Worship suggestions during Quarantine
The last few weeks have thrust some topics into the forefront of many church leaders minds.
For five years I and my family served as digital missionaries, using the internet as our primary method of evangelism and community building with unbelievers. Many of the topics that were concerning to church leaders are now present realities.
Some had concerns about digital mediated community events such as:
*Baptism via internet mediated means?
*Communion via internet mediated means?
*Technological obstacles for less savvy church attenders?
*Financial viability of sustaining digital communities?
*Can digitally mediated gatherings accomplish God's goals?
I, my wife, and my team, all shared these concerns.
One thing I want to make VERY CLEAR. Neither I, nor any of our staffers in our digital missions organization ever advocated for an ABANDONMENT of face to face ministry, worship, or gatherings. Rather, we were coming from the perspective of people reaching out to the lost who used the internet as their primary social tool. We served for multiple years in a retirement community, hosting face to face worship services for believers and unbelievers who had fought in WW2, Korea, Vietnam, and those who lived, worked, and raised families during those eras.
During my experience in serving geographically dispersed people groups, I learned a great deal. God shaped my family, my team, and myself into different people (more Christ-like people) over the course of hundreds of gospel conversations with unbelievers, and internal conversations with church leaders, pastors, elders, deacons, missionaries, volunteers, CFO's, CEO'S, supporters, and entrepreneurs.
It is out of these experiences and conversations that I'd like to share a few thoughts in the midst of much of the church across the world experiencing quarantine. Our brothers and sisters in China already have experienced a great many hardships, and have much to teach us in the western world about the worship and church body of Christ Jesus.
Suggestion 1:
Record your components of worship and host them in a shared website.
Many churches (if not all) in the western world have a website. Many host sermon audio or full length worship service audio. You do not need to be a "digital native", a "millennial" or a "techy" to know how to record via your personal computer, mac, or phone. By recording your components of worship (Like church wide announcements, call to worship, congregational prayer, responsive readings, confession of sin, assurance of forgiveness, preaching of the word, and worship music) you allow your congregation to:
A) Be a part of the regular flow of worship as it would be on any given Sunday.
B) Delegate the task of coordinating and leading worship (It is never 1 person's job to lead worship and most of our churches rely on various leaders to serve during worship, from singing, to reading, to prayer, to administration of sacraments)
C) Avoid any TECH problems with a livestream. Having a recorded service that is available on Sunday allows the members of your community to worship when it is best for them in the midst of this chaotic time. Some will not know how to watch a livestream, the VAST majority of churches do not have the needed hardware or internet speeds to maintain exceptional quality livestreams of worship.
Suggestion 2:
Remember that components of worship come directly from God.
We may be tempted in our homes to skip out on watching or participating in aspects of worship we don't "like" or aspects from which we don't feel like we draw much meaning or encouragement. Worship is not primarily about our pleasure, entertainment, enjoyment, but rather is primarily about rending to the creator, gracious, holy, triune, loving God what he deserves - our worship. If you are participating in worship:
A) Move through the components of worship as your church service normally would. There are good reasons why your leadership in your local church, denomination, or tradition have studied God's word and determined a particular approach to rending worship back to God. Just as we ought to treat one another as we would like to be treated, we ought to treat God as he would like to be treated, he has laid out his preferences for worship in his word and your local leaders are following God's word to the best of their abilities.
B) If you have a question about a component of worship, it's a great time to ask your elder, pastor, community group leader, or mentor in faith! Think about how best you can phrase your question (so as not to provoke the person you are asking) and then send a text, email, phone call or use an online platform to have a face to face (digitally mediated) conversation!
C) Don't skip out on tithing and offering! For us, we've got an 8 year old, a 4 year old, and a 2 year old (with another on the way in July!). Some churches will be hit incredibly hard by a lack of attendance. Some churches have large reserves of funds to maintain payroll and upkeep of support of various ministry efforts. Regardless of your churches financial outlook, rending to God our offerings and tithes is an act of worship that takes place within the confines of worship. We give, because God first gave to us. Some children's ministries have suggested allowing your children to write something, or color something to put into the offering, as a gesture of giving back to God something of the talents of the child. Others suggest getting a piggy bank or large jar to drop offerings or tithes into during quarantine. Whatever practice you put into place, remember that offering sacrifice to God in worship is as old a practice as Cain and Able. Please do not forsake this component of worship.
