The Corporate Gathering Forming One Another

There is perhaps nothing the modern, Western, American loves more than personal rights and freedoms. We love our independence and the idea that we are self-made, capable of pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps, and are self-sufficient. Is it any wonder that this kind of cultural value embeds itself in the local Church as well?

When our lives are marked my individuality, why would we desire to…

…give of ourselves in service?

…die to our preferences?

…be inconvenienced?

…consider others more significant than ourselves?

…attend church when we don’t feel like it?

The corporate worship gathering is - in large part - for the spiritual formation of God’s people. And forming people spiritually is forming them counter to the currents of our individual culture.

One of the reasons we gather is to be reminded that we are a part of a story bigger than ourselves. That we belong to the family of God, made up of people from every tribe, tongue, nation, and language on the planet. This is a family that stretches throughout time, and history and will last into eternity. This family has existed before us, and will continue once we return to the dust. When we gather, we are once again caught up into the larger story, and find our place as one member of the body. The corporate gathering is not just for the individual, it is for the family.

And as the family gathers, we each contribute as many members of one body, as the Apostle Paul reminds us:

“For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.  If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.  If all were a single member, where would the body be?  As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.” - 1 Corinthians 12:14-27

As members of this body we represent Christ to one another as a kingdom of priests:

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” - 1 Peter 2:9

“and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” - Revelation 1:6

One of the ways we represent Christ to one another is by putting on…

“…as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” - Colossians 3:12-17

All of this is why we should not neglect…

“…to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” - Hebrews 10:25

We are forming the community, and the community is forming us.

October 12: Tuesday Refocus

‘I pray to Thee O God, by Your goodness, give me Yourself, for You are enough for me.’ - Julian of Norwich

Is He enough?  

In plenty and in want, in strength and in weakness, in the good and evil - is He enough?  

When I find myself in want, weakness, and evil - is Christ enough here?

When I find myself in plenty, full of strength and experiencing good - is it still Christ who is enough here?

The character of God never changes (Heb 13:8), He is good and does good (Ps 119:68), and truly ‘…no one is good except God alone’ (Luke 18:19).  This good God is near to all who call on Him, to all who call upon Him in truth (Ps 145:18).  He is God with us, God for us, and God among us, and His nearness is our good.

‘But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the LORD GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all Your works.’ Psalm 73:28

Lord, your nearness is our good.  Thank You that You are near to us as Emmanuel.  You are near to the broken-hearted.  You are closer to us than we are to ourselves.  May we be aware of Your nearness to us today.  Amen.

Near,

AB

October 10: Set List + Liturgy

• THIS IS AMAZING GRACE

Call To Worship: To all who are weary and need rest

To all who mourn and long for comfort

To all who feel worthless and wonder if God cares

To all who fail and desire strength

To all who sin and need a Savior

This church opens wide her doors with a welcome from Jesus Christ, the Ally of

His enemies, the Defender of the guilty, the Justifier of the inexcusable, the

Friend of sinners, welcome.

[10th Presbyterian Call to Worship]

My theology tells me that you are not here by mistake, my accident, or by fate. You are here because God has purposed it to be so. The One who spoke the universe into existence is speaking now through His Word, through His Spirit among His people. And we gather to listen to His voice, and to respond. Let’s listen and respond together:

• HOW DEEP THE FATHER’S LOVE FOR US

Scripture tells us that it is the kindness of God that leads us to repentance. But confession and repentance are not always things we do well as followers of Jesus. But if you are here this morning as a follower of Jesus, the starting point for confession and repentance for you is not guilt, or shame, or condemnation. The starting point is the deep love of God. Let’s since this next song as a prayer of confession, a prayer of repentance, a prayer of dependence, while remembering that the starting point is always the deep love of God.

• LORD, I NEED YOU

Sermon: Ephesians 4:11-16

Martin Luther said God does not need your good works, but your neighbor does. I think the same is true with our spiritual gifts. God does not need us to accomplish what He purposes in His Church and in His world. But He gifts us to participate with Him in the work of co-laboring to build up and mature His Body. We look to Christ the One who condescended, took on flesh to ransom us. We serve in response to the way God in Christ has first served us.

• COME BEHOLD THE WONDROUS MYSTERY

• BE THOU MY VISION

Benediction: Ephesians 3:20-21

The Corporate Gathering As Counter-Formation

Nashville has a lot of churches. I once heard someone describe churches in Nashville like gas stations: one on every corner. And truthfully, this description is not inaccurate. When my wife and I were getting ready to move to Nashville we had a few churches that we wanted to visit. Before we moved, I spent time watching set lists and sermons from the church we ultimately called home. I remember being impressed that this particular church had a number of gifted worship leaders on staff and quickly had arranged them in order of my personal preference. But something interesting happened as we began attending the church. My ordered list of worship leaders inverted.

