Looking back, I have only a few regrets. Some are too personal to share in this medium. Some are too common to even mention. But there's one I'd really like to pass along.
Too many of the services I've planned (must be somewhere in the neighborhood of 1500 by now) have not had Jesus as the primary, over-arching, meta-narrative.
Shoot, I've even planned services about communion that weren't enough about Jesus.
He is what makes all the difference, you know. It is the power of Jesus that breaks the power of addiction. It is the power of Jesus that rescues marriages. It is the power of Jesus that gives hope to the hopeless. It is the power of Jesus that saves.
So if you are in charge of, or part of planning the worship gatherings at your church, please consider every service to have two themes--whatever the sermon is about and Jesus. If the sermon is about Jesus, even better. But please don't plan so thematically that the theme seems like a bigger deal than Jesus. Nothing is. And if it looks that way to the worshiper, you've just fashioned a new-fangled golden calf.
This first really struck me when I was part of planning worship for a long season when my team had no clue what the sermon would be about. We just decided it would be a great time to sing about Jesus.
It has been ramped up over the last couple of years as I've sought to "make much of Jesus" in more and more ways--in conversation, in writing, in private personal times, and in planning/leading worship.
And the more I make much of Jesus, the more I'm convinced both the object and the subject of our worship should be our Triune God.
Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, Ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Here's a newer song (not all that new, by today's standards--written in 2007) that does a great job of making much of Jesus. If you're not in a super-contemporary worship context you might consider introducing it:
Jesus Saves
Hear the heart of heaven beating
Jesus saves Jesus saves
And the hush of mercy breathing
Jesus saves Jesus saves
Hear the host of angels sing
Glory to the newborn King
And the sounding joy repeating
Jesus saves
See the humblest hearts adore Him
Jesus saves Jesus saves
And the wisest bow before Him
Jesus saves Jesus saves
See the sky alive with praise
Melting darkness in its blaze
There is light forevermore in
Jesus saves
Freedom's calling chains are falling
Hope is dawning bright and true
Day is breaking night is quaking
God is making all things new
Jesus saves
Jesus saves Jesus saves
He will die our burden bearing
Jesus saves Jesus saves
It is done will shout the cross
Christ has paid redemption's cost
While the empty tomb's declaring
Jesus saves
Oh to grace how great a debtor
Jesus saves Jesus saves
Are the saints who shout together
Jesus saves Jesus saves
Rising up so vast and strong
Lifting up salvation's song
The redeemed will sing forever
Jesus saves
CCLI Song # 5059278
David Moffitt | Travis Cottrell
© 2007 New Spring (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc.)
First Hand Revelation Music (Admin. by The Loving Company) (Admin. by The Loving Company)
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