Comments on: Worship (in the sense of the singing thing…) http://www.wellsshankill.org/2009/10/02/worship-in-the-sense-of-the-singing-thing/ Updates from life on the Shankill road Mon, 06 Sep 2010 11:47:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Paul Rowden http://www.wellsshankill.org/2009/10/02/worship-in-the-sense-of-the-singing-thing/#comment-240 Paul Rowden Tue, 06 Oct 2009 19:22:36 +0000 http://www.wellsshankill.org/?p=86#comment-240 If I can reply in a purely selfish fashion. At Tinys' Well we haven't had the opportunity to worship corporately that much in the singing mode. I feel refreshed after i have been able to worship corporately- either at Tinys or any other event - and so i would like to continue to be able to as often as i would feel appropriate. When i say appropriate i mean to say that i don't think worship is all about singing, I think it is bigger and more than just that. Sometimes/most times it is about offering my whole life to my Lord because he has given it to me twice over already. Occasionally i think we can slip into navel gazing if we only sing to God and stop there. I truly believe that God has gifted Ryan to be - amongst other things- (sickening i know) a worship leader...... as in someone who can lead a group of people into the presence of God for the purpose of Worshiping Him. I also believe we have many other worship leaders in the Wells family and I am delighted when i get the chance to worship with any of them. At Tinys we have been lucky enough to start a season of feeding and refreshing those who often give out. So we are getting into a rhythm of Prayer, Worship, Socializing and action, one of the best things Rebecca has been able to get us to do in ages. Where I am going with this is that i would be just as happy to have people along to join with us at worship or prayer as i would be to come along to a 'Big Joint', some of younger folk are really uncomfortable in the larger setting. Basically I'm a people person and I like keep in touch with people from lots of Wells and further afield, it keeps the matrix real and rich. If I can reply in a purely selfish fashion. At Tinys’ Well we haven’t had the opportunity to worship corporately that much in the singing mode. I feel refreshed after i have been able to worship corporately- either at Tinys or any other event - and so i would like to continue to be able to as often as i would feel appropriate.
When i say appropriate i mean to say that i don’t think worship is all about singing, I think it is bigger and more than just that. Sometimes/most times it is about offering my whole life to my Lord because he has given it to me twice over already. Occasionally i think we can slip into navel gazing if we only sing to God and stop there.
I truly believe that God has gifted Ryan to be - amongst other things- (sickening i know) a worship leader…… as in someone who can lead a group of people into the presence of God for the purpose of Worshiping Him.
I also believe we have many other worship leaders in the Wells family and I am delighted when i get the chance to worship with any of them.
At Tinys we have been lucky enough to start a season of feeding and refreshing those who often give out. So we are getting into a rhythm of Prayer, Worship, Socializing and action, one of the best things Rebecca has been able to get us to do in ages. Where I am going with this is that i would be just as happy to have people along to join with us at worship or prayer as i would be to come along to a ‘Big Joint’, some of younger folk are really uncomfortable in the larger setting.
Basically I’m a people person and I like keep in touch with people from lots of Wells and further afield, it keeps the matrix real and rich.

]]> By: adrian mccartney http://www.wellsshankill.org/2009/10/02/worship-in-the-sense-of-the-singing-thing/#comment-239 adrian mccartney Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:31:44 +0000 http://www.wellsshankill.org/?p=86#comment-239 Since doing some work in two inner city churches where the worship/service style is very traditional and perhaps even boring (I am putting words in your mouth before you say them) I have met some genuine followers opf Jesus Christ who could really show us a thing or two. The amazing thing is they have never been to a worship conference or even seen a data projector or lap top. Some of them truly love god and seek his face, live sacrificial lives and incarnate his presence in our world. They seem to have managed it without a band - but their services seem dull and lifeless to me. Makes me think that what we do when we meet to worship together is more about what goes on inside than style and even content. Since doing some work in two inner city churches where the worship/service style is very traditional and perhaps even boring (I am putting words in your mouth before you say them) I have met some genuine followers opf Jesus Christ who could really show us a thing or two. The amazing thing is they have never been to a worship conference or even seen a data projector or lap top. Some of them truly love god and seek his face, live sacrificial lives and incarnate his presence in our world.
They seem to have managed it without a band - but their services seem dull and lifeless to me. Makes me think that what we do when we meet to worship together is more about what goes on inside than style and even content.

]]> By: adrian mccartney http://www.wellsshankill.org/2009/10/02/worship-in-the-sense-of-the-singing-thing/#comment-238 adrian mccartney Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:25:45 +0000 http://www.wellsshankill.org/?p=86#comment-238 I used to be a huge fan of the singing thing - I have gone off it in recent years. Lately I have been trying to work out why. Apart from despising the whole celeb culture that seems to reign supreme in our world and has undoubtedly affected leadership and music in God's church; apart from that I have begun to realise that the problem lies with me (and maybe you as well). "Worship" has been abused by me. I used to think that if we did it right, people would be drawn from their sinful resistance to God into a place of repentance and submission. I used to think that if we worshipped properly we could defeat satan and all his demons - this was usually based on things like Paul and Silas singing hymns in prison (nothing to do with Satan and demons). Then I thought if the congregation could worship properly they would automatically transform into holy saints of God who would extend the kingdom and bring the gospel to friends and family naturally and with power - like that was ever going to happen!!!!!!! Sin and laziness are as prevalent among the best worshippers as among the worst. So worship needs to be reborn in my life! But it must be gebuine and nota measn to an end. I am open to suggestions. I used to be a huge fan of the singing thing - I have gone off it in recent years. Lately I have been trying to work out why.

Apart from despising the whole celeb culture that seems to reign supreme in our world and has undoubtedly affected leadership and music in God’s church; apart from that I have begun to realise that the problem lies with me (and maybe you as well).

“Worship” has been abused by me.

I used to think that if we did it right, people would be drawn from their sinful resistance to God into a place of repentance and submission.

I used to think that if we worshipped properly we could defeat satan and all his demons - this was usually based on things like Paul and Silas singing hymns in prison (nothing to do with Satan and demons).

Then I thought if the congregation could worship properly they would automatically transform into holy saints of God who would extend the kingdom and bring the gospel to friends and family naturally and with power - like that was ever going to happen!!!!!!! Sin and laziness are as prevalent among the best worshippers as among the worst.

So worship needs to be reborn in my life! But it must be gebuine and nota measn to an end. I am open to suggestions.

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