Born to Worship

Continued from Reflections on the Incarnation, Part I
December 23, 2009
8:27 AM

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:9 NIV)

Let’s pause and consider the implications of the incarnation. The passage above has always captured it best for me. What God did was above all else a sacrifice – a gift exchange so to speak. Yet we come to the party with empty hands, worse yet, dirty hands. And God, he comes offering to us all of the riches of the universe. It has been said that the incarnation is the most amazing miracle of God – the creator of the world and everything in it, being made like us. The precursor to and perhaps a sacrifice even greater than Christ’s death on the cross for our sins, was that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. The One who owns all the riches of the universe became poor in order that we who were poor might become rich. What an exchange! And what riches are we offered? Grace. Forgiveness. Redemption. Eternal life. A new identity as a child of God and a new family! We were given something that we did not deserve and never could have earned ourselves. It is clear from the passage that God did this for our sakes. He had you and me in mind! And what exactly did it look like for God to become poor for our sakes? Elsewhere, Paul sums it up like this. “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” (Philippians 2:5-7 NIV) It is nice to pause here in this wonderful passage of Scripture to contemplate the weight of this statement – it is pointing to the Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us. Christ’s example is that he took on human nature, and that not in the form of an elite and powerful human, but as a lower class servant – starting out as a helpless child and later becoming an obscure Galilean and then crucified as a criminal. Paul continues the story. “And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death–even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:8) One cannot or at least should not ever consider the manger out of the context of the cross. The cross was Christ’s purpose and that is why it was a matter of obedience.  Christ was obedient by fulfilling his purpose. His purpose is wonderfully stated by Paul as another great exchange. “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:20-21 NIV) That statement follows the incarnation pattern – through Christ, God gave all he had in order that we might be lifted out of poverty and into incredible riches. Christ’s purpose for coming was our redemption. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 NIV)

In conclusion, I have noticed three points of application based on the truth of the incarnation. First, we have been given a new possession – from poverty to riches. This possession is the gospel – the good news! We have been given the gift of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ. We’ve been given grace! Can we ever say, “Thank you” enough?! Dare we keep it to ourselves or shall we proclaim it freely? These riches in Christ are for all!

Second, we have been given a new preoccupation – generosity toward others and humility that puts their needs above our own. That is the context of both the Corinthians and Philippians passages considered above. Paul is encouraging us to have an attitude and actions like Christ and he uses the incarnation as his major point of motivation. The response of those who comprehend the meaning of “God with us” is not just to be wowed, but also to be like him. Christ has given us an example of generosity, humility and service and we are called to follow in doing the same. Now that is the true spirit of Christmas!

Finally, we should be compelled to a new position – worship. Paul finishes his great incarnation passage in Philippians with a powerful statement of worship. “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11 NIV) Above all else, Christmas is a time to bring glory to God in the highest – a time to joyfully declare that Jesus Christ is Lord! The more we understand the mystery of “God with us,” the more we will praise him. Have you seen the glory of the One and Only God, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth? If so, then loose your tongues to joyfully declare and sing, might I even suggest shout, that…

Christ is the Lord
O praise his name forever
His power and glory
Evermore proclaim!
(from O Holy Night by John S. Dwight, 1813-1893)

Bill Born

December 9, 2009
8:58 AM

Due to illness that struck me and my family over the past few weeks, this post has been a bit delayed. Stay tuned next week as I’m working on a study of the Incarnation. This is an assignment that was proposed to me that I gladly accepted. It is the best thing for my heart and mind to engage in reflecting on the divine nature of Jesus Christ because such knowledge inspires heart-felt praise. I have the privilege of leading my church family in worship through the Christmas season and I want to lead them to a place that I have been before. I’m like a scout going out ahead, exploring the terrain and then eagerly bringing others along to see what I have seen. And from there, we might just experience something unexpected and unseen together. Anyway, here are my reflections of Thanksgiving for ’09.

November 18, 2009
9:18 AM

Next week is Thanksgiving and I have about a half hour left to consider what I am most thankful for before I head into the office. At this point in my life I am filled with indescribable joy and gratitude to the Lord. I feel deeply blessed by him in all areas of my life, in my work, my family and in my friendships. I return home after work each day to the blessing of a wonderful wife and a satisfying and full relationship where I feel deeply loved, respected and valued as her husband. Little did I know a year ago when I reflected on Thanksgiving that within Julie’s womb our precious third child was being formed, Benjamin Jackson Born! Given the tough circumstances Julie and I faced in 2008 (mentioned last year), I can hardly fathom this blessing that God had purposed for us and whom now I am enjoying daily. My little Benjamin is a highlight of 2009! And then take a look at Billy, handsome, kind, soft-hearted, a bit silly and an absolute delight to me. Watching him thrive as a boy socially, academically and spiritually is just wonderful. And my daughter Maria is getting cuter by the minute – a toddler now full of imagination, spunky and a bit feisty at times. My delight in my kids as their father was only heightened as a result of doing our Us Forever project. Of course my understanding of my Heavenly Father’s love for me has been deeply affected by that as well. I sense that I remain in the overflow – the fullness of His presence flowing in and through me.

