestly) what shape the feet of some of these homeless and just plain old broken-like-me would be in. What I found was not only God’s presence in the humble act of positioning myself below these people (at their feet) but how open these people became with me very quickly about intimate details of their life. Many were prayed for and one man asked God to forgive his sins and join the family of the saints. I was sniffling back the tears and knew God’s radiance was reflecting off all of the faces there.

Why do I mention this instead of talking about Communion; the Eucharist? I don’t have it all figured out but in Matthew, Mark and Luke the focus is on Jesus’ body broken and eaten by us. The focus is on Jesus’ blood poured out as the new Covenant.  Now John, that transcendent disciple, was always seeing with different eyes. He mentions the Passover meal the disciples were having yet his focus is radically different. It seems to me he is speaking of a sacrament that remembers the living waters of Baptism. He says that once your feet are washed your whole body is clean again. He says that they should wash each others feet. Is part of this speaking of confessing our sins to one another? Obviously, Jesus focal point is that we are to serve one another.  No servant is above his master. We who believe are all servants by choice of the One who loved us before we knew love.

The humility required to wash the feet of another brings up all kinds if questions in our hearts. Do we weigh this person as our equal? What I’m getting at is it may be easier-in our piety- to wash the feet of the homeless and nore difficult to wash the feet of someone in our home group fellowship. Even more provocative is the question, who would you allow to wash your feet without feeling uncomfort?   

[1] The Holy Bible, N.I.V., John 3:3 (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2002), 938

[2] Dan Wilt,”Essentials in Worship History: The Language of Baptism”      (S.S.U.), 23

[3] Robert E. Webber, ” Ancient-Future Time”                                                          (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2004) ,21

[4]Dan Wilt, “Essentials in Worship History” (S.S.U.), 4-14

“I’ve been Thinking About Life Patterns Focused on Prayer and Scripture” (Essentials Red)

For: The“ Institute of Contemporary And Emerging Worship Studies, St. Stephen’s University, Essentials Red Online Worship History Course with Dan Wilt”

As I focus more on Christ in me and hopefully less on me in me, I see daily prayer patterns emerging at certain times. My morning devotional, which can be from twenty minutes to two hours consists of praying in tongues, praying for whoever pops up in my mind, journaling what’s on my mind and heart, reading and rewriting Scripture and writing or playing music. Obviously I never do all of the above in twenty minutes and many days I only pray and read Scripture.

I pray in tongues to block out anything outside the Holy Spirit realm and to intercede for things I don’t know or understand or just have a small sense about. I pray for the saved and the unsaved friends in my life. I have an ever increasing list in my journal and pray for whoever the Lord puts on my heart. I journal seeking answers and to keep a bit of a time line in my life in the world and the life of the world as well as all the spiritual stuff. I write what I think and a lot of the time if I’m wrong, God will correct me.

Now after reading and listening to Dan Wilt’s discourses on the elements of time and space; of practices throughout church history for praying three to six times a day and publicly reading Scripture and of the importance of the symbolic acts of Baptism and the Eucharist or communion I can see a case for more times of the day set aside to pray and read Scripture. Do I think it’s necessary? Well I know that a desire to be continually closer to Christ is necessary to not becoming complacent. “Wake up sleeper” as Paul said. I know the desire must be accompanied by discipline. Words must be followed up with actions or we have that feel good Chritianity where the world is looked at as something only “fit for the scrapheap so why bother not ripping up all it’s resources” or” feeding those poor people who can’t take care of themselves”.

Robert E. Webber discusses the importance of patterns and rhythms for Christian-year spitituality in Ancient-Future Time. If we pattern our life to walking with Jesus from his birth focused on God’s incarnation as also fully man through his suffering in and death in Lent to the climax and culmination in resurrection, we will be continually walking closer to our Savior. Ultimately, we who believe in the risen Savior are called to pattern our life after him to be transformed and no longer conform to the world’s routine. We were crucified and buried with Jesus. That’s the only way we can be resurrected in him. There is no new life if we are glued to the ways we said we surrendered.  As we take the yearly journey with Christ from birth to death to resurrection, from His ascension to heaven again and the celebration of Pentecost when his Spirit comes to reside in us, we mark the times that he marked. We ponder the mysteries of his unconditional and unending sacrificial love. As we search these things out with the Holy Spirit and Jesus as the living word of God in the Scripture are minds are renewed and we reflect more and more the face of our Redeemer.

