Comments on: Pursuing God’s Active Presence http://www.worshipmatters.com/2006/05/pursuing-gods-a/ Resources for Leading Worship from Bob Kauflin Wed, 19 Nov 2008 12:18:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Arthur http://www.worshipmatters.com/2006/05/pursuing-gods-a/#comment-486 Arthur Mon, 22 May 2006 10:29:16 +0000 http://www.worshipmatters.com?p=153#comment-486 I don't know if this falls on the comment that you want to hear but when I read your post, I wandered back to my <a href="http://francisrosos.blogspot.com/2006/04/easter-reflections.html" rel="nofollow">post</a> about knowing God and believing in Him, knowing His attributes and experiencing them. Sometimes, especially when we are young, we tend to attribute 'relationship' with God by knowing a lot about Him, getting along with the knowledge without the real connection to God. Until you get to believe more on yourself and the reliance to God is just in the mind. You thought you have that connection but the fact is you just thought about it. Which is so sad. I heard a lot of people say that children are so blessed if at a young age they are able to know God. But the crucial thing about it is when something gets wrong along the way (i.e. wrong assumptions, wrong interpretations, loss of focus), it is so hard to get back on track. It is still my constant prayer that I will be able to get out of the mere knowledge and start experiencing, feeling, allowing His presence to move in my life. <i>'Prove Me now. Try Me. Risk your everything on Me. Be fools for My sake. Cast yourselves utterly upon this belief.'</i> I don’t know if this falls on the comment that you want to hear but when I read your post, I wandered back to my post about knowing God and believing in Him, knowing His attributes and experiencing them. Sometimes, especially when we are young, we tend to attribute ‘relationship’ with God by knowing a lot about Him, getting along with the knowledge without the real connection to God. Until you get to believe more on yourself and the reliance to God is just in the mind. You thought you have that connection but the fact is you just thought about it. Which is so sad. I heard a lot of people say that children are so blessed if at a young age they are able to know God. But the crucial thing about it is when something gets wrong along the way (i.e. wrong assumptions, wrong interpretations, loss of focus), it is so hard to get back on track. It is still my constant prayer that I will be able to get out of the mere knowledge and start experiencing, feeling, allowing His presence to move in my life.

‘Prove Me now. Try Me. Risk your everything on Me. Be fools for My sake. Cast yourselves utterly upon this belief.’

]]> By: Alex Leung http://www.worshipmatters.com/2006/05/pursuing-gods-a/#comment-485 Alex Leung Fri, 19 May 2006 14:21:16 +0000 http://www.worshipmatters.com?p=153#comment-485 Thank you, Bob, for the timely reminder. It seems God's Spirit is really working in my life, as your humble reminders have been all coming at just the right time when I need to hear God speak to me. I'm just about to leave for a 4day student ministry conference called "CAMPUS CHALLENGE" purposed for students in or looking to be serving in campus ministry. I'm the Worship Coordinator/Advisor, mainly overseeing the worship team's adherence to Biblical worship in spirit and in truth. It's the 2nd year in a row I have done this, though last year was more onstage lead singing also. This year, I've followed your blog series on "What does a Worship Leader Do" for our devotional times before practices, and it's been a wonderful time being honest and truthful to ourselves about what we are really doing. I am getting more nervous by the minute here, because we have planned and practiced so much, seeking to magnify His worth & works, and yet, it feels like so much has yet to be done, or isn't organized as best as I'd prefer. I know God can work wonders during our times of singing, and also the rest the conference time... but I must admit I have struggled with the question, whether I really believe that God can still act. Starting tonight (Fri) until Monday afternoon, the conference will unite over 170 university students from all across Southern Ontario, mostly asians, but from various church & denominational backgrounds. I thank God for how your reformed and Charismatic foundations are confirming my Biblical understanding of worship. Please pray for the conference, the musical worship ministry, and my leadership. More details: http://www.campus-challenge.com SDG, -Alex Leung Thank you, Bob, for the timely reminder. It seems God’s Spirit is really working in my life, as your humble reminders have been all coming at just the right time when I need to hear God speak to me.

I’m just about to leave for a 4day student ministry conference called “CAMPUS CHALLENGE” purposed for students in or looking to be serving in campus ministry. I’m the Worship Coordinator/Advisor, mainly overseeing the worship team’s adherence to Biblical worship in spirit and in truth.

It’s the 2nd year in a row I have done this, though last year was more onstage lead singing also. This year, I’ve followed your blog series on “What does a Worship Leader Do” for our devotional times before practices, and it’s been a wonderful time being honest and truthful to ourselves about what we are really doing.

I am getting more nervous by the minute here, because we have planned and practiced so much, seeking to magnify His worth & works, and yet, it feels like so much has yet to be done, or isn’t organized as best as I’d prefer. I know God can work wonders during our times of singing, and also the rest the conference time… but I must admit I have struggled with the question, whether I really believe that God can still act.

Starting tonight (Fri) until Monday afternoon, the conference will unite over 170 university students from all across Southern Ontario, mostly asians, but from various church & denominational backgrounds. I thank God for how your reformed and Charismatic foundations are confirming my Biblical understanding of worship. Please pray for the conference, the musical worship ministry, and my leadership.

