Nathan Miller

Our Pastor Dr. Johnny Hunt has been preaching through the DNA of our church for the month of March. He is half way through his series, but he has spent the last two weeks on Worship. Before he started the series, he asked me to research some definitions or statements on worship. Here are some of the best of my findings. I hope they are as challenging to you as they were to me!

“Worship is the believer’s response of all that they are – mind, emotions, will, body – to what God is and says and does.” (Warren Wiersbe, Real Worship, p. 26)

William Temple, Archbishop of Canterbury (1942-44), wrote: “Worship is the submission of all our nature to God. It is the quickening of conscience by his holiness; the nourishment of mind with his truth; the purifying of imagination by his beauty; the opening of the heart to his love; the surrender of will to his purpose – and all of this gathered up in adoration.”

In the process of being worshiped… God communicates his presence to men. – C. S. Lewis

God wants worshipers before workers; indeed the only acceptable workers are those who have learned the lost art of worship. – A. W. Tozer

Worship changes the worshiper into the image of the One worshiped. – Jack Hayford

Worship does not satisfy our hunger for God – it whets our appetite. – Eugene Peterson

A private relationship of worshiping God is the greatest essential element of spiritual fitness. – Oswald Chambers

“Worship is an active response to God whereby we declare His worth.”  “Worship is not simply a mood; it is a response.  Worship is not just a feeling; it is a declaration.” – Ronald Allen

“Worship ‘is something we do, not just something we attend.  It is not merely an issue for the pastor and other ministers, nor for the musicians and those who plan the service.  Worship is an issue for the entire congregation, for worship is something we do together.” – Albert Mohler

I recently finished reading the book Liberating Ministry from the Success Syndrome. This is a must read for anyone in ministry. In our society “success” is a word we hear often. Society measures it in status, salary, and influence. However, in the Kingdom of God things are different. As ministers of the Gospel, we can get caught up in that kind of thinking. Kent and Barbara Hughes discuss our idea of success versus God’s idea of success. Success in God’s eyes is faithfulness, serving, loving, believing, prayer, holiness, and attitude. Most importantly they link success in the Christian life to obedience. “In evaluating success, we must all understand that Scripture consistently links success to obedience — our obedience to God’s Word.” (p. 37)

Kent and Barbara end the book with two chapters that speak about how the pastor’s wife and the congregation can help the pastor have a healthy view of success in ministry. With many pastors climbing the “ladder of success” in the ministry. This book is a refreshingly healthy view of how we are to view success according to God’s standards. I hope you enjoy it as must as I did!

I’ve had on my heart the last two days Psalm 34:8 “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” This verse is an incredible testament to what the Lord has been doing in my own walk. Many times in my life I can tend to rely on my own strength and wisdom rather that God’s. This always leads me into trouble. Since surrendering my life to God’s plan I have had to make some sacrifices. I have had to trust God more in recent days than every before.

I want to stand here as a testament that God is faithful. I have tasted and seen that God is good. If you are wavering in your faith, if you are wondering if God cares for you, or if He is trustworthy, taste and see! He is good! He will prove Himself to you in ways that you never imagined. Remember the last part of that verse, “Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” You don’t have to have all the answers in life, but you can know the One who does. He wants to meet you today, and He so desires to show you Himself. Won’t you trust in Him today?

I have been extremely negligent as of late to inform all of you of what God has been doing in my life. This year has brought me many new expereinces and opporunities to enjoy. God has also been doing a tremendous work in my life. Last week I met with a local church planter who reminded me of how a blog can keep people informed about what is going on in your life. Therefore, I decided that I would launch a new blog. It is still a work in progress, but here is my attempt to keep you updated about my life and ministry. You’ll also enjoy hearing about my travels with Dr. Johnny Hunt! There are many of them! I hope you all have a wonderful day, and thanks for stopping by.