| |
| Evangelism:
Worship on Tour* |
| Steve
Griffing |
| The
article entitled “What
Makes Christian Worship Different?”
discussed the dramatic story of a Samaritan woman’s
encounter with Jesus that ended in worship. However,
the conclusion of the narrative was omitted —
on purpose. This is “the rest of the story.” |
| John
4:28-30, 39 describes the Samaritan woman’s
response to Jesus’ revelation of himself
as the Messiah, the true object of her worship.
“Then, leaving her water jar, the woman
went back to the town and said, ‘come see
a man who told me everything I ever did. Could
this be the Christ?’ They came out of the
town and made their way toward him. … Many
of the Samaritans from that town believed in him
because of the woman’s testimony.” |
| The
revelation of Jesus Christ through worship transformed
this woman from a sinner into the first Christian
evangelist in one afternoon! But this is hardly
an isolated incident. For, the link between worship
and evangelism pervades Scripture as a primary
theme. |
| Revelation
19:10, one of the most mysterious and fascinating
verses in the Bible, quotes an angel’s perspective
on worship. “Worship God! For the testimony
of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” In
other words, there exists an eternal, causal relationship
between worshiping God, testifying for Jesus,
and prophesying. |
| Now,
in this case, prophecy is not about predicting
the future. It is testifying for Jesus Christ.
Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical
Theology defines prophecy as “more than
‘fore-telling’: two-thirds of [the
term’s use in Scripture] involves ‘forth-telling’
… setting [forth] the truth, justice, mercy,
and righteousness of God. …” |
| When
our lives demonstrate evidence of the transforming
power of salvation through Jesus, we are prophesying
as surely as if we were predicting tomorrow’s
closing Dow Jones Industrial Average. In fact,
heaven is more excited when we tell someone that
Jesus loves them than if we were to divine supernaturally
their social security number. Testimony that portrays
to the world the nature and character of Jesus
Christ is a part of the prophetic ministry in
which all believers can participate, and it is
the essence of evangelism. |
| The
angel’s comment further teaches that worship
should be expressed not only to God but also about
God and His Purposes. It should be about “the
testimony of Jesus,” not the testimony of
how the worshiper feels. While our personal feeling
about God can provide practical context for our
worship, it should never displace the person and
work of Jesus Christ as worship’s central
focus. Theologian Marva Dawn puts it this way
in her superb book, Reaching out without Dumbing
Down. “God should be not only the Object
of our worship, but the Subject as well.”
Worship and evangelism are linked in a causal
relationship because they both rely upon the testimony
of Jesus. |
| Finally,
the angel in Revelation reveals the power behind
both worship and evangelism. By equating the testimony
of Jesus with the spirit of prophecy, he elevates
both activities above the merely human level into
the realm of divine power. |
| This
is what the Apostle Paul had in mind when he wrote
to the Corinthians, “My message and my preaching
were not with wise and persuasive words, but with
a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so
that your faith might not rest on men’s
wisdom, but on God’s power. … For
the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but
of power.” (I Cor. 2:4-5; 4:20) |
| Coming
from Paul, a man of considerable erudition, these
words have special significance. Before secular
humanism dominated American education, Paul’s
letter to the Romans was often taught as the quintessential
model for persuasive rhetoric. Yet, Paul knew
that evangelism ultimately results not from persuasion,
but from the power of the Holy Spirit. |
| Dependence
upon the Holy Spirit’s power is what links
worship to evangelism. No better example of this
exists than Christ’s instruction to his
disciples at his ascension: “With my authority,
take this message of repentance to all the nations,
beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness
of sins for all who turn to me.’”
Now, here is the punch-line: “I will send
the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But
stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes
and fills you with power from heaven.””
(Lk. 24:47-49). The disciples went back to the
city, but they did not sit around idly “twiddling
their thumbs. Instead, they “returned to
Jerusalem filled with great joy. And they spent
all of their time in the Temple, praising God”
(vs. 52-53).When they were finally clothed with
that power, their worship went on public tour.
As a result of Peter’s divinely empowered
preaching in the midst of public worship, three
thousand became baptized believers in the first
day. |
| Amazing
and Perplexing Worship |
| But
there were others who, “Amazed and perplexed
… asked one another, ‘What does this
mean?’” In my nearly thirty years
of ministry, I have participated in countless
leadership brainstorming sessions in which the
question would arise, “As a church, should
we emphasize worship or evangelistic outreach?”
My answer has always been, “Yes!”
because the question represents a false dichotomy
theologically and pragmatically. |
| Inevitably,
some would object, “But visitors might not
understand what they see in the service. Our worship
may even be disturbing to them and make them uncomfortable.”
Within the bounds of scriptural principles, our
worship should be amazing and perplexing to visitors,
especially if they are nonbelievers or new Christians.
Because, iff they are amazed and perplexed, they
will begin to ask, “What does this mean?”
Following Peter’s example, we can then offer
them an explanation through the preaching of the
Gospel. This is the New Testament pattern for
evangelism: It is amazing and perplexing worship
on tour. |
| Worship
is the conduit through which evangelism is empowered.
Without amazing and perplexing worship, our evangelism
is reduced to mere rhetoric, lost in the sea of
contemporary religious discourse. Compelling worship
confirms the message as it transforms the messengers. |
| Worship
initiates, motivates, and ultimately completes
New Testament evangelism. The author of Revelation
demonstrates this best: “I saw another angel
flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel
to proclaim to those who live on the earth —
to every nation, tribe, language and people. He
said in a loud voice, ‘Fear God and give
him glory, because the hour of his judgment has
come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth,
the sea, and the springs of water” (14:6-7). |
| I
long for the day when visitors and longtime members
alike are amazed and perplexed by what they experience
in our worship. I think the kingdom of God would
benefit greatly if, after a Sunday morning worship
service, a man would turn to his wife and say,
“Gertrude, that was amazing! What does it
mean?” Worship that is this effective becomes
the most compelling evangelism ever devised. |
| *
the phrase "Evangelism: Worship on Tour"
was originated by Jim Gilbert, ca. 1984 |
©
2007 Steve Griffing, ZionSong Ministries. All rights
reserved.
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