‘I’ve Been Thinking About God,Time and Space (Essentials Red)’

“For: The Institute of Contemporary And Emerging Worship Studies, St. Stephen’s University, Essentials Red Online Worship Theology Course with Dan Wilt”

There was a time when I was a kid that I believed in God. I’m not sure I knew him personally; his Holy Spirit inside me, but I sensed him in my human senses. Those senses made grooves in the memory hills of my mind and emotions. I remember the U.C.C. church in Richmond, Va. The simple stained glass allowing in filtered light to flicker and dance. I remember the blast of the pipe organ in the opening processional, the mysterious letters IHS (I was told it meant in His sanctuary), the sense that something was happening that had been going on for a very long time. And now I was a part of it.

It has taken Dan Wilt  asking  questions about this past to stir up the memories and bring new, enriched life to them. Just when I think “o.k. church history that sounds good even if somewhat dry” and ” Those traditions are what made me run to the Vineyard to escape this religious (man made) liturgy”;  just then a flood of pleasing and joyous memories come back to me. I am tasting, seeing, smelling and hearing what I previously dreaded in a new light because God is has done and is doing  new things in me, his new creation.

 

As God reveals his story and how my story is incorporated into it,  he is showing me times where his kingdom has overlapped and interlocked with me in this physical world. He is reminding me of  daily, weekly, seasonal, yearly and lifetime moments where he called and drew me unto himself.

The church on Grove Ave. was always a big part of my life from six to sixteen. Taking the weekly bath (until adolesence), putting on the best clothes and clip on tie. I know it seems pharisetical, but it could be an outward act of an inward desire as opposed to “hiding the dirt on the inside of the cup” (Matthew 23:25).   

The design of the space at the church ( U.C.C. emerged from the Congregational Christians or Puritan stock) was stark, basic, traditional and functional. the organ pipes archimg behind the choir loft; the three foot high stage with it’s three ornately carved yet modest chairs, the wooden pews split into left, center and right going back about twenty rows, the always present baptismal bowl, the little “shot glasses” for the Welch’s grape juice. I love the name of the area called narthex or vestibule. We don’t get to use those words anymore. this was the main sanctuary.

There were two fellowship halls.

‘Two Worlds (Essentials Blue)’

“For: The Institute of Contemporary And Emerging Worship Studies, St. Stephen’s University,Essentials Blue Online Worship Theology Course with Dan Wilt“

Two Worlds – by James Talley

click here for words and chords

Download: file.php?id=16865

Two worlds, earth and heaven, overlapping and interlocking was the most beautiful and poetic concept for me in N.T. Wrights’  book “Simply Christian”. I know the concept, I experience the concept and I have heard it from George Eldon Ladd, John Wimber, Derek Morphew, Rich Nathan et al. Yet the visual of overlapping and interlocking gave me the excitement to receive these words from the Holy Spirit.

First we look at how the fall (onslaught of sin or walking away from perfection) has made us ignore our tearing up of the planet. How we walked away from Gods’ beauty. Next we look at how we walk away from all our relationships because we walked away from God.

Yet God comes regardless. He cannot stop loving his creation. It is against his nature. As we look at the radiant beauty of Christs’ sacrifice for our relationship with him to be restored, we cannot help but look past our brokeness to his wholeness.

He made a way; he offered his Son as the ultimate way to overcome sin and so overcome death. Then he calls us to join in and remake; to recreate the world and our relationships to make things right in Jesus’ name. To hear the voice and echo of the Holy Spirit in us saying “come” and “go”, to be the action of God; the hands and feet of Jesus as a living example and a living sacrifice as we demonstrate our allegiance to our King. Justice will rule as Jesus rules through us as we practice being his co-regents on earth. Heavens’ radiance reflects off us as we worship our King who chose servanthood. Let our smiles wash the feet of the oppressed and poor as we feed and comfort, clothe and cherish the rest of Gods’ beautiful broken creation.