When it comes to the ministry of adoptions, I am witnessing a work of God, almost weekly and it makes my heart overflow with joy. 3 weeks ago my friend Tim and his wife brought their daughter home from the Ukraine. She is a lovely 5-year old girl, running to me with her arms out for a hug! I think that as I write another friend Greg and his wife are awaiting the arrival of a daughter through adoption. Another friend Mike and his wife are about to adopt their 9-year-old son, most likely in December. I’m in the middle of yet another potential adoption as a family from our church is considering taking in an 8-year old and his grandmother. All of this is too beautiful to me and I’m pretty sure it is beautiful to God as well. For the time being, I am content with this role of being an adoption advocate, even though my heart will always yearn to take in other children.

At work I am blessed with a worshiping congregation who wholeheartedly sing their praises to God each Sunday. I have a wonderful planning team who help us use the arts to engage our hearts in worshiping. We are currently working on Christmas programming and that has been a joy! I have great musicians and friends whom I get to work/play with each week. I enjoy the pastoral role I have in caring for others in times of need, encouraging discipleship, spreading the wonder of the gospel, and celebrating what it means to be the family of God. I am grateful for my senior Pastor, Gary Inrig and the way that he is leading our church and teaching the Word. I appreciate his role in my life more this year than last and I appreciate our partnership in the gospel as he mentors me as well.

Yes, my gratitude runs deep and I recognize that “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.” (James 1:17-18 NIV) God, thank you for the life that you have birthed in me! It is very good. May my life overflow with thanksgiving and praise in every circumstance because above all else you are good!

Bill Born

December 2, 2009
8:38 AM

The Christmas season is upon us and it is simply wonderful! My heart erupts in praise the more I consider the advent of the Christ-child, my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ–the helpless infant lying in the dirty manger, and yet the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the one who was, “in very nature God.” This truth is captured in the doctrine of the incarnation. As I pause to reflect on that truth, my mind is blown away by the implications for mankind and I am inspired anew to approach the One in the manger just as the shepherds did: telling others what they had seen and heard, and glorifying and praising God. The birth of Christ is truly one of the most amazing and incomprehensible events in the narrative of God’s plan of redemption. The deeper our understanding of the deity of Christ, the more authentic will our response of worship be at Christmas time, and throughout the entire year.

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14 NIV)

Before we consider the implications of the incarnation, it would be profitable to establish the truth of the doctrine first. The word “incarnation” is not contained in the Bible, but has been used by Christians to capture the truths that the Scriptures teach about the deity of Christ; mainly that Jesus was God in human flesh. According to Wayne Grudem in Systematic Theology, “The Latin word incarnare means “to make flesh,” and is derived from the prefix in- (which has a causative sense, “to cause something to be something”) and the stem caro, carnis-, “flesh.” Instead of an exhaustive study of the deity of Christ, I will attempt to help you “see his glory, the glory of the One and Only.” Let this glimpse inspire a response of worship with awe and reverence.

Going in chronological order, we first consider the prophecies by Isaiah. “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14 NIV) The name Immanuel means, “God with us.” Again Isaiah prophesies about the identity of the coming Messiah.

“For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6 NIV)

Herein lies compelling evidence that the child in the manger is indeed “God with us.” Let’s examine what the Scriptures declare about the four names attributed to Jesus – and worship! The fullness of God is revealed in Jesus Christ, the Son. He will be called:

Wonderful Counselor: “All this also comes from the LORD Almighty, wonderful in counsel and magnificent in wisdom.” (Isaiah 28:29 NIV) Worth mentioning here is that Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as the Counselor who would remain with them after he departed. In this single name we see the mystery of the Trinity – God, Christ & Holy Spirit all being declared a wonderful counselor.

Mighty God: “For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing.” (Deuteronomy 10:17-18 NIV) Imagine, the child born in Bethlehem as the Almighty God!

Everlasting Father: “But you are our Father, though Abraham does not know us or Israel acknowledge us; you, O LORD, are our Father, our Redeemer from of old is your name.” (Isaiah 63:16 NIV) It is too much for me to comprehend, that the Everlasting God spoken of by Moses was the child born in the manger. “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” (Psalm 90:2 ESV)

Prince of Peace: “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
(1 Thessalonians 5:23 NIV)

It is pretty clear just from what Isaiah told us about the identity of the child that was to be born that he was in some mysterious way the same as the Almighty God, the LORD, the one and only, YAHWEH. Although surrounded with mystery, it all begins to make sense when you compare Isaiah’s prophecy with its fulfillment in Christ, especially considering how the first hand witnesses processed it all. No doubt the divinity of Christ amazed the New Testament writers. I wish I could ask each one the question, “When did you come to the understanding that Jesus was LORD?” All of Jesus’ disciples refer to him as Lord. The use of the word Lord is the same Greek word used in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament, which was commonly used at the time of Christ), for the Hebrew “Yahweh” which is translated, “The LORD” or “Jehovah.” Let’s consider a couple of instances here.