I think this is because what I read as ‘slow’ or ‘bland’ online, I saw clearly as loving and pastoral in person. Matt Smethurst speaks to this reality when he said, ‘In a world forming us to be addicted to spectacle, healthy corporate worship will often feel simple and slow. That isn’t a sign of weakness; it’s a sign of countercultural strength.’ Although our home church in Nashville was by no means a loops and lasers kind of production, my mindset was the same: impress me.

Whether you are currently leading and serving in an environment that is simple and stripped back, or with high production value, we do ourselves and our congregations a disservice when we think ’spectacle’ rather than ‘slow.’ Spectacle is more concerned with week-to-week execution, slow is more concerned with spiritual formation. Spectacle short-sightedly asks the question ‘what is the best thing for this moment?’ Slow asks the question, what do we need to do now to form our people over the next twelve months, five years, fifty years?

The culture forms individuality, the corporate gathering should form a people.

The culture forms personal preference, the corporate gathering should form those who consider other more highly than self.

The culture forms personal authority, the corporate gathering should form people who surrender their own will, die to self, and follow Christ.

The culture forms a view of personal assets, the corporate gathering should form people who know all we have is gift and grace, entrusted by God, stewarded by us, and ultimately belongs to Him.

The culture forms people to think first of self, the corporate gathering should form people who first seek to serve.

The currents of culture are strong. But the Gospel is stronger. How can we as worship leaders ensure that the way we lead is counter-formational?

October 5: Tuesday Refocus

“God is not too great to notice you, but He is too great to overlook you.” - Ray Ortlund

He upholds the universe by the word of His power and is acquainted with all our ways (Heb 1:3, Ps 139:3).  

He established the foundations of the world and knit every person together in the womb of their mother(Ps 104:5, Ps 139:13).  

He has numbered and named the stars and knows every hair on our heads (Ps 147:4, Luke 12:7).  

He holds the water of every ocean in the palm of His hand and knows every word before it is uttered (Is 40:12, Ps 139:4).  

He dwells in unapproachable light, and He knows even the hidden corners of our or hearts (1 Tim 6:16, Heb 4:13).

We are kept by the One who does not slumber or sleep (Ps 121:3).  The One who is not too great to notice, but too great to overlook.

Lord, may we be reminded of your transcendence and your immanence.  Your holiness and Your nearness to sinners.  May our lives be marked by both realities.  Amen.

Remembering,

AB

October 3: Liturgy + Set List

• BEFORE THE THRONE

Call to worship:

To all who are weary and need rest

To all who mourn and long for comfort

To all who feel worthless and wonder if God cares

To all who fail and desire strength

To all who sin and need a Savior

This church opens wide her doors with a welcome from Jesus Christ, the Ally of

His enemies, the Defender of the guilty, the Justifier of the inexcusable, the

Friend of sinners, welcome.

• GRACE ALONE

• I LOVE YOU LORD

Sermon: Romans 12:3-8

We love because God has first loved us. We serve because God has first served us in and through Christ. We belong to the family of God because we have been adopted by God. We belong to the Body of Christ where Christ Himself is the Head. The entirety of our lives is lived in response to God. Let’s respond together:

• MY JESUS I LOVE THEE

BAPTISMS

COMMUNION

• HIS MERCY IS MORE

BENEDICTION: Ephesians 3:20-21

The Corporate Gathering As Spiritual Formation

Every church on the planet has wrestled through more than a year of COVID restrictions, shutdowns, and online church. Our world has changed, and continues to change. As churches and leaders continue to navigate what ministry looks in 2021 and beyond, questioning the purpose of the corporate gathering should continue to shape the decisions we make, as well as the way we lead and serve the people of God. If we can safely and comfortably consume all of the spiritual content necessary for the maturity of our faith online, why would we meet in person? But do we believe that attending church is about more than consuming spiritual content?

Scripture certainly seems to think so… When we gather together, God is uniquely present with His people (Ps 22:3, Matt 18:20), we are reminded of the family to which we belong (Eph 2:19, 1 Pet 2:10), we are mutually built up and edified (Eph 2:11-12, Col 3:16), we grow in love for one another as witnesses to a watching world (Eph 4:3, Jn 13:35), we grow in strength for our mission (Eph 3:14-18, Matt 28:19-20), and so much more. All of this points to the reality that the corporate gathering is not as much about consuming spiritual content as it is about being formed spiritually - discipling the people of God. We are not just singing songs, not just hearing sermons, not just chatting with friends, we are slowly being formed as a people again and again, over and over, week after week, year after year.

