Today's first hour of "work" was spent in Scott Chapel listening to Derek Webb speak about his album "Mockingbird" and his thoughts on the social issues he touches on in that amazing record. I guess "ethics" was the word he liked to use. There were a lot of things he said I've been thinking about all day. But there was something specific that I really wanted hit home for me, literally, Regina friends, listen up! I'm not going to be able to articulate this like he did, but here's the jest.
He was asked two questions specifically and I won't know which one he answered that included the thoughts I will share. 1) Is there anything good that can come out of capitalism? 2) In reference to the front cover of a recent Time Magazine, what would Jesus say to the "prosperity Preachers" of today?
We have turned worship into something that we box into Sunday, where we outline exactly what we want to sing, how we want to sing it, and what it will look like (worship teams, lights, instruments, smoke machines, powerpoint screens, etc, etc.). In many churches, it has become disproportionate to all the other elements of corporate worship (communion, sermon, etc.) and completely not related to the rest of our Monday-Saturday lives. Not only is it disproportionate, we have placed the priority of having worship "our way" ahead of looking to the needs of others. Why is this? The most important thing about worship should be our relationship with our brothers and sisters through fellowship, service, and the simple "love your neighbour" mentality. What can I do to serve you? What can I do to show you Christ in everything I do? If that means I may be uncomfortable with what happens on Sunday morning, or I think I would get more out of staying in bed, that does not matter, people! The point is that we are a part of a body of believers that MUST be unified through feeding the poor, taking care of the sick, clothing the homeless, and reaching out to the lost (aka. worshipping God with our whole lives). What happens within the confines of a building once, twice, or three times a week should be of the least importance! Not because corporate worship isn't important, but because we were called to look outwards, not inwards! Fulfilling Christ's purpose in scripture would "feed" us enough that we would enjoy the old hymns (no matter how they are sung), get meaning from scripture (no matter how it was presented), and dissipate our differences because we would see people through God's eyes in such a deeper way!
There is no way I can say it as powerfully as Derek did. I would encourage you to spend some time contemplating the words to his songs (download them free at www.freederekwebb.com) and I'm sure you can imagine how he would have said it. And, for that matter, I would encourage you to spend significantly more time in God's word, seeing how Jesus worshipped himself.
May we be people who emulate Christ because of his words, not by our church and secular culture's definitions.
