Last weekend, we met the Marionette family in our worship services at Rose Drive Friends Church. As you will see in the clip that follows, they are launching out on a journey. They are going to "Promiseland" -- but it really is an adventure to learn to put First Things First in their lives.
In the message for last weekend, I know I may have offended some people when talking about worship. I was thankful that others mentioned (actually, quite a few mentioned) that they really appreciated the message and found it to be helpful. Obviously, offensiveness is not my real goal (and I felt the need to sort of give a blanket apology in each service), but there are some things that all of us need to re-think at times when it relates to this most important of values as followers of Jesus Christ.
This blog page offended and grieved me.
ReplyDeleteChances are that 90% of those who read this post will also be offended or grieved. For me the question now becomes: how will I respond to the offense?
Have you been watching the survey results on the right? Of all of the choices that survey participants have to define "worship" only one relates to "giving." As I write this a mere 10% of us chose to elevate "giving back to God" as a primary means to helping us worship.
Our church exists on a corner of the earth that is considered to be one of the wealthiest in the entire world. Yet this survey illustrates (at least for participants) that we prefer a kind of worship that gives the least of what we have the most.
I can't remember how I answered the survey the first time but if I could, today I would go back to mkae certain that my answer declares a priority to “giving back to God.”
I want to be a church where "giving" to God is more important than "receiving."
Come on church! Perhaps if we can declare it by word we will soon declare it with our actions.
Together, let’s declare “giving to God” to be our greatest act to worshiping God!
Re-open the survey! I am sorry God! Please don’t make it too late for me to place you first!