The angels declare the identity of the Christ-child in their announcement to the shepherds. “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11 NIV) Even the Shepherds understood the news to mean something extraordinary about the Savior. We are told that, “When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.” (Luke 2:17-18 NIV) Before the angels’ announcement, Elizabeth understood that her son, John was the forerunner of the Messiah, and therefore declared that Mary’s baby, yet unborn, was “my Lord.” “In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Luke 1:42-43 NIV) This is an extraordinary statement concerning the identity of Jesus and must have been based on her and Zachariah’s fresh understanding of the Old Testament prophesies! They knew that their son was the messenger, the forerunner of the Messiah. Matthew points this out about John in his gospel.”This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.'”” (Matthew 3:3 NIV) John himself indicated his understanding of Jesus’ divinity when he said, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.” (Mark 1:7 ESV)

Jesus declared his own identity as LORD. “I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!”” (John 8:58-59 NIV) Grudem explains this encounter clearly.

Jesus combined two assertions whose sequence seemed to make no sense: “Before something in the past happened [Abraham was], something in the present happened [I am].” The Jewish leaders  recognized at once that he was not speaking in riddles or uttering nonsense: when he said, “I am,” he was repeating the very words God used when he identified himself to Moses as “I AM WHO I AM” (Ex. 3:14). Jesus was claiming for himself the title “I AM,” by which God designates himself as the eternal existing One, the God who is the source of his own existence and who always has been and always will be. When the Jews heard this unusual, emphatic, solemn statement, they knew that he was claiming to be God. “So they took up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple” (John 8:59).

The disciples and apostles also referred to Jesus as Lord and God. John begins his gospel by declaring Jesus as being the eternal Word of God who was in fact, God. Later he says, “No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.” (John 1:18 NIV) Thomas upon seeing Jesus after his resurrection calls him, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:29 NIV) Peter opens his second letter referring to, “… our God and Savior Jesus Christ …” (2 Peter 1:1 NIV) Paul says that he is, “…Christ, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen.” (Romans 9:5 NIV) Finally, we see a picture in Revelation of Jesus at his second coming. “He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God… On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” (Revelation 19:13,16 NIV) The deity of Christ is powerfully demonstrated in the Scriptures. Pause to worship the Lord, Jesus Christ!

Christ by highest heav’n adored
Christ the everlasting Lord!
Late in time behold him come
Offspring of the virgin’s womb
Veiled in flesh the god-head see
Hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with men to dwell
Jesus, our Immanuel
Hark the Herald Angels sing
Glory to the new-born King!
(From Hark! The Herald Angels Sing by Charles Wesley, 1707-1788)

Bill Born

November 11, 2009
7:48 AM

A few weeks ago Trinity Church released a short film where Julie and I had the privilege to share our story about adopting Maria. Our purpose for the video was to highlight God’s incredible love for us – to share the gospel using some of the Scriptures that use adoption language. I was deeply inspired by a series of articles written on C.J. Mahaney’s blog.

Mahaney did a series of 9 blogs on the topic. The most moving part was this quote by author J.I. Packer that stood alone as his 5th entry entitled, “Justification or Adoption? Which is greater?” Do you understand the Father’s love and your salvation this way? I think it is revolutionary!

That justification–by which we mean God’s forgiveness of the past together with his acceptance for the future–is the primary and fundamental blessing of the gospel is not in question. Justification is the primary blessing, because it meets our primary spiritual need. We all stand by nature under God’s judgment; his law condemns us; guilt gnaws at us, making us restless, miserable, and in our lucid moments afraid; we have no peace in ourselves because we have no peace with our Maker. So we need the forgiveness of our sins, and assurance of a restored relationship with God, more than we need anything else in the world; and this the gospel offers us before it offers us anything else…

But contrast this, now, with adoption. Adoption is a family idea, conceived in terms of love, and viewing God as father. In adoption, God takes us into his family and fellowship–he establishes us as his children and heirs. Closeness, affection and generosity are at the heart of the relationship. To be right with the God the judge is a great thing, but to be loved and cared for by God the Father is greater.*
———–
Note:
* J.I. Packer, Knowing God (IVP, 1993), pp. 206-207.

