By The Rev. Ron Purkey
Guest Columnist
Read: 1 Thessalonians 5:12-19
“The preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18)
Worship is the most important activity of a local church family. Ministry must flow out of worship, otherwise it becomes busy activity without power and without heart. There may be “results,” but they will not glorify God or really last. The Apostle Paul named the various elements that make up the worship ministry of the church.
First, Joyfulness (1 Thessalonians 5:16). Joy takes the burden out of service. “The joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). God loves a cheerful servant as well as a cheerful giver. God wants his family to be happy, and that means that each member must contribute to the joy.
The four spiritual characteristics Paul mentioned are part of the fruit of the Spirit named in Galatians 5:22 — love (1 Thessalonians 5:13), joy (1 Thessalonians 5:16), peace (1 Thessalonians 5:13), and long-suffering (1 Thessalonians 5:14). We cannot manufacture these spiritual qualities; they only come as we yield to the Holy Spirit and permit him to control us.
Family partnership is vital to the health and growth of a church. Are you bearing your share of the burdens, or are you merely a spectator who watches others do the job?
Second, Prayerfulness (1 Thessalonians 5: 17). Prayer was important in the early church (1 Corinthians 11:1-6; Acts 1:13-14; 4:23 and following). It was a high and holy experience when the church united in prayer. Today we “call someone to lead in prayer,” and we have no idea whether that believer is even in fellowship with God. In some churches, there are two or three people who monopolize the prayer meeting. If we are led by the Holy Spirit (Jude 20), we will experience unity and freedom in our praying, and God will answer.
“Pray without ceasing” does NOT mean we must always be mumbling prayers. The word means “constantly recurring,” not continuously occurring. We are to “keep the receiver off the hook” and be in touch with God so that our praying is part of a long conversation that is not broken. God knows the desires of the heart (Psalm 37:4), and he responds to those desires even when our voice is silent (see Psalms 10:17; 21:2).
Third, Praise-filled (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Thanksgiving is also a vital element of worship. We use “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs” (Ephesians 5:19) to express our love and gratitude to the Lord. As we grow in our application of the Word of God (the Bible), we must also grow in our expression of praise, for the two go together (Colossians 3:16). If a local church is “growing in grace” the members will want to learn new hymns in order to give praise to God. If the heart and head do not keep pace with each other, Christian worship may become either juvenile or hypocritical.
Read Ron Purkey’s Bible study outlines free at rcpbibleoutlines.com. Purkey has been an ordained Baptist minister for 50 years.
