Missional Worship...Reflection, Part One

As I have spent considerable time over the last few days in preparing to speak at a worship conference next weekend, I have been immersed in thinking about, praying about, and discerning about mission and worship, as well as missional worship. I am increasingly convinced that we need to hold each other accountable to being committed to planning worship that not only spiritually shapes and forms disciples, but worship that equips God’s people, the body of Christ, to be the body, hands, feet, smile and words of Jesus Christ in the world, to be “players” or participants in the mission of God.

We need to be thinking about worship and worship planning in a more missional way.


How do we do this?


Songs? Prayers? Images? Fellowship? The Supper?


What kinds of words are we using in the assembly?


Are we missionally framing the opening and closing, the “welcoming” and “sending” portions of our assemblies?

Are we focusing on the table of the Lord as something that isn’t exclusive, but rather welcoming?

Is it understood by every worshipper in the church that a worship that equips people for participating in the mission of God is not merely contained in a few minutes a week within a building? But is rather a life of worship, living like Jesus did, talking to whom Jesus talked, and walking where Jesus walked…

Lord, may we look beyond ourselves and worship for sake of others, for the sake of the world. May we be shaped into your image so that we can live out what it means to be the body of Christ. May we discern what your will is for us as a worshipping community and what will help us to equip the body of Christ to participate in your mission. Blessed be the name of the Lord.