A Worship Lifestyle

Some years ago, at the wedding reception of a groom from a well-known rugby-playing family, I watched with amusement as a young man tried to impress a beautiful woman at his table. Leaning toward her, in hushed tones and with great seriousness, he explained that “rugby is not a sport. It's a lifestyle.” It only took a few minutes for this woman to find a reason to excuse herself from the table.

'Lifestyle' is a fashionable word at the moment. We have lifestyle magazines and TV shows, and it seems that we are all expected to choose our particular preference from a range of lifestyle options on offer. Now, in the Church, it has become fashionable to speak of worship as a lifestyle – which, I must confess, makes me a little uncomfortable.

If we are honest, for many of us “worship as a lifestyle” means that we don't just sing in church, but that we also listen to worship CDs in our cars, in our homes, or at work. We don't just pray in church, but we also pray every day, bringing our personal needs and concerns to God in a constant stream. These practices are not bad in themselves, but I'm not convinced that they amount to anything more than pasting a “worship veneer” over our largely unchanged lives.

Worship leader and song writer, Gerrit Gustafson, has told of an encounter with Mother Teresa that changed both his understanding of worship and his life. After giving her a few of his worship CDs as a gift, he asked her what songs the Missionaries of Charity sang in their worship. Mother Teresa gently returned the CDs to him, explaining that she had nothing on which to play them, and then explained that there was little singing in the worship of her order. Finally he asked her what worship meant to her. At this her eyes lit up, and she quoted Jesus' words in Matthew 25 - “[whatever] you did to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me.”

If a worship lifestyle is nothing more than taking the actions and music of Sunday into the rest of the week, it is little different from any other lifestyle choice – fashionable, pleasurable, offering us a sense of identity, but making little difference in the world. If, however, we allow God to transform us through our worship, and if we take, not the music and prayers of worship, but the transformed lives that worship creates, into the world, we cannot help but make a significant impact for good. And the ones who will most benefit from our lived worship are the poor, the weak, the marginalised and the hurting.

So, is it appropriate for us to adopt worship as our lifestyle of choice? If worship – the service and adoration of Jesus – is both the context for our lives (see last week’s article) and the manner in which we live in the world, then it is perhaps the most important lifestyle choice we'll ever make. But, don't expect to see it promoted in any magazines in the near future.

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John van de Laar is a Methodist minister, liturgical consultant and the author of the book Food for the Road – Life Lesson from the Lord’s Table. He holds a Master’s Degree in theology from UNISA, and is the founder of Sacredise.com, an international worship training and resourcing ministry. John is married to Debbie, and they have two sons.
Visit www.sacredise.com for more articles by John, as well as resources for personal and public worship – music, prayers, liturgies, images and drama scripts.

The meaning of worship

Every Sunday we gather in buildings around the country and around the world. And this gathering has become the defining act of the Church. When 'outsiders' explore joining the faith, Sunday is often where they start. When denominations seek to differentiate themselves, Sunday is one of the primary places where this can be seen. When generations and languages and cultures seek to express their faith, Sunday is the platform on which they stand.

Why should this be? What is the significance of this weekly gathering that it should carry so much weight? These are important questions to ask when, on the one side, so much energy and money is spent on Sunday's worship, and on the other hand, so many people are leaving the Church because of dissatisfaction with Sunday. In the light of this, one simple shift may help us to find a way to worship practice that is healthy and life-giving.

Worship as Context:
Most of the conversation about worship starts with what we do – what songs we sing, what instruments we use, what structures (or lack of) shape our services. But the truth is that worship, at its heart, is not something we do, but something we are. Every human being is a worshipper. We are hard-wired to offer our allegiance to something beyond ourselves. Whether it's science or spirituality, a person or a god, a thing or an ideology, human beings will find something to form both the centre and the context for their lives. Whatever it is that gives us meaning, direction, a set of values and a focal point for our living and loving – this is what we worship.

