Strengthen Your Core

Evaluation of our worship grant experience

2008-07-02T23:07:00.001-04:00

Thank you for visiting our blog site to help us evaluate our worship grant experience. Please answer the questions below as honestly and completely as you can. You may include your name or remain anonymous. We really appreciate your help!

1. Do you feel you have a better understanding of the true meaning of authentic worship because of the grant experience?
2. What (in our worship services) has enhanced your worship since the grant began (last July)?
3. What (in our worship services) has distracted you from worship?
4. Do you remember a specific event in a worship service that has been particularly meaningful to you, something that brought you closer to God, or that you’d like to have us do again?
5. Do you experience a real sense of the presence of God in our worship? How, or why not?
6. Do you feel you received enough explanation about the grant and the grant process along the way?
7. Are there any comments you’d like to make about worship?

Thank you again for your help. We could ask many more questions, but the answers to these will help us very much. We are grateful to be part of Sardis Baptist Church, and pray God’s blessings on us all!

Observing Christmas

2007-12-13T13:55:00.000-05:00

Do you plan to observe Christmas this year?

Sure. It's a part of our religious DNA, isn't it? Surprisingly, there are some who do not plan to observe Christmas for religious reasons.

Read the following article. Compare your plans with those described in the article. It may cause you to think about what you are doing this Christmas.

Click to read

It's a boy!

2007-11-27T10:48:00.000-05:00

Down through history, the exclamation at birth, "It's A Boy!” was the preferable gender reality because it meant that there would be a strong back for a farming family, strong arms for blacksmithing or lumberjacking, etc.

Today, pregnant couples in our society can find out very early whether they'll have a girl or boy. The most prevalent reaction concerning gender is, "It doesn't matter, we just hope for a healthy baby!"

There was no ultrasound 2,000 years ago, but in Mary's not-yet-married world a God-sent messenger announced that she would give birth to a boy. All cultural stigmas aside, she must have trembled with excitement at that moment.

Then more unbelievable baby-information was spoken by that angelic presence: the baby would be God's Son and she should name him Jesus! Waves of fear and anxiety gripped her mind.

The Jehovah that Mary had grown up worshiping daily had favored her, singled her out from all other Jewish maidens. She was being asked to partner with God in this incredible incarnation which would bring God into human fellowship.

God's plan was not to send his son as a full-grown adult to teach, preach and heal from day one on earth. This son would come as an infant, nurtured in the womb, expected to live through years of exploration, learning, and growing, as all mankind does.

As the annunciation began to sink in, Mary's initial response was to humble herself and offer her servant spirit to her Lord.

Then, she just had to run and share what had happened to her. Her relative Elizabeth was the right one with whom to share: no judgment, no prying questions.....just shared joy! Mary burst into song, praising God for his goodness and mercy bestowed upon Israel and amazingly upon her.

Her thankfulness acknowledged the fulfillment of the long-ago prophetic promises......... Now, to share this news with Joseph and the rest of her family and the village.........a boy would mean a strong back in the carpenter shop, and………….

Worship retreat at Sardis

2007-11-20T13:48:00.000-05:00

Dr. Michael Hawn and Mr. Neeki Bey led us during our worship retreat at Sardis on November 17-18, 2007.

Enjoy the slide show of the event.

Click to view slide show.

Surround Sound

2007-11-16T11:04:00.000-05:00

Fifty years ago when people went to a movie, the sound came from behind the screen or perhaps from either side of it. Today the sounds of the dialogue and the action completely surrounds us; it comes from every direction. We are completely immersed in the sound which comes to our ears from more points than if we were in an actual situation.

All Saints Day is celebrated on the first Sunday in November at Sardis. Worship includes surrounding ourselves with the memories of loved ones who have died during the preceding year. We honor their memory and recall the example they set for us, as well as remembering the debt we owe to them for the influence they have been in our lives.

Remembering those who have gone before helps to remind us that we are not alone, that God's grace will sustain us. Hebrews 12:1 encourages us with the assurance that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. Those who have preceded us in death are not just spectators of our lives, but are witnesses to the faithfulness of God.

The heroes of the faith, both personal and corporate, still speak to us as we remember what they said or read what they wrote. We are surrounded by the cloud of saints in our daily lives as surely as we are surrounded by mists on a foggy morning drive. Or as surely as we are surrounded by sound in our local movie theater.

Whose voices do you hear encouraging you as you cope with the living out of today?

Worship Art by Children

2007-11-06T15:38:00.000-05:00

Worship through the artistic creativity of children....

Click here to view slide show of art created by children

May God bless them.

