In January I introduced you to Kingdom-Focused Prayer, this month I want to introduce you to the first of our four key strategies. Glorifying God in Meaningful Worship
As I ponder this key strategy to our plan I wonder how much people actually understand the terms used just in the title. So let me give you the formal definitions to start off.
Glorify = means to honor with praise, admiration, or worship; extol. to make glorious; invest with glory. to praise the glory of (God), especially as an act of worship.
God = the creator and ruler of the universe and source of all moral authority; the author and power of our salvation.
Meaningful = having meaning, having a deep, serious, important, or intentional purpose.
Worship = in its proper sense is to have or show a strong feeling of respect and admiration for God. The NIV Study Bible has a great explanation of this. https://www.thenivbible.com/blog/worship-definition/
So with those definitions in mind, let's form our understanding of this strategy.
To Glorify God in Meaningful Worship is to: approach worship intentionally and humbly, offering praise and adoration to God the author and power of our salvation for all that He has done for us.
Today worship has come to mean what type of songs we sing or how long the pastor preaches. It is so often about what makes us comfortable, what is familiar.
No one likes to think of themselves as self-centered but it is unavoidably part of human nature and we all suffer from it to some extent especially when it comes to how we respond in worship.
The Pastors here at Palm View approach worship with a high view of God's sovereignty and scripture. This involves a decrease in man-centeredness.
We also believe in faith exegetical, expository preaching and teaching of God's Word.
God is also glorified in meaningful worship by our faithful observance of the Christian ordinances of believers' baptism and the Lord's supper; through the worshipful singing of hymns and contemporary praise songs, and cheerful obedience in giving.
So how do we apply this? Well, I am glad you asked! Here are some of the initial goals that we have thought about in regard to how this strategy would be implemented over the next couple of years.
- Goal: Expand service offerings to enable those working on Sunday to participate
- Initiate one additional service – date/time TBD
- Language-based ministry? Haitian and Hispanic demographics are the 2nd largest demographics in the region.
- Goal: Enhance routines to welcome 1st-time visitors and follow up with them
- Encourage completion of the visitor’s info card and follow up with an email and/or a phone call
- Goal: Provide improved opportunities for new attendees to get to know the church & leaders
- Routinely hold a “newcomers” gathering to provide an opportunity for new attendees to get to know the pastor(s) and key aspects of the church’s beliefs
- Goal: Enhance the “Lord Supper” time
- Lengthen the opportunity for reflection and confession
- Goal: Enhance communication & transparency with the congregation
- Routinely communicate church financial status, capital needs, giving status, and progress against goals.
- Provide better insight into church activities and opportunities to get involved
- Goal: Develop ongoing communication with seasonal members/attendees
- Improve monthly newsletter and weekly emails
- Church Center App
