The most instructive book in the Bible when it comes to worship is the book of Psalms. And most of those songs that were written centuries ago were accompanied by skilled musicians, a host of musical instruments, and were played with passion and volume! We understand why people use the phrase “contemporary worship” but most modern churches are really just returning to their ancient spiritual roots when we see it through the lens of Psalms.
Our weekend services have a live band and serve to create an atmosphere of praise as we express our affection and devotion to God. And whether you want to think of our worship experience as modern or ancient, both lead to the same result, an encounter with God who we believe is always a living presence with an active voice! So for City Life, the time we spend with songs and musical instruments is not a prelude to a sermon. Worship is not the opening act. Worship is a vital part of our gathering because these expressions awaken us to God’s abiding presence and positions our hearts to hear His voice. When you come, be expectant because God is your perfect Heavenly Father who cares for you deeply and has ideas about the great adventures He has planned for you!
Worship is also what we call a generational tether. Too many churches are closing their doors because they deal with youth in a “wait your turn” mindset. We believe that our youth are leaders today and not just tomorrow. This means youth need to have a voice today. The style of music then for us will always defer to the future of our church…our youth! We all have preferences when it comes to creative elements. I hope you will join me in agreeing that we must prefer our youth over the styles of worship that may be more familiar to us. Let’s reach the youth of today with a Gospel that includes a relationship with God who wants their life to be effectual today!
Consider doing a worship experiment. Make a decision to attend several weekend services in a row. Come a few minutes early so you have the opportunity to get settled and to be present for the entire worship experience. After several weeks, reflect on how you feel compared to when you either never attended a weekend worship service or attended sporadically. Our prediction is that your life will feel more complete and your outlook on life will have a greater sense of hope the more you spend time experiencing the living presence of God. Because the more you meet Him somewhere, the more you find Him everywhere!
Hope to see you this Saturday in person or online!