A Path to Lifestyle Worship

There is much being said in these days, thankfully, about worship being a 24/7 kind of spiritual discipline—not just a Sunday morning gathering. But how do we get there? And is there hope to actually achieve disciple-like worship?

I am convinced the answer is yes, and I have a trio of ideas to share with you that may help.

First, and perhaps the missing link for many of us, I’m going to call “my-style” worship. When I was in college, my friend Scott lent me a book called How to Worship Jesus Christ. It took me a long time to figure out the book because I kept looking for hints about Sundays, and the author was talking about time with Jesus every day.

I’d always heard about “quiet time” as a part of daily life with Jesus, but never considered it as worship. And friends, when I take time to actually worship Jesus instead of just reading about Him and praying to Him, those moments are crazily better! Can you imagine what it would look like on Sunday morning if every disciple of Jesus in the room had worshipped Him privately, daily, for a week? Oh, my.

By the way, this is a great way to use more of the musical style you love! Children, get a “Kidz Praise” CD and rock out. Students, get a CD by Steve Fee or Kutless and rock on. Adults, whether you love country, Gaither, the classic hymns, or Third Day, use those recordings to have personal worship time. It will change your walk with Jesus.

Second, and the link of the chain that we depend upon too much (I think) is what I’ll call “our-style” worship. This is when the family of faith gets together and gives up ourselves, gives away ourselves, and pours out ourselves. When this happens—as it often does in our worship center—God is glorified, the church is edified and those away from God are testified to. It is 90 minutes of sheer beauty.

Gathered (our-style) worship is transformational, communal, and delightful. I love what Tim said yesterday—when we wake up on Sunday mornings we should be excited that we get to worship with our church family!

Third, and the link that is now getting some attention, is what I’m gonna call “life-style” worship. This is Romans 12 stuff—“So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.” (The Message)

Sounds like abundant life, doesn’t it?

And the path?

“My-style” worship, which leads to “Our-style” worship, which culminates in “Life-style” worship. And the n we do it all again next week.

And the dance goes on…

 0 Comments posted by: Rod Ellis on August 26th, 2008