It was extremely rewarding spending the time preparing the script for the end of the Us Forever video. If you haven’t already, I would encourage you to take the time to think about how you would personally share the gospel. What part of it resonates most deeply with you? Writing it out is a great way to fully engage your heart and to own that the gospel is for you. There are so many wonderful verses in the Bible that highlight the gospel of salvation through faith in Christ that it was hard to choose just four! If you read through the book of Acts you will find that the way that the apostles shared the gospel was varied, depending on their audience. I’ve often harbored a fear of sharing the gospel, thinking that I have to do it just right. That fear has often kept me from sharing it at all. I arrogantly and erroneously thought it was my smooth ability to share the gospel that produces faith! Here’s something important that I am learning. The Bible compares our role as a witness simply to a person sowing seeds and a person watering. Paul says this, “So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.” (1 Corinthians 3:7 NIV) God is the one who produces the growth. The growth is not our responsibility. The pressure is off! I’m not a businessman trying to seal a deal. Instead, I am a reporter sharing the good news. More than that, I am an adopted child who thinks that there is nothing in the world greater than my Father and my Father’s love, and that everyone should know this and know that they have been invited in! The translation of the Greek word for gospel; is “the good message.” Our prayer for the “Us Forever” project is that it plants or waters the seeds of faith in Christ through hearing the good message. We rejoice in God who causes the growth and we look forward to celebrating whatever he chooses to do with this film.

You can check it out here. I have also attached the script of the last part below if you prefer to read it. The first half of the film is Julie and I sharing our story of adopting our middle daughter, Maria. It is a wonderful story and Maria is a precious gift to us from the Lord.

Us Forever Script
Have you understood the love of your Creator? Do you even realize how much he loves you and wants you to be with him? I’m going to tell you something that really blows my mind. The Bible uses adoption language to describe the love that God has for you and me. It says this: “In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will” (Ephesians 1:4-5 NIV) God’s pleasure and will was for me to become his son! I had never grasped the significance of that word “pleasure” until I felt a similar pleasure and will to adopt my daughter. To think that God feels that way about me is almost too much to comprehend.

Think about adoption for a minute. Every adoption begins with a need that cannot be met by the child in need – a need for stability, protection, provision … family. And then along comes a couple or family who is willing and able to meet that need. What a wonderful moment when that great need is met with an even greater provision. In the same way we have a need that we cannot meet ourselves. The need that we have is that our sin has broken our relationship with God. It’s easy to classify sin according to the big things like theft, murder, addictions, and the like. But sin is the subtle stuff too, like selfishness, greed, lust and pride. Let’s face it, we’re all rebels to some extent and God can’t accept sin no matter how big or small it may be in our own eyes. Here’s the amazing thing that you can’t afford to miss: God loves us and he stepped in and made the provision to bring us into his family. Forgiveness. And that’s where Jesus comes in.

Maybe you’ve wondered before why Christians are so obsessed with the death of Jesus on the cross. It’s because it was the price that was paid to settle the problem of sin once-for-all. Listen to how simply the Bible lays it out: “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.” (1 Peter 3:18 NIV) The language “to bring you to God” is adoption language. Christ’s death was the means by which we get to become adopted by God.

Now here’s the craziest thing about it all. God doesn’t force anyone into his family. He gives us a choice. The Bible simply states is like this: “…to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12 NIV) We either receive or we reject what Jesus did for us – the offer from God to become his son or daughter. We all have a choice. My daughter, Maria didn’t have a choice. She was too young to understand our love for her and our deep desire to call her our own. But now she does. Could you imagine her rejecting our love, denying us and herself the pleasure of family?

There was a time in my life where I wanted the forgiveness and love of God. I chose to receive Christ and to believe that what he did on the cross was for me. As a result I’ve been adopted into God’s family and I call him, Father. The Bible states it this way, “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1 NIV) And so now I’m inviting you to join the family.

Bill Born

The Virgin River
Zion National Park

November 4, 2009
8:54 AM

A vacation to Zion, jury duty last week – these things have filled my Wednesday mornings for the past weeks. Zion in the fall – gorgeous! 24/7 quality time with my family – priceless! Serving on a jury last week was also delightful – I’m not kidding. Other than lost time at work, doing my civic duty was an honor. Highlights included watching the lawyers do their job, both were exceptional, and getting to meet the other jury members during our breaks was great. I waver between introvert and extrovert, and I definitely was energized from my interaction with these folks. Deliberation was a fascinating experience. Enough of that. This is a blog about worship.

Sunday – sweet worship with the highlight being a very loud rendition of A Mighty Fortress is Our God. Our congregation has sung it before, but I don’t thing we had done it for 5 years or so. We’re a different worshiping congregation than we were back then. I’m a different worshiper, a better worshiper – more wholehearted, more in love with Jesus, more in love with my church family. That was a sweet realization on Sunday morning. People could hardly contain themselves, cheering at the end of the verses:

Does’t ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus it is He.
Lord Sabbaoth his name.
From age to age the same.
And he must win the battle! [cheer!]

The version we did, originally prepared for Promise Keepers, goes into an anthem, “A mighty fortress, a mighty fortress is our God.” It’s over the top! Give it a listen: A Mighty Fortress is Our God.

