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The Evangelistic Power of Worship As a Witness

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The Purpose Driven Life Book

I'm often asked, "How can a service be both a worship service and place for seekers to experience Jesus?" At Saddleback we believe you can have both without compromising either. When we speak of worship, we are talking about something only believers can do. Worship is from believers to God. We magnify God’s name in worship by expressing our love and commitment to him. Unbelievers simply cannot do this. Here is the simple definition of worship that we operate on at Saddleback: "Worship is expressing our love to God for who he is, what he’s said, and what he’s doing." We believe there are many appropriate ways to express our love to God: by praying, singing, obeying, trusting, giving, testifying, listening, and responding to his Word, thanking, and many other expressions. God - not man - is the focus and center of our worship. God is the consumer of worship Although unbelievers cannot truly worship, they can watch believers worship. They can observe the joy that we feel. They can see how we value God’s Word and how we respond to it. They can hear how the Bible answers the problems and questions of life. They can notice how worship encourages, strengthens, and changes us. They can sense when God is supernaturally moving in a service, although they won’t be able to explain it. When unbelievers watch genuine worship, it becomes a powerful witness. In Acts 2 - on the day of Pentecost - God’s presence was so evident in the disciples’ worship service that it attracted the attention of unbelievers throughout the entire city! Acts 2:6 says, "... a crowd came together.” We know it was a big crowd because 3,000 people were saved that day. Why were those 3,000 people converted? Because they felt God’s presence and they understood the message. I believe both of these elements are essential for worship to be a witness. God’s presence must be sensed in the service. More people are won to Christ by feeling God’s presence than by all of our apologetic arguments combined. Few people, if any, are converted to Christ on purely intellectual grounds. It is the sense of God’s presence that melts hearts and explodes mental barriers. Worship without this yields few evangelistic results. I believe there is an intimate connection between worship and evangelism. In the first place, the goal of evangelism is to produces worshipers of God. The Bible tells us that "the Father seeks worshipers” (John 4:23). When we recruit worshipers, that’s called evangelism. On the other hand, worship provides the motivation for evangelism. It produces a desire in us to tell others about Christ. The result of Isaiah’s powerful worship experience (Isaiah 6:1-8) was Isaiah saying, "Here am I, send me!” True worship causes us to witness. In genuine worship God’s presence is felt, God’s pardon is offered, God’s purposes are revealed, and God’s power is displayed. That sounds to me like an ideal context for evangelism! I’ve noticed that when unbelievers watch believers relate to God in an intelligent, sincere manner it creates a desire to know God, too. Worship with sensitivity We must be willing to adjust our worship practices when unbelievers are present. God tells us to be sensitive to the hang-ups of unbelievers in our services! Being sensitive to the seekers present in our worship is a biblical command. I didn’t think up this concept; Paul did! Making worship understandable Making a service “comfortable” for the unchurched doesn’t mean changing your theology. It means changing the environment of the service - such as changing the way you greet visitors, the style of music you use, the Bible translation you preach from, and the kind of announcements you make in the service. The message is not always comfortable. In fact, sometimes God’s truth is very uncomfortable! Still we must teach “the whole counsel of God.” Being sensitive to seekers in attendance does not limit what you say but it will affect how you say it. We must make both the worship and the message understandable. At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit miraculously translated the message into words each person understood. The crowd of unbelievers said, “We hear them telling in our own languages about the great things God has done!” Acts 2:11 (NCV) This caused them to be converted. Even though God’s presence was evident in the service, they wouldn’t have known what to do if they hadn’t been able to understand the message. The unchurched are not asking for a watered-down message. The unchurched expect to hear the Bible when they come to church. They just want to hear how it relates to their lives. They can handle a clear, biblical message when it is delivered in terms they understand and in a tone that shows you respect and care about them. They are looking for solutions, not a scolding. A clear message coupled with genuine worship will not only attract unbelievers, it will open their hearts to the power of the gospel. As they feel God’s presence and understand the message they will walk away changed.