What this means is that most, if not all of us, fall (at least at times) into a functional atheism. We sing and proclaim one thing with great vehemence on Sundays, but then live around a completely different centre of gravity. While singing and praying a Gospel that is supposed to be good news for the poor, we spend the rest of the week trying to pretend that the poor don't exist. While celebrating community and sharing on Sundays, we return to our individualist, consumerist lives on Monday. By making worship about a few small activities, we have released ourselves from the call to make the worship of Jesus the context in which all of our relationships, ethics, finances, work, leisure – and praying – are done.

Sunday in Context:
But, once we make the shift to worship as the context – the realm, the kin-dom – in which our lives are played out, Sunday begins to take on a whole new role. Instead of being the beginning and the end of worship, Sunday becomes the place where we seek to learn the priorities and values that must guide our lives. Rather than making Sunday the time and place where we “worship”, we embrace the gathering as a call to allow the light of the Gospel to search our motives and actions and point us in the direction of authentic Christ-likeness.

In today's Church all too many of us follow the Church rather than Christ. We follow worship rather than Christ. We follow our preferences rather than Christ. Perhaps it's time to return to the only One who is truly worthy of our worship. And to make worshipping – following – Jesus the primary reality in which we live.

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John van de Laar is a Methodist minister, liturgical consultant and the author of the book Food for the Road – Life Lesson from the Lord’s Table. He holds a Master’s Degree in theology from UNISA, and is the founder of Sacredise.com, an international worship training and resourcing ministry. John is married to Debbie, and they have two sons.
Visit www.sacredise.com for more articles by John, as well as resources for personal and public worship – music, prayers, liturgies, images and drama scripts.

A Good Life

If I ever doubted the value of faith, this week my doubts were completely erased. I have journeyed through grief with many people over my years of ministry, but I have never experienced it first hand in the way I have in the last ten days. On Sunday the 10th of October my father died after about six months of struggling with heart failure. He was just a few weeks short of his eightieth birthday.

What amazes and comforts me as I walk through this whole experience is not so much the faith I have that his life continues after the demise of his body. Rather it’s the impact his life of faith had on me and my family while he was still alive, and the effect this had on the funeral service, on our acceptance of his death when it came, and on our journey together as we grieve.

My father was no saint. He was stubborn, opinionated and loved a good debate when he was bored - which meant he would often take an opposing position even if he didn’t believe his own argument. He was unremarkable in many ways - an ordinary guy who loved his wife for more than the 56 years they were married; an entrepreneur who had good instincts and who did well enough in business to feed his generosity to friends, family and the underprivileged. He was a committed church member for pretty much his whole life, and loved singing in the various church choirs he was part of. His was a simple life, but it was a life that is most accurately described as “good” - which is why it had the impact that it did.

On that Sunday morning as I drove home from the services I had been leading I listened to my brother’s shaky message breaking the news, and I found myself laughing and crying at the same time. I wept because I felt hollow and empty at the loss of a mentor, a friend and an anchor for my life. But I laughed, because there was nothing to regret. Dad had no unfinished business in his life. I know he would have loved to have been around for his sixtieth wedding anniversary, but I also know he was ready to die. He had lived and loved with commitment, passion and a determination to stay close and connected with those who were important to him. He died a man who was very deeply loved, and with no enemies left to gloat.

There are men of my age who can find nothing in their lives that their fathers taught them. This is not the case for me. As I watched him sacrificially and whole-heartedly love my mother, I learned how to be a considerate and self-giving lover. As I watched him pursue dreams with tenacity over years, I learned not to give up, and to stay true to myself and my calling. As I debated religion and politics with him I learned how to ask good questions and how to think for myself. As I watched him apologise for his mistakes, I learned to face my own failures and take responsibility for my messes.

