worship? we don't have a clue......

As a youth minister who teaches quite a bit, I hit points of struggle as to what I should teach my youth. When you work with a group of kids, there are all kinds of spiritual needs. Some need love, others need admonishment, a few need challenge, while others simply need prayer. What does one do when it comes to teaching kids? There are times that I am truly at a loss.

This month I am teaching a series on worship. One of the things that I have found about this specific group of teenagers is that they have no clue about coming into the throne room of the Lord to worship. As their teacher, I am not always sure about how to do that! Yet I am convicted that they need to know how to truly worship the Lord.

Unfortunatly, we have all been taught that worship is simply vertical. That is, worship is simply between the individual and God. If there was no one else in the room, it would make no difference(as the philosophy goes). Yet when we look at scripture and see the overwhelming emphasis on community and togetherness as Christians. If this is true, we must realize that there is a tremendous "horizontal" aspect of worship. We NEED each other when it comes to the worship of God.

Yet when I look at our church (and youth group) I see a lot of division. The body of Christ is indeed broken still. How are we supposed to worship with each other when we don't even like each other? How are we to approach the throne of God together when we can't even live life together? I am so confused!

Let me scream it into this great blogosphere. WE NEED JESUS! We need Him to permeate all of the corners of our lives! He needs to be the central focus of our choices, reactions, passions, mistakes, and misgivings. We need the healing power of the cross to transform us into the likeness of our God.

It's a pipedream, but it's my pipedream. Wait, I believe it is the Lord's pipedream for his people (Acts 2:42-47). Let us live together in worship so we can go to God together in worship.

I think I found my lesson.

Chris