At Antioch, we are at the brink of something awesome. A new
and exciting season is upon us! As this fellowship of Christian
believers approaches the completion and dedication of a new
worship facility, we must also anticipate the voice of the One who
has not only brought us to this place, but will continue to lead
us until the day that His work is complete and His will is made
perfect in us. It is still His work and His will, which must be done
His way.
It is equally important for us to realize that brick and mortar does
not facilitate worship in and of itself. While the new sanctuary
stands as a glorious monument and will provide a space where
we come to honor God together, worship begins in the hearts,
minds, and attitudes of those who will enter. While our new facility
will almost certainly provide a place of refreshing, it is important
that our worship also be renewed. We might have forgotten how
to worship, so we want to ensure that the inner sense of God’s
Spirit––the communion between the Creator and the created––
be made real to us all over again.
What Is Worship Renewal?
Worship renewal should be part of our congregation’s efforts
to revitalize and redevelop itself into a future that only God can
imagine, but it cannot be reduced to a formula or generated
by a set of techniques. Neither can it be manufactured by the
style of songs we sing or the order in which our Sunday worship
flows. Worship renewal is not something that human ingenuity
or creativity can produce or engineer; rather, it is a gift of
God’s Spirit. Renewal is a gift for which we pray rather than an
accomplishment we achieve.
Today, in churches around the world, people gather for worship.
But as people enter sanctuaries of worship, large and small, they
know less and less about church––our history, stories, rituals
and language, songs, and Scriptures. Many worship services are
attended by people who have no loyalty to what we do or why we
do it. Instead, they are looking for something that has meaning in
the here and now.
If Antioch is to be a church for all people, developing relationships
with God and man in every time and place, we must have the
courage, find the time, and trust the Spirit enough to allow our
worship to be made new, even in the midst of being the church.
Why Is Worship Renewal Needed?
Our worship needs renewal because our church services tend
to be human-centered. The Bible tells us that worship is not
primarily for the people, but for God. Worship was intentionally
designed to recognize His glory and to exalt His name. But the
current approach to worship has created an atmosphere in which
many people come to church expecting to be entertained.
The general trend toward adapting secular culture and practices
has diminished the differences between the Christian community
and the world. Worship and preaching, which should stand at the
heart of the Sunday experience, is now, in some regards, unable
to shape, challenge, inspire, enhance, motivate, nourish, and feed
as it is intended to do.
Our churches must refocus on the importance of all things
being done for God’s glory. When genuine worship takes place,
the entire congregation is not only edified and built up, but the
mission and the outreach of the church is strengthened. Once the
people of God have been strengthened, we are then prepared to
enter the world and touch lives; meet needs; heal hurts; speak
to injustices; and, most of all, witness and proclaim the saving
message of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
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Written By Corey Patrick Edwards, Assistant Director of Music Ministries