You’ve arrived at the church building, made it inside and found a seat you can sit in without drawing attention to yourself. Many of us are there to learn about God and worship Him, an act that has become increasingly personal in recent generations. Some don’t have a church background, and fear saying or doing the wrong thing. The service has barely begun when the lights are brought up and you’re asked to talk to strangers.  No topics are given, we’re simply commanded to “stand up and greet someone” or perhaps “meet someone new”. Yeah, right. I’m headed right towards the person in my community group, where we will sarcastically say “Oh, hi there! Nice to meet you!” If you make me uncomfortable, meet’n’greet, I’ll mock you in defense. The worst part is, those who are actually able to get past the awkwardness and begin an actual conversation are swiftly cut off with a gestapo-like interruption, ensuring that everyone is left feeling awkward.

There’s little to no reason offered for this ritual of the meet’n’greet, leaving everyone wondering “Why? Why do you make us do this week after week?” Save for a few extroverts who adore meeting new people, this part of the service is dreaded. Yesterday a question on Twitter yielded numerous responses, all but two expressing disdain for this part of the service. One couple even confessed they are deliberately late to avoid such torture. As an awkward small-talker, I understand the discomfort brought on by scheduled social interaction. Before we put an axe to this part of the service, however, I’d like to present a case for the meet’n’greet: my wife. In a crowd of people, she notices the person who is standing alone and welcomes them. Her eyes find those who look uncomfortable and seeks to make them comfortable. If it doesn’t work, she’ll make fun of herself so they aren’t alone in feeling silly. Her heart as a follower of Christ is that everyone would feel welcome, and she gets that we are called to be ambassadors of Jesus (2 Cor. 5:20). Several people have approached her later in thankfulness, stating that they were brand-new and it was her kindness during that time that welcomed them. Granted, my wife is not inept at small talk like yours truly, but this isn’t about social aptitude.

It’s about self-centeredness.

The consumer mindset is rampant in the Western Church, and even embraced by some churches who begin and end their liturgy by asking “What will make people happy, comfortable, and bring them here?” While I’m not against making things appealing and comfortable, and believe the church is called to multiply, this is to be done by making disciples. The Twelve who followed Jesus were disciples not because they attended a service or joined a club, they were disciples because they no longer lived for themselves. They followed Jesus with their lives. As disciples, our mindset for each aspect of the service is considering how we respond in a way that brings glory to Jesus. As ambassadors, we speak the words of the King in a way that represents Him accurately. Many people’s view of God is wrapped up in their view of followers, which has been positive or negative depending on the followers they’ve come into contact with. If they have been rejected, judged, or ignored by followers, it’s natural to feel that God has rejected, judged and ignored them. The reality couldn’t be further; we have been seen and heard by God, and though we deserved rejection and judgment he gave that to His own Son.

You may think I’m making a big deal out of a small part of the service. But consider this: the person sitting near you may need a smile, handshake, and human contact more than you know. If God has brought them near to you, consider it an honor that He’d use you to love someone. Did you say hello prior to the service? Do you seek to meet and welcome people after the service is over? An alarming number of us have stories of attending a new church and only being spoken to by a greeter, if at all. @JaysonHumphrey and the greeters labor to welcome each person, and they do an amazing job at this. However, even more moving to people is when someone without a nametag leans over and welcomes them. After the service, remember their name and talk to them. Trust me, this will make a huge difference.

You and I are not at the center of our Sunday service; Jesus Christ is. Let’s receive our worth and love from Him, and come with the posture of ambassadors, loving and serving others on the order of the Son who loved and served us.

I’d love to hear your comments. The real issue is loving and welcoming people. How can we improve the meet’n'greet to do this? Or, is there a better way?

