hand lickers and new beats…

In a number of posts, I have expressed my opinion that as part of the shift needed in our current institutions, our “worship services” should be moved out of the middle of the paradigm. As I have said before, when I look at the words and actions of Jesus, I don’t see holding “worship services” as a priority. My heritage has loved to use John 4: 23, spirit and truth, as a supporting verse to all of our rules regarding what is acceptable or unacceptable worship to God. Personally, I think this verse has nothing to do with doing worship services correctly. The word spirit in John 4:23 is “pneuma” meaning current of air, breeze, breath, or by analogy or figuratively a spirit, that is, (human) the rational soul. The word truth is “truly” or “verity” which is less about being right and more about being authentic or real. There are many words translated “worship” in the Bible. In this passage, the Greek word “proskuneo” is used which means to kiss, like a dog licking his master’s hand; to fawn or crouch to, that is, (literally or figuratively) prostrate oneself in homage (do reverence to, adore) worship. We take this word figuratively, although among some groups lying prostrate, kneeling, or crouching is a common practice within their “worship services.”

So then, I think what Jesus is saying to the Samaritan woman is this: A time is coming when licking the master’s hand will not be about the place – this mountain or in Jerusalem – and the Jews won’t be the only hand lickers. This hand licking won’t be about some set of rules or rituals, but it will be about the way one lives, their existence, their breath or very life and the authenticity of how they live before God. So God is seeking hand lickers that live it and mean it.

The common argument that worship is about a Sunday morning services and less about the way one lives is to take a menial task, like making a sandwich and say, “Is that worship?” My answer to that is if you thank God that you have food while you make that sandwich or if you make that sandwich and give it to someone who doesn’t have one, I don’t know what could be more worshipful. So, to me, I can make a sandwich, sing a song, say a prayer, paint a poor person’s house, hug a child, be moved by the beauty of nature on a hike or anything else as I live and breath and do it worshipfully. The difference is, do I live aware of God and does my being fully alive give glory to Him, or do I do it for myself with no regard to the creator of my life.

When we hear the word worship, we hear “going to church”, sitting in pews or rows of chairs, singing songs, taking communion, listening to a sermon. These things have value, but I propose that this is not what God is primarily after and yet it is what we primarily do. Undoubtedly, the early Christians gathered together, expressed themselves with songs, chased after knowledge, shared meals and money and burdens. Undoubtedly, gathering with others and participating in these things is a valuable part of us being spiritually formed. But, if “worship services” as we know them are not at the center of the teachings of Jesus, then why are they at the center of our attractional churches?

Many church leaders are wrestling with the struggle of moving from an attractional model (which I call the American Business Model – ABM for short :) to a more missional model. The simple difference between the two is doing things that “attract” them to come to us as opposed to getting outside of our walls and going to them or recruiting people to become a part of us where we are or us becoming parts of our community that add benefits and solutions. The beginning of my answer in fostering this transition is moving worship services out of the center of our paradigm. Again, I don’t think it was at the center of Jesus’.

What this means, and I have mentioned this in a previous post, is finding a new rhythm. We can’t just tweak what we are doing here or there and expect any kind of substantial results. If we want people to truly act and live missionally, then we have to re-set our schedules and efforts around the real priorities of Jesus. It is like any other kind of rhythm – once you get going it is hard to stop. We (our churches) have so many people in a rhythm of work, home, small group, personal reading/prayer, church service, nap, football, work….that when an opportunity to be missional arises we kind of lose ourselves in the music and go bouncing on by as we keep the beat we have been dancing to for years. What I am saying is that we have to end this dance and start a new one. This need for a new rhythm and this understanding that “worship services” do not belong at the center of the paradigm opens us up for a good fresh start. More next week…