The celebration of Easter itself has been much criticised for its connection with the pagan calendar.  Even the word “Easter” mimics the name of the pagan fertility goddess “Ishtar”.  For years in our church we deliberately called Easter “Resurrection Sunday” just to avoid the association.  Whether Good Friday is technically the day of Christ’s crucifixion has also been the topic of much debate.  This is one reason why independent churches veer away from Easter as a major event.

The deeper reason though has more to do with a general distrust of all things liturgical. The very word “liturgy” conjures up mental pictures of robed altar boys, candle-lit solemn services and monotone repetition, or even worse, the blasphemous mass.  The Eucharist aside, many protestant churches also practice a “set pattern of worship”, the broader meaning of the word “liturgy.”   By definition “independents” have made a deliberate move away from the established church and its trappings, including set liturgy.  Therefore, independent churches often downplay the special seasons that the church has observed for centuries.

In spite of my own failure to remember Palm Sunday, the Bible does set a precedent for the practice of regular God-centered celebrations.  The Jewish year was full of special convocations to remember God’s wonders among his people.  “Beware lest you forget the Lord” is Moses’ admonition to Israel before his death.  Having himself received the law from God, he must have understood at least some of God’s reasons for all those ceremonies of remembrance.  Even the early church regularly met on the first day of the week, a purposeful remembrance of the central truth of Christ’s resurrection.

Liturgy also gives us a structure to remember reverently the unshakable foundation of our faith.  Having a set pattern to follow each year assures us that the unchangeable truths have been considered and addressed.  Perhaps following a liturgy is a little like memorising a Bible verse.  We put the information in, and over time the deeper meaning of what we have learned unfolds to us.

For me, all of this is mere musing.  My church still follows a rather casual approach to the holy days.  What does your church do?  What would you like to see changed?  Let’s talk.

In that time I have dropped off many a visitor to the Cairns Marina for a day out ‘on the reef’.

It was only a couple of months ago that I not only dropped off a mission team for such an excursion, but parked the car and joined them myself for a day I will never forget.

It took an hour by boat to get to a spot on what is known as the ‘outer reef,’ and to be honest, I was a bit of a sceptic.

That was because for about half the trip out there the tour company was trying to sell us ‘extras’ like wet suit hire, prescription goggles, scuba classes and dives, tours by helicopter, even a massage!

Surely a day out in nature would spare me from such crass commercialism?

Obviously not.

All I wanted to do was put on my ‘all included’ flippers and goggles and see some coral and colourful fish.

So after putting on said goggles and flippers I jumped in and as soon as I had my head down in the water, hey presto, the Reef, in all its glory, came into full view!

It was unimaginably beautiful.

Before my eyes was another world teeming with sea life and coral- splashed in a kaleidoscope of colour.

The Reef was as good as all the nature shows and books portray, only better!

I thought I would have to swim out a fair way to see anything but there was such an immediacy to the experience, it would have knocked me over if I wasn’t already floating.

Let me give you some interesting stats about our Great Barrier Reef:-

1. It is one of the Seven Wonders of the World (InFocus is Number 8);
2. It stretches over 3,000kms, basically parallel to the Queensland coast. The Reef is between 15kms and 150kms offshore and as much as 65kms wide in parts;
3.The Reef boasts some 400 different kinds of coral, coral sponges, rays and dolphins;
4. There are over 1,500 species of tropical fish and more than 200 types of birds;
5. Some of the sea turtles and giant clams are over 120 years old.

I even saw a few Maori Wrasse (one of them is known as Wally) from a couple of feet away. A picture of one is to the immediate left.  They appeared to be amazingly placid and gentle creatures notwithstanding the sheer size of their heads.

It was nice to share the day with believers who appreciated the true significance of it all.

This was not just a day to get wet, it was one of worship too.

It was discouraging to think that the other couple of hundred people with us were blindly unaware of the Creator’s masterpiece they were seeing first hand. Such is the hardness of unregenerate man. But at least a few of us could, through no wisdom of our own.

I would love to get out to the reef more often, perhaps annually since we live ‘so close’.

The ocean like the rest of creation plainly speaks of a greater, even infinite Creator who loves to use colour, and all shapes and sizes, to portray his character and power on the canvass of the heavens and the earth.