” I’ve Been Thinking About God’s Story (Essentials Blue)”

“For: The Institute of Contemporary And Emerging Worship Studies, St. Stephen’s University,Essentials Blue Online Worship Theology Course with Dan Wilt“

 

We believe in one God, creator of all, all powerful and eternal. We believe in a relational God who though fully in perfect relation with himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, chose to create mankind for his pleasure. We believe that God created man imago-Dei or as his image-bearers on earth. We believe that God made a covenant based on relational love with the tribe of Israel. God set Israel apart from the other tribes with this covenant so that things would go well with them. israel walked in the ways of the other tribes and things did not go well.

We believe that in his perfect timing God sent his son, fully man and yet fully God, as the king and rescuer of Israel and all the other tribes. He only asked that they believed that he was the son of God. We believe that this Jesus of Nazareth was the son of God who healed, restored justice, modeled true agape love, raised the dead, and fulfilled all Old Testament prophecy about himself in his fully human form. He sacrificed his life though he was without sin. He took on all all sin for all time that we may be in right relationship with his Father. He was resurrected, promising our resurrection on earth as new creation and in heaven.

We believe that on Pentecost the Holy Spirit came in power into those who believed on Jesus the Christ and that he has been doing so ever since. We believe that the powers of the Holy Spirit are alive and well to this ay. We believe that the Sovereign God chooses to heal today and uses believers in all kinds of capacities from encouraging to being a vessel for complete physical healing. Because god is Sovereign sometimes people are healed and sometimes they are not. There in lies some of the mystery of Gods’ kingdom. We believe that god is answering the prayer his son taught, ” Let your kingdom come on earth as in heaven.” We believe that in Gods’ perfect timing “every knee will bow” before King Jesus and the final rescue mission will be complete as a ” new earth and a new heaven emerge as Gods’ victorious kingdom for all those who believed on Jesus as Savior.

We are created to worship God. The response of the fully alive image-bearer is to ponder and process the Creators’ creation, the Kings’ sacrifice, the realtionship of the Trinity and their relationship with us and then shout for joy. We respond giving thanks, celebrating; withshouting, dancing and singing. With molded elements and molded words we shape, form and edit our praise. We respond acknowledging Gods’ ultimate worthiness in our daily walking around life and place it before him as our sacrifice. We are created to share our lives and worship in community acts displaying our adoration of this King and Savior. We are created to overlap and interlock the stories of earth and heaven with our stories as our story becomes more heavenlike on earth. we are being transformed. When sing to this loving rescuer creator God together, the veil between earth and heaven becomes very thin and transparent and is ever so slightly lifted sometimes.

We believe that the kingdom of God came to earth in Jesus. The inaugaration of heaven on earth was demonstrated in all kinds of healing, forgiveness of sins, raising the dead and other supernatural events. With his death on the cross, he purchased all sin for all time, and holy relationship was reestablished between God and mankind. With Jesus resurrection we are promised a new life, not just in heaven, but as a new creation now. With the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and with the Holy Spirit inside us.

We are to be salvific story-tellers. We are to intertwine our stories with Gods’ story. To share these stories in both the Christian community and in all the other places we live and serve. We are part of Gods’ rescue mission for mankind. Jesus has given us his family full authority over all powers of darkness, all that is broken, all that are oppressed when we ask in his name. We believe that we are to change the earth in Gods’ power through prayer, words and acts of righteousness that demonstrate Gods’ will, as shown through his word and the revelation of the Holy spirit in us.

Through this non violent way the world will be changed one heart at a time. At an unknowable time God the Father will send his Son back to finish the family business of this brokeness on earth. Evil will be fully abolished as every bowed knee will be judged by Jesus as the Lion of Judah. Believers will be fitted to their resurrection bodies and live reigning with and worshiping Jesus in this new Jerusalem; a new heaven on a new earth. Then all will be just and right and peace and love will be forever. We will celebrate and praise the Creator-King, Savior-Bridegroom in perfect relationship forever.

