2. I think God uses us in spite of us…so yes. Personally would I want it for a Lord’s Day celebration, no…its about meeting Him that day. I just think Sunday morning is set apart, but I would love to worship in that manner at some other time. I was raised that way…I do have a soft spot for it. I just see Sunday morning for a different focus…HIM.

Such good questions!

It’s awesome to have so much technology at your disposal.If the Lord is calling your church to worship with lights and visual art…then it sounds like you need to do it with everything you’ve got! And so you are.
We all just need to be good stewards with what God has given to us.

As to the questions Los posses:

1. I think the book of Titus answers what the purpose of the Church is. Paul doesn’t give a lot of answers as to how some of this should be worked out, but he makes it clear what churches should do. The thing that struck me the most as I read through it was that we should teach our people how to excel at doing good works. How to meet the urgent needs of others. The other thing that is stressed is to live humble, godly lives so that we have a good witness among the unbelievers around us. To live in a way that leaves no room for others to despise us. Paul says that these are the things that we should teach our people. It may seem over simplified, but I don’t know of many churches who are just focusing on these things.

2. I absolutely believe that God can engage the hearts of people through all of the items Los mentions. God has engaged my heart through them and I know that He has in others as well. But I think that He can equally engage us without them. My fear is that we get people thinking that they can’t connect with God without all of those things. I know that for me, I can start to have a hard time worshiping God without those things if I’m not careful. Another fear of mine on this topic is that we try so hard to create a relevant environment for seekers that we remove the onus of evangelism from our people. I’m not saying that we should throw away our “invest and invite” strategies, but I do think that we are producing a generation of Christians who have no idea how to personally share Christ with others because we’ve taught them that their job is just to get people to church and we’ll take care of the rest.

So, like I said, I wrestle with all of this, but I don’t mean to put down any other church’s methods. The last thing we need is to be throwing rocks at each other’s methods. As long as Christ is your goal, then we’re all on the same team.

This post has really made me think since I first read it Sunday night and since I can seem to shake it I decided I would post, sorry for the length.

In response to Number 1, God clearly desires that his followers gather in corporate worship ‘WHERE TWO OR MORE ARE GATHERED…”. Sunday morning at Church is a chance to commune not only with God but to gather in one of the few places, at least for me, that the cares of the outside world tend to disappear and I am able to focus on something completely different and much larger & more important than me. While I am sure that many folks would say that I should find other time for that and I do, but it is absolutely the one time where no phone will ring, email arrive or a kid’s scream and it is is precious to me. Sunday also give those of us not called to full time ministry a chance to serve the Church and hopefully offer a vision of selfless service.

On question 2, my heart has been laid bare more times by a video clip, performance art or a song that really captures the picture of Christ’s love for us than by any other element in a worship service. I think that God works with the tools of the day, whether it was the hands of artist in the Middle Ages, the beautiful concerts of Mozart or Beethoven, or simply a church choir raising their voices in praise. I grew up attending traditional protestant churches throughout the South and I think one of the primary problems facing the local church is that it has failed to modernize and recognize that for many people the traditional piano and organ are a passe’ and that for many non-believers it is not just not getting it done. Instead these folks are turning away from the Church simply because they believe it has lost touch with modern times. Consequently, I believe that some churches are recognizing that this multi-media generation is in need of constant technological stimulation, Twitter anyone, and has decided to meet those needs in a worship environment that either sparks an interest in our heavenly father, furthers their relationship with him, or most importantly brings them into a relationship with Jesus Christ. I have seen this happen at Buckhead and look forward to what’s next.

1. be careful about being proud of what buckhead church is doing. it’s not that you’re not doing great things…just be careful…I love you and what you do..don’t want to see it get more important than everything else

2. Weekend gatherings….well, to promote bonding and fellowship. We are supposed to step out of our comfort zone and get to know people we have yet to meet. (right?) We are to grow closer with God…Together

3. What was that question again? (scrolled up…got it) Yes, I think God can reach a person’s heart through production, etc… I played drums at and attended Crossroads Chruch in Corona back in ‘03….then went to my current church and almost didn’t go back because the music was so bad and I could NOT connect….I play drums at my church in hopes to help….when I feel I am not helping, I am done….not the point, but a comment. There are those in a service who are distracted w/life and worries……that is merely part of our job, but is our responsibility all the same……help these souls release their worries and worship God.

