Worship Expanded

The Institute of Contemporary and Emerging Worship Studies, St. Stephen’s  University, Essentials Red Online Worship History Course with Dan Wilt

I realize that I need to expand my definition of what a worship experience is.  It is real easy to confine it to the singing part of a service, but the more I do that, the more I find myself left wanting more.  As I go through this course, I am starting to broaden definition of a worship experience and it is really enriching my life as a follower of Jesus.  For instance, I never thought of a nice bike ride down a trail as a way to connect with God.  I think this mindset will help me to get excited about living for Jesus again.

Worship Outside the Box (Essentials Red)

The Institute of Contemporary and Emerging Worship Studies, St. Stephen’s  University, Essentials Red Online Worship History Course with Dan Wilt

Wow, I am amazed at how people can have such different and yet similar worship experiences.  I am being reminded how each person has their own experience with God.  One thing that Dan Wilt said was that we need to use our own gifts to lead other into worship.  I am one of those people that tends to put worship into a tiny little box that only involves singing and potentially praying or painting if it happens in “service”, but as I was reading different people’s worship experiences, I was reminded of all the times that I have found myself woshipping or praising God outside of that context and feeling closer to God than at most “worship services”.

One such experience that I just remembered happened while I was a counselor at a bible camp in northeastern B.C.  It was the end of the summer and we were having our final gathering before everyone went back to there lives away from camp.  We were gathered around a fire on the beach in the dark.  We did some singing and then took communion together.  For communion all we had were graham crackers and black cherry soda pop, but it was an amazing time of bonding with those around me and also experiencing God oustide of “normal” church.