I am not the first person to lose a father, and I certainly won’t be the last, but I am so grateful that my father was a man of faith. His commitment to Jesus, made him a good man, and I am a better person because of his influence. Now as I grieve him, I also celebrate him - and the faith that made his life so rich and full and good. And so, if I ever doubted the value of faith, I do so no longer.
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John van de Laar is a Methodist minister, liturgical consultant and the author of the book Food for the Road – Life Lesson from the Lord’s Table. He holds a Master’s Degree in theology from UNISA, and is the founder of Sacredise.com, an international worship training and resourcing ministry. John is married to Debbie, and they have two sons.
Visit www.sacredise.com for more articles by John, as well as resources for personal and public worship – music, prayers, liturgies, images and drama scripts.

New perspectives

How do you feel about the state of the world today? Do you feel the world is improving, or do you believe that it is sliding inexorably into chaos and evil? These are important questions. Our answers determine how we relate to this world, how we interact with others - particularly those who are different - and how we understand the role of our faith in our earthly existence.

Unfortunately, too many of us see the world extremely negatively. We have been taught that the world is going to get worse, until the time when it is ultimately destroyed and when we are evacuated to another realm called heaven. And so we look for - and find - evidence that evil is winning the battle over this planet. We see our faith as an insurance policy that guarantees our salvation when God finally swoops in and destroys it all in a final conflict with the forces of darkness.

But, I’m not sure that this is a biblical perspective. In fact, the story I read in Scripture is almost the exact opposite! What I see in the Bible is God creating a world and pronouncing it “very good” (Genesis 1:31). I see human struggle and brokenness often bringing pain, but also human nobility - given and inspired by God’s Spirit - bringing goodness, healing and restoration. I see Christ proclaiming that God’s reign is among us in this world, and teaching us to pray that God’s reign would come more fully to earth and work among us here (Matthew 6:10). I see a purpose in history in which God teaches us and challenges us to become more compassionate, more generous, more selfless and more attuned to God’s presence and purpose for creation. And, within the evil and pain of our world, I see this glorious vision being played out. In this scenario, faith is the commitment to live according to this glorious vision of God. It is not a guarantee of safe evacuation, it is a recruitment call to service here and now.

There are a number of spiritual practices that help us to get God’s perspective on the world, and that empower us to live from this new perspective, but perhaps the primary one is praise. The practice of praise is a simple, but powerful activity. Praise can be spoken or sung; offered in silence or in sound; enacted or simply imagined. However we may choose to express our praise, though, we can never engage in this activity without being changed.

Praise requires awareness and reflection. The heart of praise is the recognition of who God is. When we take the time to slow down, and focus our awareness on God, to open the eyes of faith to God’s presence and purpose, to reflect on God’s attributes and actions, we are inevitably filled with a vision of God and God’s reign. And then our hearts cannot help but cry out in awe and wonder, in adoration and in surrender to the mystery. As we regularly open ourselves to the praise experience, we enter the world with open eyes and hearts, and we cannot help but see God’s presence and activity everywhere. And then, the ultimate act of praise happens - we choose to participate in God’s saving, beautifying, restoring, glorifying work.

How we see the world - what perspective we have on it - is a direct reflection of how committed we are to the discipline of praise. And if the world needs anything right now, it is people who bring hearts of praise into every situation and moment. May we be those people!
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John van de Laar is a Methodist minister, liturgical consultant and the author of the book Food for the Road – Life Lesson from the Lord’s Table. He holds a Master’s Degree in theology from UNISA, and is the founder of Sacredise.com, an international worship training and resourcing ministry. John is married to Debbie, and they have two sons.
Visit www.sacredise.com for more articles by John, as well as resources for personal and public worship – music, prayers, liturgies, images and drama scripts.

Heritage

Today in South Africa, we celebrate a holiday known as “Heritage Day”. It’s a special moment for this ‘Rainbow Nation’ to recognise and enjoy our cultural diversity, embracing our difference as an asset, rather than a liability. In order to do this work well, it requires us to look back - to remember where have come from, individually, as separate communities, and together as a nation - in order to look ahead to a new, connected future. It is an opportunity to remember the miracle of this nation, and to allow our shared journey to give us hope for the years ahead.