What does the rotation of worship songs look like for your church? Regardless of whether you’re a worship leader, musician, or congregant, would you say there’s a healthy rotation of songs? This is a subjective matter, based on how often you prefer to sing particular songs. To one person, it may seem like a certain song isn’t sung enough on Sundays because they love it. To another, that song is sung all the time, but their view is affected by a dislike of that song. Other factors that influence someone’s opinion are their attendance and whether or not this song is heard in venues outside of church. For church musicians, if you rehearse the song many times and play it in numerous services on a single Sunday, it can seem played out much more quickly than to the congregation, who only hear it during the service they attend. During the first few years of @V21Church I felt songs should be repeated only after six to eight weeks, resulting in a large rotation of songs with little repetition. Over the years we’ve sought to find the balance that keeps people from getting burnt out on songs while making sure the congregation isn’t straining to remember every song because it’s been months since they last sang it.

For this reason, each August the band leaders at the Raleigh West campus gather and analyze each song. We print out a spreadsheet for each band that lists how many times a song was sung. This process adds objective data to our gut feelings, and other band leaders are able to speak freely into the frequency a song is played, the strength and weaknesses of the song and the execution by the band. In the end, it’s about more than whether or not people sing a song loudly. If that’s our only criteria for success, let’s just choose the most popular songs regardless of content or worth.

By the end of the night we place each song in one of the following categories:

• Going strong. Keep this as a regular song in your rotation. Examples for @V21Church’s West Campus are “Into The Arms” (@ThadCockrell), “Hosanna” (Brooke Frasier), “In Feast Or Fallow” (Sandra McCracken), and “Holy Is The Name” (Mike Simons)
• Needs work. Something’s not quite right with the way the band is playing this one, but with the right changes can be a regular song in your rotation. Otherwise, pull it from the rotation. Examples for us are “To Know Your Name” (Matt Crocker), “Love Me To The End” (Red Mountain Music)
• Solid song, BUT the congregation doesn’t seem to be responding with the same passion and energy they used to. Pull this one out every 3-4 months. Examples for us: “All Creatures Of Our God And King”, “Jesus Paid It All” and “Before The Throne of God Above” (Charitie Bancroft, Sojourn Church)
• Retire it. Either the band is not pulling it off, the congregation is not responding after many attempts, it’s not the best song we can sing theologically, or it’s been played into the ground. I’m a firm believer that the best songs will not land in this category, but stand the test of time. Many songs we’ve sung and written in the past have ended up in retirement. We’ve gotten better as songwriters and musicians and some songs just don’t stand the test of time. This can be a challenging place for songwriters, as a song that stood strong for a season no longer holds the same weight. We praise God that He gives us songs, whether it’s for a season or a lifetime, and humbly ask him for more songs to bring Him glory.

Over the years this process has helped identify more than songs. We’ve been able to see complacency in band leaders or bands, a lack of preparation on our part as leaders, and overall strengths and weaknesses that may not have been on the surface. For example, last year I introduced two songs that didn’t make it past one Sunday. This tells me the songs weren’t ready, and now I’m sending out new songs to the band and fellow band leaders weeks in advance. Having a system of accountability and review in place allows us to pull back from the next week’s service and see the larger picture. It should be noted that our goal is not to be the brilliant masterminds behind the worship of God; in the end the objective data or subjective opinions should not take the place of prayer, as we ask the Holy Spirit to guide and lead our worship. I’m thankful for the humility of our band leaders and their desire to worship God and serve others.

Do you have systems of review in place for songs and bands? @V21Church folks, does this review process seem to be working? Would you say we sing songs not enough, too much, or is it the right balance of the two?

This week we’ve looked at whether or not the worship service on Sundays should serve the followers of Jesus that make up the church or those outside the church that do not know Jesus. On one hand, the church is a collective of believers who have been given gifts for the building up of the church (1 Cor. 12:7) and our calling is to strengthen one another (1 Cor. 14:26). The language Jesus uses for the church is that of His bride (Rev. 21) and His body (Col. 1:24), and He gave his life for the church (Eph. 5). Yet, the church is made up of those whom Jesus has redeemed, and His heart is that the lost would be found (Luke 15:1-7). As His Body, the church cannot deny the mission of lovingly sharing the good news of Jesus’ redemption.

