One of the Most Important Weekly Investments For Pastors, Worship Leaders, Speakers, and Prayer Counselors

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Churches spend thousands, if not tens of thousands of dollars on quality sound systems and hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars on worship facilities. Worship leaders and speakers also often invest thousands of dollars in training, instruments, and resources, not to mention countless hours in sermon preparation, worship rehearsals, worship planning, and prayer. All of this time and money is dedicated to honoring the Lord, reaching the lost, and empowering the church.

However, one small weekly personal investment can help pastors and worship leaders when it comes time to make real connections with people.

Gum.

No matter how great our upfront preparation is and will be, if we speak personally with people and they are offended by our breath, we will lose vital opportunities to share the gospel, encourage the timid, or recruit vital leaders and volunteers.

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Prayer Service Outline Built Around the Model Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13)

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Last night, our church had a special time of prayer and worship in conjunction with our January Prayer and Fasting Emphasis. It was a powerful time of worship, reflection, confession, and intercession. As is usual with these types of services, we tend to go off script from time to time, so we use these outlines as a guide and ask the Lord to guide us and lead us accordingly.

I hope this outline blesses you and your churches. If you have similar (or different) outlines, please share them with me so our church can benefit from your experience.

Prayer Service Outline

Opening 

  • 2-3 Song Worship Set
  • Welcome and Offering Prayer
  • Offering as service continues

AFFIRMING GOD’S GREATNESS Section

  • Read Matthew 6:9 – “Our Father in Heaven, Hallowed be Your name.”
  • Comment personally upon the scripture.
  • Direct the people to spend a moment in personal prayer, instructing them to acknowledge the Greatness of the Lord.
  • Pray for the people before the worship music continues.

Song about the Holiness/Greatness of God

  • Suggested song: Glorious by Bryan and Katie Torwalt

SUBMITTING TO GOD’S WILL Section

  • Read Matthew 6:10 – “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
  • Comment upon the scripture as you feel led.
  • Ask the people to pray for God’s will to be done. Ask them to think about how often they really pray for God’s will to be done.
  • Direct the people to get into small groups where they pray for God’s will to be done in the lives of others in the group.
  • Pray for God’s will to be done in our church, in your campus, and in the lives of those present.

Song About God’s Will or His Wisdom

  • Suggested song: God I Look to You – Bethel Music

REQUESTING GOD’S PROVISION Section

  • Read Matthew 6:11 – “Give us this day our daily bread…”
  • Comment upon the scripture as you feel led.
  • Instruct the people to think of one area of their lives where they need God’s provision. Direct them to pray and ask God for His provision in this area.
  • Ask another pastor, elder, deacon, or life group leader to pray for the needs of the people.

Song About God’s Provision, Blessings, or Care

  • Suggested song: Good Good Father – Housefires

ASKING FOR GOD’S FORGIVENESS Section

    • Read Matthew 6:12 – “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.”
  • Comment upon the scripture as you feel led.
  • Direct the people to pull out a blank sheet of paper (which we’ll need to provide). Have them draw a line down the middle of the paper creating two sections. At the top of the first section, have them write “My Sins.” At the top of the second section, have them write “Sins against me.” Give them 60-90 seconds to create a short list of their own sins in the first section. Then, give them 60 – 90 seconds to create a list of those who have sinned against them.
  • Lead Then, lead the people in a prayer where they ask forgiveness for their own sins and grant forgiveness to those who have sinned against them.

Song About the Forgiveness of God

  • Suggested song: How Can It Be- Lauren Daigle 

PRAISING GOD FOR HIS GUIDANCE Section

    • Read Matthew 6:13 – “And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.”
  • Comment upon the scripture as you feel led.
  • Recite the model prayer with your people and comment on what it means.
  • Upbeat Closing Prayer by Campus Pastor praising God for who He is, all He has done, and all He will do.
  • Upbeat Closing Praise Suggested Song –

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Worship Complaints

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Once, I was overseeing the preparations for a worship service when the sound operator was working hard to mix individual parts. During these times, the volume is often higher and seems more intense, especially since the congregation is not present to absorb much of the sound. On this one particular day, one of our first impressions volunteers walked through the worship center. He stopped in the middle, jumped up and down, and waved at me furiously.

