Multiply

Worship leaders can greatly enhance the fellowship that church members experience with Christ during the Lord’s Supper. One way they can strengthen our remembrance of Christ’s death and life-giving sacrifice is by singing songs that are full of meaning and full of feeling.  The words to the song carry the meaning, the melody and harmony of the song carry feeling.  When true words and well-composed music are combined, songs powerfully touch our mind and our emotions.

The Lord’s Supper is a powerful reminder of the essential message of the Bible, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”    Jesus said about that simple meal of bread and wine, “Do this in remembrance of me.” Our Train and Multiply materials teach us that participation in the Lord’s Supper is one of the seven basic commands of Christ.

Today, and in my next episode, I want to describe seven characteristics of healthy working relationships.   

1. Mutual Trust and Respect –  
2. Mutual Commitment to Help Others –
3. Mutual Use of Gifts, Skills, and Creativity 

When Jesus went to the cross to shed his blood and die for you and me, he addressed all the worst problems this world of ours has ever faced.  The Lord’s Supper is a very, very important worship service in which we honor the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

Jesus told us to partake of the Lord’s Supper so we would remember him.  Remembering is not done quickly.  It takes time to remember details and reflect on meaning.

When we look at the spiritual foundation of the Lord’s Supper, we can clearly see the true heart of our Heavenly Father. God desired to have a relationship with each one of us. He sent Jesus to be our sacrifice, His body broken and hung on the cross sacrificed for us. Jesus’s blood flowed so that the new covenant and the cleansing of our sins would be complete. What a powerful time we have to remember who we are in Christ.

The Israelites stopped worshipping God and began to worship the gods of the people.  The book of Judges tells us about the suffering that ensued. In baptism, new believers declare that they no long worship the gods of the people, they worship Christ. They have begun a new and abundant life.

Godly leaders demonstrate dependance upon the Lord.  They also set the expectation – and the example – that healthy teams minister in a spirit of inter-dependence.  1 Corinthians 12 and 14 describe diversity of spiritual gifts; Ephesians 4 instructs us about diversity of ministry callings; and again 1 Corinthians 12 reminds us that we are one body with many parts.  None of us have all the spiritual gifts and callings; none of us are the complete body; we need one another.

As a village church planter, you have a very important function in the worldwide body of Christ. You are the first one to bring the message of Christ to a village which has never before worshipped him.  You are the one who will teach families who never before followed Christ to trust him and obey him.  Because you are the first one to explain the meaning of the Good News of Christ, you have a big responsibility; you must explain everything you do with clarity. You must explain your actions by communicating the truths of the Bible.

1 Corinthians 10:31 says So then whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all for the glory of our great God. The purpose in which we do anything must first glorify God in a humble, thankful, spirit that shows the joy of serving the Lord.  If the worship music glorifies God then let it be heard from the mountain tops. If dancing expresses ones love and adoration for the Lord then let it be. I was taught about flexibility in worshipping the Lord is not just in one single form or fashion. How I worship may look different from others and that’s ok because it’s my relationship with the Lord that I want to grow in and that certainly can happen in worship.

It’s not hard to plan a well-ordered worship experience for your church, but it does take time. It is not hard to prepare a well-ordered worship service, but it won’t happen automatically.

One of the keys to planning a well-ordered worship experience is to identify the theme of the service. The theme of the service is the central idea from Scripture that is presented through preaching, teaching, or Bible story-telling. If that theme also appears in the songs you sing and the prayers that are prayed, God will meet your people in wonderful ways as you worship.