In parts one and two of this series, we see the benefit of both approaches. Which one is more important? Bob Kauflin notes that the problem with pairing these values against one another is that there is a biblical mandate for both. Nor are they mutually exclusive! What makes a service edifying for believers is not a language or message that is incomprehensible to those outside the church. As we learned early on at @V21Church, being welcoming to those who do not believe Jesus is Lord is not a stripped-down version of the truth, but simply clarity, accessibility and respect.

It would be arrogant to think that in the year 2010 we had a fresh and innovative answer. As if for the past 2000 years churches had neglected to ask such questions and were ignoring Scripture’s mandates to both build disciples in the church and share the Gospel with those outside. If there were a clear answer or surefire process, it would have been discovered. Wouldn’t God desire to share a process that taught us to both to love one another within the church but remain on mission to build His kingdom?

The answer lies in Jesus (that’s always the right answer in church, right?). We’ve separated two mandates – build a church of healthy believers and be on mission towards the lost – that were never meant to be divided. We’ve split into two teams of Us vs. Them and grow concerned with either one or the other, while Jesus’ desire was that all would be saved. When the disciples of Jesus acted out of a “Us vs. Them” mentality and tried to send people away, He rebuked this notion and welcomed all. Jesus taught His followers to be disciples while constantly living out the mission to seek the lost. It was in this mission that the followers learned the heart of God. Jesus’ love and care for the disciples was no less as He cared for the woman at the well, Zaccheus, or the demon-possessed man. I believe that as we  are on mission to love the lost, we come to know God’s love for us more.

We will inevitably fail and love one more than the other at times. As we near eight years since starting Vintage21 Church, I can look back and see times where we were imbalanced in our love for those within the church and those outside. The only way to love as Jesus commands us to is to love with His love, which requires constant humility and listening to the Holy Spirit. If we step away from the guidance of the Spirit, whether that comes as a result of pride, unrepentant sin, or losing our first love (Rev. 2:1-7), we will not honor God. Building the church and ultimately the Kingdom of God from our own strength, knowledge and resources is impossible.

Have you been to a church that is welcoming and accessible to non-believers but that has not sacrificed preaching of the Gospel and healthy, active response to God? What characteristics stood out to you about this place?

Yesterday’s post examined the unhealthy result of designing the church service with only the non-believer in mind. While the outward-focused mission of God should be a part of our DNA as Christ followers, if we neglect the followers of Jesus who are a part of the church, we’re not actually making disciples (Matthew 28:19-20). Most churches land on the other side of the pendulum, where they are concerned with the congregants over the thousands or even millions of lost people around them. They would consider the Sunday worship service to be the primary means of evangelism, yet there is a language and culture unknown to those outside church walls and only a small percentage of congregants actually invite people to the service. Any examination of liturgy or culture is met with stubborn resistance, often due to unhealthy attachments to tradition or fear of the unknown.

The church overly concerned with their own “needs” will over time begin to develop an unhealthy picture of their relationship to God. They could become modern-day Israelites, who missed their role as messengers of the salvation of God to the world but instead grew concerned with the privileges of being God’s people and the promises they felt they deserved. This entitlement can be found in the modern-day church, and leads people to a place of consumerism on Sundays. They believe the music, aesthetics, preaching and overall experience needs to edify them, or the church is not doing its job. The problem with this view is that each individual will have a different opinion about what serves them. Over time a majority voice will rise up within the congregation, those outside of their shared opinion find no room for their needs to be met and they will leave. As years go by this powerful majority opinion will force newcomers to fit into the culture or go elsewhere. As the ruling majority grows older and resists growth, repentance and change in general, the congregation begins to shrink until it’s down to 30 people meeting in a 700-person venue.