Down by the Riverside

2007-11-06T11:06:00.000-05:00

Have any of you been baptized in a river?

In Jesus’ day, this was the preferred method of baptism. If running water was not available, the person being baptized was sprinkled with water. Some denominations continue to baptize by sprinkling, but Baptists still baptize by immersion – maybe not in a river, but in a baptistery, which simulates a river.

Baptism represents our confession of faith in Jesus Christ. In baptism, our old life and sins are washed away and a new life in Christ begins. This is a most joyous occasion and God celebrates with us.

I grew up in another denomination, so was sprinkled as a baby. As an adult, I joined the Baptist church was subsequently baptized by immersion. This had special meaning to me because I chose to be baptized by immersion for myself. I will never forget that day.

What are some of your special memories of baptism? What are your thoughts on baptism?

Communion in a Starbucks World

2007-11-02T11:59:00.000-04:00

One of our favorite pastimes in today’s society concerns gathering at a local coffeehouse to partake of coffee or some other available beverage, possibly snack on some sort treat and share stories, while discussing the present and looking forward to the future.

In a similar way, we gather together during worship to remember the sacrifice Jesus Christ made for us and to look forward to the day when he will return.

During Communion, which is also known as the Lord’s Supper or the Eucharist, we give thanks to God for Jesus by partaking of bread and juice which are symbolic of Christ’s body and blood. This is a solemn, reverent time as we remember that Christ died so that we may be saved. It is a joyful time as we look forward to his return.

There are different ways of sharing the bread and juice, but no matter how it is done, it is a special occasion.

How do you respond to the Lord’s Supper? Is it a special time for you? What are your favorite ways of taking communion?

Don't mess with Baptists

2007-10-26T14:49:00.000-04:00

Baptists began in the middle of controversy, fighting for ideas that seemed “radical” at the time. Some of those ideas still seem radical to some people, even in our time. One of these is the priesthood of the believer.

Built on the concept of soul competency – each person is free and responsible in his or her relation with God – the concept of priesthood of the believer is that, if you are free and responsible in your relationship with God, then you cannot and should not attempt to force your interpretation on my interpretation of the Bible. You are free, under the guidance of God’s Holy Spirit, to arrive at an interpretation of a Scripture passage that may be totally different from mine.

The second part of this concept is that each believer is a priest (seem strange to you?); you and I, and the pastors, and the presidents of seminaries, and the child sitting beside you, are all gifted by God in some way to minister to others, and we are equally charged with the responsibility of doing just that.

What does this mean to us as worshipers? As we read and study scripture, the Holy Spirit speaks to each believer and helps the believer understand the meaning of God’s word for their lives. The person sitting next to us may hear it differently, but that’s the Baptist way. No one is to force his or her understanding upon others. This can be confusing for some people! But Dr. Reggie Warren, in his presidential address to the Baptist General Association of Virginia, said, “When you say you believe in the priesthood of believers, you recognize and respect that priesthood in others, even when you don’t agree with them…you stand by your principles because you know that imposed or manipulated faith is not authentic faith, and that for all the problems that our freedoms permit, they do not compare to the problems that imposed, legislated, manipulated religiosity causes.”

A second part of the opportunity and responsibility presented by this idea of the priesthood of the believer is that we are each gifted by God “for the building up of the church.” This includes worship.

Some of us sing, some play parts in dramas, some play instruments, some proclaim the Gospel in words, some have a heart sensitive to lead us all in prayer, some may dance, write poetry, paint pictures, welcome strangers, arrange flowers, create a worshipful space, hold a child, clean a sink, mop a floor, edit a newsletter – all of our gifts can and should be used to worship God and to help others worship. We are all equal before God – no gift is more important than another.

What is your gift?

How can you use your gift in worship to honor God and bless the lives of others?

Finding church in the likely and unlikely places

2007-10-22T15:39:00.000-04:00

"How do you define CHURCH?"

An elder "patriarch" at my former church's congregational meeting asked that question. The prevailing answer was the old Baptist standard: "A body of baptized believers."

Heads nodded affirmation. Then I "stirred the pot" when I stood and exclaimed, "You just erased all the preschoolers, most children, several youth, regular attenders and guests, who have not yet been baptized!" A lively discussion ensued

Consider your thoughts based upon a former church tradition you observed as a member, and compare them to your current practice.

As you do, ponder what is running through the mind of child…as she enters and exits with “the light” as an acolyte….as he reads scripture in public….as she listens to the sermon or sings in her choir…as he observes baptism and communion….as she plays and learns in the “worship care room," etc.