If you are a leader considering how to discuss tithing and offerings at this time, consider a few courses of action regarding components of worship.
A) Continue to keep as consistent a worship service as you can. We all know that transitioning from face to face corporate time together is a challenge. Keeping worship as faithful and consistent as possible is a task that God has called you and your church leadership to serve. Audio and video may sound choppy on some recordings, some churches will have better or worse production quality. These challenges do not erode the tremendous gift of service in which God has called you. Pray that the Lord would bless you and each members of your flock with the worship that is being prepared and then offered back to God.
B) Use Youtube as much as possible to link or embed your components of worship. While other platforms like Facebook may seem like a good fit for "engagement" (clicks, comments, and likes). Youtube has the best support for the widest amount of users. Not all of your church members use the same phone, computer, apps, software, internet browser, or (nowadays) TV to watch and participate in worship. If you try to upload, host, share video, or livestream using alternatives, there are a HOST of problems that can arise. The last thing you, or any of your church leaders or members want, is "technical difficulties" during times of corporate worship. The phrase "the devil is in the details" and I cannot count the number of times technical difficulties have sprung up, even when all things were well planned. The challenges that will come with continuing worship via digital mediated modes are great enough already without adding in more challenges like various video hosting platforms. A great many in your congregation are looking to you and will trust what you send them. A great many are already looking to take advantage of trusting people through online mediums, it is our responsibility to our congregations to put them into positions where they will not be in harms way. Using Youtube is one way of doing that.
C) Begin setting aside funds if you already haven't done so, for the relief of those in your congregation who will be in crisis and need during, and after quarantine. As you know, a great many people who are inside the church, and outside the church, look to the church in times of crisis. Consider re-appropriating or budgeting some funds now for the time that will come when those God has called you to serve are in need. Joseph in Genesis took this exact approach with the 7 years of plenty that then was followed with 7 years of famine. Consider how God may use you and the gifts of your church and community in the upcoming months.
Suggestion 3:
Conversations are the veins of your churches ministry.
Regardless if you are a volunteer serving in a food bank, a leader preparing for worship, preparing a sermon, serving in a church funded clinic, or a bible study leader, conversations are the veins of you and your community of faith's ministry. In all your conversations, remember that it was through God's Word you heard about Christ Jesus. Through someone telling you, reading to you, preaching for you, using words to share the good news and the hope of the salvation found within the Kingdom of Jesus. During this time of quarantine (I say this to myself as much as you), remember that your words are capable of transmitting terrible sadness, and also boundless hope. Use your mind to think about the words you will use in the situations God puts you in today. And let your mind, shape your words to be spoken in a manner worthy of receiving commendation from Christ Jesus. That in the last day he might speak to you with words, referencing how you spoke during the time of quarantine "Well done, my good and faithful servant".
A) In your emails, texts, and NON-VERBAL text based communications, remember that the vast majority of text mediated communication is FIRST interpreted as "negatively" as possible. Give grace to those who email you and text you during this time. Most likely they are not messages as negative as a first reading would suggest.
B) It is very easy to spread rumors via the internet. It is incredibly easy to gossip via social platforms, and to speak about others behind their back, or in a way that you would not appreciate if done towards you. If you can, pick up the phone, rather than have a disagreement or potentially argumentative discussion with someone. Most of us have a few more minutes each day due to disruptions in our regular routines, use those minutes to chat on the phone, rather than type out a message.
C) Check in with that person you've been meaning to talk to. You know who they are, the person you've been wanting to arrange a playdate with your kids, a time to chat at the coffee shop, grab lunch or dinner together. Let that person know you'd love to spend some time in their company, and use a platform like facetime, skype, zoom, or google hangouts to spend a few minutes catching up and talking about the things each of you are experiencing and is weighing on your heart.
