Ministry To The Lord - Part 1

By guest

2 Nov 2009

We are thrilled to welcome November's guest blogger, our friend JD Walt. In the first of his weekly blogs, JD writes: "For the next few weeks I want to address what I consider to be the most core practice of a worship leader: Ministry to the Lord."

A couple of years ago, I stumbled across a short essay by Watchman Nee by this same title. I find that I am deeply challenged by this idea and profoundly incompetent in its practice. Despite my stumbling and inconsistent efforts, Abba shows me great kindness as Jesus continues to disciple me in this essential ministry.

So what is this “Ministry to the Lord.” For starters, I’d encourage you to read Nee’s short essay which you can find here. He makes a critical distinction between “Ministry to the House of the Lord” and “Ministry to the Lord.” The work of leading worship, while certainly about enjoying God’s presence, is Ministry to the House. Ministry to the Lord, on the other hand, involves the simple solitudinal practice of entering the MOST HOLY PLACE and standing before the Lord. I think for the longest time the torn curtain in the Jerusalem Temple signified to me that the Holy of Holies ceased to be a specific place. In actuality, it never ceased to be a specific place. It merely ceased to be that specific place. The significance of the torn curtain is the very essence of the Gospel itself: WE GET IN.

Consider this:

Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Hebrews 10:19-22

The MOST HOLY PLACE is not “everywhere,” as in “the presence of God.” But it is a specific place that can be accessed from anywhere by a “new and living way.” So much to say here. I am not referring to the business as usual daily quiet time idea. This is qualitatively different.

Getting practical about it. 1. Eat this Word, Hebrews 10:19-22. So much is going on here that must be absorbed in the power of the Spirit. 2. Create a new place—a specific place—that is hidden and set apart, not generally accessible; a hiding place of sorts. 3. Go there each day this coming week and simply and literally stand before the Lord. (try 5 to 15 minutes) Say nothing. Ask for nothing. Renounce every distraction. Gather up all your attention and simply behold your God. Wait upon him. Renounce the idea that doing this is for your own transformation or so that you might be more effective in ministry. This is for the Lord alone. Call on all of your faculties to simply and quietly behold the Lord in Love. Ministry to the Lord, though quite simple, may be the greatest challenge of our time. That will be enough for now. We’ll pick it up from here next week.

I’d love to see your sharings, reflections and interactions in the comment field.

JD Walt is a theologian, thinker and songwriter currently based at Asbury Seminary in Kentucky, USA, where he is a key leader and serves as Dean of Chapel. He has also been involved in the Passion Movement over the years, and has written several well-loved songs with Chris Tomlin. He has been involved in Worship Central for the past couple of years.

Phil Williams From unknown

2 November 2009 - 12:57pm

Hi JD, Thanks for this. I think i'll need to read it again to get it properly! By the way, is there any particular reason you suggest waiting silently before the Lord rather than praising him out loud? Are you thinking of the verse about being still and knowing He is God perhaps? I just wondered if there's any particular reason this might be a better way of ministering to the Lord than by using our voices as well as our thoughts? Thanks for taking the time to share and thanks in advance for your reply. Phil http://www.worshiptherock.com/

Phil http://www.worshiptherock.com - Worldwide Worship Leaders & Musicians http://www.hemustincrease.com - UK Worship Leaders & Musicians

Jessica From Kernersville Community Church

2 November 2009 - 4:33pm

This is awesome - thanks JD! I like the thought of saying nothing, asking for nothing, and simply beholding God...and doing it for Him alone, not to get anything from Him. This has really opened my eyes to a new way of hanging out with God. How cool. I'll be trying it this week...

http://www.kcctriad.com

Anna Marie From Spirit-Filled Fellowship Glasgow

3 November 2009 - 12:24am

Hi JD, Thanks so much for your blog! The part that struck me the most was the line "WE GET IN". How beautiful. How simple. How profound. The verse you quoted says 'we have CONFIDENCE to enter the Most Holy Place' [Hebrews 1:19] I'm not sure about anyone else, but that is where I sometimes falter - looking at the definition you've given above, I don't always have the confidence to fully enter in, in this way. I grapple with going there myself, just to go. I have somehow made sense of going there when leading worship but I have to remember that Jesus made the way for me too and I CAN - in fact, SHOULD go. And often. Thank you again. I'm definitely going to be creating that new place. And I'm going to 'selah' on these thoughts throughout the week.