The fact that such beauty still exists in a world so marred by sin and its consequences speaks volumes about our merciful and gracious God that still seeks the redemption of rebels.

O LORD, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all. The earth is full of Your possessions— This great and wide sea, In which are innumerable teeming things, Living things both small and great. Psalms 104:24-25

Those who go down to the sea in ships, Who do business on great waters, They see the works of the LORD, And His wonders in the deep. Psalms 107:23-24

Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places. Psalms 135:6

By Robert Apps

Throwing Down the Gauntlet

Okay, I’ll be straight up. I think music is amoral. I don’t believe any particular note or set of notes can be classed as moral or immoral. I know for a fact that this teaching isn’t found in scripture but I’m willing to see if there is any principles people think you can derive. I do believe however the moral quality of the music is affected lyrically. Without the lyrics the music is plain. Now of course I know people may disagree with me but I’d like to see scriptural arguments to prove me wrong. There is nothing that I can see that suggests music has a moral quality or *gasp* we must listen only to Christian music.

What About Association?

Now the common rebuttal that people throw against this view is “What about association!?!??!?!?!?”. In other words can I grab a R. Kelly, Michael Jackson, 2Pac, Justin Beiber, Rihanna or Eminem song and chuck Christian lyrics to it and still have it being a “moral” song? My answer is: Uhh.., yeah! Association isn’t enough to class something as sinful (food offered to idols anyone?) though someone with a weak conscience can sin if they chose to listen to such music if their conscience tells them otherwise.

Rockin’ the Church

Well, won’t the church be turned into a house of entertainment if we used all those modern music styles? Church will always be entertainment for some people and music can be one of those ways. As with any change we should always ask ourselves: Why? Depending on that answer we might not be able to introduce that particular music as it won’t be for God glorifying reasons.

Let the “Discussions” Begin!

Anyways, let’s get this show on the road. I may not be the most knowledged in this area but I’d love to see other viewpoints and perhaps we can all engage in a meaningful dialog?

Until them, I’ll be listening to some Lecrae ;)

Until next week, God bless!

Steve Mayo from Cornerstone Baptist Church preached a closing message from Isaiah 66, pointing out God’s infinite nature and our need for humility under Him.

Our church has about a dozen musicians, which is unusual for a new church.  They were encouraged and helped by the sessions and the church’s worship will be enhanced as a result.  I thank God for the event organisers and workshop speakers — including one Jason Harris! — they did a great job.

Following Jason’s fiery piece on the need for churches to support themselves (amen), this kind of training event is exactly what we need to equip locals to sharpen ministry skills.

1. How does your personal experience influence your methodology? Many of you referenced personal spiritual growth as a result of the altar call.  You also perceived times when the altar call was more man’s pleading than the Spirit’s leading.  Experience is both valuable and myopic.  We cannot distill the two effects (King Solomon). We can remain humble & teachable allowing our own experiences to mature with Scriptural clarity, providential opportunities and relationships.  I love Jude’s admonition: “keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.  And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.”
2. What’s the correlation between frequency and effectiveness? In most contexts, you would agree that greater frequency leads to more effectiveness.  Don Bradman improved his hand-eye coordination using a stump and golf ball.  Master teachers improve their ability to teach by teaching more often.  So why do we argue that greater frequency in church methodology reduces effectiveness?  If this is your position, how do you keep other methods from becoming overused?  Here’s a couple for you: Should we have announcements after formal worship begins?  Should we have services built around communion (instead of communion bolted onto the service)?
3. How much emotion is too much emotion? Phillip Brooks defined preaching as “truth through personality.”  The passionate communication of God’s Word is endorsed (Jeremiah 20:9) and witnessed (take your pick) throughout Scripture.  The danger lies in emotion divorced from Scriptural truth.
4. How does moderation improve church methodology? This question is the flipside of the frequency/effectiveness debate.   Moderation can improve method by allowing more time for refinement (for example – special music in church services).  Many of you noted that moderation enhances reception.  I concur.

Can you think of additional factors that influence methodology (denominational preference, hermeneutics, etc)?

