More Than New and Old

In the last seven years, I estimate I have worshipped (and on most occasions was leading worship) with over 300 groups. Some big, some small, some liturgical, some charismatic, a lot of college age groups, some groups where the majority age was over 60, sometimes playing my own songs, most of the time playing songs people wanted to hear. By the grace of God (and a little of my own fear) I have been able to be all things to all people as I offered my gifts and opened myself to these communities. It has given me a very unique perspective I think, as well as caused a lot of turmoil in my head and heart.

As I wrote in my previous entry, I believe the expression and message God has knit into the fabric of this generation is very purposeful and will help bring the Church into greater fullness of the Kingdom. Specifically, I believe the worship of this generation will connect and help restore the body as a single Church. I believe it is and will be a new work and will be seen through new ways of community and worship. And, when God does a new work, I believe it will be a new work and not just a new mixture of what we’ve already seen. Let me be more specific…

One of my teachers, Vivien Hibbert, pointed out to me that there was a time when our theology was woven into all of our worship songs. That’s why people find the poetry of hymns so rich and deep. In the past 40 years or so, there has been a tremendous movement to personalize and make more intimate our worship. If you look at what most evangelicals are singing in corporate worship gatherings it is very much an intimate and personal experience of God with lots of “I, me, you.” I believe what we are just starting to see, the new work, and what will become the forefront of worship in the future is art and expression that is deeply connected to other people. It will still be worship and an offering to God but we will not be able to approach God or be in God’s presence without seeing the body of believers around the world, every struggle and every triumph. Because of this, worship will become the frontline of community and social justice. It will help restore relationships in individual fellowships, communities and nations and unite the Body making way for the Kingdom!

To Kill or Let Live

Let’s zoom in from that big picture prophecy and into the local body. I do not mean to say that the movements of God are mutually exclusive. That is the way the world operates. The Kingdom, though, is ever being restored. I worship with hymns and CCLI songs, and continue to explore worship and current events. But I think one generation should pave way for and partner with another, imparting their wisdom and gifts and eagerly expecting and encouraging the younger generation to emerge unique and full of purpose. Sadly though, most of what I see and experience is a faithful generation who indeed cares, but instead of being eagerly expectant of the unique part of the Kingdom the younger generation is and nurturing, encouraging and looking for ways to partner, they try to make us look exactly like them. In other words, the older generation paves the way until they actually have to pass the baton at which point most of them will hold on until they die. Like winter trying to pass into spring, the transition and overlap is not always perfect. Occasionally after the warm air of spring arrives winter will give another storm and freeze the buds in the garden and on the trees.

I am working with a group right now struggling with just such a transition. Maybe people cannot see the fullness of the purposes of God in worship, but they definitely feel the warm air coming. Partly they are excited and they’ve heard stories of blossoms and new growth, but partly they are afraid it will mean death to so much they have invested in. There is kind of a constant back and forth, voices saying, “we want spring,” and then without warning, there will be an attempt to control and everything is frozen. Only we, human beings, would try to control the movements of God and spend energy and resources trying to figure it all out and stay on top instead of pursuing oneness with the Holy Spirit (like Jesus prayed for us in John 17).

Some Success Stories…Sort Of

A couple of weeks ago I spent some time with my dear friends, Ken and Deborah Loyd who pastor a community called The Bridge in Portland, OR. I was finally able to worship with the community and was so encouraged, not by the profound insight and intellect of the people, or their organization and program, but by the expression that was welcome and nurtured in the young people. The worship team started with an incredible set of all original music. There was an artist who drew a picture during worship and after the music we were encouraged to look at his offering. Then, for the message, three young women shared a bit of their journey, myself included. I shared music and some of my dreams. Another woman shared about a turning point in her life and how she saw God’s faithfulness in that. The third shared a heart wrenching and raw poem recounting her painful childhood. Through it she confessed her anger and pain and her decision to let go of people and the past. It was very moving and sad and didn’t have the resolve and instruction of “what to do next” you might expect in a tidy Sunday sermon.

I spoke with Deborah afterwards and she explained some of the unique struggles they have because they let the young people speak and lead the way. Scripture is mis-interpreted, people vent instead of encourage, but incredibly beautiful things happen too. To see a young person free to express his or her faith and worship is pretty incredible. I should mention that the Bridge is located in an impoverished area of the city and a large part of the community is young people without homes. Deborah (who is 52 years old with bleached dread locks) went on, “Despite the struggles, somehow it seemed most important that these young people be allowed their voice.”

I see Ken and Deborah as protectors of the young people in Portland. Even I have felt the refuge of my voice being valued in their community. More than loving and discipling young people, they are aggressively making room for their voices and gifts in the community and Kingdom.

Shalom

Where then will our wholeness come from? For me, I am passionate about imparting vision and purpose to young people and making known that they are unique and created for a reason. I am eagerly expectant of what God will do through them/us. Day to day it looks like encouraging the people around me and being myself as much as I have courage to be. And to my slightly older friends, even the ones who have unintentionally frozen me, I remind them too of their tremendous purpose and how badly we need parntership, protectors and Fathers and Mothers. Shalom is the family, far and wide, young and old and we need each other terribly.