Hello Everyone,
My name is Arthur J. Battle and I am a Master of Divinity student in my 3rd year at Winebrenner. I originally came to Winebrenner as a M.A.T.S. student but enjoyed my 1st Trimester classes so much that I decided to go forward for the MDIV degree. I am taking this Spiritual Direction Class because this is an area of my Spiritual Walk that I would like to develop in enriching and growing my relationship with God and learning more about how I can help others in their Christian walk. Dr. Langston Bannister is one of my mentors who opened my eyes to Spiritual Direction through a powerful spiritual experience that I shared with him and a Spiritual Direction session that he lead me through, and it was after that Session that I prayed and decided to sign up for this Course.
1) Define worship from Scripture, your experience, your church tradition.
My Scripture reference for Worship comes from Psalm 150:6 - 6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD. I believe that worship is giving God ultimate praise for Him just being God all by Himself. I believe that praising God is worshipping God and that it is more than just singing, dancing and praising in church (which is very important communally), but that it also is praising God through how we live our lives for Him. I believe that we should live out Psalm 150:6 because we are blessed to have breath in our bodies and are here for God’s purpose and his glory; therefore, we should praise and worship Him in our homes, on our jobs, in school, in our cars, wherever we are we should worship God in spirit and in truth with every aspect of our lives. I agree with Calhoun’s statement that “True worship of God happens when we put God first in our lives. When what God says matters more than what others say, and when loving God matters more than being loved.” This is a tough place to be at times because you can be all alone and isolated from others, but the love that God gives in this time of worship surpasses any feeling that I have had through any other relationship that I have been blessed to have.
I come from a National Baptist Convention background in a predominantly African-American church where we would sing songs but had been indoctrinated in not showing outer praise (dancing) except for singing, based upon the restrictive teaching of the founding Pastor. However, within the last 10 years our church has moved toward more of a high praise service with clapping, singing, dancing, and openness to the move of the Holy Spirit that has changed the Worship Service and experience at our church. There have been services where Pastor Smith has not preached because the worship of God was so high with the Holy Spirit being present that all those who were present could feel the move of God through the worship experience. I love these kind of services because it makes me reflect upon what it must have been like in Acts where the Apostles and others received the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues. I believe that it is only through true worship of God that we fully begin to understand who we are and who He is to us, for us and in us.
2) Reflect upon Sabbath, what is God's intention with this Creation Ordinance (see Genesis 2:1-2), note this law is not about sin. How would you envision leading your congregation in practicing Sabbath.
I believe that God’s intention with the Creation Ordinance of Sabbath is to have his creation commune with Him and Him alone. God worked the first 6 days to bring all that He sought to create into being, but on the 7th day He rested, indicating that we are to follow His lead. Isn’t it interesting and encouraging knowing that “rest” is a command and ordinance of God. Are we really following God the way that we should when we ignore this very important ordinance?
Exodus 20:8-10 tells us to keep the Sabbath holy, work for 6 days but the 7th days is a Sabbath to the Lord your God, and on that day you shall not do any work. I think that this concept is one that must be taught within churches today in order to get the congregation to truly understand the necessity of resting and communing with God as He directs. Many times in my own church our Sabbath is on Sunday, but usually for those in the Ministry this seems to be the busiest day and the day when everyone wants to bring their issues to Pastor and myself directly before or after Church Service. A better understanding of Sabbath would allow this day to be a day of corporate worship and praise, but more importantly of rest from issues that probably can wait until Monday, but because there is no concept of Sabbath then there is no self-discipline regarding resting “from all work” on the Sabbath. Calhoun’s statement that “the day God had given as a respite from work became simply another kind of work” is something that I can definitely testify too. I believe that the Sabbath is extremely important and I try to practice it as effectively as I can through the power of the Holy Spirit with my family. I believe that it is so important that when offered employment that may have required me to work on the Sabbath (Sunday for me) it factored heavily in my decision not to accept that employment. Sabbath is important to God and resting is an ordinance that He requires, therefore, the correct practice of this most important communing time with God must be taught and practiced spiritually.
3) Write a psalm describing your heart of worship.
O God, you are the Creator of all things.
You are the day that turns into night,
And the light that was and is forever.
You are awesome and worthy to be praised by all of your creation.
O God, I worship you with my entire being.
My mind worships you because it is only your will that it desires to do.
My body worships you because it is your temple made for public praise.
My heart worships you because it is the Holy of Holies where you commune with me as my Creator.
And my spirit worships you because it is the essence of who I am in you.
O God, I worship you with all that I am and all that I will become.
You love me more than I could ever love myself.
Your grace and mercy sustain me.
Please keep me in the hollow of your hand,
And allow my praise and worship to be pleasing in your sight.
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3 comments:
Thanks Art for the poetic post, your insights and sharing on the Sabbath. The Sabbath is Creation Ordinance that the Lord reaffirmed in the 10 Commandments. Sabbath is how the cosmos is intended to function. Cows, cars, and even people need a break--rest to re-create and be refreshed in non-labor levels of activity which the Law attempted to guide.
Greetings Arthor,
I have heard Langston speak of you on a number of occassions. In fact, it was at his suggestion that I was going to invite you to come and speak at New Covenant in my absence but some happened. I can't remember what. Good to meet you via blogging again. I think I personally met you before.
Thanks for your insights on worship and the Sabbath. I ride a motorcycle and I will keep an eye out for a man worshiping in his car while driving. Riding in the open wind in the country helps me to feel closer to God. Just be careful as you worship and ride or my statement about being closer to God may become more of a reality than I realize.
Several years ago New Covenant als experience a very celebrative time in worship that was just full of praise and thanks to God. It was the same day that my wife and I were scheduled to go and bid on the house where we now live. It was as if the congregation were celebrating what God was about to do for us that day. It was the only day in my pastoral ministry at New Covenant when there was no preaching. Thanks for sharing.
Art,
I enjoyed your posts in Ressigue's class because I learned from them. No difference here. Dr. Bannister is my spiritual advisor and because of him,I studied Spiritual Direction at Holy Trinity under the Dominican Sisters. It is because of him that I am enrolled in Winebrenner. "I have always said that God sends us what we need, when we need it. I praise him for Pastor Bannister.
Speaking of worship that allowed the Holy Spirit to preside, reminds me of a similar experience. I have never forgotten being in a congregation where what was printed in the bulletin gave way to the power of the Holy Spirit. I believe this is what true worship is about-putting God first, even in the church service.
Your comment about factoring the the work day in the decision to take employment caught my attention because, I have often wondered if refusal of employment should be based on whether or not it involves the Sabbath. Of course this discussion would probably have many opinions. Blessings!
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