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Habakkuk’s Prayer Plan

For our churches to become what God wants them to be, we must listen to God. He doesn’t have laryngitis. He still speaks today. You and I need to hear from God on a variety of topics—what we’re going to preach on, how to effectively lead, how to help our people with particular problems, and so on. We need to have the wisdom of God.In the Old Testament, Habakkuk saw his nation being overtaken by another. He wanted to know why God would allow this. So he did these five things to tune in to what God was up to:He withdrew. Habakkuk said, “I will stand at my guard post. I will station myself on the wall" (Habakkuk 2:1 GW). Getting alone and avoiding distractions can be tough in today's world. But one reason you don't hear God speak to you more is because you are surrounded by noise. You've always got the TV on, your earbud in your ear, or your cell phone ringing. The world around you is so loud you never hear the still, small voice of God.Luke 5:16 says, “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” (NIV). Jesus often made it a habit to get alone by himself. If he needed to do it, we do too. But don't stop there. You can't just withdraw.He waited. After withdrawing, you need to calm your thoughts and emotions and be still. Habakkuk said, “I will . . . wait” (Habakkuk 2:1 GNT). Habakkuk stayed put so he could hear God. Many of us don't hear God because we're just too busy. Hurry is the death of prayer. If you're going to hear God speak, you shouldn't just get away. You must mentally and emotionally calm yourself down. How do you do that? Relax your body and wait. Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still and know that I am God” (NCV). As you wait, get still and comfortable. Let go of muscle tension. Your body affects your attitudes. If you don't feel well physically, it affects your emotions and your moods. As your body relaxes, so does your mind.  Once your body relaxes, you simply wait. That takes time. It's difficult for most of us to calm down. And you can't force yourself to do it. It takes time for your body and your mind to get those RPMs down. God speaks to people who take the time to listen. If you're in a hurry, you will not hear God speak. He watched. Next, you let God give you a mental picture. Habakkuk said, “I will watch to see what he will say to me” (Habakkuk 2:1 GW). Pastor, have you noticed that God often speaks visually to us? He often gives us a mental picture of what he wants to say to us. There are hundreds of examples of this in Scripture. God would impress a mental picture on people’s minds as they were praying. You can see this all throughout Scripture—from Abraham in the Old Testament to Paul in the New Testament.Many of you are naturally visual thinkers. You often think in bright, beautiful pictures. It's very normal for you. Studies have shown that 50 to 75 percent of the population thinks in pictures. If this is you, when you read the Bible, you don't just read the story—you see the story!  When you quiet down and calm yourself, and get all the distractions out of the way, then you can simply say, "Jesus, is there anything you want to show me? Do you want to give me an idea, an impression?"He wrote. Record the ideas God gives you. Habakkuk did this. He said, “The LORD answered me: ‘Write down the vision’” (Habakkuk 2:2 NCV).Many people don't like to pray because they end up saying the same thing over and over. They're stuck in a rut. What's the solution? Write out your prayers as you think them. Journaling can help. Almost every great Christian in history has journaled. They wrote what they wanted to say to God and then wrote what God said to them. This practice keeps you focused, helps you remember what you've said to God, and helps you remember what he has said to you. Then you don't have to learn the same lesson over and over! He worshiped. The Living Bible paraphrase says, “O Lord, now I have heard your report, and I worship you in awe” (Habakkuk 3:2).When you have received God's loving response to your prayers, it's going to make you want to love the Lord more and draw you closer to him. This turns prayer from a monologue into a dialogue. It becomes a conversation. We should thank God when we hear from him!Pastor, if you will practice these biblical steps regularly, they will open up a whole new dimension of your Christian life. Prayer will become a great adventure to you instead of a source of boredom or guilt. Of course, this isn't the only way to pray. But this is a key way that God can get your attention so you can listen to him.

