Come, Now is the Time to Worship

1
Come, Now is the Time to Worship

• NCD - Inspiring Worship

2
Mission Moment

• What is inspiring worship?

3
NCD - Inspiring Worship

• Key Question Is the worship service a moving,
  life-changing experience an encounter with God?
• Worship is the place where the sacred and the
  profane collide.
• Were we changed in worship?
• Were we empowered, enlightened, energized or
  just entertained in worship?
• When is GOOD ENOUGH not GOOD ENOUGH?
• When it describes the quality of our worship!

4
Inspiring Worship

• Worship that results in times of joyous
  exultation and times of quiet reverence.
• Not driven/defined by a particular style, but
  rather, the shared experience of Gods awesome
  presence
• Worship may target Christians or non-Christians,
  the style may be liturgical or free, the language
  may be churchy or secular it makes no
  difference for church growth.
• What does matter is whether worshipers feel that
  they have encountered God during the worship
  service.

5
The NCD Survey Measures

• Feelings of being inspired
• Care for children
• Life transforming preaching
• Visitor friendly
• God-centered and celebration music

6
Caution!!!

• You have not been called just to do worship. You
  have been called to be a church that worships as
  part of its entire missional identity.
• Our Lutheran traditional bias is that worship is
  the visible (gathered) church, so we must start
  there.
• How does worship serve your mission and reflect
  your core values?
• Where does your mission and values surface in
  worship?

7
The Heart of Worship

• Know who you are trying to reach
• Know the context of your ministry
• How will worship and Mission interact?
• Honor your resources and gifts
• You never get a second chance to make a first
  impression - dont start something new until you
  are ready to make a good first impression

8
Inspiring Worship is

• Fun!
• People who attend inspiring worship services
  unanimously declare that the church service is a
  life-changing experience and fun.
• When worship is inspiring, it draws people to the
  services "all by itself."

9
Inspiring Worship

• So what are you doing to create worship that is
  inspiring?
• Hows it going for you?
• Whats going well?
• What can you celebrate?
• Where are the challenges opportunities?
• What are your concerns?
• What are your hopes? Visions for worship?