I was proud of my band. Our rehearsal of the song on Monday was a wreck. We committed to practicing during the week. I spent hours, as did most of the others. I couldn’t sleep very well Saturday night for the words of the hymn were playing over and over in my mind like a broken record (or should I say a stuck CD?). It was a good thing for I had a friend who was struggling with some spiritual warfare that same night and I was able to encourage her with the lyrics from verse 3:

And though this world, with devils filled,
should threaten to undo us,
we will not fear, for God hath willed
his truth to triumph through us.
The Prince of Darkness grim,
we tremble not for him;
his rage we can endure,
for lo, his doom is sure;
one little word shall fell him.

Lord, let your truth triumph through us! And that, my friends, is the topic of our current sermon series, “Words of Life.” Jesus says in the Scriptures, “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” (John 17:17 NIV) I encourage you to listen to Gary’s message this week, Here I Stand. It was great! These are good times at Trinity Church as we are being transformed by the Word of God.

Blessings!

Bill Born

October 7, 2009
7:34 AM

I’m going to spend some time thinking about what’s important for worship leading at Trinity. I could list tons of things, but I want to keep it simple and determine this morning what is most important in our worship leadership at Trinity. I am most edified and encouraged by the team of worship leaders that I have – leading our children, youth and adults throughout the Redlands and Pass campuses. I can summarize it in this way: our emphasis is corporate, our ethos is humility, and our sound is current.

1. We emphasize the corporate meeting with God and doing that part well at Trinity. While God certainly meets and speaks to us individually and we personally experience God within the worship service, our primary focus is the corporate experience, celebrating our great God as his people, on his mission, together. We are a family. Worship within the body of Christ, the church, is corporate in nature; it is a “together” thing. To that end, our worship is:

God-focused – we seek to put all the spotlight on God. We major on the wonderful character of our God and humbly bring ourselves into the picture only within that context. (As opposed to our songs being all about us.) Example: Everlasting God by Brenton Brown

Christ & Gospel centered – We revel in the gospel of Jesus Christ! Namely that Christ died for our sins, was buried and then rose again as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Our salvation through Christ is the source of our greatest joy and thanksgiving in worship. It is the common thread unites us “together” as God’s children, transcending and diminishing generational, economic and racial barriers.
Example: O, For a Thousand Tongues by David Crowder Band

Spirit-filled – We acknowledge the presence of the Spirit within each of his people and declare in our songs a deep desire to experience his fullness. As leaders, we realize that the Holy Spirit leads us as we plan the worship set as well as while we lead the people he has brought together before us. He also prepares the hearts of God’s people to receive from His Word and to respond appropriately within and beyond the worship service. Example: Consuming Fire by Tim Hughes

Scripture-inspired – our songs and other programming is Scripturally based and so is our leadership. Our emotional response to God springs forth from our understanding and declaration of the life-changing truth of his Word. Our worship programming is subservient to and complementary to the teaching of God’s Word. Example: When I Survey by Kathryn Scott

Missional – we are also united by our decision and desire to follow Christ. We love to declare and celebrate the call he has placed on our lives to give our lives in service to his will and purposes. Missional worship often acknowledges suffering as the Scriptures remind us that, “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,” (2 Timothy 3:12 NIV). Missional worship is also deeply dependent on the Lord and his work among us – we express that dependence through prayer. We also rejoice in his work among us through personal testimony thanksgiving.
Example: I Cling to the Cross by Paul Baloche

Accessible – our music and other programming is purposed to make it easy for our congregation to worship the Lord – to that end, we sacrifice the “coolness” factor (includes style, creativity, etc.), for the greater good of making sure everyone (as much as possible) is edified by our experience together. We recognize that our experience really isn’t together if most of our people are disengaged.
Example: Beneath the Cross by Kristyn Getty

2. Humility trumps talent and is what defines our leadership – we exist to serve the Lord and the people we lead and lead with. We seek to promote others above ourselves. We lead by example and we expect all worship personnel to behave the same way. We as a worship team do the “one anothers” well. These are the many commands in Scripture that highlight how we ought to treat each other. For example, “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” (Ephesians 4:2 NIV)

3. While being primarily focused on singing a “new song,” we remain rooted in the songs and practices of the faith that have shaped the people of God throughout the centuries. Toward that end we major on singing the songs that are currently coming out of the church and deeply connecting to the church, while intentionally including hymns and choruses that have endured the ages. Some of our songs of praise will hopefully come from our own congregation as God transforms us, through Christ, by his Spirit. Also our “signature sound” and other artistic elements will be current. In other words, it will look, sound and feel like 2010 or whatever year it is.

I think that everything that I have mentioned above is demonstrated in the song, This is This is Our God by Hillsong. Give it a listen and judge for yourself. We will certainly be singing this song in the near future with our congregation!

This is list not exhaustive, but includes the essentials of worship at Trinity. I look forward to interacting together with my leadership teams and refining and then owning this together as we seek to glorify God and build his church through our corporate worship at Trinity Church.