I’m not advocating for constant change or an openness to the voice of every person that enters a church. It’s impossible to serve everyone’s needs, whether they are saved or not. Besides, the role of the church is not to serve people’s needs but to bring glory to Jesus. However, part of glorifying Jesus is by serving others in love; the key is to not let this take precedence over the glory of God. This quote from Bryan Chappell describes how these two are tied together:

“Worship choices should never be segregated into meeting the needs of either those inside or those outside the present church community. Worship priorities cannot ignore the needs of those already gathered in the body of Christ, because the primary purpose of any church is to enable the people of God rightly to honor God. At the same time, leaders must recognize that God’s people cannot rightly honor him if they are unconcerned for the progress of his kingdom and the proclamation of his name.” - Bryan Chappell, Christ-Centered Worship, page 131-132

How do we strike the balance between a gathering that enables the people of God to rightly honor Him and that welcomes those Jesus has not yet brought into his Kingdom? Tomorrow we’ll attempt to find the answer. Have you been to a church that is welcoming and accessible to non-believers but that has not sacrificed preaching of the Gospel and healthy, active response to God? What characteristics stood out to you about this place?

In recent years there have been many churches, @V21Church being one of them, that have sought to make the language and environment of church welcoming, the culture relevant to the surrounding city and attractive to those outside the church, all in an attempt to bring glory to Jesus. I speak from experience that as this continues, if there is not equal effort, prayer, and time spent making disciples of those who are saved, a development of biblical community where we love one another and bear one another’s burdens (Gal. 6:2), and a continued humility in seeking God’s will, the attractive and welcoming nature may grow, but the depth of the church will begin to wane. Soon what people are being drawn to is a service, a speaker, or social event. The words of Jesus to the Church in Sardis in Revelation 3 may describe the result: “I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.”

Having grown up in the church, my experience week after week was like the movie “Groundhog Day” – it seemed like every week the same people repeated the same actions. People sat in the same seats, sang the same songs, and the minister said the same things. Rarely did new people attend, and when this occurred those people looked just like everyone else. On the rare occasion someone showed up who looked extremely different and was open about not believing in Jesus, it  inspired discomfort among the congregation. They were treated like a biker uncle who showed up unexpectedly at Thanksgiving – we don’t really have a place set for you at the table, and we aren’t open to you ruining this nice day we’re having.

When @V21Church was planted in November 2002, there was a strong desire to welcome people who did not follow Jesus. In addition to calling followers of Christ to be warm and friendly towards everyone who attended, it was important to address what was said from up front. We examined the language and style of the songs, the liturgy and the sermon. We soon figured out this should not result in a dumbed-down or super-simplistic approach to Scripture. The arrogance underlying such an approach is astounding, as it communicates “You just don’t understand. We’ll make it simple for you so you can see the light.” This implies people who do not follow Christ are idiots, and followers of Christ have arrived at the conclusion that Jesus is Lord on their own merit. In addition, if you preach a dumbed-down portrayal of God and people began to follow this, they will grow frustrated as they’re unable to reconcile Scripture with this compartmentalized snapshot they signed up for. In other words, preach, teach and follow the God of the Bible.

Those who were open about not believing Jesus was God responded with enthusiasm to the challenging truths found in the Bible, while many who had grown up in church had an amazing ability to hear direct challenges to their lives and promptly ignore those convictions. We soon learned that people were coming to church to see if Jesus was really God, and wanted us to be clear and direct with them. The key to creating an environment welcome to those who do not follow Jesus was not a watered-down message but clarity. In addition, it was a sincere love for God, for others and for the city we live in – the ever-popular term “authenticity”.

Several years in we found the teachings of Tim Keller that brought even more clarity to what we had found true in practice at @V21Church. Below is a video that sums this up well.

We’re honored that God has brought people that do not know Him to @V21Church and given us a heart for those people. We’re humbled by those who have been saved by God who are involved in @V21Church, and encouraged to make sure we continue to shape our service in such a way that those without a church background or who have been “burned” by the church are welcome here.

