Jubal’s Jottings

I went to 4 churches services this past weekend…yes, I said 4! I know that sounds way over the spiritual top, but they are all places I wanted to visit. They were all distinctively different…different demographics, different denominations, varied sizes and shpaes of worship space, certainly different preaching and worship styles. There were some things that were well done and thoughtful, but I also found some things I wanted to discuss. Like what, you ask? OK, here we go!

Though I’m not an expert on preaching, the one preaching thing I noticed from one pastor was the use of the word “expository,” but what we got was almost no reference or reading of the scripture. What we DID get was a LONG string of stories, and what I will call “opinion theology.” I know the word expository can be subject to some individual interpretation, but I don’t think this one would have qualified!

As for the worship experiences, well, here’s a list of observations. I saw the normal things that just shouldn’t occur on a regular basis. Leader shuffling charts on the stand between songs (get organized!), songs that were WAY too high (get real!), projected lyrics that were all over the place (get the lyrics figured out!), standing for 35 minutes (get cramps!). I saw some new things, too! A leader with 2 mics in front of him. I waited to see what he did with the 2nd mic. As it turned out, he talked into it once in a while, apparently to tell the band what he was going to do next…repeat, etc. On one occasion it must have been funny, since the bass player and drummer looked at each other and chuckled. Too bad the person projecting lyrics didn’t listen in! I also saw a new one when a singer left the stage in the middle of a song! It seemed that maybe her mic needed some attention. I actually saw unprepared wireless mic problems at 2 of the 4 services. By the way, the singer came back before the song was over. I watched! Spend some money on fresh batteries, please! I also saw an interesting use of IMAG…you know, projecting the face of the pastor on the screen so that he can be seen more clearly and close up? The meaning of IMAG is Image Magnification. The first thing about it was that this worship center was not that big and IMAG wasn’t really that necessary, I didn’t think. However, the image projected on the screen was a full body shot of the pastor…not a shot from the waist up. So, in fact, the image on the screen wasn’t magnified at all, but rather was SMALLER than the live person on the stage! It seemed to magnify all the cords, mic stand and amps around him on the stage, rather than the object that was to be magnified! Almost humorous!

So, what does the world need now? I believe that while there were glimpses of a total worship service…great creative worship and solid biblical preaching…there wasn’t a total combination among the 4 that I attended. I certainly know that none of these services were meant to “please” me, but I also think there are a lot of people out there like me who are hungry and thirsty for a thoughtful and heart-touching dialogue with God, and not finding it. It is apparent that “contemporary” services are all over the place…in plenty of flavors! There are also some “traditional” services around…though harder to find. There seems to be a trend that the “contemporary’ services are not always so thoughtful, and the “traditional” services don’t engage the heart. What the world needs now is a service that engages the hearts and emotions of the worshipers, while containing thoughtful lyrics of substance…all combined with strong communication of God’s word! Where is it? I’m looking!

I’m in the Pasadena, CA area, and Jubal and I are looking for the service that our world need now. Tell us where it is, please? We NEED to find it!!!!

Now that I am sitting on the congregation side of worship life, I have experienced some interesting things! At one service I attended recently the choir started into a piece in Latin, and it seemed to be a cue to several members of the congregation to in unison open the church newspaper and start reading. When a familiar song began, the newspaper’s closed just as quickly and re-engagement took place. I have also noticed an interesting level of “shutdown” when unfamiliar songs are sung…and then the volume rises rapidly when the familiar is recognized again. Of course, the answer to all of this is not to only do familiar songs, or maybe not even all in English. The congregation would never stretch or grow that way. However, I may have been guilty myself in the past of moving people along carelessly at times. Or maybe I got too excited about the new, and the result was doing things AT people rather than WITH them. Worship leaders should be students of their congregation. Know where the worship literature “sweet spot” is, and take care how fast and far you travel away from that center. The center should move over a period of time, but probably not as fast as you would like. But remember, moving as fast as you would like is not the goal here, is it? Take time to educate and instruct, both from the platform and other places as well. And, know the people in ways other than from the platform. They will trust you when they know you…and then when you instruct them and move the center a little, they’ll join you.

I wonder if Jubal had a set of songs he picked from?