‘I’ve Been Thinking About Celebrating God (Essentials Blue)’

“For: The Institute of Contemporary And Emerging Worship Studies, St. Stephen’s University, Essentials Blue Online Worship Theology Course with Dan Wilt“

Derek Morphew in his conference on the kingdom of God tilted my views of theology and then made some sense of these supernatural views. Anyone who grew up in the Pentecostal church would have found the events beginning to take place in my life rather boring. For me being introduced to people speaking in tongues, trembling and quaking (why do you think them Quakers) swaying and weeping in what seemed uncontrolable ways, was frightening and maybe blasphemous. I did grow up in the United Church of Christ where God was usually quiet and reserved. We were supposed to be emulating the Anglican model, right?

 

So a week before the Morphew conference the Pastor in training prays for me and my guts feel like they want to leave my body; or like a hand is on the inside of my stomach twisting. Now oddly enough, it wasn’t painful but merely bizarre and unworldly. No one ever accused God of being conventional.. at least not by my conventions.

 

 When Morphew  in Inside Worship magazine speaks about  celebrating God, he naturally brings it into the context of living in a kingdom where the future perfection of heaven on earth is accessible in glimpses now. Morphew speaks of a massive feast. The Hebrew word ‘machol’ for feast means to circle or to dance. Also there will be laughter from a joy that goes beyond human understanding. There will be shouting out and singing. We can burst into song in spite of our Western mindset to be reserved.

This is not for New Jerusalem, although it will be beyond our wildest dreams there. We are to know the Lord through his scripture and Holy Spirit in us and leap, and shout passionately for who he is and that he calls us to be his image-bearers.

“Relationships in John 13 through 17 (Essentials Blue)

“For: The Institute of Contemporary And Emerging Worship Studies, St. Stephen’s University, Essentials Blue Online Worship Theology Course with Dan Wilt“

What an apostle that John! He got to live to a ripe old age. He had a vision into heaven like a veil opened, while he was still on earth, to paraphrase N.T. Wright in Simply Christian. He got to hang out there in that portal and witness all creation worship says Revelation 4.

John had the best seat of all the apostles who wrote about that last supper with their Lord. His memory, inspired by the Holy Spirit, when he later wrote  it all down is totally unique among the gospels. John 13-17 has close to 2000 words, very important closure concepts for the disciples to understand. Yet it reveals a new beginning or new chapter on relationships.

It was so important that John didn’t bother discussing the communion of bread  and body; of wine and blood. He had to share the things his beloved said about relationships.

In John 13:34-35  Jesus has already given the new command to ”Love one another. As I have loved you so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples.”  He goes on to let them know the only way for them, or for any to come to the Father is through Him. He also explains that the disciples can do even greater things than he has (Jn 14:12) because he is going back to be with the Father so that the disciples can be Jesus on the earth.

The realtionship is established that Jesus will do “whatever you ask in my name so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.” It is Jesus’ only desire to glorify the Father. That is the basis, that is the weight that moves the scales before any action is taken. Will it glorify the Father.

In the next verse Jesus clarifies the basis for asking. They will ask based on Jesus’  teaching which of course goes back to loving. ”If you love me , you will obey what I command.” The teaching goes back to the Father’s love for the Son and the Son’s sacrificial love for mankind. That relationship between the Father and the Son and their “image-bearing” creation must be consumated. But if Jesus is going to be with the Father, how will that work?

“And I will ask the Father and he will give you another counselor to be with you forever- the Spirit of truth”(v16). Now the chain is complete. The Holy Spirit in us making us the Temple; making us God’s dwelling place and if we choose to seek and not ignore Jesus commands, his truth already inside of us, there is no break in the chain that is the dance of the Trinity. We are already involved in the dance as much as we seek to grab, to cling to come closer and move slightly away, as in any dance. We are bound and secured focused in on the Father’s love for His only Son. We trust that he will never let us pirouette to far away or out of control. Can we sense coming close to embrace the distraught of  His heart to lose the Son as the Son accepted the weight of all sin, and can we yet know Abba’s Holy pride at the  same time He must have said “that’s my boy”.

This is the intimacy of the dance that I desire; to know the Father’s heart, the Son’s desire to please Him above all and the Holy Spirit’s wind blowing it into my heart and mind so I truely believe and sense it in my image-bearers form.  

John 15:26 ” When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, he will testify about me. And you also must also testify, for you     have been with me from the beginning.” Can you envision this as a dance?