Today begins a five - week study on the practice of worship.
The Kentucky Baptist Fellowship, in conjunction with the faculty of the Baptist Seminary of Kentucky developed a study on five practices of worship. This important resource, “When You Gather Together” is now available and is being used by churches in Sunday school classes and other special studies throughout the state.
We will begin looking at these themes and this resource starting this Sunday coordinating our worship topics with children, youth and many adult Sunday school classes. The five dimensions of study are: 1.) Gathering, 2.) Interceding, 3.) Confessing, 4.) Proclamation and 5.) Sending.
This week we are thinking about "Gathering." This is the first step whenever we are together. It appears obvious without any true need of instruction or direction. But we should be careful. Some folks might expect the purpose of our coming together as a religious community is to offer a form of escapism, a time when we leave the worries and concerns of the world at the doorstep and pretend that everything is all right. While this practice might offer some form of emotional relief, it leads to the presentation of our false selves before God and before one another. It seeks nothing more than a retreat and a hideout, perhaps a necessary reprieve, but nothing towards true acceptance and transformation.
Another vantage point acknowledges our need to deal with the worries and concerns of the world, both in the big global picture and through the focused lens of our own personal experience. Instead of leaving them at the threshold, however, we hold on to them and bring them before the instruction, wisdom and direction of the LORD. We invite others to know us as we truly are, rather than the person we might be pretending to be. We seek to accept and love one another with this same level of authenticity. Ultimately, we hope to bring our true selves and our real life worries before a God of grace and power, who promises to sustain us, forgive us and teach us a new way.
Join us this week as we talk about this vital first step to worship and be praying with us throughout every week of our study as we seek to enhance and deepen our experience of worship as God's gathered people at Central Baptist Church.
Download Flyer