Assuming he was a little overzealous in saying hello, I waved back.

In response, he clamped his hands over his ears and jumped up and down.

I left my station, walked to where he was, and started to explain the situation. Fortunately, there was a lull in the music so the volume had dropped.

“I know it’s a little louder right now while he’s setting the music, but…”

“You know what?” he interrupted.

“What?” I asked.

“I’m going to make a lot of money.”

“Really?”

“Yes,” he said as he crossed his arms, “I’m going to sell earplugs outside the doors as people enter. What do you think about that?”

I paused and took in a breath. I didn’t have time for this.

“Well,” I said. “Be sure to tithe on it.”

Fortunately, he laughed and we both continued with our work. We spoke later, after the worship service, and he accepted my explanation of what was happening.

Dealing with complaints and criticism is something that is extremely common in worship ministry. It’s easy to get miffed when this happens because to worship leaders, artists, technicians, and speakers, the complaints are seemingly aimed at us.

So, how should we deal with criticism, especially in the church? This is by no means an exhaustive list, but here are a few tips that help me:

  1. Listen to the criticism and respond to the person in a Christlike manner. It doesn’t matter if they’re right on target or way off base, they were still created in the image of God and deserve our respect.
  2. Respond to the suggestions of the criticism and not the tone of the criticism. People can be nasty without realizing it, especially when something is bothering them enough to speak out. Remember that a gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words makes tempers flare. (Proverbs 15:1 NLT)
  3. Examine the criticism in order to see whether or not it is valid in your context. Ask yourself what you can learn from the criticism.
  4. Smile if possible. Doing so can often help calm both yourself and the complainer.
  5. Determine your course of action (or inaction) and move forward.

I must admit that I’m not the best at receiving criticism, but these steps above help me through the process when it happens. If you have other tips, thoughts, or criticisms, I welcome your feedback.Dustin Lee - Unsplash 1

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My Gift To You: Christmas Eve Sermon Outline

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Have a Merry Christmas everyone. Here’s my gift to the world this Christmas. Here are the general notes from last night’s Christmas Eve Sermon. May God bless us, everyone.

The band (or individual instrument) plays Silent Night instrumentally as the campus pastor steps up to speak

Pastor Josef Mohr had a problem. It was December 23rd and the church organist, Franz Gruber, had told him earlier in the day that the church organ had broken pipes, making the instrument inoperable until extensive repairs could be made. In Obendorf, Austria in 1818, it was unheard of to have a Christmas Eve service without organ music.

Not knowing what to do, Pastor Mohr took a walk through the snow, enjoying the majestic silence of the evening. As he walked, he remembered a poem he had written two years earlier about the night when Jesus was born. The next day Mohr took the poem to Franz Gruber, who set the poem to music.

That evening, the small Oberndorf congregation heard Gruber and Mohr sing a duet of their brand new Christmas carol, Silent Night. If they had known how famous the song would become, they would have been grateful for those broken pipes. God took what was broken and made something beautiful.

Let’s sing the first verse of that song:

Silent night, Holy night, All Is Calm, All Is Bright,

Round Yon Virgin, Mother and Child

Holy Infant, So Tender and Mild

Sleep in Heavenly Peace,

Sleep in Heavenly Peace.

(instrumental music continues)

Sleep in Heavenly Peace. Many of us have sung this part of this Christmas carol for years. It is nice to think about the Baby Jesus sleeping peacefully. However, before His birth, it actually wasn’t so peaceful for Mary and Joseph. We don’t know everything that happened on the night that Jesus was born, but we do know what the Bible tells us in Luke chapter two:

(Campus Pastor reads Luke 2:1-14)

“At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, his fiancée, who was now obviously pregnant. And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.  That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

Let’s sing together again.–

Silent night, Holy night, Son of God, Love’s Pure Light

Radiant Beams From Thy Holy Face,

With the Dawn of Redeeming Grace,

Jesus, Lord at Thy Birth,

Jesus, Lord at Thy Birth.