Bill Born

September 23, 2009
8:55 AM

I’m so grateful for the church where I serve! I get to work with (okay, play with), the greatest team of artists and technicians ever! We had a worship workshop over the weekend and seeing the video gives me warm fuzzies of inexpressible joy all over. Worship Workshop 2009

Here are the things I feel:

1. Amazed at the team that God has given us at Trinity – excelling in humility, serving one another, and in excellence! We span all generations and facilitate worship in every ministry!
2. Appreciative of those who came from other local churches to teach many of our workshops. They were all top-notch. We’re all in this together (uh oh, I’m feeling the urge to dance…)!
3. Grateful for those from our church who served us with hospitality and by leading many of our workshops
4. In awe of Sheri’s dance moves!
5. Indebted to our senior pastor, Gary Inrig, and his skill in teaching the Word of God! He gave a message crafted just for us. Listen here: 6 Principles of Worship.
6. Excited to see how God uses Sixteen Cities as they continue to make their boast in Him! These young guys were a real blessing to us over the weekend. Listen for their songs coming soon on Christian radio.
7. Indebted to my Worship Planning Team that leads the various artistic and technical teams at Trinity and helps me plan the worship services.
8. Appreciative of the technology we have and the facilities we have through which to do ministry and gather to worship God together at Trinity.
9. Happy to have my friend and colleague Bruce Herwig, II – so gifted in what he does; together we are discovering how communications goes hand in hand with worship – declaring the works of God! (He and his Flip’n Videos class produced the video)
10. Thankful to God for giving me the privilege of doing Worship Ministry @ Trinity Church as a career!

Do you know of someone who needs to get plugged into the local church? Send them this video and invite them to become a part of the worship ministries team. Does anybody have more fun serving the Lord and his church together? I don’t think so!

Bill Born

September 9, 2009
8:43 AM

I’m back at the Fox taking some time to read and write this morning. I’ve been reading a great book called, Adopted For Life, by Russell D. Moore. About half of the content of the book recjoices in the gospel of Jesus Christ that enables us to be adopted into God’s family. The other half helps a person or couple considering adoption to work through the issues that the choice to adopt brings. I just read a paragraph that perfectly summarizes my goal in an upcoming project that Julie and I are doing for our church. Here is the charge from Russell D. Moore.

The unbelievers in your community–or in the mission fields you serve around the world–are hungering for belonging. You know this. Show them, then, the beauty of what the Scripture says about adoption in Christ. Whether in your one-on-one witnessing or in your pulpit proclamation, unpack the glory of this cosmic adoption and show how this adoption is pictured in flesh-and-blood adopting situations in your own congregation. Plead with sinners to embrace their Father, to find a new family.

Julie and I are hoping to allow our story about adopting our daughter Maria to help people see and understand the Father’s heart to adopt us. I’m going to begin working on a script that will be dispersed within our short video where I will speak directly to the people watching the video, asking them, no pleading with them to embrace their Father, to find a new family. I want to do this in a very personal, warm and encouraging way, trusting that it is the Father who is seeking to save those who are lost, leading those who view this video toward faith in Jesus. Our role is to plant seeds of faith or water the seed that is already planted. God causes growth. Paul says it this way:

“I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.” (1 Corinthians 3:6-9 NIV)

As about 150 friends & family gathered at Maria’s adoption party, I was struck with a profound thought. God feels the same way we all felt about every child that he has created. He pursues them with the same intensity and rejoices in the same way when us orphans are adopted into his family. Really, our collective experience as a big family pursuing Maria, paralleled the way God wants us to go after people whom do not know the Almighty God as Father. And that knowledge of the Father comes through knowing his Son, Jesus who was the payment for our adoption and the way into his family. Here are some Scriptures I would like to include:

“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God– 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” (John 1:12-13 NIV)

“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” (John 14:6-9 NIV)

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will– 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9 And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment–to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ. 11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession–to the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:3-14 NIV)

I’d like to use some of the powerful phrasing in the Ephesians passage above. I love the truth about God the Father who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ. I love it that he chose us in him before the creation of the world! I love it that he predestined us to be adopted according to his pleasure and will. I love the purpose of our adoption: to the praise of his glorious grace in Christ. And then what follows is a beautiful telling of the gospel, namely:

• Redemption through his blood
• The forgiveness of sins (through grace that he lavished on us!)
• We were chosen, predestined according to the purpose of his will
• Having believed, we were marked in him with a seal, the Holy Spirit
• We are guaranteed an inheritance
• We are God’s possession–to the praise of his glory!

Wow! It doesn’t get any better than that!

I want to go back and listen to Gary’s sermon on this from his series from Ephesians. I remember that he referred to Jim and Jan Miller’s adoption of Lindy, and that my desire to adopt was fueled that morning
as I wept through the sermon.

When I think about the charge from Russell D. Moore to, “unpack the glory of this cosmic adoption,” the passage from Ephesians is how I intend to do it. God, help me to deeply internalize these truths and give me the words to clearly and passionately communicate your Word to those who will be viewing the project. Thanks for adopting me for the purpose of “praising your glorious grace in Christ.” It is for your glory alone that we attempt this project. To borrow the prayer of Moses:

“May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us–yes, establish the work of our hands.” (Psalms 90:17 NIV)

Amen!

