Should worship be more than music/preaching?

Psalm 145:1-4 reads:

I will exalt you, my God the King;

I will praise your name for ever and ever.

Every day I will praise you

and extol your name for ever and ever. 

Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;

his greatness no one can fathom.

One generation will commend your works to another;

they will tell of your mighty acts.

Interesting, isn’t it, how many of the songs Jesus sang don’t mention singing? 

One of the greatest challenges of our day is contained in this same Psalm: “One generation will commend your works to another.” I'm convinced one answer to this challenge, generationally, is to broaden the elements of our worship services to include more than just music and preaching. The task of the older generation is to “commend” or we might say “communicate” the magnificence of God and His works to the next generation.

Consider how parents talk to children, how older folks talk with younger folks. We choose our vocabulary and our gestures—indeed all of the tools of effective communication—so the younger generation can grasp what we long to teach them.

In our day 4-5 generations gather to worship at the same time and in the same place. We must ask: are our “older” generations using every means of communication possible to make sure our “younger” generations receive the life-changing truths of God and His works? 

One of the most exciting ways to do this is to use creative means of communication: stage décor, storytelling, video production, drama, dance, lighting, etc.

Regardless of the size of the congregation, more and more folks are using creative teams to develop and implement these resources.

How will you use all of the senses God instilled in His creation to declare His greatness? How will you develop a team of servants—whether paid or unpaid—to glorify God and edify His people?

If your church would like some help with this, my Worship Coach consulting ministry might be able to serve you. Shoot me an email (RodEEllis@aol.com) or call/text me at 502.229.0114.