Contemporary Worship

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• Jer 616 Thus says the LORD, "Stand by the ways
  and see and ask for the ancient paths, Where the
  good way is, and walk in it And you will find
  rest for your souls. But they said, 'We will not
  walk in it.'

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Contemporary Worship
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Contemporary

• 1) living or happening in the same period of
  time.
• 2) of about the same age.
• 3) of or in the style of the present or recent
  times modern

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Worship

• 1) a. Reverence or devotion for a deity
  religious homage or veneration. b.
  A church service or other rite showing this.
• 2) Extreme devotion or intense love or
  admiration of any kind.

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• Lev 103 Then Moses said to Aaron, "It is what
  the LORD spoke, saying, 'By those who come near
  Me I will be treated as holy, And before all the
  people I will be honored.'" So Aaron, therefore,
  kept silent.

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• Lev 103 Then Moses said to Aaron, "It is what
  the LORD spoke, saying, 'By those who come near
  Me I will be treated as holy, And before all the
  people I will be honored.'" So Aaron, therefore,
  kept silent.

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• Lev 103 Then Moses said to Aaron, "It is what
  the LORD spoke, saying, 'By those who come near
  Me I will be treated as holy, And before all the
  people I will be honored.'" So Aaron, therefore,
  kept silent.

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• Lev 103 Then Moses said to Aaron, "It is what
  the LORD spoke, saying, 'By those who come near
  Me I will be treated as holy, And before all the
  people I will be honored.'" So Aaron, therefore,
  kept silent.

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• Jer 616 Thus says the LORD, "Stand by the ways
  and see and ask for the ancient paths, Where the
  good way is, and walk in it And you will find
  rest for your souls. But they said, 'We will not
  walk in it.'

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The Problem With Contemporary Worship

• Poll the neighborhood to see what sorts of
  activities people enjoy and then build a church
  that meets those specifications.
• Downplay religion to avoid offending anyone.
• It has no connection through the centuries to the
  original God ordained worship.

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The Problem With Contemporary Worship

• It throws out all the old things and starts
  completely over from scratch.
• It denies the validity of the old, and
  paradoxically also denies the basis on which it
  claims to stand.
• It has invented a new contemporary religion
  that is based in contemporary marketing
  techniques and expressed in contemporary
  entertainment genres.

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The Problem With Contemporary Worship
In effect, the congregation is worshiping itself !

• It is inherently narcissistic, because it is
  worship the way I want it, in ways that please
  me.
• It asks the question How would a congregation
  of secular people like to be entertained?
• It never asks How does God want to be
  worshiped?

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The Problem With Contemporary Worship

• Our worship must be centered on God.
• If a congregation makes itself a
  higher-priority than God if it is more
  important for them to please themselves than to
  please God, then their priorities are skewed and
  their worship is malformed.
• Do we assemble to worship God, or for
  group-therapy for narcissists?

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• 2Co 1114-15 No wonder, for even Satan disguises
  himself as an angel of light.
• Therefore it is not surprising if his servants
  also disguise themselves as servants of
  righteousness, whose end will be according to
  their deeds.

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How to start a contemporary worship service

• Start slowly (Approach members who have
  demonstrated an interest and will support you.
  Slowly assemble your team.)
• Start by introducing one song during normal
  worship as special music.
• If there is opposition, hold contemporary
  worship at different times (until you gain
  momentum).
• Hire the best possible musicians.

Act 2029-30 I know that after my departure
savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing
the flock and from among your own selves men
will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw
away the disciples after them.
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How to start a contemporary worship service

• Spice it up! Use different perspectives,
  different voices, and fresh music. Invite new
  bands in your community looking for exposure to
  play at your worship.
• Create a spiritual atmosphere and tone. Give
  people the message in manageable bites.
  (People just dont want 20-minute sermons!)
• Break out of the expected time-slots!

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How to start a contemporary worship service

• Think Embodiment! How is your message
  embodied? Are people only encouraged to think,
  or are they asked to move, to feel, to sense? Do
  people get to dance to the wonderful music? Are
  there portions that engage our eyes through
  visual stimulation? Sharing taste sensations is
  another idea for worship think love feasts or
  communions of different sorts.

1Co 1440 But all things must be done properly
and in an orderly manner.
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Contemporary Worship
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Contemporary Worship Service
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Contemporary Worship
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Contemporary Worship Service
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• Mat 157-9 "You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah
  prophesy of you 'THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH
  THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME.
• 'BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS
  DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.'"

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A Rock Singer
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A Rock Band
What Is The Difference?
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Contemporary Worship Service
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• 1Co 1440 But all things must be done properly
  and in an orderly manner.

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• Have You Noticed Something In Common?
• Manner Of Dress Perhaps!

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• Lev 103 Then Moses said to Aaron, "It is what
  the LORD spoke, saying, 'By those who come near
  Me I will be treated as holy, And before all the
  people I will be honored.'" So Aaron, therefore,
  kept silent.

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Dress Code
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• 1Pe 29 But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal
  PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN
  POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the
  excellencies of Him who has called you out of
  darkness into His marvelous light
• 1Pe 210 for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now
  you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD you had NOT RECEIVED
  MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.
• 1Pe 211 Beloved, I urge you as aliens and
  strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which
  wage war against the soul.
• 1Pe 212 Keep your behavior excellent among the
  Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they
  slander you as evildoers, they may because of
  your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify
  God in the day of visitation.

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• Jer 616 Thus says the LORD, "Stand by the ways
  and see and ask for the ancient paths, Where the
  good way is, and walk in it And you will find
  rest for your souls. But they said, 'We will not
  walk in it.'

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• John 423-24 "But an hour is coming, and now is,
  when the true worshipers will worship the Father
  in spirit and truth for such people the Father
  seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and
  those who worship Him must worship in spirit and
  truth."

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