(music continues)

Jesus was Lord at His birth. We know this because of the words in John chapter one. Speaking of Jesus, John wrote:  “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God.” (John 1:1-2)

Jesus, being God, lowered Himself to become one of us. The angel who appeared to Mary even said He would be called Emmanuel, which means, “God with us.”

Why would Jesus lower Himself to be born as a human? It’s a question that’s been asked for thousands of years.

With the exception of Jesus, everyone who has ever lived has sinned in some way. The Bible says that “We all fall short of short of God’s glorious standard.” (Romans 3:23)

What does this all mean? Is there any hope for us at all?

The first part of Romans 6:23 says, “The wages of sin is death…” When someone works at a job, after a predetermined point of time, they receive their wages, or payment, for what they’ve done. Therefore, we know that the wages we receive for our sin is death, or eternal separation from God.

Doesn’t look good for us, does it?

However, in the second part of Romans 6:23, we see that “the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.”

As we sang earlier, Jesus was Lord at His birth. But He didn’t stay a baby. He grew up; lived a totally sinless life; and gave Himself as a perfect sacrifice for us. In other words, He took our punishment for us.

We learn from 1 John 1:9 that “If we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.”

Because of our sin, we’re all broken, but Jesus is the Restorer of everything that is broken. _____ years ago, I realized my own brokenness. I realized my own need for Jesus.

(Share in 3 minutes how you came to Christ)

Tonight, you may realize your own brokenness, but you have the opportunity to make things right with God this evening. God can take your broken life and create something beautiful.

(Lead the people through a salvation prayer and having them indicate their decision on their communication cards)

If you prayed that prayer with me and you meant it, this Jesus, who was Lord at His birth and who died on the cross for you, is now your Lord and Savior. He is able to turn your broken life around. He’s the whole reason we’re here tonight. Christmas is all about celebrating His birthday. Let’s remember this as we sing the third verse of Silent Night.

Silent night, Holy night, Shepherds Quake at the Sight,

Glories Stream From Heaven Above,

Heavenly Hosts Sing Hallelujah!

Christ the Savior is Born!

Christ the Savior is Born!

(At this point, your worship team can either go back into verse 1 or transition to the chorus of the song “He Loves Us”  by Kim Walker)

Prayer

Merry Christmas

 

 

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Seven Great Christmas Videos For Worship (including my personal favorite)

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There are a plethora of Christmas videos for worship out there, but I’ve found these seven helpful over the last couple of years. Enjoy.

Christmas In A Nutshell – http://www.danstevers.com/store/christmas_in_a_nutshell/

Dan Stevers never ceases to impress me with his ingenuity and simple messages. This video is great for a message opener, transition video, or plug for people to invite others.

Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus – http://www.worshiphousemedia.com/mini-movies/35133/come-thou-long-expected-jesus  Creative painting changing often to keep everyone’s attention shows how all of history culminates in Jesus. Set to an interesting version of the Christmas Carol by the same title by Marcy Priest.

A New Promise – http://www.sermonspice.com/product/65069/a-new-promise – Surprisingly moving, the video from Lifeway Media uses highlights of scripture to point to the promise of Jesus’ birth.

Insta-Christmas – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGx98I_utNI – Great video from Discovery Church. A couple of years old now, but creative in how it tells the story of Jesus’ birth using ancient and modern pictures in an Instagram style. Download it for free at http://smarturl.it/instachristmasHD

The Real Night Before Christmas – https://www.ignitermedia.com/products/3740-the-real-night-before-christmas – With a classic story telling voice partnering with video of children, this Igniter Media video builds anticipation for the birth of the King of Kings.

Seek – http://www.danstevers.com/store/seek/ – Another great one from Dan Stevers. Seek reminds us through shepherds and wisemen that the Lord draws near those who draw near to Him.

And my personal favorite

The Christmas Story – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWq60oyrHVQ – The story of Christmas as told by the children of St Paul’s Church, Auckland, New Zealand. There have been many remakes of this video in the last year, but this one is my favorite, with cute costumes and original ideas.

Feel free to comment with links to your favorites. Merry Christmas.

