We take communion together every first Sunday of the month. This week as we experience the mystery of the sacrament together, we will also dwell on these words of Asaph. As Christians, we claim God’s promise to be good to the pure in heart – to those vested in his son’s death. As we live out our daily lives, though, truly believing it can prove much more difficult, especially when those around us are benefiting from a life free from the burdens each believer carries. Consider the words of Psalm 73 and God’s work in your life as you approach this Sunday.

73:1 Truly God is good to Israel,
to those who are pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled,
my steps had nearly slipped.
3 For I was envious of the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

4 For they have no pangs until death;
their bodies are fat and sleek.
5 They are not in trouble as others are;
they are not stricken like the rest of mankind.

Kevin Twit, founder of Indelible Grace Music and author of many of the songs we use in corporate worship, co-wrote a simple song reflecting on this Psalm. Preview it here.

This August, I will be leading a group of volunteers from our worship ministry on a trip to Maryland to participate in WorshipGod11. As I have spoken with some of the men and women who are serving our church on stage and in the sound booth on a regular basis, I’ve gotten some interesting responses. If you are wondering why it makes sense to take time away from your busy lives to study the practice of worship, you aren’t alone! I want to briefly share a few of the reasons why I am organizing this trip and why I hope that each and every worship volunteer in the church will consider going with me.  

As worship leaders, we have a very specific role to fill, but it can also seem very nebulous. Why do we worship? Why do we sing the songs we sing? What is the importance of corporate worship? In some cases, it is intimidating. What does it mean to be a lead worshipper? Does it matter what other people think? Are mistakes okay? These are questions that we all wrestle with as lead worshippers. By spending time studying worship together, we will grow stronger in our understanding of the gospel and how it should inform our worship. The gospel story shapes each and every worship service at Christ Community Church. It is a founding principle of our worship that each service would convey the gospel in its entirety. This sets us apart from many churches and often creates confusion. Why, for example, do we confess corporately in church? What happens when we sing our corporate confession? As we answer these questions together as leaders, we become more effective lead worshippers. WorshipGod11 will give us a unique opportunity to delve into these concepts as we continue to shape the direction of worship at Christ Community Church. Bryan Chappell, author of Christ-Centered Worship, will be giving the keynote presentation. His book has been a guiding force in the development of our worship services, and I cannot wait for everyone who attends the conference to experience his teaching.

In addition to rediscovering the core principles of worship, you will also have opportunities to enjoy workshops that are specific to your interests. In some cases, the people giving the workshops also authored many of the songs we sing together (Vikki Cook, for example, wrote “Before the Throne of God Above”). For sound and media volunteers, there is a “Demystifying Digital Consoles” seminar that I would love for someone to attend, among others. Above all, I hope that the worship team will find rest and enjoy spending time with other volunteers. The more we learn about each other and care for one another, the more effective we will be as a team.

Think about it. Pray about it.

This is a simple, worshipful song we introduced on May 29th. Look for this in our rotation this summer.

Worship takes on many shapes, forms and sounds. It is a personal expression of our gratitude toward God for His love. It is a corporate response to His majesty in light of our unworthiness. It is an outpouring of His Spirit as it transforms us. When we worship corporately, we focus our efforts on God as the initiator. We sing to Him, and the content of our corporate worship consequently focuses on Him, rather than us, a majority of the time. However, there are moments in worship when we look inward and profess the state of our own hearts as well – from singing corporate confessions to lamenting our sin in light of His holiness.

We also sing with resolution that we are responding to His love and faithfulness. A couple of weeks ago, the worship team introduced a new song as a prelude that follows Moses’ guidance to the Israelites in Exodus 14: “And Moses said to the people, ‘Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.’”

The song we introduced is titled I Will Be Still, and we will begin singing it together this summer:

I will be still; I will be still
And know; and know; and know You are God

Though the waters roar; though the mountains fall to the sea
Though the earth give way; I will turn to Thee

There is no fear; as I look upon You
Though the nations rage; and creation yearns for the Lord
Though the earth may melt; I’m forever Yours

There is no fear; as I look upon You
Though the arrows fly; and the trumpets sound their call
Though the nations war; and the kingdoms fall

There is no fear; as I look upon You

The song is also a direct response to God’s commands in the Psalms.