We have been experimenting with the offering at church. Where should it go? One person said, "It should be a part of worship! I don't know why the preachers cut off their nose to spite their faces."
Here's a thought. Is the offering a part of worship? Yes or No? Its a trick question. The answer is, "It should be". Currently, it is a time for the aforementioned person to play with their grandkids.
Have we become confused about what worship is to God? Is the offering in and of itself worship? I can't count the number of times God told His people to keep their sacrifices and offerings. He wanted their hearts instead.
So, what can we do to create worship? Others have said that if we had stronger music, they could worship. What is wrong with that? I so badly want to worship God, with or without music or money.
4 years ago
3 comments:
We get so caught up on focusing our attention on what WE THINK is right and how something should be done...we know that it should be done that way because we have been doing it for umpteen years and so that should be how it is !!!
When we focus our attention on what WE think we lose our focus on Jesus...enough said...
Get over yourself, your not always right. Change can be good,even if you don't like it...
When we aren't praising and praying and "waiting" on the Lord
to help in matters we are just allowing satan to have his way...seems like he's pretty busy too...
Below is part of a song by Matthew West that so speaks to my heart about how I want to live and worship and love the Lord, even if it means I might have to change some things about myself...
I'm with you Cory, I don't need nothing to inspire me to want to worship and love HIM...
This might hurt
It's not safe
But I know that I've gotta make a change
I don't care
If I break
At least I'll be feeling something
'Cause just okay is not enough
Help me fight through the nothingness of life
I don't wanna go through the motions
I don't wanna go one more day
Without Your all consuming
Passion inside of me
I don't wanna spend my whole life asking
What if I had given everything
Instead of going through the motions?
The church I joined right after I was saved did not pass a collection plate. There was a receptacle built into the wall in the foyer with a slot in the top of it. There was a plaque on the wall above it with the verse 2 Cor 9:7 displayed.
I love what the pastor said right after the first song on Sunday mornings:
"For those of you who would like to give an offering to the Lord, there is a receptacle in the foyer to receive your offering. We do not pass a collection plate because we do not want anyone to feel that we expect them to pay 'rent' to sit on the pew."
As a new believer that really impressed me (what the pastor said).
After the pastor said that he would ask us to stand and someone would pray to ask for God's wisdom for how the money was to be used and to thank the Lord for it.
I believe that the collection of the offering is a part of individual worship. I do believe that the prayer of thanksgiving and asking for wisdom should be a collective part of worship.
The ideal way to 'create worship' is for every person to properly prepare themselves for worship before coming to church. If everyone did this we would all be able to come together in unity and harmony to praise and worship our Lord.
Unfortunately, it is not an ideal world in which we live. We too often are busy getting ready to come to church physically (getting dressed); but fail to spiritually get ready to come to church (pray to get our hearts right).
I love to hear great singing and I admire those who are willing and able to use the gift of song and music to inspire worship and praise. I believe that music is not a necessity to worship but it is a wonderful way to prepare ourselves for worship.
I like that Sue. I think tithes and offerings should not be part of corporate worship.
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