Bill Born

September 2, 2009
12:59 PM

Another DAWG Day and how wonderful it has been! I returned to South Fork Campground, set up my tent trailer and am enjoying a cool retreat at about 6000 ft elevation, away from the intense heat in the valley below. Now there are thunderclouds shading the earth and a gentle breeze of cool air with a slight scent of rain. I feel like I’m miles away enjoying the mountains that I love so much. I did pray a minute ago for protection from fires after hearing a clap of thunder (oops, there’s another). Lightning of course starts fires – rare here in SoCal, but I still feel the danger, especially after this week of some major fires that are still being fought as I type.

After setting up this morning, I spent some time in the hammock reading the Scriptures and praying – part of the slowing down process. I desire to hear from God on a number of things, but more than that, just want to hear from him through his Word and through his Spirit alive within me. Afterwards, I set out for a hike with my ipod – my helper in memorizing Psalm 63. SonLight led us in a “Peace Meditation” on Sunday and when this Psalm was spoken, my heart felt that yearning that it speaks of. And so I set out to memorize it, ending up sitting on a small bridge across a bubbling creek, finally able to do it. I will write it out here:

O God, you are my God. Earnestly I seek you. My soul thirsts for you
and my body longs for you in a dry and weary land where there is no
water. I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your
glory. Because your love is better than life my lips will glorify you.
I will praise you as long as I live and in your name I will lift up my
hands. My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods and with
singing lips my mouth will praise you. On my bed I remember you. I
think of you through the watches of the night. Because you are my help
I sing in the shadow of your wings. My soul clings to you and your
right hand upholds me. They who seek my life will be destroyed. They
will go down to the depths of the earth. They will be given over to
the sword and will become food for the jackals. But the king will
rejoice in God. All who swear by God’s name will praise him, while the
mouths of liars will be silenced. (Psalm 63, NIV)

Okay, I did have to fix a few parts, but got the gist of it. I love this Psalm because it captures desire! The spiritual life is nurtured through desire – beginning with the Father’s desire to know us fueling our desire in response to know him. Oh that I might desire the right things – the best things and forsake what is not! This psalm also demonstrates a trusting relationship in the Lord. David joyfully remembers past experiences, and expresses hope of future victory with God in the center of it all. David is hiding in a cave in the desert from his enemies and we get to see how he worships in this needy and vulnerable moment.

First, David has a relationship with the Father – God is “my God.” This is deeply personal! God is not just some powerful deity to be afraid of, but a loving God who delights in being called “my God.” David seeks God, earnestly. He doesn’t complain. He doesn’t try to fix the situation. He doesn’t blame God for his undesirable circumstances. He seeks God and the language he uses is desperate language – a longing thirst in a barren desert where there is no water. And then he remembers.

“I have seen you in the sanctuary.” In the midst of this lonely desperate moment he remembers a worship service. He saw God in the sanctuary and beheld his power and his glory! The sanctuary was a place of corporate worship and so this is most likely an experience he shared with others. Wow, do the worshipers I lead from week to week see God through the course of our worship service? Do we behold his power and his glory together? Is it so significant, that the experience will carry us through the lonely moments? Yes, I have seen God and experienced him in a deep way in our sanctuary. I confess, not as often as I would like, but certainly there have been moments where all present are beholding his power and his glory. We who lead worship and preach the Word of God must prepare with the intent to help our congregation “behold his power and his glory” right then and there! The Word of God and the Holy Spirit are the only means by which this will happen.

David also experienced the love of God – the “hessed”, that is the loyal love of the Father. In fact, this love, he declares, is better than life itself. Christians have always been enamored with the love of God from the beginning of time until now. And so we should be! “Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.” (from When I Survey the Wondrous Cross by Isaac Watts) I heard this amazing new song called, “How He Loves Us,” about God’s love by Eddie Kirkland. Crowder decided to release it as his first single from his about-to-be-released Church Music EP. I’ve attached the first recording I ever heard by Kim Walker and it is powerful. One point of contention I have with this worship moment is that it is not grounded in the Word of God and in the person of Christ. While it is true that God loves us, his greatest demonstration, well, the Scriptures say it best:

“…but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8 ESVS)

Fellow worship leaders, our emotional experience of God must be rooted in and spring forth from the unchanging truth of the Word of God as it reveals to us our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Anything less than this is like the foolish man building his house upon the sand, in grave danger of being here today and gone tomorrow. That said, this is a great song, and this recording is powerful.

“My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods…” Jumping back into Psalm 63, David pauses here to declare his intent to always praise God and then notes the satisfaction that it brings. My formation in the early years of my worship leading came in part from reading John Piper’s Desiring God. I felt the pleasure that came from praising the Lord, but felt that I should restrain it, as if unbridled joy in the sanctuary is wrong. Piper’s book convinced me that it was my flesh that would say, “restrain” and it was the Spirit that says, “You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” (Psalms 16:11 NIV) Piper says, “God is most gloried in us when we are most satisfied in him,” and this becomes his manifesto as a Christian hedonist. This freed me to pursue that pleasure all the more through the times I corporately worship the Lord. Thank you John Piper for helping me think rightly about this!

