WORSHIP IS OUTREACH.
Well, kind of.
It’s not like worship is outreach because you gather to worship publicly in your church building just so that you can get all sorts of new people in the doors. Most churches are hoping that their public worship is, in fact, going to attract all sorts of new people. Most churches think that if they get modern, new people will suddenly appear. How’s that all working for you?
Most new people that aren’t yet part of church life do not have church on their radar. So why would they come to your church just because you’ve gotten cool with your hot band and AI (Artificial Intelligence)? Most new people have so much high quality stimulation in their lives that your church cannot compete with it. It’s not wrong to improve your style or communication as a faith community. But doing so is not the same as telling others about Jesus, which actually IS what will engage people.
Someone new will come to your church because you have authentically communicated Jesus to them … not inside your building, but beyond church walls. That’s how you impact what is going on in your building. You get out of the building. A paradox? Maybe. A mission? Yes. One that is your whole life.
Worship happens outside the building as well as inside. It happens when you, the Christ follower, seek after Jesus by learning to tell others about Jesus. That’s worship, by definition. God is God, we are not. Worship is the way we follow God, every day. When you do that and you connect with people outside of your existing faith community to tell them how life has changed for you because of Jesus, it causes you to want to gather together with new people and especially those who are part of your church who are also reaching out. You gather to show God how grateful you are. That’s the true power of worship, not your stylish gathering.
Could you answer this question: why do I follow Jesus? Maybe you always have. Maybe something happened in your life that Jesus helped you get past. Maybe you have peace, and grace in your heart because Jesus had it for you when you did some really stupid things that hurt you and others. All of those things would lead to one thing: gratitude. Are you grateful for Jesus being in your life because Jesus transformed you in some way? Then tell someone else about it … not like a zealot, but like an every day person who is just sharing life. The other person can buy in, or not. That’s not the point. The point is that you are you, authentically. And when you are you, authentically, you bring that “you” into the public gathering known as the worship service. Now worship is real, and engaging.
Most churches do not exhibit this value. They want a quick fix for their worship woes. There is none. There is no quick fix to communicating this message … a message I’ve been trying to get across to people for forever. Over the many years I’ve been in ministry, people have come to me to help them develop the externals of worship. I can do that. But none of that will get you very far unless you get to the point of true depth about what worship is: being you, gratefully.
I am grateful, and I am intentional about sharing that with others. I share my souls when I ask permission to tell someone about something in my life that ties to what they’re talking about in their life. That means I’m talking with others about their lives, not mine. Not everyone receives my insights into Christianity. Some have rejected me for it. Many are still my friends in spite of it, or because of it. God has influenced them through me.
If you want to change worship in your building, tie worship to outreach — to the making of new disciples. You will make new disciples when you learn to identify how and why Jesus changed you, and when you identify and articulate your gratitude for just being you. Christ followers talk about Jesus because it’s who they are. If they don’t do that, they’re no longer that person.
When you talk about life with someone and Jesus comes up as a point of reference, you — the one who is doing the sharing of Jesus — renew your own identity. God can in fact change someone else’s life because of that. But that’s not your worry. Your concern is to be faithful to yourself. That’s your mission. It’s intentional for sure … you have to pray about it and ask God to open the door way to faith talk. But you’re not doing any of that to change someone else. You’re doing it because it’s who you are.
Now worship in your building stands a chance. You might, in fact, need better music and updated technology. But don’t be fooled into think those things are your message. They’re not. You are the message: the one who follows Jesus. And God will in turn use your authentic worship in the building to influence others toward their own gratitude.
Isn’t that the goal? To make new disciples is to be a worshiper in spirit and in truth. You get there through your own identity.
Peace …