Tuesday Tussle

Well, it's another Tuesday.  Two days into the work week and just three more till the weekend.  Tuesdays are a perfect time to reflect on the past weekend.  I can't begin this weeks Tuesday Tussle with great joy for a great weekend.  Services at FellowshipChurch this past week were awesome.  Wednesday night was the first ever Deeper service.  The band never sounded so good but there was something better that I saw besides the sound - the band worshiped and led in worship like never before.  Shandra and I just looked at each other and thought - that is the sound of Fellowship Church that we have dreamed of and worship we long for.

Our weekend services are designed primarily for guests or non-members.  The idea of Deeper is a members services that features more intense worship music and a deeper teaching followed by communion and prayer.  For our first attempt at creating a different environment, it went extremely well.  So thanks to everyone (and you know who you are) who came out and participated in a wonderful evening.  See you on July 1 @ 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, we continued our series, Old School by talking about how we worship.  This talk featured the seven Hebrew words for praise.  These words and their meanings build a case for the following idea - what we think of as contemporary worship is actually very traditional and what we think of as traditional is really very new.  Here are the words and their definitions to illustrate this thought.

• Halel - to rave, boast, celebrate
  • Psalm 22:26 - ...they who seek the LORD will praise (rave, boast, celebrate) him.
    
• Yadah - to acknowledge in public
  • Psalm 138:1 - I will priase (acknowlege in public) you, O LORD, with all my heart.
    
• Barak - to bless by kneeling or bowing
  • Psalm 103:1 - Praise (bless by kneeling or bowing) the LORD, O my soul and all my inmost being praise (bless by kneeling or bowing) his holy name.
    
• Zamar - making music to God with strings
  • Psalm 92:1 - It is good to praise (make music to God with strings) the LORD and make music to your name, O Most High.
    
• Shabach - to address in a loud tone, to shout
  • Psalm 63:3-4 - Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.  I will praise (address in a loud tone, to shout) you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.
    
• Towdah - to lift hands in adoration
  • Psalm 50:23 - He who offers praise (lifts hands in adoration) glorifies me: and to him that orders his conversation aright will I show the salvation of God.
    
• Tehilah - exuberant singing
  • Psalm 34:1 - I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise (exuberant singing) will always be on my lips.

If you notice there are references to shouting, singing, lifting hands, bowing, kneeling, etc.  So the worship at Fellowship Church is not really contemporary - it's actually very traditional because this style of worship goes back over 3000 years.  lol  That's a funny way to look at it isn't it. 

Seriously though, wether you are a singer, shouter, bower, stander, hand lifter, or anyother description you might choose what matters is that we are to be people of worship.  Not just in a style of response to music but Jesus takes these ideas and expands on them when he says we are to worship God with all our mind, heart/soul and strength.  Worship is not about what we do but who we are.  Our worship of God should be woven into the very fabric of who we are.

So the next time you wonder why the person next to you is crying, singing, lifting their hands or moving a little more than their hands, just remember - if it is offered as worship to God that's all that mattes.

Comments

[ugg knightsbridge]

I think your idea was great! Analysis of very unique! You good ah! You do things its own characteristics ah!