What if worship didn't look like worship?

It's been a while, eh?  No excuses.  Just a little something to think about...

THE IDEA:

Move regular people from the dry, thirsty desert of 6-plus days away from corporate worship to the place where they are "self-feeders", worshipping 24/7 in their homes, their workplaces, even while they sleep, wake, eat, etc.

BACKGROUND:

Bill Hybels spent over thirty years of ministry promoting a multi-milliion dollar organization (Willow Creek Community Church) and several years ago took a look back at the decades.  In a dramatic shock to the system, he realized that their Big Church Organization didn't make that much difference in their people.  He confessed this revelation to an International Leadership Conference being held at WCC with these words...

"We made a mistake. What we should have done when people crossed the line of faith and become Christians, we should have started telling people and teaching people that they have to take responsibility to become 'self feeders.' We should have gotten people, taught people, how to read their bible between service, how to do the spiritual practices much more aggressively on their own."   

Pretty sobering coming from the godfather of the mega-church.

Over most the past 28 years, Marcia and I have been a part of the ministry at Outreach Center Church, a small, non-denominational missionary fellowship, where we have served particularly as worship leaders.  Thankfully we contributed to what is a shared ministry with multiple leaders, teams of musicians, and trained worship leaders and musicians who have gone out to the far reaches of the planet.  

But, is that enough?

THE BURDEN:

Twenty-five to thirty minutes of worship on a Sunday Morning.  A little post service worship.  People that chose whether to come to church late (or not at all) based on who's leading.  An occasional extra service with a small band of worshippers.  Is that enough?

The Bible says "Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus" (I Thes. 5:16-18).  Revelation paints the picture of "day and night" worship around the throne of God.  IHOP has taken this vision to heart and has built a 24/7 prayer room with intercessory missionaries dedicated to the service of this modern temple.  For a season in my life, I embraced and fleshed out this vision in a local HOP manifestation.  

Is that enough?

What about all the other people?  The non-musician/singers?  The folks working two jobs, with screaming kids, and barely time for desperate prayers and KLRC (our award winning Christian radio station) in the car?  These precious people are told (usually not in words) that our idea of Sunday services (or 24/7 IHOP sets) is worship.  Problem is they can't participate.  Sure, they can sing and clap their hands.  But at best they are spectators.  In some cases, they enter in during the 25 minute set, only to get yanked out of that place by announcements and an awkward greeting time.  At worst, they are groupies and fanboys for the best worship leaders and experiences, running out to Christian concerts, conferences, and the like.

SOMETHING DIFFERENT:

I see a decentralized, multi-faceted educational movement that trains and releases personal worshippers who don't need an organized church to get them to the throne room of God.  (Please don't make the mistake of assuming I have drunk the Kool-Aid of the anti-corporate church people.  I have walked on all sides of this debate.)  The arts expressed in a broader local church setting would be central to this...writing, singing/playing, painting, photography, video/film, etc.  Disciplines like fasting, solitude, giving, even exercise would play a part.  The key is to transcend what we have traditionally viewed as normal and release EVERYONE into personal, virile, transformational worship of God.  24/7.

The web seems like a great way to distribute practical teaching and demonstrations of a wide variety of means to the end.  Blogs and Vlogs, discussion boards, downloadable music tracks, etc.  Those of us with creative arts/worship giftings would help lead the Body of Christ beyond the Sunday rut into their quiet times, yardwork, comutes to work, family time, etc. 

THE GOAL:

Releasing worshippers who move from being church goers toward those who worship God in Spirit and truth.  Self-feeders.  As a lifestyle.  All the time.

Post your comments and thoughts.  Let's make a joyful noise together.