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Non-seasonal brief service outline based on the book of John and the song “Amazing Love: You Are My King”

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Below is an outline of a brief service built around scriptures of John and the song Amazing Love (You Are My King). We did this service last night at one of our campuses and enhanced it by adding pictures from the recent Son of God movie. It’s a different thing to do before Thanksgiving, but seemed like a good reminder of our Lord’s death and resurrection at this time of year.

If you’ve done something similar in your congregation, be sure to leave a comment below. Thanks.

Amazing Love (You Are My King) Service Outline with Scriptures from John

Greeting and Explanation of Service – Explain that we have many things to be thankful for, but we should especially be thankful for the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Sing – Amazing Love, You Are My King – Verse 1 (2x) and Chorus

Read – In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. (John 1:1-5)

He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. (John 1:10-12)

Pray (music continues) – Thanking God for who He is –

Sing – Amazing Love, You Are My King Chorus

Read – Then Pilate had Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip. The soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they put a purple robe on him. “Hail! King of the Jews!” they mocked, as they slapped him across the face.

Pilate went outside again and said to the people, “I am going to bring him out to you now, but understand clearly that I find him not guilty.” Then Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said, “Look, here is the man!”

When they saw him, the leading priests and Temple guards began shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

“Take him yourselves and crucify him,” Pilate said. “I find him not guilty.”

The Jewish leaders replied, “By our law he ought to die because he called himself the Son of God.”

When Pilate heard this, he was more frightened than ever. He took Jesus back into the headquarters again and asked him, “Where are you from?” But Jesus gave no answer. “Why don’t you talk to me?” Pilate demanded. “Don’t you realize that I have the power to release you or crucify you?”

Then Jesus said, “You would have no power over me at all unless it were given to you from above. So the one who handed me over to you has the greater sin.”

Then Pilate tried to release him, but the Jewish leaders shouted, “If you release this man, you are no ‘friend of Caesar.’ Anyone who declares himself a king is a rebel against Caesar.”

When they said this, Pilate brought Jesus out to them again. Then Pilate sat down on the judgment seat on the platform that is called the Stone Pavement. It was now about noon on the day of preparation for the Passover. And Pilate said to the people, “Look, here is your king!”

“Away with him,” they yelled. “Away with him! Crucify him!”

“What? Crucify your king?” Pilate asked.

“We have no king but Caesar,” the leading priests shouted back.

Then Pilate turned Jesus over to them to be crucified. (John 19:1-16a)

Sing: Amazing Love Verse and Chorus

Read:  So they took Jesus away. Carrying the cross by himself, he went to the place called Place of the Skull. There they nailed him to the cross. Two others were crucified with him, one on either side, with Jesus between them. And Pilate posted a sign on the cross that read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.”  (John 19:16b-19)

Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and released his spirit. (John 19:28-30)

Afterward Joseph of Arimathea, who had been a secret disciple of Jesus, asked Pilate for permission to take down Jesus’ body. When Pilate gave permission, Joseph came and took the body away. With him came Nicodemus, the man who had come to Jesus at night. He brought about seventy-five pounds of perfumed ointment made from myrrh and aloes. Following Jewish burial custom, they wrapped Jesus’ body with the spices in long sheets of linen cloth. The place of crucifixion was near a garden, where there was a new tomb, never used before. And so, because it was the day of preparation for the Jewish Passover and since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there. (John 19:38-42)

Sing: Amazing Love Bridge and Chorus

Read: Early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, “They have taken the Lord’s body out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” Peter and the other disciple started out for the tomb. They were both running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He stooped and looked in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he didn’t go in. Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus’ head was folded up and lying apart from the other wrappings. Then the disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in, and he saw and believed. (John 20:1-8)

Read: That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” he said. As he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord! Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” (John 20:1-8)

Prayer: Praising God for the Resurrection and committing ourselves to go wherever Jesus would have us to go and to do whatever He would have us do.

Proclaim: So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. (John 1:14)

Sing: Amazing Love Bridge and chorus two or three times

Ending Prayer

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(All Scripture taken from New Living Translation. Photos courtesy of Unsplash.com)

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What’s Your Worship Vibe?

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At a conference this past week in another city, a guy asked a group of us, “So, what’s your worship vibe?”