In the world of today, the idea of having a ‘heritage’ is seldom considered very deeply, and in some cases it’s even thought of as an obstacle to growth, progress or living a full and independent life. As we grow more and more enamoured of youth, and more and more consumed by the newest bright shiny objects, it’s easy to feel that the old ways, the old ideas and the old people who preserve them are just getting in the way. But, we disconnect from our heritage at great expense. When we remember where we come from, when we embrace the wisdom and traditions of the past, when we honour and listen to our elders, we are given the insight, the grounding and the stamina to grow, to embrace the new and to live fully, while avoiding the trap of shallow, short-term expediency. Embracing our heritage is not an obstacle to innovation and life. It is a necessary ingredient.

The same is true of our worship. It’s tempting to throw out old ‘traditions’ as dry and lifeless, and many churches - whether independent, contemporary, charismatic, mainline or emergent - make this mistake. We easily embrace new technologies, new musical genres, new movements and new ideas for growth, while laughing quietly at the elders who resist these innovations. Yet, our worship has become shallow, entertainment-driven and gimmicky - with the result that many frustrated people of faith are leaving the church. We throw out our worship heritage at our own risk.

There are many valuable gifts that we can receive from our Christian heritage in worship. The intimate silences of the contemplatives, the joyful experiences of the Pentecostals, the tried and tested practices of the liturgical churches, the music of the Gospel choirs, the arts and icons of the Catholic and Orthodox churches - all are part of our Christian heritage. The diversity of spiritual experiences and worship practices is a strength, not a weakness. The traditions of these various branches of the Church are all avenues into transforming encounter with God, if we will only embrace them. The practices we learn from our Christian heritage give us roots and depth that ensure that we are not just driven by the latest spiritual fashions, but are immersed in the timeless wisdom of our faith.

So, as we celebrate our heritage today, let’s also celebrate our Christian heritage. Let’s embrace our diversity and honour one another for the different gifts we bring. And let’s worship in ways that allow our heritage to lead us into deep and transforming encounter with God.
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John van de Laar is a Methodist minister, liturgical consultant and the author of the book Food for the Road – Life Lesson from the Lord’s Table. He holds a Master’s Degree in theology from UNISA, and is the founder of Sacredise.com, an international worship training and resourcing ministry. John is married to Debbie, and they have two sons.
Visit www.sacredise.com for more articles by John, as well as resources for personal and public worship – music, prayers, liturgies, images and drama scripts.

24 Years

On Monday my wife, Debbie, and I celebrated 24 years of honeymoon! When Debbie mentioned this to the concierge of the restaurant where she was booking our table for our celebratory meal, the concierge stopped writing, looked intently at Debs and said, “you don’t see that anymore, do you?”

In a similar way it could be said that you don’t really see true long term faith commitment anymore. In our instant-world, faith comes and goes quickly. Tradition and history and the long road of growth and discipline all seem like a quaint throw back to another era. Now we expect to see “results” in our spirituality quickly and easily - we just need to find “the secret”. But, like a marriage, true worship does not happen in short term thrills and constantly changing relationships. It’s only in the long haul that the depth of real intimacy can be found.

In addition, these years of marriage have taught me a startling lesson: intimacy happens in the daily, mundane, routine of life. Yes, there have been many high moments in the last twenty four years, but they are massively outnumbered by the normal, ordinary, everyday times. Our marriage is not defined so much by the highs as it is by the sorting out of who picks up the kids from school, and of where we will put our money, and of who does which chores around the house. What has made our marriage so fulfilling and exciting is not the out-of-the-ordinary experiences, but learning the daily call to really show up for each other, to choose to be really and fully present, even when we’re tired and hurting, when we’re angry or stressed. It’s about knowing in every moment, whether we’re together or apart, that our values and ideals, our ethics and choices are defined by this other, uniquely important person.