The original church was a place where Believers would come in and worship, not the thousand other things that we sometimes try to accomplish in a 60 minute period.

It was a time to renew the spirit, strengthen the conviction to follow the teachings of Christ, and give the Believers the strength they needed to “go out”.

When we meet on Sunday morning we should be engaged in worship (in my opinion).

That doesn’t mean that I don’t think the church has other responsibilities, it does, but at other times.

2. In a perfect world, our Bible alone would suffice to induce powerful worship…it works in the 3rd world. What would happen if Christians expressed their contentment, not only in the worship service, but also with their daily lives? What if we were to forsake our McMansions and took over the trailer parks sharing with everyone that no one would have need? I’m a little tired of looking to the government to accomplish the Church’s call to care for the poor…and at the same time, I write this from my McMansion on my laptop, etc, etc, etc. I’m discouraged that my faith will only stretch to the point that I’m confortable…then I find excuses. Screw comfort…live for Jesus. I’m working on it.

So that leads to the question – What is the weekend worship service for?

I believe it is a place for all to experience and connect. To experience and connect with God, His children, and those that are seeking. I don’t believe one can come sit in a service and immediately jump out into a home group. One must experience community first, before they will ever take on the challenge of sitting down in a small group of people they have never met.

Small groups, or whatever you may call them, have statistically struggled in the US church, because we tend to lack genuine community in our weekend service. When you look at the stats you will discover it is a rare church that has more than 35-40% of their church body actively engaged in a home group. There is a bit of good news, in that we have seen a trend upward over the past couple years. I believe most of that can be attributed to the massive push to establish and build genuine and authentic community by many of our churches.

So, what is the value of lights, camera, action, so to speak in our weekend service? I believe it helps people connect. The camera helps people to see the visual expression, inflection and movement of the pastor, worship leader etc. It brings the environment of the large room to a much more personal level.

Much of the lighting is essential to the camera and video quality. Lighting also helps establish the atmosphere of the room. With lighting I can build the atmosphere to a place where people engage and scream out the praises of God, or I can pull it back to a place where in that quite, still moment, the feeling of no one else around but you and God, the heart begins to melt and God is allowed, maybe for the first time, to speak to the individual. In that moment, which I have seen countless times, brokenness comes and the bitterness of the heart slides off and newness springs forth.

I must also tell you that while production should never supersede the message…it must also never take a complacent seat in the car. You have to ensure that lighting is timed correctly and that the quality is high. Because the last thing needed in a moment like I described above is for a missed cue or program to run that flashes lights all over the room. You have to use production and technology in a manner that reflects the mood and atmosphere of the moment. You cannot allow for it to distract.

# 2 – I highly believe that a person connects to God uniquely in worship and music. It is through this time that God showers His love onto the individual. I know of no better way to engage God than through worship. He is the ultimate and deserves nothing less than our devoted worship.

The thing that I believe stands out to me most about God is that He is uniquely creative. He created the heavens and the earth. He created the beasts of the field, the birds of the air and the fish of the sea… and He created you and me.

In all of that knowledge, how can we wonder if God likes creative things? He is the master of creativity. I know that His hearts leaps when His creation steps out in creativity to share His love and reach those He wants to reach.

Is it not unlike the proud moment in a fathers life, when he notices his son holding the fork the same way He does or putting his clothes on the same way he does etc.?

So to wonder if God can engage His people on a creative level or by a creative means….. is much like wondering if a car can really run on gas?

We were created by a hugely creative God, using highly creative means, and in all of that we cannot run from the creativity that is divinely embedded into each of us.