Interesting to note that his mind for the first part of Psalm 63 has been filled with the greatness and loyal love of God and he has assumed the posture of praise as a result. As Mark Brown stated this week in his sermon on the peace of God (worth checking out The Promise of God’s Peace), “Either your problems are this big [holds out his hands to indicate “huge”] and your God is this big [small], or your God is this big [huge] and your problems are this big [small].” David had a big God, but he was realistic in his expression of worship and so came back to his problems.

“On my bed I remember you, I think about you in the night watches.” Interesting to note that David was not sleeping very well if he was remembering and thinking. Neither would I if I was hiding in a cave from my enemies who wanted to kill me! Yet in his wakeful hours in the night he keeps declaring over and over again, “Because you are my help I sing in the shadow of your wings. My soul clings to you and your right hand upholds me.” Do you turn your wakeful hours into a moment of worship? Once again, David feels his neediness and clings to his Father, his Savior who is holding him up. We don’t experience the “holding up” of our Fathers arms until our soul learns to “cling to” him.

And then David closes with the reality of his situation – enemies that are seeking his life. Yet he has hope that he’s on the right side, trusting in the Lord to help, to deliver him once again from the hand of his enemies. Not only that, but to destroy them so that they are no longer a threat. And he ends with the confidence that he is a worshiper of God, using his voice to proclaim truth while the others are liars and will be forever silenced. Okay, I’m glad I’m on the “worshiper of God” side with David.

So David models how to worship God in the dark night of the soul – in the most desperate of times. We too should follow suite and in these times turn our attention to our God, earnestly seeking him, declaring our praise as we reflect on our past experience with him, trusting him completely in the moment, being completely  honest, but never forsaking the privilege of using our mouths to bring him praise in all circumstances.

Bill Born

August 26, 2009
7:54 AM

Sunday worship was an extraordinary experience in corporate worship! We at Trinity are in a time we call “Connect Month” where we encourage everyone to stop and think about priorities and how we are using our time. We borrowed an illustration that states, “If you don’t put the big rocks in first, they won’t fit.” Here’s the short video, Big Rocks First:

Are we deeply connected to the Lord and to his purpose for our lives? Are we connected to our church family and engaged in growing as a disciple of Jesus Christ? Are we joyfully expressing our love for our Lord through serving to advance his Kingdom? Last year I commissioned a video project that would capture all of these things, being a catalyst for worshiping God by rallying around our mission as a church. It was set to the song, “God of this City.” I’m thankful for friend and producer Roy Swedeen who hit a homerun with this one! Here it is:

There is nothing more exciting than being united in the cause of Christ. I felt that excitement Sunday morning as our congregation raised the roof with our songs of praise! The whole service was an extraordinary worship experience because I sensed God’s presence and pleasure both corporately and individually. Our experience of God must be both personal and corporate for he has created us for both. We so easily miss this beautiful convergence, erring on either extreme. We are deeply committed to church, but miss the personal relationship with our Heavenly Father, or we glorify the personal relationship and dismiss the church, saying, “Organized religion is not for me.” Our God is intensely personal, sending his own Son, Jesus, so that all who “receive him, all who believe in his name, gain the right to be called children of God.” (John 1:12 paraphrased) There is nothing more personal that the relationship between and child and his Father! (or so it is meant to be) Jesus also instituted the church because he knew that it was only in the context of human relationships (referred to as the “Body of Christ”) that we would be able to remain faithful as his disciples by carrying on his mission. The illustration the Bible uses is that all the parts of the body make up the body. You may be a hand, I’m a foot, and another is the ear and so on. (Found in 1 Corinthians 12:12-31. Note that it is followed by 1 Corinthians 13 on love. Love is the lifeblood of the body! I expounded on that in an earlier blog titled, On God’s Family Business.) An amputated limb will eventually die apart from connection to the body and so will the believer who is not in regular fellowship with other members. Worship leaders need to be diligent to create worship services that help people experience both the personal and corporate relationship with God.

After singing “God of this City,” my friend and fellow worship leader Tim Polen led us further in with a highly energized rendition of “Only a God Like You.” (links to songs are through Apple’s iTunes.) Then after a great message by our Senior High Pastor, Shawn Brennan, (The Promise of the Holy Spirit) we took some personal time to respond in prayer with gratitude, confession and supplication. After this personal time, we brought it back to the corporate celebration of our Counselor, Keeper and King, a great worship song, yet unrecorded, by friend and fellow worship leader David Finley.

Yes, it was the sweet convergence of the personal and corporate experience with our Triune God that made our services extraordinary on Sunday! Here’s to more of the same each weekend at Trinity – to God be the glory!

Bill Born