More details: http://www.campus-challenge.com

SDG,
-Alex Leung

]]> By: jon http://www.worshipmatters.com/2006/05/pursuing-gods-a/#comment-484 jon Thu, 18 May 2006 15:45:38 +0000 http://www.worshipmatters.com?p=153#comment-484 Bob, Thanks for this challenging post. Can't wait for the Worship God conference! How have you cultivated an anticipation of God's active presence and power during the meetings of the church? It seems easy for me and others (even those of us who serve week in and week out leading corporate singing) to become familiar with the context and the songs...with little expectation of God moving unusually in a particular meeting. Bob,

Thanks for this challenging post. Can’t wait for the Worship God conference! How have you cultivated an anticipation of God’s active presence and power during the meetings of the church? It seems easy for me and others (even those of us who serve week in and week out leading corporate singing) to become familiar with the context and the songs…with little expectation of God moving unusually in a particular meeting.

]]> By: Thomas Clay http://www.worshipmatters.com/2006/05/pursuing-gods-a/#comment-483 Thomas Clay Thu, 18 May 2006 15:32:46 +0000 http://www.worshipmatters.com?p=153#comment-483 Bro. Bob In transitioning as a worship leader from an A/G background to a Southern Baptist church (that teaches the doctrines of grace) I have found that most Baptists who have solid theology firmly trust that God will act in creating the greatest miracle of all--that of regeneration. However, they struggle with the idea that God also does act in other ways, i.e., the gifts of the Spirit. Most are, to borrow Sam Storms' term, "practical cessationists"--they will tell you that God still heals or raises the dead, but would be very uncomfortable in participating in a service where their elders followed the pattern in James 5. I'm sure much of this has to do with abuses and un-biblical practices surrounding those gifts in other churches (which I also reject!). I also see it as a barrier to dynamic, charismatic worship because many evangelical congregations (who actually teach the doctrines of grace) are afraid that they might "cross over the line" into other characteristics seen in pentecostal or charismatics congregations, creating a real boundary in a worship service. I don't see how the scriptures forbid God to act in many supernatural ways with, of course, the only purpose of those ways being to glorify God and His Son, Jesus Christ. Bro. Bob
In transitioning as a worship leader from an A/G background to a Southern Baptist church (that teaches the doctrines of grace) I have found that most Baptists who have solid theology firmly trust that God will act in creating the greatest miracle of all–that of regeneration. However, they struggle with the idea that God also does act in other ways, i.e., the gifts of the Spirit. Most are, to borrow Sam Storms’ term, “practical cessationists”–they will tell you that God still heals or raises the dead, but would be very uncomfortable in participating in a service where their elders followed the pattern in James 5 By: Janelle Leach http://www.worshipmatters.com/2006/05/pursuing-gods-a/#comment-482 Janelle Leach Wed, 17 May 2006 19:44:56 +0000 http://www.worshipmatters.com?p=153#comment-482 Bob, I think I could write you a "thank you" book for the way you've allowed the Lord to use you-- I was at Metro Life last May for the Worship Conference...The way the Lord used you that weekend was profound. I've also benefited immensely from this blog- I moved back home from Orlando in August, and my dad and I have had several disagreements on the topic of worship and when I get frustrated not knowing how to explain my thoughts/beliefs, I have numerous times found the words my heart believes on this blog- whether they're your words, or a quote. It's made for much more calm discussions as I'm not stumbling over words so much. Thank you. Now in regard to your interest for comments: In struggling with a lot of the words we sing at my local church, and witnessing what I would describe as "romanticized Christianity" my friend and I have been challenging each other with the idea that when we're frustrated, we're self-sufficient and aren't actively believing that God can change and control hearts. We ask each other the question, "Do you believe God can change their heart?" It provokes me to pray instead of being frustrated. If God has changed my hard, cold, stubborn heart to love Him...He can change ANYONE'S heart! When I lose sight of that, and become self-righteous thinking that "my way" or even "Sovereign Grace's way" is better, I lose grip on grace- for others, and then in turn, for myself. I become legalistic and not loving. I become the very thing I get frustrated by- I don't understand the importance of Christ's sacrifice in MY life, because I'm too busy looking at others. God knows hearts better than I ever could. Just this past week I've been singing the song I learned as a kid, "My God is so GREAT! So strong and so mighty there's nothing my God cannot do!" Boy, I want to live like I believe that. Thanks again for allowing God to use you. Bob,

I think I could write you a “thank you” book for the way you’ve allowed the Lord to use you– I was at Metro Life last May for the Worship Conference…The way the Lord used you that weekend was profound. I’ve also benefited immensely from this blog- I moved back home from Orlando in August, and my dad and I have had several disagreements on the topic of worship and when I get frustrated not knowing how to explain my thoughts/beliefs, I have numerous times found the words my heart believes on this blog- whether they’re your words, or a quote. It’s made for much more calm discussions as I’m not stumbling over words so much. Thank you.

Now in regard to your interest for comments: In struggling with a lot of the words we sing at my local church, and witnessing what I would describe as “romanticized Christianity” my friend and I have been challenging each other with the idea that when we’re frustrated, we’re self-sufficient and aren’t actively believing that God can change and control hearts. We ask each other the question, “Do you believe God can change their heart?” It provokes me to pray instead of being frustrated. If God has changed my hard, cold, stubborn heart to love Him…He can change ANYONE’S heart! When I lose sight of that, and become self-righteous thinking that “my way” or even “Sovereign Grace’s way” is better, I lose grip on grace- for others, and then in turn, for myself. I become legalistic and not loving. I become the very thing I get frustrated by- I don’t understand the importance of Christ’s sacrifice in MY life, because I’m too busy looking at others. God knows hearts better than I ever could. Just this past week I’ve been singing the song I learned as a kid, “My God is so GREAT! So strong and so mighty there’s nothing my God cannot do!” Boy, I want to live like I believe that.

Thanks again for allowing God to use you.

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