Session Two’s speaker was Pastor Richard Cimino. He spoke on the subject of worship. Here’s my notes.
God is the ultimate matter. So worship is the ultimate activity and central fact that drives everything else in our lives.
Even the other “things that matter” all derive from the priority of worship. This includes faith, innerrancy, hope, the gospel, and evangelism.
Worship is the grid through which we process all of life and ministry.
Looking at 2 Chronicles 29, Pastor Richard brought out the contrast of Kings Ahaz and Hezekiah.
Ahaz prevented worship. He robbed and wrecked the vessels of worship and locked down the temple. He actively promoted idolatry.
Hezekiah grew up watching his dad’s dark deeds. But God broke through in his life. He understood the infinite worth of God.
In these two lives, we also see a representation of the world we live in.
There is no neutral ground in our world. At the centre of it is worship.
All of the carnage and injustice in the world is traced back to the lie that we can worship something other than God.
This is the world we live and minister in.
There is a big difference between being excited about worshipping versus being excited about God being worshipped.
if we are just excited about worshipping, who are we worshipping?
(Reference to book “The Prodigal Church”)
Godly leadership will always want to create a culture where we are excited about God being known, exalted, worshipped, and enjoyed.
The pastor models a life of worship and facilitates others to do the same.
We live for Jesus, not for the ministry.
Hezekiah opened the doors and repaired them, and kept them opened.
All disfunction in ministry or life comes from a misalignment of worship. Somewhere there is an idol; the vertical axis is off. Interest in self is greater than interest in Jesus.
God is at the centre of His universe. That’s the only way it works.
Worship is our identity before it’s our activity. We turn our face to God or we turn our back to Him.
Restoration of worship means that incense is burned again. This speaks of prayer. How is my prayer life?
Sitting in the green room during worship is not leadership. We worship with the body.
Are you passionate about God being worshipped?
The point of theology is doxology.
Check out Richard’s complete message by visiting live.calvarychapel.com