Here’s the thing: if this becomes the main goal of our gatherings on Sunday, we’re in error. When one aspect receives more attention than Scripture dictates or to the detriment of other duties of the church, the pendulum has swung too far. Like a football team that only recruits and practices offense, the result will be an unhealthy organization. While a football team that only practices offense could argue “The goal of the game is to score points. We’re going to do everything we can to score points”, to win the game you also have to keep the other team from scoring points. The coach in this instance would be taking one command – “score touchdowns” – and blowing it out of proportion to what is needed to win the game. For a church, it’s not about winning or losing, but about being the Body of Christ. We desire to follow the commands of Scripture, the example set for us by church history, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. While Jesus commanded us to “go and make disciples of all nations…” (Matthew 28:19-20) this is not our only command. When Jesus speaks to the churches in Revelation 1-3, he said more than “Did you make disciples of all nations?” Therefore, if we make our service entirely about attracting non-believers, we’re missing our call as the church.

Join us tomorrow as we examine the other side of the coin: circling the wagons, and gathering only for the followers of Christ.

]]> http://worship.vintage21.com/2010/08/why-we-gather-on-sundays-part-one/feed/ 1 http://worship.vintage21.com/2010/05/new-song-in-feast-or-fallow/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=new-song-in-feast-or-fallow http://worship.vintage21.com/2010/05/new-song-in-feast-or-fallow/#comments Fri, 07 May 2010 14:59:51 +0000 Matt Stevens http://worship.vintage21.com/?p=1124 Once in a while a song comes along that jumps off of the record and I immediately know we’ll be singing it at @V21Church. The title track from Sandra McCracken’s new album is one of those songs. Perhaps it was spurred on by hearing the familiar voice of our dear friend @ThadCockrell, who led worship at @V21Church and who we eagerly support in his mission of music. Deeper than this familiarity is the song itself. The lyrics speak of a trust in God that goes beyond our situation; a daily struggle for most people. The ebb and flow of our lives can overtake us, dictating our faith, joy, and peace. This should not be, as the cross of Christ is sufficient to sustain us and fulfill our needs; while our situation changes God does not. Easier said than done, right? I feel this deeply, as the past five years have been full of ups and downs in the life of my wife and I. One reason I love gathering on Sundays is the encouragement of the body of believers lifting up truth in song, and it’s during these times I’m reminded that we are not alone in our pain.

This week begins our four-week Psalm series, where we examine the role of the believer’s response, both as individuals and in the congregation. This song is a fitting theme for this series, as our call is to lean on God wholeheartedly regardless of where He has us. Here’s what @SandraMcCracken had to say about “In Feast or Fallow” in an interview with @PatrolMag:

“It’s like in farming, have you ever heard of the idea of crop rotation where you use the field for so many seasons and then you give it a rest just so the nutrients in the soil can renew itself and be ready for another harvest? It’s the idea of seasons and of rest and work and the natural, organic life cycles. The record is about the way that happens in our creativity and in the ebb and flow of our life. So that’s what the words mean, “in feast or fallow.” The fallow is when the land goes resting for a period of time.”

Read more about her thoughts on this song here on her website. Listen to this song below and meditate on the lyrics prior to Sunday. Visit Sandra McCracken’s site for information on buying this song (or the whole album – it’s fantastic). Come Sunday, sing your heart out. I will be, and literally cannot wait to worship with you all.

I love you, people of Vintage21 Church.

In Feast Or Fallow
Words and Lyrics by Sandra McCracken

When the fields are dry, and the winter is long
Blessed are the meek, the hungry, the poor
When my soul is downcast, and my voice has no song
For mercy, for comfort, I wait on the Lord

In the harvest feast or the fallow ground,
My certain hope is in Jesus found
My lot, my cup, my portion sure
Whatever comes, we shall endure.
Whatever comes, we shall endure

On a cross of wood, His blood was outpoured
He Rose from the ground, like a bird to the sky
Bringing peace to our violence, and crushing death?s door
Our Maker incarnate, our God who provides.