How do you think God receives such children as they participate in worship?

How do you view your role as a follow worshipper with such young people?

Our church has stated, “Children should be valued as a vital giving and receiving presence in our worshiping congregation, not as passive or frustrating observers. They are naturally spiritual with 'deep' thoughts about God and unrehearsed responses to God."

Silence is pewder

2007-10-19T12:41:00.000-04:00

Mother Teresa wrote:

“We cannot put ourselves directly in the presence of God if we do not practice internal and external silence.

“In silence we will find new energy and true unity. Silence gives us a new outlook on everything.

“The essential thing is not what we say but what God says to us and through us. In that silence, He will listen to us; there He will speak to our soul, and there we will hear His voice.

“Listen in silence because if your heart is full of other things you cannot hear the voice of God. But when you have listened to the voice of God in the stillness of your heart, then your heart is filled with God…

“What is essential is not what we say but what God tells us and what He tells others through us. In silence He listens to us; in silence He speaks to our souls. In silence we are granted the privilege of listening to His voice.”

Silence, as important as it is, takes practice and intentionality. How can we practice silence both individually and as community?

Dude, Beam me up

2007-10-17T16:04:00.000-04:00

When we visit family in Florida, we often attend a church which is a satellite of a mega-church in Ft. Lauderdale.

After local announcements, singing accompanied by a live band, and prayer led by the satellite’s pastor, a giant screen descends from the ceiling. At that point, we see and hear the sermon being delivered by the pastor of the parent church some thirty miles away. It is always a great sermon, and we get the same message as if the preacher were actually in the sanctuary with us, but, for me, something is lost.

This idea, taken to the extreme, would make it possible for a few dozen preachers to deliver sermons to all of the churches in the country on Sunday morning.

With today’s technology, we could even watch from home in high definition without having to drive to the meetinghouse. We could time-shift, allowing us to watch when it is convenient for us, freeing us from a rigid time schedule.

This is all technically possible, but would it be church?

Teleconferencing is common in business today, and some people are able to telecommute, doing their jobs from home without ever going to an office, but could we telecommute to church? I think not.

There is something special about coming together in the presence of each other and of our pastor which technology can never replace. Progress is inevitable and we should embrace it when it serves us, but may we never allow it to displace that which is fundamental to our lives.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

The Whole World in our Hands

2007-10-15T17:12:00.000-04:00

“Christian tradition has assumed, given that we are creatures who live in a good creation, that whatever is ‘ours’ is so only as gift, grace. Therefore goods are rightly seen as first of all goods that are in common.” (Hauerwas and Willimon)

So, what is ours and what is not?

That seems to be the underlying question surrounding giving. And as much as we may say we believe that all that we have is truly God’s and not ours, our behavior typically says otherwise.

Yet, giving is central in worship. Giving is a way we claim that we are not formed as the world, but instead we are formed by the people of God.

As Marva Dawn so eloquently wrote in "An Unfettered Hope," we are formed by the one “who at his birth was laid in a manger, in his adult life had nowhere to lay his head, and at his death was laid in a borrowed tomb.”

How you see your personal giving and our corporate giving as an act of worship?

Holy Whispers

2007-10-10T14:28:00.000-04:00

“Life outlined with prayer is less likely to unravel.” Several years ago my sister cross stitched this expression, framed it, and blessed my birthday with it. It still hangs above my breakfast table as a visual reminder to keep me open to communication with God. A communication that is two-way. Prayer involves talking to God about moments of joy and moments of heartache; but, just as importantly, it involves listening to God.

“Be still and know that I am the Lord, “ the psalmist urges his readers to live in God’s presence, to listen to the holy whispers God breathes into our being. Knowing God and spending some quiet time in listening gives me a chance to have rewoven the unraveled pieces of my life.

I remember how delicious it was to hold whispered conversations with a best friend as I was growing up. There was the feeling that we could meet any challenge with confidence because we were together. This power of affirmation is multiplied when I live in an awareness of God’s presence; when I whisper my thanks to God, my need for help.

The pressures of aging parents, rebellious children, self-doubt—of living in a hectic culture—snatch at the threads of my sanity. Prayer helps me to keep the threads of my life from unraveling. Does prayer give you affirmation, forgiveness, peace?

Hymns of the heart

2007-10-08T09:42:00.000-04:00

Hymns and songs of the faith speak to me in a profound way. I will often recall a verse or a line of a hymn instead of a passage of scripture when I need comfort, or face a difficult situation.

