On a personal note, I posted to my Adoption Blog this morning as well. Today was a glorious day as we signed our adoption papers for our daughter, Maria. You can check it out on my website www.bornfun.com

This blog is 3rd in an ongoing look at Trinity Church's Philosophy of Ministry and it's implications on Worship Ministries purpose and practices. The third affirmation is stated as follows:

3. Our goal is holistic personal transformation, the lifelong process of becoming Christ-followers who increasingly manifest Christ-likeness and honor Christ as Lord in every area of their lives.

a) Because we believe that God's intention for Christ-followers is "likeness to Christ, for the glory of God and the good of others," we are concerned that Christians grow, not only in right understanding (orthodoxy), but also in right character (orthokardia) and conduct (orthopraxy).

b) Service and suffering [an undeveloped point thus far].

I see two areas that I must consider with regards to worship ministries. First, are the members of worship ministries actively involved in becoming transformed - are we growing in right understanding, character and conduct? Second, are we encouraging and fostering that growth in our congregation? Then I will speak separately about sub-point b) regarding service and suffering.

1. The people who serve in worship ministries - I believe that the best way to ensure that people in worship ministries are growing is for them to first of all be deeply connected to and committed to this church family - not only in service, but also in Bible-study and accountability. I want our personnel who serve to be committed to their own growth by being regular attendees of our worship gatherings - in other words, they don't just attend when they are scheduled. There is accountability in this as well as a shared journey as we experience our corporate worship together - the teaching of the Word, and the moving of the Spirit as we experience God's transforming presence. Second, I need to realize that Worship Ministries may be a connecting point for people to this church family, and even more so to the redeeming work of the Gospel in their lives. All Worship Ministries teams need to be intentional about creating connecting points and then leading those who connect to a deeper connection to this church family by moving them towards that which was stated above. Practically speaking, this means that all of our artistic and technical teams are seeking to engage those outside the family of God, as well as serving those who are inside. This intentional ministry needs to be done with prayer and with my knowledge and support in choosing appropriate means to do this.

2. Fostering growth in our congregation - Those of us who plan and lead worship services must acknowledge personally and publicly that we expect God to be actively present in our worship gatherings. We must be devoted to prayer toward that end - for fruit to result from our time gathered together as a church. Are we convinced that when we encounter God's presence we should be transformed? Are we just information junkies, walking away saying what great preaching or great worship, or do we walk away overwhelmed with our need to realign our lives with God's will because we have met with him there? A proper understanding (orthodoxy) produces proper character (orthokardia) and practice (orthopraxis). We as worship leaders need to come to be changed - transformed, as 2 Corinthians 3 states, to "ever increasing glory." And we need to encourage those we lead to come with the same mindset. "And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." (2Cor. 3:18, NIV)

3. Service and suffering - Regarding sub-point b), the process of transformation is rarely comfortable. This is an area where I confess a great misunderstanding, a blind spot, in my own life. I would go so far as to label it sin - I am more and more convinced that it is the sin of quenching the Spirit of the Living God, of trying to manage and arrange my own life my own way and not allowing the oft-terrifying transformation process of the Holy Spirit to take me away from comfort into tremendous sacrifice, yes, and even suffering for the sake of Christ and the growth of his Kingdom. The result of this quenching of the Spirit is a bland Christianity that while appearing different on the outside (we go to church, we talk Christianese, etc.), is in reality no different than the secular world (it lacks the Spirit's power as evidenced by transformation). Our family relationships, our character in business, our money, the way we use our time and talents, the manifestation of our sexuality, the purposeful use of our possessions, our demonstration of love for the poor, the orphan and the widow - all of these practices need to be transformed as evidence of the heart transformation that Jesus brings. Like James says, "But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. " (James 2:18-19, NIV) James has much to say about the character and practice that the life of faith in Jesus Christ should produce. But he opens his letter with this statement.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. " (James 1:2-5, NIV)

Trinity Church needs to be a worshiping community that embraces suffering as God's way of producing his character in us. We don't run away from it. Neither do we foolishly run toward it, but we do expect it, accept it, and walk through it well together. We need to be fiercely devoted to prayer for one another. In addition, we need to be a worshiping community that encourages brave and courageous acts of faith that include tremendous sacrifice. While foreign missions is a very valid calling and example of this, we need to also encourage it at home in our own community. We don't have to go somewhere else in order to do this. God will at times call all of us to tremendous risk right where we live. Our worship services should regularly acknowledge and embrace those who are going through "various trials," but also highlight this process that God has ordained to produce maturity and to make us complete. Again, I see the need to publicly highlight more examples of God's transforming work in the lives of the Trinity Church family. These should become some of our songs of praise and part of the sermons we preach. We need to spotlight the good stuff that he is doing as we are becoming a people defined by Christ and the gospel as evidenced by holistic personal transformation. In so doing, we will not only encourage and build up those who have faith in Christ Jesus, we will also connect with those who do not, as we ultimately spotlight Him.

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will." (Rom. 12:1-2, NIV)