FOR

1. Faith demands a response.  In Scripture, there are many examples of men and women who believe on the name of the Lord Jesus and respond with a decision.  This urgency can be implicit in an altar call.
2. Our Protestant tradition records the use of altar calls for almost 250 years.  If you attended a service with Wesley, Whitefield, & Spurgeon – you could be comfortable with altar calls after the worship service.  Public decisions in churches came before the regular use of instruments in English services.
3. Prayer & accountability play an important role in personal sanctification.  Because Christianity makes forgiveness so accessible (1 John 1:9) – it’s easy to take it for granted.  The right kind of accountability helps to build consistent responses.

AGAINST

1. There is no explicit Scriptural reference to altar calls in the historical or modern form.  The Bible doesn’t talk about coming forward to the altar or going to a decision director who assigns people to counselors.
2. Altar calls can be the result of emotion not conviction.  The Scriptures and the Holy Spirit are the means of change.  Critics of the altar call will highlight the pleading of the minister over the application of the Word.  Mixed metaphors can also confuse the real source of change (the altar vs. the person and work of Christ)
3. The Word of God changes everyone.  You should be changing even if you do not make a public affirmation.   By emphasizing the public over the private – we can create a perception that “I don’t need to change today because I don’t feel convicted enough.”

I’ve provided three arguments for and against the use of altar calls.  I would like your opinion on the use of altar calls (for or against).  I’ll add my own conclusion in the comments section tonight.

Praying in the Holy Spirit

“But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God…” (Jude 20-21)

One way you can keep conscious of God’s love is when you pray in the Holy Spirit.  This phrase is unique in the New Testament and it means to pray “so that the Holy Spirit is the moving and guiding power.” *  He enables you to pray and gives you direction in your talk with God.  How does this happen?

The Spirit enables you as you trust in the truths of God’s Word.  When the word of Christ dwells richly in you, the Holy Spirit works powerfully in you. (Col. 3:16, Eph. 5:18)

Most Christians tend to come to God with needs such as health, work, safety, children, a reliable car, and so on.  These are natural prayer requests — and there are millions of unbelievers who pray sincerely to their gods with these same requests!  But when you pray from the Bible, the Holy Spirit shapes your desires into something different.  You become more passionate for what God wants overall, for Jesus to be exalted through your health or work or family, and for others to know Him.

Praying with an open Bible

I believe the main method for prayer is to pray the Word: to read the Word and turn it into prayer as you go.  Reading the Word in prayer helps you to draw from the Holy Spirit’s power and direction.  After ten years of struggling to concentrate in prayer, George Muller was transformed by this practice:

“…the first thing I did, after having asked in a few words the Lord’s blessing upon His precious Word, was to begin to meditate on the word of God, searching…to get blessing out of it.  …The result I have found…that after a very few minutes my soul has been led to confession, or to thanksgiving, or to intercession, or to supplication; so that, though I did not…give myself to prayer, but to meditation, yet it turned almost immediately more or less into prayer.” *

The best way to learn is through the prayers of the Bible.  Starting with the Lord’s prayer, there are many prayers in the New Testament you can pray concerning yourself or others.  The Psalms are also an excellent text for prayer.  Talking with God is not natural communication but by grace, it is communication that you can learn.

* From “The Practice of Prayer in the Fight for Joy,” When I Don’t Desire God (John Piper)

You may not be a heart-on-sleeve kind of person (I’m not), but if worshiping God is a heart response to truth, then your emotions should also respond to some extent.

Kevin Bauder (Central Baptist Seminary president) has proposed two regulating principles for the expression of emotion in church music:

First, though good hymnody may express deep emotion, it is not about the emotion. Right emotion must be grounded in reality. When the focus shifts from the spiritual reality to the emotion itself, the emotion in no longer rightly grounded. The purpose of hymnody is to adore God, not to admire ourselves. By concentrating on our own emotions we transform hymnody into a mode of self-assertion.

Second, good hymnody must attach the proper emotions to the realities that are being considered.  We recognize intuitively that hymnody must not express emotions such as anger with God or hatred toward Him. We know that good hymns do not mock God.  Simply avoiding these egregious errors, however, does not ensure that a hymn communicates ordinate affection.

“…We ought to feel and express a range of emotion toward God. We must fill our worship with joy, awe, fear, and love. Not just any awe, or fear, or joy, or love will do, however. We must learn the right fear of God, the right love, the right awe, the right joy.” (PDF)

What hymn or song has stirred your feelings toward God?  Recently I’ve found this communion hymn (by Isaac Watts) resounds with the Scriptural awe of God’s grace.  You can hear a sample here and here are some of the verses:

“How Sweet And Awful Is The Place”

While all our hearts and all our songs

Join to admire the feast,

Each of us cry, with thankful tongues,

“Lord, why was I a guest?”