The composers of hymns have varied backgrounds and the stories behind the hymn are wonderful to read. The composition of a hymn often comes out of some tragic or life changing situation that has happened to the composer.

One of my favorites is “Great is Thy Faithfulness.” The line which says “strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,” speaks to me in a special way.

Which hymns speak to you where you are?

How has God communicated with you through the words of a hymn?

Sacred Words

2007-10-03T15:48:00.000-04:00

It used to be in the South that a good Baptist or Methodist preacher had learn to preach with a big floppy Bible in one hand and a pointing finger in the other. (Wouldn’t hurt if he could grab a handkerchief with his pointing finger every now and wipe the sweat off his brow.) That was preachin’ from the Bible!

The Bible has traditionally been central to worship in Southern culture. Baptists and other Protestants placed a high emphasis on the scriptures in worship. Admittedly, sometimes this was as much prop (the big floppy Bible) as it was substance.

I’ve always thought it odd that some churches that claim to be “Bible-based” hardly read any scripture in worship; whereas a liturgical church, which follows the lectionary, may be reading as many as a half dozen scripture passages throughout worship.

The reading of scripture in worship has a long history in Christianity and Judaism. The Book of Psalms is a collection of prayers, songs and chants to be used in worship. When Jesus attended worship at his hometown synagogue, he was asked to read scripture (the passage was from Isaiah). During the Protestant Reformation Huldrich Zwingli, pastor to the cathedral in Zurich, threw out the artwork, the music and had two-hour long sermons explaining the Bible verse by verse. Within a couple of years the Zurich City Council passed a law that required everyone to attend church at least twice a year. I guess those two-hour, verse-by-verse Bible sermons weren’t too exciting. Protestants have been trying to figure out what to do with the Bible ever since.

How does a congregation worship so that the Bible becomes a conduit of God’s word to all worshipers (pastors included), rather than just the pastor’s private prop to preach at the rest of us?

Is Worship a Verb?

2007-10-01T16:15:00.000-04:00

Yes, of course it is. If you’re the type who actually listened in grammar class, you will add that worship is a noun, as well. But is worship really a verb for us? Do we really participate in worship with our entire being, or are we content with spending a pleasant hour with nice people, sitting as passive spectators being entertained by the pastors and musicians?

Leonard Sweet has said, “It is one thing to talk about God. It is quite another thing to experience God.” God longs for us to have that experience as we truly worship.

In his book in his book, Experiential Worship, Bob Rognlien says that “the beauty and wonder of worship is that it is the only thing we can give to God that He does not already have. Worship is the one thing we do exclusively to express our love to God.”

How do we express our love in worship? Jesus said we should love God with our heart, soul, mind, and strength, implying that we should involve our entire beings in worship. How do we do that in church on Sunday morning?

True worship involves action. God initiates the action; God is there before we arrive, wherever we meet to worship. God speaks to us through the power of the Holy Spirit in Scripture, prayer, music, symbol, proclamation, warmth and love of other worshipers around us. God reveals love, grace, comfort, forgiveness, and more.

True worship involves action on our part as we respond to God - through praise, confession, celebration, interceding for others, acknowledging with humility the miracles God has brought to our lives, committing ourselves gratefully to the life of a follower of Christ.

Robert Webber says, “Worship is not something done to us or for us, but by us.”

If we truly want to worship in the way God intends, we must make a conscious choice to involve ourselves physically, mentally, and emotionally, as well as spiritually.

What does that mean to me? What does that mean to you?

Down to the core

2007-09-24T16:10:00.000-04:00

Welcome to our blog. Thanks for checking it out. We hope you will visit it often, particularly as we post future pieces.

This site is intended to be a place where people, who share our church’s commitment to Christian worship, can join an electronic community through thoughtful dialogue. Most of our readers will be members of our church, Sardis Baptist, Charlotte, North Carolina. Referrals or recommendations will draw others. However you come to this site, we hope you will participate in this learning experience.

The Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, Grand Rapids, Michigan, with funding provided by the Lilly Endowment, Inc., awarded our church with a grant to strengthen the priority we place upon Christian worship. We are grateful for this support, and we want to be good stewards of the resources entrusted to our care.

We have created this blog as a demonstration of our stewardship. Over the coming weeks we will post multiple pieces on various aspects of Christian worship. We hope the articles and comments recorded by readers will enhance our worship experiences as believers.

Worship represents one of the significant core values in the life of a church. For that reason, we have named this blog, “Strengthen Your Core.” We believe worship, whether it is conducted privately or congregationally, represents an essential part of one’s being as a child of God.

Check back as we begin this learning experience together.