“Excuse me?” I asked. “What’s our vibe?”

“Yeah,” he said. “Who are you trying to be like?”

“We’re trying to be like Jesus,” said one of my co-workers.

“Yeah, I know that,” he said, “But what other churches are you trying to be like? Are you trying to be like Hillsong or Gateway or Church on the Move? Are you trying to be like Charismatic Baptists or Evangelicals with a Spirit-Filled vibe…”

“A Spirit-Filled vibe?” I asked.

“Yeah,” he said. “It doesn’t have to be real, it just has to seem like it.”

“Do you serve at a church?” I asked.

“Me, ah, no, I run a Christian magazine and I’m leading a break-out tomorrow.”

“Really?” I asked. “What’s the name of that breakout?”

He told us the name and I made a mental note not to attend.

Just for the record, serving in worship and church ministry is not about a vibe. It’s not about trying to be like Hillsong or Gateway or Fellowship or First Baptist or LifeChurch or Mosaic or First Assembly Anywhere.

Not that there’s anything wrong with them.

Those churches have to be who God called them to be. And every other church has to be who God called them to be.

And that’s ok.

You see, worship is not about suits and ties and formal wear. It’s not about skinny jeans and feminine shoes. It’s not about hymnals or projectors or candles or stained glass or hard pews or theater seating.

It’s about Jesus.

He is the One we should be trying to emulate.

And living that out is so much more than a vibe.

 

(Photo courtesy of Unsplash.com)

 

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I ripped my pants at the pizza buffet

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Last week, I ripped my pants at the pizza buffet.

It’s not what you think. I didn’t split my pants from overeating (although some of it was pretty good).

Instead, I ripped them on the seat cover in the booth where I was sitting. The table was so large that I had to sit down on the edge before sliding over to the middle of the seat. There were some rips in the cover and a few loose springs which poked through in the middle of my seat adjustment.

You can imagine my great surprise when I suddenly felt metal pinching my backside. I believe my exact words at the time were “Ow! ow! ow!”

I scooted back slightly and disconnected myself from the spring.

My wife, who had only heard me screaming and grabbing my own derriere, asked, “What’s going on? Are you ok?”

“Yes,” I replied, “This seat has just ripped my pants!”

“Oh my!” she cried loudly. “You ripped your pants? Stand up and let me see!”

The lady in the next booth, overhearing our conversation, inadvertently turned to see as well.

I dropped my head and looked at the floor, immediately seeing a small roach run across my feet. Suddenly, I lost my appetite for the food I had just selected.

I covered my uneaten food with my napkin and slowly stood to my feet, thankful that blood was not gushing down my leg and wishing my t-shirt was longer.

I was headed for the door, but my wife called our waitress over, who found the entire incident very amusing.

The manager walked over and said, “So what’s the problem?”

My wife, of course, pointed at my lower posterior.

The manager, much to my chagrin, carefully examined the rip and apologized before asking if he could pay for my pants.

I declined his offer and practically ran to our car, afraid he might have to take a picture of the damage for insurance purposes.

Needless to say, I probably won’t ever eat there again. If I do, I’m sitting in another booth and wearing industrial strength pants.

However, when my booty was safely hidden from the world in the comfort of my car, I realized that the same type thing happens in churches every week.

  • A senior adult slips on spilled coffee and breaks their hip
  • A careless driver accidentally dents the side of a visitor’s car
  • A high school senior sits on a collapsible table which, true to its name, collapses
  • A child trips on a camera cord protruding into the aisle and falls to his face, all of which is simulcast onscreen.
  • A preschooler is given snack food to which he is highly allergic.
  • A woman trips on an loose A/V cord

As church leaders, we have to help our leaders be on the lookout for accidents waiting to happen. We need to have emergency plans in place in case of the worst. And we also need to have our insurance policies in place to cover our own hind end, just as I was trying to do in the restaurant.