So, this past year I have made the LONG trek down the aisle with my two daughters! What a long walk it was…both times! Though the actual walking was about 9 months apart, it seemed like they were real close – given the perspective and percentage of the whole of their lives. What a set of emotions those moments bring! The memories of each day of birth, the first words and steps, the days in school, the greetings when arriving home, the leaving home, the meeting of these guys…and then the aisle walk. And those are just the main points! Boy, does the outline of memories fill in quickly underneath like clicking on a computer menu tab. You raise them to be independent…and then they do it! Why, then, is it so hard to smile and cry and walk simultaneously? I suppose it has something to do with knowing that you have brought them to this point and you are all stepping over a big line that can never be crossed in reverse…even if you wanted to! And, yet, there is a sense of satisfaction that when you try to get out the words, “Her mother and I do,” that we have given them to two young men who we have affirmed ourselves. Young men who have trusted in God in their past, their present, and by His grace, in their future with these two precious gifts of life, my daughters. So, they have been “given away,” and we now have in a sense become “peers.” The prayer for all four of them will continue. Our involvement with them will continue as it makes sense, hoping that we have the good sense to support and encourage, not meddle! We love them all deeply.

I do wonder if Jubal would have approved of the music I wrote for that long aisle walk. Hmmm…..?

In my worship participation, my leadership of worship, and my observation of worship, I find one difficult thing to experience, to lead and to find – that is a balance between the head and the heart in worship expression. My view of “in spirit and in truth” leads me to a belief and experience system that requires both spirit and truth – not one or the other. Yet it seems that church tend to be on one side of the spectrum or the other when it comes to thought and emotion. Is that the way it is supposed to be? Maybe so. Maybe churches are supposed to divide the family of God into affinity worship groups by being of the “spirit” or of the “truth.” I just don’t like it! And I don’t want to give in to that notion. I know that churches divide into affinity groups for many reasons…theological, denominational, student ministry philosophy, preaching style…but why worship? Shouldn’t worship unite us with an upward look? Churches seem to be predictable in their worship focus…again, some of the heart primarily, and others of the head. There are people in every pew of every worship service in the world who respond to God differently than the person who may be next to them. If we have only heart or only head, then we will miss the natural expression of the other person. And, further, the head person needs the heart person, and the heart person needs the head person. Remember…some are an eye and some are a foot, but we are one body. Worship leaders of the world, examine your worship, please. Lead the people of faith into heartfelt, emotional expressions to God. But also, lead the same people of faith in thoughtful, hard-to-fathom expressions to the same God. He is all of that and more, so don’t leave anything out! Please?

Jubal, I think you had balance in mind too, didn’t you?

So, as I have said before, transitions are difficult! And I’m in one of them! It’s tough being in one organizational “system” for 20+ years and knowing where you fit, to being in a new system and being nobody in the system. I’m probably trying to hard to be somebody in the new system, which only makes me obnoxious to some…”Who is that guy?” One the other hand, every day is precious and valuable and I’m not one to just blow off a month here and there. I’m impatient and want to make tracks, waves and explosions to make things happen…whether they always make sense or not! But as is usually the case, God is using this time to teach me a few things, whether I want to learn them or not! I’ll mention one or two, but I may have to continue this later as I sort out the growing list!

SERIOUS HUMILITY! Several things have come to my attention along this line. How long is this list? Probably long! Here’s a start…So, I’m a teacher with no class (I mean no class to teach, though some would say I have no class in other ways!). I’m a musician with no group to conduct, no church to lead in worship. If I’m in Scottsdale, I’ll have six people talk to me in Home Depot…but here I can go anywhere without being noticed (some benefit to this one, by the way!). I pull into a parking lot to meet a 30 something music ministry person and his car is maybe 3-6 times more valuable than mine…hmmm…? I live in a one-size-fits-all room the size of a one-car garage! Very nice, but not very high on the “somebody” ladder, for sure!

So, the lesson? Well, for sure it is a great reminder that “being somebody” doesn’t necessitate a class to teach, a group to conduct, a church to lead, Hope Depot notoriety, a certain car to drive, a house to live in…and the list goes on! It gets very foundational when you sweep those things aside. I have a God who knows and loves me. I know that’s all I need. I have many other assets as well. I DO know that! But, right now, I want to keep my foundation clearly in view.

Then sings my soul to Thee, my Savior and my God.

How great Thou art!

Once in a while it is good to just say those words, and nothing more…with a few tears joined in! That makes me a “somebody,” whether anyone knows it or not!

Jubal, did you hear me?