'Who's Church For?' E-Word

Work Dynamics

"Worthy O Master! Yes, our God!

Take the glory! the honour! the power!

You created it all;

It was created because you wanted it"

(Revelation 4v11 TM)

Have you heard believers' say after Sunday worship,
"that was a great time of worship" or

"I didn't get anything out of worship today"

Let's be clear worship is not limited to the section when we do singing, known as 'praise and worship'. Although some through their marketing would have you believed its all about the quality of the worship leader and group.

Culturally, music is incredibly important for it is a vehicle in which to express thoughts, emotions, hopes, dreams and fantasies of pleasure. However, the significant thing which time and time again interferes and affects Christians is the consumerism in our culture.

The Christian paradigm does not begin with 'I', or me and how I feel. It begins with what Martin Buber calls 'Thou' - God.

Christian worship begins with the amazing, magnificant, resplendent Lord of the Universe, the King of a billion gallexies! Wow, worship is toward God, not self.

Therefore, yeah, there will be times when the music in worship frustrates how you wish to pleasure God by singing and as Matt Redman reminds us 'getting back to the centre, it's all about you Jesus, all about you'.

One more radical thought. Worship is not just a Sunday thing. Worship as Paul said is 'offering our lives as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing (Romans 12)'.

Consequently, Martin Luther wrote:

'A dairy maid can milk cows to the glory of God'.

The lawyer can proceed to defend or prosecute to the glory of God, the driving instructor can assist learner drivers to the glory of God, the house manager can clean to the glory of God. The childminder certainly cares for children to the glory of God. The carpenter, pupil, retired and holidaymaker also live each day to the glory of God. So, each day is an opportunity whether in organised worship, or at leisure or at work to please God.

Watch out golf ball - I'm going whack you to the glory of God!!

Be a blessing to the Lord this week and always.

PRAYER

Lord show us that the whole of our lives is an offering of praise to you.

Help us this day and in the coming week to dedicate what we do

and perform it with an awareness of your presence.

Change the old paradigm of worship just for Sunday alone,

hat we like Mother Teresa see you in what we do, in her case seeing

Jesus in the dying beggar on the street and so tended him

as if it were you Lord Jesus.

In so doing, it changes us from grasping, striving, dominating - to serving,

partnering, being available and vulnerable, instead of controlling all the time.

This is the way of the Lord, teach us to walk in it Lord. Amen.

Rev.Terry Tennens

Work Dynamics

"How to light up your world"

Mathew 5: 13 - 16 (The Message)

"Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You've lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.

"Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand--shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.