What Nehemiah Teaches Us About Prayer

You can learn a lot about leaders by listening to how they pray. In Nehemiah 1, we get to listen in on a prayer from Nehemiah, one of the Bible’s best leaders.When Nehemiah first heard about the fall of Jerusalem, he prayed for four months. He didn’t pray casually; he gave us a pattern for praying successfully. If you want to know how to pray, study the book of Nehemiah—particularly this model prayer.Here is what we can learn about how to pray from Nehemiah’s prayer.1. Base your request on God’s character. “O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and obey his commands . . .” (Nehemiah 1:5 NLT).Start off praying like you know God will answer you: “I’m expecting you to answer this prayer because of who you are. You are a faithful God. You are a great God. You are a loving God. You are a wonderful God. You can handle this problem, God!” Notice that Nehemiah says three specific things about God:You’re great (recognizing God’s position).You’re awesome (recognizing his power).You keep your promises (recognizing God’s covenant).Nehemiah begins with the right perspective about the character of God.2. Confess the sin in your life. “I confess that we have sinned against you. Yes, even my own family and I have sinned! We have sinned terribly by not obeying the commands, decrees, and regulations that you gave us through your servant Moses” (Nehemiah 1:6–7 NLT).Nehemiah confesses his own personal sin, his family sin, and the nation’s sin. We tend to be very individualistic today. We’re taught to confess our own sins—not corporate sins. When was the last time you confessed the sins of your family, your church, or your nation? Our society has taught us we’re only responsible for ourselves, but that’s just not true! You are your brother’s keeper. We are all in this together. If you want to be a leader, you accept the blame and share the credit. 3. Claim the promises of God. “Please remember what you told your servant Moses: ‘If you are unfaithful to me, I will scatter you among the nations. But if you return to me and obey my commands and live by them, then even if you are exiled to the ends of the earth, I will bring you back to the place I have chosen for my name to be honored’” (Nehemiah 1:8–9 NLT).Can you imagine saying “remember” to God? Nehemiah is reminding God of what he said in the past. Does God have to be reminded of his promises? Of course not. But we do. Nothing pleases God more than when you remind God of one of his promises. When you remind God of his promises, you show him that you know what he has promised!  4. Make specific requests. “O Lord, please hear my prayer! Listen to the prayers of those of us who delight in honoring you. Please grant me success today by making the king favorable to me. Put it into his heart to be kind to me” (Nehemiah 1:11 NLT).For God to answer specific prayers, you need to make specific requests. Otherwise, you’ll never know if God answers them.Nehemiah prays boldly for success. You may be hesitant to do that, but there is nothing wrong with praying for success if your aim is ultimately the glory of God. If you can’t ask God to make you a success at what you’re doing, do something else. God doesn’t want you to waste your life. Make specific requests with the aim of God’s glory and watch to see how God will answer them.