Everything is formative (James K.A. Smith, lays out this idea beautifully in ‘You Are What You Love’). Part of being human is being formed and shaped in subtle and significant ways by an endless array of relationships, history, work, free time, social media, news, and our culture. Standing in contrast to the currents of cultural formation is the corporate worship gathering. In the corporate worship gathering we are re-formed, reoriented, as we recenter the entirety of our lives around the person and work of Christ. In the gathering we are being reminded of who Jesus is, what He has done, who we are, and who He has called us to be. We are being invited to behold Him once again, and to live in response to Him by laying down our lives as we are sent out on mission to love and serve Christ and His world.

As worship leaders, pastors, and church leaders we must see the corporate gathering as one of the most essential components of spiritually forming God’s people in their mission, in their understanding of the Scriptures, in their theological development, and in the cultivation of affections and desires for Christ. This is not a work that we can undertake alone, the deep, long-lasting spiritual formation of God’s people is only possible by the empowering work of His Spirit. But if we are to see our corporate gatherings spiritual form a malformed people, we must see a bigger vision, and be patient as we partner in the long, slow, deep work of discipleship.

September 28: Tuesday Refocus

“Jesus today has many who love His heavenly kingdom, but few who carry His cross; many who yearn for comfort, few who long for distress. Plenty of people He finds to share His banquet, few to share His fast…  There are many that follow Jesus as far as the breaking of bread, few as far as drinking the cup of suffering; many that revere His miracles, few that follow Him in the indignity of His cross.” - Thomas A Kempis

Life with God is both and.  

It cannot be only glory.  

It will not be only suffering.

‘…and if children, then heirs - heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him.’ - Romans 8:17

Life with God is both and.

It cannot be only life.

It will not be only death.

“Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him.” - Romans 6:8

Life with God is both and.

It cannot be only reigning.

It will not be only endurance.

“…if we endure, we will also reign with Him; if we deny Him, He will also deny us…” - 2 Timothy 2:12

Jesus, forgive us for desiring glory, life, and reigning with You, when we are unwilling to suffer, die, and endure with You.  Enable us to live the both and life, for Your glory and our good.  Amen.

Both and,

AB

Songs As Prayers

Our songs are doing more than filling space before a sermon.

Our songs are forming us, shaping us, giving us language.

Our songs speak to us and speak for us.

Our songs instruct us as little pieces of portable theology.

But our songs are also prayers.

Prayers that say:

‘This is what I believe!’

‘This is what I desire to believe!’

‘Lord, I believe, help my unbelief!’

Our songs are confessions of sin, and professions of faith.

Our songs remind us of who we are, and who God has always been.

As worship leaders we must choose songs with wisdom and discernment.

As congregations we must sing out - not mumble - these prayer songs.

We must sing our prayers like we believe they are true.

We must sing our prayers like we are trying to believe they are true.

‘The one who sings, prays twice.’ - Augustine

September 21: Tuesday Refocus

‘Life has no other purpose than to be rendered up to God in adoration and gratitude.’ - C.F.D. Moule

All is grace.

The very breath in our lungs, placed there by God (Gen 2:7).  The beating of our hearts, the movements of our bodies and brains gifted to us by the One who knows the number of our days, and has numbered the hair of our head (Ps 139:16, Luke 12:7).

And what is the purpose of this grace and goodness?  What is the aim of this life and breath and everything (Acts 17:25)?  To glorify God and enjoy Him forever - as the Westminster Shorter Catechism reminds us.

All is grace.

All is gift.

All is given by God to be given back to God in adoration and gratitude.

‘The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein…’ Psalm 24:1

Father, would your lavish grace, goodness, and gift to us lead us to respond to you in adoration, gratitude and surrender.  Because all we do is give back to You what always has been Yours.  In Christ’s name, amen.

Grace,

AB

September 19: Liturgy + Set List

• REVIVE US AGAIN

Call to worship:

To all who are weary and need rest

To all who mourn and long for comfort

To all who feel worthless and wonder if God cares

To all who fail and desire strength

To all who sin and need a Savior

This church opens wide her doors with a welcome from Jesus Christ, the Ally of

His enemies, the Defender of the guilty, the Justifier of the inexcusable, the

Friend of sinners, welcome.