In the same way, worship is not so much about amazing experiences as it is about living a life that is defined by God’s presence and purpose. I’m not against good sound systems, or using multi-media to facilitate worship, but these are not what defines worship. It’s not the goosebumps but the goodness that matters. It’s about the daily choice to live every moment, speak every word, think every thought from the framework of who God is and what God is seeking to do in this world. It’s about giving our lives over to be defined by this Most Important Being who chooses to be fully present to us. When we gather in Church, we are learning to show up, to be fully present to God, and to have our lives reshaped by the values and demands of the Gospel.

Twenty four years of marriage has taken commitment, and a determination to work on this relationship above all else through the little daily actions and awarenesses that keep us connected. The life of faith requires no less commitment, no less determination, and no less attention to the little, transforming rituals that keep us connected to Christ - and the weekly gathering for worship, even when it’s not “amazing”, is one of these.
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John van de Laar is a Methodist minister, liturgical consultant and the author of the book Food for the Road – Life Lesson from the Lord’s Table. He holds a Master’s Degree in theology from UNISA, and is the founder of Sacredise.com, an international worship training and resourcing ministry. John is married to Debbie, and they have two sons.
Visit www.sacredise.com for more articles by John, as well as resources for personal and public worship – music, prayers, liturgies, images and drama scripts.

Witnesses

“Why is it, do you think that people get married?”

In the movie, “Shall We Dance”, this question is asked by a relieved Beverly (Susan Sarandon) when a private investigator reports that her husband is not cheating on her, but rather is taking dancing lessons. After rejecting the investigator’s theory that passion draws people together, she answers her own question, “Because we need a witness to our lives.”

I believe this to be true. We all long to know and be known, to love and be loved. We long for significant others who will journey through life with us, and remind us of the joys and achievements, the learning and the loving, the suffering and the beauty. We need those who will remind us of who we really are, and continue to call our best selves out into the world. Marriage, at its best, gives us this. So, too, does the Church. As we share our lives with other people of faith, we commit to be witnesses for one another, and to hold one another accountable to Christ’s call. Being Church leads us all to be better, more Christ-like people. And this Church includes both those who are alive with us now, and those who have died and entered the life beyond the grave.

In the letter to the Hebrews, Chapter Eleven, the writer speaks of the great heroes and heroines of the faith, and the example they set for us who seek to follow Christ now. Then, Chapter Twelve starts with these words: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us” (Hebrews 12:1 NLT). Earlier this year I wrote about our ancestors in faith and how they teach us to live according to eternal values. But, these ancestors are also witnesses to our lives, according to Paul. They watch us, perhaps even pray for us, and they call our best lives out into the world.

One such witness, for me, was my dear friend, Barry Marshall, who died a year ago this week, in a tragic paddling accident. When he was alive, Barry and I had worshipped, debated, laughed and played together in a variety of situations, and he had always challenged me to be honest and true to myself, and to live my faith in ways that bring life to the excluded and poor of the world. Through this year, I have often thought of Barry, and felt his challenge once again. I have been both sad and joyful in these moments which have been more than just memories, but real experiences of his life and ‘spirit’ which abides with me still. Barry was, and continues to be, a witness to my life - and one which challenges me to reach for my most Christ-like self.

Thank God that we are not required to walk this road of life alone. Thank God for the gift of witnesses who share this glorious, painful, awesome journey with us.
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John van de Laar is a Methodist minister, liturgical consultant and the author of the book Food for the Road – Life Lesson from the Lord’s Table. He holds a Master’s Degree in theology from UNISA, and is the founder of Sacredise.com, an international worship training and resourcing ministry. John is married to Debbie, and they have two sons.
Visit www.sacredise.com for more articles by John, as well as resources for personal and public worship – music, prayers, liturgies, images and drama scripts.