Philippians 4:8
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Colossians 4:5-6
5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
For five years I and my family served as digital missionaries, using the internet as our primary method of evangelism and community building with unbelievers. Many of the topics that were concerning to church leaders are now present realities.
Some had concerns about digital mediated community events such as:
*Baptism via internet mediated means?
*Communion via internet mediated means?
*Technological obstacles for less savvy church attenders?
*Financial viability of sustaining digital communities?
*Can digitally mediated gatherings accomplish God's goals?
I, my wife, and my team, all shared these concerns.
One thing I want to make VERY CLEAR. Neither I, nor any of our staffers in our digital missions organization ever advocated for an ABANDONMENT of face to face ministry, worship, or gatherings. Rather, we were coming from the perspective of people reaching out to the lost who used the internet as their primary social tool. We served for multiple years in a retirement community, hosting face to face worship services for believers and unbelievers who had fought in WW2, Korea, Vietnam, and those who lived, worked, and raised families during those eras.
During my experience in serving geographically dispersed people groups, I learned a great deal. God shaped my family, my team, and myself into different people (more Christ-like people) over the course of hundreds of gospel conversations with unbelievers, and internal conversations with church leaders, pastors, elders, deacons, missionaries, volunteers, CFO's, CEO'S, supporters, and entrepreneurs.
It is out of these experiences and conversations that I'd like to share a few thoughts in the midst of much of the church across the world experiencing quarantine. Our brothers and sisters in China already have experienced a great many hardships, and have much to teach us in the western world about the worship and church body of Christ Jesus.
Suggestion 1:
Record your components of worship and host them in a shared website.
Many churches (if not all) in the western world have a website. Many host sermon audio or full length worship service audio. You do not need to be a "digital native", a "millennial" or a "techy" to know how to record via your personal computer, mac, or phone. By recording your components of worship (Like church wide announcements, call to worship, congregational prayer, responsive readings, confession of sin, assurance of forgiveness, preaching of the word, and worship music) you allow your congregation to:
A) Be a part of the regular flow of worship as it would be on any given Sunday.
B) Delegate the task of coordinating and leading worship (It is never 1 person's job to lead worship and most of our churches rely on various leaders to serve during worship, from singing, to reading, to prayer, to administration of sacraments)
C) Avoid any TECH problems with a livestream. Having a recorded service that is available on Sunday allows the members of your community to worship when it is best for them in the midst of this chaotic time. Some will not know how to watch a livestream, the VAST majority of churches do not have the needed hardware or internet speeds to maintain exceptional quality livestreams of worship.
Suggestion 2:
Remember that components of worship come directly from God.
We may be tempted in our homes to skip out on watching or participating in aspects of worship we don't "like" or aspects from which we don't feel like we draw much meaning or encouragement. Worship is not primarily about our pleasure, entertainment, enjoyment, but rather is primarily about rending to the creator, gracious, holy, triune, loving God what he deserves - our worship. If you are participating in worship:
A) Move through the components of worship as your church service normally would. There are good reasons why your leadership in your local church, denomination, or tradition have studied God's word and determined a particular approach to rending worship back to God. Just as we ought to treat one another as we would like to be treated, we ought to treat God as he would like to be treated, he has laid out his preferences for worship in his word and your local leaders are following God's word to the best of their abilities.
B) If you have a question about a component of worship, it's a great time to ask your elder, pastor, community group leader, or mentor in faith! Think about how best you can phrase your question (so as not to provoke the person you are asking) and then send a text, email, phone call or use an online platform to have a face to face (digitally mediated) conversation!
C) Don't skip out on tithing and offering! For us, we've got an 8 year old, a 4 year old, and a 2 year old (with another on the way in July!). Some churches will be hit incredibly hard by a lack of attendance. Some churches have large reserves of funds to maintain payroll and upkeep of support of various ministry efforts. Regardless of your churches financial outlook, rending to God our offerings and tithes is an act of worship that takes place within the confines of worship. We give, because God first gave to us. Some children's ministries have suggested allowing your children to write something, or color something to put into the offering, as a gesture of giving back to God something of the talents of the child. Others suggest getting a piggy bank or large jar to drop offerings or tithes into during quarantine. Whatever practice you put into place, remember that offering sacrifice to God in worship is as old a practice as Cain and Able. Please do not forsake this component of worship.