The Miracles of Christmas Are for You

I know you’ve likely had a busy few weeks, full of Christmas services, programs, and ministry. By this point, you’re probably exhausted. But don’t miss the opportunity to take a few moments to reflect on the miracles of Christmas. You’ve preached about Christmas. You’ve talked about it. You’ve sung about it.It’s easy to get so busy doing ministry during the Christmas season that you never take the time to think about what God did at Christmas—and what it means for you.As you wrap up this season and head into a new year, take some time to thank God for these four Christmas miracles.God Came to EarthThe God of the universe became a man. The Bible describes Jesus as “the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15 NIV). Jesus wasn’t just a good man—He was God in the flesh. The incarnation isn’t just a fancy theological term for you to preach; it’s a deeply personal reality to embrace in your ministry. God isn’t detached from the struggles you’re facing. He is right there in your fatigue, frustrations, and joys.Thanks to the miracle of the incarnation, you are never alone. God’s presence is the greatest gift you can receive this Christmas.God Came as a ManPaul tells us, “[Christ] gave up his place with God and made himself nothing. He was born as a man and became like a servant. And when he was living as a man, he humbled himself” (Philippians 2:7-8 NCV).Think about all the ways God could have revealed himself. He could have written his message in fiery letters across the sky or invented a worldwide satellite system 2,000 years ago to broadcast his arrival. But he didn’t.Jesus didn’t come as a distant force or an imposing deity. He came as a vulnerable, approachable, fully human baby. Why? So he could relate to you. He grew like you, experienced life as you do, and faced every temptation without sinning.Jesus understands the demands and challenges you face as a pastor. He knows what it’s like to be tired, to be misunderstood, and to carry the burdens of others. Let this truth sink in deeply this Christmas: You have a Savior who truly understands.God Came for EveryoneThe angels didn’t announce Jesus’ birth to the political and social elites of his time. They shared the Good News with lowly shepherds instead. It’s a powerful reminder that no one is excluded from the love Jesus came to earth to show.That includes you. You’re not just a shepherd caring for others. You’re a sheep under the care of the Good Shepherd. You’re not just a preacher of the Good News about Jesus—you’re a recipient of it as well.This Christmas, let that sink in: Jesus didn’t just come for the world—he came for you. his love is personal, and his grace is meant to renew your heart, even amid your ministry responsibilities.God Came for Our BenefitJesus didn’t come to condemn us. He came to save us. He came to give us a life of abundance and purpose. Remember what Jesus says in John 10:10: “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (NIV).That “they” includes you! In the busyness of the Christmas season, it’s easy to focus on what God wants to give to those you’re shepherding. But don’t forget to thank God for the gifts he brings you—including the gift of your calling as a pastor.Reflecting on the MiraclesPastor, these miracles shouldn’t just be the foundation of your Christmas sermons—they’re God’s gift to you. As you look back on this busy season, let these truths refresh your own walk with Christ.

How God Develops Your Faith (Part 2)

Faith is an inseparable part of your ministry. You can’t please God without it  (Hebrews 11:6). But how do you develop the kind of faith that God wants you to have? By pursuing the ministry dreams God gives you. Last week I shared with you three of the six stages that God will take you through as he gives you a dream and eventually fulfills it.God gives you a dream.You make a decision.You experience a delay.But God doesn’t leave you in that delay pattern. Here are the final three stages of how God grows your faith as you pursue his dreams for your ministry. Stage #4 — You encounter difficultiesUsually, you’ll have two kinds of troubles as you pursue God’s dream for your ministry. First, you’ll have circumstances that pull you down. Second, you’ll face criticism.Throughout Scripture, God’s people faced difficulties as they tried to chase his dream for them. Read the stories of Moses, David, and Joshua. Each had to overcome painful times in their journeys. You won’t escape that pain either. But you can know that God will work through those difficulties to help you reach the dream he has given you. Peter describes how God uses trials in the faith-building process: “There is wonderful joy ahead, even though the going is rough for a while down here. These trials are only to test your faith, to see whether or not it is strong and pure” (1 Peter 1:6-7 TLB).At this stage, God tests your faith. Remember, though—the testing is only temporary.Stage #5 — You hit a dead endDuring this phase, your situation will move from difficult to impossible. You’ll be backed into a corner and exhausted. You’ll think the future of your dream is hopeless. You’ll be at a dead end.The greatest Christian missionary in history, the apostle Paul, faced plenty of dead ends in his ministry. He said he felt crushed, overwhelmed, and scared of death. But that was good, he said! “As a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead” (2 Corinthians 1:9 NLT).If God can raise the dead, he can turn around any impossible situation in your life. When you face a dead end, you need to trust God to fulfill the dream he put into your heart.Stage #6 — God delivers you!Just when it looks like the impossible situation will never come to fruition, God performs a miracle as you place your trust completely in him.  Right after Paul wrote about placing his faith in Jesus when he faced an impossible situation, he said: “He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us” (2 Corinthians 1:10 NIV).Not only did God deliver Paul, but the apostle knew he’d continue to do so.God is faithful. I saw it over and over again as pastor of Saddleback Church. Many times, I thought we’d hit a dead end along the way. I thought there was no chance we’d be able to start the church, get land, or build. But every time our backs were against the wall, God came through. He will come through for your dream as well. It may not happen as you expect, but God will always deliver you!I don’t know where you and your dream are in these six stages, but God will take you to stage six. You’ll get there. If God gave you this dream, he will fulfill it.