10 Ways to Worship Without Music

Ten Ways to Worship Without Music,

Building Worship into Your Daily Life

by Tobin Perry, staff writer at Saddleback Church
This article is a reprint from the website, www.pastors.com

As you'll discover as you read through Rick Warren's, The Purpose Driven Life, worship through music is only a small portion of what true, biblical worship is all about. God designed us to worship Him with our whole lives, and there are actually spiritual habits that we can build into our lives that help us worship God more deeply. Here are ten habits than will build worship into your life on a daily basis.
1. Worship through prayer. When we affirm who God is through our prayers, we put our prayer life in proper perspective. That's exactly how Jesus taught us to pray. Prayer starts with God (example: “Our Father, which art in heaven”). Consider including in your prayers a time of focused attention on who God is.
2. Get in a regular habit of reading the Bible. The Bible says that we worship God in "spirit and in truth." How can we ever worship God without a clear understanding of who He is? The truth about God is essential to worship.
3. Obey God. Rick Warren mentions in The Purpose Driven Life that we worship God when we obey Him. We all need to build the habit of obedience into our lives. Whenever you sense God is speaking to you, make it a regular practice to respond immediately.
4. Tithe. If you want to know what in your life you worship, look at your checkbook register. The Bible teaches us this important lesson: "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Mathew 6:21 NIV)
5. Build deep relationships with other Christians. The Bible teaches that God designed us to live in community with other Christians. We bring God pleasure by getting to know others and being known by them. The primary way we do this is through small groups like Sunday School classes.

6. Share your faith. John Piper made many of us re-look at why we share our faith when he wrote a few years ago: "Missions exists because worship doesn't." God wants every person on the planet to worship him, not because He is an egomaniac who needs our praise, but because worship is how we are designed by God. He wants the best for us.
7. Serve others. Jesus tells us that "when you did it to the least of these my brothers and sisters, you did to me!" (Matt. 25:40 NLT) When we serve one another, Jesus tells us we are really serving Him.
8. Build into your life the attitude of thankfulness. When we look through the lens of thankfulness, we see our lives—and everything in it—as all gifts from God. Develop your own spiritual exercise each morning that demonstrates that you are putting on your lens of thankfulness.
9. Begin turning over to God areas of your life that you have never committed to Him. This is the heart of worship — surrender. God won't settle for 90 percent of your life; He wants all of it. You might have been a follower of Jesus for years, but you still have areas of your life that you are holding back from Him. Allow God to expose those areas and help you release to Him.
10. Live a life of purpose. God has a reason for your existence. In fact, He has five: fellowship, discipleship, ministry, evangelism and worship. You please God when you live in step with His purposes. God doesn't want you to waste your life.
You were designed for God's pleasure. The purpose of worship is the foundation of the other four purposes. Fellowship without the spirit of worship is just "hanging out." Discipleship without worship is nothing but a fruitless mental exercise. Ministry without worship is called "spinning your wheels." Evangelism without worship is a misplaced sales pitch.
Worship isn't simply one area of your life; it is your life. Start right this moment by surrendering your life to God. Then spend the rest of your life learning to worship Him more fully.

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Be A Saturday Night Caller!

As a way of improving your church's ministry to its Sunday School members/prospects and experiencing a greater attendance on Sunday morning, encourage them to call some who are in their Bible Study class on Saturday night. Give them these tips:

A. BEFORE YOU CALL . . . PRAY
· Ask God to help you say the right things. God will grant wisdom to those who ask.
· Be sure the tone of your voice is pleasant. Those we call can easily determine the depth of our concern not only by what we say but even more by how we say it.
B. WHEN YOU CALL
1. Identify yourself immediately
2. Develop the conversation by asking about such things as:
· Family (“How’s _________ doing?”)
· How work is going (Is work treating you OK?”)
· Similar recreational interests (How’s the golf game going?”)
3. Tell them you missed them last Sunday at Bible Study, what a great study it was, and that you were wondering if they were coming tomorrow.
· If they say “no”:
· Express your disappointment but not any judgmental feelings.
· Explain the gap their absence causes in the lives of others in the class and your desire to see them return soon.
· Ask if there is anything the class can pray about for them when the class prays during the Bible study.
· If they say “yes”:
· Express your happiness about their return
· Perhaps offer to sit with them in class and worship and plan to have lunch together.
C. AFTER YOU CALL
· Write down any prayer requests that were expressed during your conversation.
· Make arrangements (meeting place, lunch, etc.) on any commitments made.Breathe a prayer of thanksgiving and blessing on behalf of the person you spoke to.

THINGS YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN .....
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YOU: LifeWay's newest Sunday School curriculum line is biblically-based with culturally relevant lessons to help your members connect, grow, serve, and ultimately be engaged in impacting the world for God. http://www.lifeway.com/lwc/article_main_page/0%2C1703%2CA%25253D168164%252526M%25253D201148%2C00.html
2009 Fall Sunday School Training Emphasis: Connect3: The Power of One Sunday School Class (David Francis) $1 Each or FREE Download to Be Availablehttp://www.lifeway.com/e2/shop/?R=831372
Conducting Successful SS Leadership Meetings (by our own Tim Smith) http://www.lifeway.com/lwc/article_main_page/0%2C1703%2CA%25253D168868%252526M%25253D200839%2C00.html
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Student Beta Conferences: This is designed for new Ministers of Youth and follows the same format as the M.E. Beta conferences. Dates are: March 30-31 and April 13-14. Call Sherry Spillman, Student Ministry Specialist for Training and Events, at 615.251.3864, or email her at: sherry.spillman@lifeway.com.