“Why was I made to hear Thy voice,

And enter while there’s room,

When thousands make a wretched choice,

And rather starve than come?”

We long to see Thy churches full,

That all the chosen race

May, with one voice and heart and soul,

Sing Thy redeeming grace.

When you consume the elements of the bread and the cup, what benefit do you receive?

Participation in the elements signifies participation in the crucified Christ.  You symbolically appropriate the benefits which Christ’s sacrificial death secures.  For example:

1.  Participation signifies that Christ’s death has given you new life. It is not longer you who live, but Christ who lives in you, and the life you now live, you live by faith in the Son of God who loves you and gave himself for you (Gal. 2:20).  Eating and drinking benefit the physical body, giving health and strength.  When you eat and drink the elements as Jesus directed, you are showing that you have entered into relationship with Jesus and that you enjoy the spiritual benefits and accept the responsibilities of this relationship.  John Murray states,

“When we partake of the cup in faith, it is the Lord’s own certification to us that all that the new covenant in his blood involves is ours.  It is the seal of his grace and faithfulness.”

Theologian Louis Berkhof: “The Lord’s Supper…assures the believing participant … that he was personally the object of that incomparable love.” Communion confirms that all the promises and blessings of salvation actually belong to you!

2.  Participation demonstrates that you are a member of Christ’s church. In the Old Testament, special meals often established a special, binding relationship.  Abraham prepared a meal for his angelic visitors, indicating not just hospitality but a bond.  When the Lord confirmed his covenant with Israel on Mt Sinai, Exodus 24 says “they saw the God of Israel” and they ate and drank.  Before Joshua led Israel into the promised land, they ate the Passover meal to reconfirm the covenant and recommit themselves to God.  So too, Jesus bound his disciples to himself in this special meal.  The act of communion presents a visible difference between members of Christ’s church and the world.

3.  Participation is also an opportunity to restate your faith in Jesus as Saviour. In remembrance of Christ, we pledge allegiance to Him as our Master, declaring our commitment to obey all that Jesus has commanded.

EXTRA: Can you imagine having Communion every Sunday?  Charles Spurgeon gives an interesting perspective:

“My witness is, and I think I speak the mind of many of God’s people now present, that coming as some of us do, weekly, to the Lord’s table, we do not find the breaking of bread to have lost its significance—it is always fresh to us. I have often remarked on Lord’s-day evening, whatever the subject may have been, whether Sinai has thundered over our heads, or the plaintive notes of Calvary have pierced our hearts, it always seems equally appropriate to come to the breaking of bread. Shame on the Christian church that she should put it off to once a month, and mar the first day of the week by depriving it of its glory in the meeting together for fellowship and breaking of bread, and showing forth of the death of Christ till he come. They who once know the sweetness of each Lord’s-day celebrating his Supper, will not be content, I am sure, to put it off to less frequent seasons. Beloved, when the Holy Ghost is with us, ordinances are wells to the Christian, wells of rich comfort and of near communion.”

“Declare his glory among the nations,

his marvelous works among all the peoples!”

There were three key points that Steven made from the text:

1. Mission starts with worship (v. 1)

Mission is about maturing disciples of Jesus Christ.

John Piper said “Mission exists because worship doesn’t.”

2. Mission overflows to the nations (v. 3)

They are enslaved by idols.

John Calvin said “The human heart is a factory of idols.”

3. Mission is temporary (v. 13)

Mission is temporary, but worship is forever!

Jim Elliot said “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”

If you want to listen to the whole sermon, you can get it at our church webpage, but it will probably not be up for a little while so you might have to bookmark it.

This week’s stuff

• John Piper explains why he’s using Twitter. (Farid tried to use this to convince me to use Twitter. So far no go, but he won out with fb, so you never know!)
• Ever been in a situation where the guy in the pulpit just made a mess and you have to wrap it up? Dave Doran gives some helpful thoughts.
• I’m still considering whether I agree with point three exactly, but I think he’s headed in the right general direction. We’ll call it fundamentalist tendancies in a conservative Anglican. ; )

And finally, check out this clip.

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Hey, it’s not nice to laugh!