Repeat chorus

Bridge:
come, oh come, Emman- u- el
come, oh come, Emman- u- el

When the earth beneath me crumbles and quakes
Not a sparrow falls, nor a hair from my head
Without His hand to guide me, my shield and my strength
In joy or in sorrow, in life or in death

Repeat chorus

Last week was a beautiful for @V21Church. On Palm Sunday and Maundy Thursday we examined our arrogance and Christ’s unwavering love. Easter was a true celebration as we had both planned and spontaneous baptisms at each service, and through the songs we sang of a risen King and the freedom from sin and death we find in Him. It felt special all week long. In a way, too special.

Why should the energy, passion, fervor and abandonment of Easter be any different from every week when the body gathers? We should celebrate the resurrection of Jesus every week!

There’s nothing inherently sacred about those days; they are traditions we take advantage of. Yet our preparation and prayer has a weight absent from the remainder of Sunday gatherings. This holiday has the potential to become an idol to us – we elevate Easter Sunday to place not found in scripture. Granted, I’m no scholar of church history, but I would wager the original intent was not to worship with abandonment only on Easter. While the cultural significance of this day provides an opportunity and responsibility to share the Gospel with those who do not believe, our approach to Sunday should not shift so dramatically from our regular worship services. The hope is that non-believers would return the following Sunday, but will they be let down by what they experience? I’m not even talking about an absence of lasers and fog – the services at @V21Church are simple and without much fanfare.

The conviction really comes not from how amazing Easter services are, but how lackluster other services are in comparison. It’s knowing what we are capable of that illuminates our laziness, apathy and/or pride. Why don’t we raise the bar on every other Sunday; preparing, praying and planning a service that blows people away, gives honor to Jesus and sweeps us up in thankfulness and praise? We should continue to make Easter a huge celebration, but not to the point where it feels like a different gathering of people who have suddenly woken up. Remember: Christ is Risen! This changes everything, for good.

Holy Week begins this Sunday, and I’ve never been more excited to reflect, respond and celebrate with our @V21Church family. The depth of the week leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion is astounding, and every year I learn more and more about His character and how deep his love is. This is why the Maundy Thursday service is my favorite – the grandeur of His love and our sin is revealed on the night Jesus was betrayed.

This year the theme of Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday and Easter is that of Jesus as king. Although the crowd and the circumstances surrounding Jesus change drastically during this week period, he’s no less king on Palm Sunday than on Easter Sunday. What changes is our view of him, mainly because we’re marred by sin and pride

On Palm Sunday he’s the “distorted king”, meaning he is king, but the people are seeing him as they want to see him – the revolutionary rock star who will overthrow the Romans and give them what they want. Although Christ is riding in on a donkey, they fill in the blanks and treat him as if he’s David charging into the city on a war horse. The disciples particularly are riding high during this week as he’s displaying power and authority, and the crowds are buzzing with the possibility that He actually is the Messiah.

On Maundy Thursday he’s the rejected king. Again, he’s still king, and while his actions seem contrary – betrayed, beaten, abandoned, arrested, and crucified – in reality he’s ascending to the throne. The disciples reject this humble, broken man; if that’s Jesus as king he’s not worth following after all. Finally, on Easter Jesus is the Risen king. He’s overcome death and will be seated at the right hand of God. He’s defeated sin and death, and reigns over all things. The disciples bow down, realizing Jesus was king all along.

Our actions are no less self-centered than those of the disciples 2,000 years ago. We distort the reign of Jesus, only bowing down to him as king when we experience personal gain. We reject the humble, broken servant king who calls us to carry our cross, love our neighbors as ourselves and care for those in need. I pray we would see and worship the true Jesus of scripture, and not our own distorted, watered-down view.

Join us this year for the following services. Each one will be beautiful in presenting the great love of Jesus and our need for a savior.

Palm Sunday
Raleigh: 9:30 and 11:30 am, 5:00 and 7:00 pm
Durham: 11:00 am

Maundy Thursday
Raleigh: 6:00 and 8:00 pm

Easter Sunday
Raleigh: 9:30 and 11:30 am, 5:00 and 7:00 pm
Durham: 11:00 am