If you are a leader considering how to discuss tithing and offerings at this time, consider a few courses of action regarding components of worship.
A) Continue to keep as consistent a worship service as you can. We all know that transitioning from face to face corporate time together is a challenge. Keeping worship as faithful and consistent as possible is a task that God has called you and your church leadership to serve. Audio and video may sound choppy on some recordings, some churches will have better or worse production quality. These challenges do not erode the tremendous gift of service in which God has called you. Pray that the Lord would bless you and each members of your flock with the worship that is being prepared and then offered back to God.
B) Use Youtube as much as possible to link or embed your components of worship. While other platforms like Facebook may seem like a good fit for "engagement" (clicks, comments, and likes). Youtube has the best support for the widest amount of users. Not all of your church members use the same phone, computer, apps, software, internet browser, or (nowadays) TV to watch and participate in worship. If you try to upload, host, share video, or livestream using alternatives, there are a HOST of problems that can arise. The last thing you, or any of your church leaders or members want, is "technical difficulties" during times of corporate worship. The phrase "the devil is in the details" and I cannot count the number of times technical difficulties have sprung up, even when all things were well planned. The challenges that will come with continuing worship via digital mediated modes are great enough already without adding in more challenges like various video hosting platforms. A great many in your congregation are looking to you and will trust what you send them. A great many are already looking to take advantage of trusting people through online mediums, it is our responsibility to our congregations to put them into positions where they will not be in harms way. Using Youtube is one way of doing that.
C) Begin setting aside funds if you already haven't done so, for the relief of those in your congregation who will be in crisis and need during, and after quarantine. As you know, a great many people who are inside the church, and outside the church, look to the church in times of crisis. Consider re-appropriating or budgeting some funds now for the time that will come when those God has called you to serve are in need. Joseph in Genesis took this exact approach with the 7 years of plenty that then was followed with 7 years of famine. Consider how God may use you and the gifts of your church and community in the upcoming months.
Suggestion 3:
Conversations are the veins of your churches ministry.
Regardless if you are a volunteer serving in a food bank, a leader preparing for worship, preparing a sermon, serving in a church funded clinic, or a bible study leader, conversations are the veins of you and your community of faith's ministry. In all your conversations, remember that it was through God's Word you heard about Christ Jesus. Through someone telling you, reading to you, preaching for you, using words to share the good news and the hope of the salvation found within the Kingdom of Jesus. During this time of quarantine (I say this to myself as much as you), remember that your words are capable of transmitting terrible sadness, and also boundless hope. Use your mind to think about the words you will use in the situations God puts you in today. And let your mind, shape your words to be spoken in a manner worthy of receiving commendation from Christ Jesus. That in the last day he might speak to you with words, referencing how you spoke during the time of quarantine "Well done, my good and faithful servant".
A) In your emails, texts, and NON-VERBAL text based communications, remember that the vast majority of text mediated communication is FIRST interpreted as "negatively" as possible. Give grace to those who email you and text you during this time. Most likely they are not messages as negative as a first reading would suggest.
B) It is very easy to spread rumors via the internet. It is incredibly easy to gossip via social platforms, and to speak about others behind their back, or in a way that you would not appreciate if done towards you. If you can, pick up the phone, rather than have a disagreement or potentially argumentative discussion with someone. Most of us have a few more minutes each day due to disruptions in our regular routines, use those minutes to chat on the phone, rather than type out a message.
C) Check in with that person you've been meaning to talk to. You know who they are, the person you've been wanting to arrange a playdate with your kids, a time to chat at the coffee shop, grab lunch or dinner together. Let that person know you'd love to spend some time in their company, and use a platform like facetime, skype, zoom, or google hangouts to spend a few minutes catching up and talking about the things each of you are experiencing and is weighing on your heart.
Philippians 4:8
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Colossians 4:5-6
5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
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