• GREAT ARE YOU LORD

• PRAISE TO THE LORD, THE ALMIGHTY-GOOD GOOD FATHER

Sermon: Ephesians 2:18-22

There is a passage in Isaiah, where God, speaking of His people, Israel says, ‘This people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me.’ I am struck every time I read that passage, every time I think of that passage how easy it is to do the right things, to think the right things, to say the right things, to behave in the right way, all the while having a heart that is far from God. Having a heart that is hardened and calloused toward God. If you and I are to display the invisible power of the Gospel to a watching world, that will never occur when we simply do or say or act the right way. We must be transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit to look more like Christ, the One who has welcomed us to God the Father. We’re going to sing a song now that is a reminder of the new identity that we have in and through Christ. And what I hope this does for you, and for me is fuel in us a desire to walk in a manner worthy of the call of God. Walk in a manner worthy of the Gospel.

• Who You Say I Am

If you are here this morning as a follower of Jesus, every word that we just sung is true of You. Not because you have earned it, deserved it, or accomplished anything, but simply because God is kind, gracious and merciful to give you a new identity in and through Christ. We’re going to read responsively a passage of Scripture that we have referenced throughout our morning, a passage that reminds us who we were, who we are, and Who God has always been.

Responsive Reading:

LEADER:

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you

once walked, following the course of this world,

following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is

now at work in the sons of disobedience—

ALL:

among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh,

carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were

by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But

God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with

which he loved us, even when we were dead in our

trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—

LEADER:

by grace you have been saved—

ALL:

and raised us up with him and seated us with Him in the

heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages

he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace

in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

LEADER:

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this

is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of

works, so that no one may boast.

ALL:

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for

good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we

should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:1-10)

• Raise Up The Crown (All Hail The Power)

Prayer In The Corporate Gathering

Prayer is important for the individual believer as well as in the corporate gathering of a body of believers. But I have often experienced prayer during the church gatherings in two extremes: beautifully poetic, staggeringly long pastoral prayers, and casual transitions. There may be a time and place for each of these kinds of prayers, but if we are serious about discipling our people, we need to consider how to lead and incorporate prayer more intentionally than:

Dead space? Prayer!

Transitioning between elements in the gathering? Prayer!

Changing a CAPO? Prayer!

Not sure what to do or say next? Prayer!

While there are many types of prayer, when thinking about the corporate gathering, I consider two primary categories for prayer: individual and corporate. How are we making space for both individual prayer - encouraging people to speak and listen to God personally, and directly as one member of the Body? And how are we using prayers to unite our hearts, profess our faith, and confess our sin together as the Body (corporate prayer)?

Here are some types of individual and corporate prayer that I believe every local expression of the Body of Christ would be well-served to incorporate more frequently:

Prayer of Illumination. A prayer said before the reading and preaching of God’s Word. Inviting the Holy Spirit to do what only the Holy Spirit can do, reveal Jesus to us by giving us eyes to see, ears to hear, minds to understand, hearts to love, and lives to obey.

Prayer of Confession. While taking Communion we may encourage people to examine their hearts and confess their sin (as instructed in 1 Corinthians 11), but are we leading and encouraging people to acknowledge their sin, confess their sin, repent of their sin, and turn from their sin as a regular part of our gathering? I am often personally convicted of how I assume God’s grace and forgiveness, and do not feel actually learn to regularly confess of my sin to the One who stands ready and willing to forgive us our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Prayer of Lament. We know that the world is not as it should be, but we can be tempted to rush past reality of living in a broken world by saying, ‘But God is making all things new, it will be okay in the end, I should just trust Him…’ All of those things are true, but we can help our people learn to hold the tension of the already and not yet of this life of faith by acknowledging the world’s brokenness while at the same time resting and trusting in God’s good plan.

Praying Scripture. As our church has been in a sermon series on the Psalms of Ascent, each week I have read a handful of verses from a particular Psalm and prayed in response to what I have read. Taking God’s Word and praying it back to him in my own words - my hope is that this makes the connection for people that they too can read God’s Word and pray God’s Word.

Prayers of the Church. Using the Book of Common Prayer, the Valley of Vision, or resources like the Worship Sourcebook can be helpful resources to unite our voices in the room, to the voices of the Church throughout history as we pray corporately, and/or responsively to Truth handed down through the saints of old.

Written Prayers. It can be easy to slip into rhythms and patterns of prayer that say similar things again and again when you are praying extemporaneously. Maybe you could write a prayer specifically for the people you serve to pray with you, aloud, or simply by leaning in to actively participate in prayer as you read or pray.

What kinds of prayers have served your people well in the corporate gathering and beyond?