Spirit-filled Fellowship, Glasgow is a new church plant of SFFG - a global non-denom, missions-focused body, equipping & sending out missionaries http://www.sffglobal.com/ email:pastorannamarie@gmail.com

jdwaltjr From unknown

3 November 2009 - 2:24pm

thanks for these comments. Phil-- I would say that speaking has its place in ministering to the Lord and we will get to that in coming posts. what I am trying to get at here is a reorienting kind of practice. Jessica-- this is a journey for sure. I think God loves it when we ask him for help and so forth-- but you are right-- this is different. I am not meaning to pit these against each other but to help lift up a ministry that often gets buried under so many other things. make sense? Anna Marie, This CONFIDENCE is a stunning concept. Think about those OT priests entering the most holy place. it's not a picture of confidence, but rather a holy terror. Certainly this appropriate in the presence of the Almighty God, but Jesus has revealed something to us we didn't know about God before-- He is our Abba. This is a stunning revelation. And in the backdrop of the Temple with all its strictures, rules, procedures and such to say we have confidence to enter the most holy place is saying something REVOLUTIONARY. Key, though, is the way we enter-- "by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way." We are in point of fact, being ushered in to his very relationship with Abba as sons and daughters-- adpoted. It's extraordinary! The challenge we all face is to believe this is true about God and consequently true about ourselves. At least that's the greatest challenge to my own confidence. The opposite of confidence I think is insecurity. This is the universal challenge isn't it. You see, no matter how hard we try, we can never convince ourselves or each other that we are secure. Only God can and this is what God does--- get this: 15For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." 16The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. That's a true picture of eternal security isn't it. It's sadly rare to find it in our age. As a result, I think most of our worship happens in some outer court-- at a seemingly safe distance from God-- where we worship him as a mighty, sovereign and somewhat distant King. (absolute truth) From there we will approach the cross, but again, primarily as convicts before a righteous Judge where we are freely pardoned. The cross is the great celebration of our Justification by grace through faith. (absolute truth). This is where it often stops, though. If you don't believe me, take a look at the top 100 CCLI songs of the last 20 years. You will scarcely find reference to God as Father in them. Worship must take us to the place where we come to know our Abba-- moving so to speak from the courts of the King through the halls of the courtroom and into the family room of shared fellowship where we enjoy our Abba together. Here's where confidence comes from. It gets even better as we foretaste the final shape of the future in the bridal chamber. Don't misunderstand-- Sovereign King--Righteous Judge-- YES--ALWAYS, but the Revelation of Jesus, The Son, is that this King and Judge happens to be our Father from before the foundation of the World. Concluding an already too long comment-- The secret of CONFIDENCE to enter the MOST HOLY PLACE is day by day growing in the way of knowing God in this unbelievably extravagant fashion. thanks again for the interactions.

jdwaltjr From unknown

3 November 2009 - 1:43pm

Domyarus From unknown

11 November 2009 - 9:04am

Hi JD, Just read this this morning and amazingly enough, this was my scripture from my daily readings! Having recently taken up the post of worship leader within a small community church, I am eager to lay down a clear vision for the worship team (at present none existant!) and figured this was a great scripture to pin the requirement for regular fellowship together as a worship team - possibly more the latter part - "Let us be concerned about one another in order to promote love and good works, not staying away from our meetings, as some habitually do, but encourage each other…” However, all of it points us towards the need to Serve our God...the idea that always rings in my mind is the waiter example, best read in Tommy Tenny's works - when at a restauraunt, a waiter doesn't passively wait around doing nothing, the good ones actively wait on their patrons, serving them seemlessly, invisibly - your drinks running low, next thing you know a fresh one has appeared, etc... Amazing word & reflection... Also reminds me of listening to "Drawing Near" set from John Bevere - mentioned going into his study to spend time with God and just felt God was greiving...rather than entering into his normal prayer time, he simply got on his knees and spent the next 2 hours ministering to God until he felt the Spirit lft and he knew that God had received from it.

semper reformanda From unknown

26 November 2009 - 12:13am

JD jr., I couldn't quite find the reference to being ushered in amongst any of the text. There is an interesting use of the word "ὁδὸν" which hints strongly a journey when read literally but in a metaphorical light means more a method or train of thought so I think your points about confidence does have some potential. JD sr. thanks very much for referencing that essay, I really think he's onto something here even if it's painfully honest in places. Love the quote "Unless we really know what it is to draw near to God, we cannot know what it is to serve Him". How practical is his idea of the sin of presumption? Are we really to address God on every minor detail? Either way, it's a very powerful essay the part about sweat in ministry was really insightful. I suppose I'm guilty of what he's talking about by posting this. Cheers so much xox

xox

lifewayworship From LifeWay Worship

16 February 2010 - 4:54pm

Good post, JD. Thanks. I also wanted to let you know that I referenced your post on both my blog for work (LifeWayWorship.com/pleasestayontherock) and my personal blog (jonathanriggs.wordpress.com). Thanks again!

Jonathan Riggs LifeWayWorship.com/pleasestayontherock

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