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Night of Worship and Prayer Outline based on Paul’s Prayers for the Ephesians

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Opening 

  • 3 Song Worship Set (Freedom, Open Up The Heavens, Holy Spirit)
  • Prayer Welcoming The Presence of the Holy Spirit, Asking God To Work In The Hearts and Lives of Those Present
  • Welcome and Offering Prayer
  • Offering as service continues

BLESSING Section

  • (Read Ephesians 1:15-18 to the congregation as if you are praying it over them. – “Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God’s people everywhere, I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.”
  • Make any comments you desire regarding the scripture.
  • Direct the people to spend a moment in personal prayer, instructing them to share their personal needs with the Lord. Then direct them to tell the Lord what they are hoping to hear from Him during this prayer service.
  • Pray for the people, asking God to bless them before the worship music continues.

Song – God, I Look To You

GREATNESS OF GOD’S POWER Section

  • Read Ephesians 1:19-23 – “I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.”
  • Make any comments you desire regarding the scripture
  • Pray for the people, that they would experience the greatness of God’s power 

Song About The Greatness of God’s Power – Overcome

EMPOWERMENT AND GROWTH Section

  • Read Ephesians 3:14-17 – When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.
  • Make any comments you wish to add to the scripture
  • Call People to the Front as Pastors/Staff/Key Leaders Pray For Their Empowerment and Growth

Song About Growing In Christ – Here’s My Heart

UNDERSTANDING AND EXPERIENCING THE FULLNESS OF GOD’S LOVE Section

    • Read Ephesians 3:18-19 – And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
  • Make any comments you wish to add to the scripture
  • Lead the People to Pray For Each Other to understand and experience the fullness of God’s love before the worship music continues.

Song About The Love of God – Your Love So High

CONCLUSION

    • Read Ephesians 3:20-21 – Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.
  • Upbeat Closing Prayer by Campus Pastor
  • Upbeat Closing Song – I Give You Glory!

 

 

by Categories: Church and Christian Life, Uncategorized, WorshipTags: , , , , , , 1 Comment

What Happens When Church Ushers Don’t Know Their Team Members

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I once visited a large church in another city on a Saturday evening. When I entered the foyer, a man frantically ran up to me and said, “Thank God, you’re here! Follow me.” I smiled and followed him into a side room, leaving my wife to find her own seat.

“Ok,” he said. “I need you to cover Section F at the end of the service.”

“Section F?” I asked. “Where is that?”

He quickly handed me a map and replied, “You must have missed our training meeting.”

“Uh, well, yeah, I wasn’t there,” I replied. “It’s probably because I…”

“It doesn’t matter now,” he interrupted, “At the end of the service, when the music begins to play behind the pastor, come back here for the elements.”

“The elements?” I asked. “Are we going to serve communion?”

The man rolled his eyes.

“Yes,” he replied. “This is the Communion Room.”

“Oh, sorry,” I replied. “I didn’t know.”

“Well,” he replied, rather annoyed, “That’s what happens when you miss training meetings.”

“I’m sorry,” I replied, “It’s just that I…”

“Just come back here when the music starts and we’ll give you what you need, ok?”

“Will do,” I said as I left for the service, map in hand.

As the service began, I confirmed where Section F was from a man standing near the sound booth.

Finally, I found my wife sitting close to the back of the worship center.

“Where have you been?” she asked.

“With this guy who serves here,” I replied. “He asked me to help serve Communion.”

“Do you know him?” she asked.

“No,” I replied. “I don’t know anyone here.”

“Did you tell him you were just visiting?”

“I tried, but he wouldn’t listen.”

At the end of the sermon, the music played and I returned to the communion room as instructed. While there, I was given a bucket filled with disposable communion packets including both the juice and the bread.

I quickly made my way to Section F where I stood and imitated the actions of the man in Section E in front of me. Within three minutes, I had served everyone in my section and returned my bucket and remaining elements to the Communion Room.

“Thanks,” said the man in charge when I returned the bucket. “By the way, how long have you been a part of this church?”

“I’m not a part,” I replied. “I’m just visiting. This is actually my first time.”

“Really?” he asked. “And we asked you to serve Communion?”

“Yeah,” I said with a smile. “I just figured your church was really into the concept of Open Communion. Have a great day.”

“You too,” he said. “Oh, and one more thing.”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t tell anyone about this, ok? It’s kind of embarrassing.”

“I won’t.”

by Categories: Uncategorized 3 Comments