I began to learn to play the piano around 10 years old. A small keyboard served as my launching pad into music and, in particular, worship music. I would spend countless hours listening to worship albums and then learning by ear to play all the piano parts.
After a few years, I remember going to a small church with my dad. He was preaching and after his sermon he called me up to play the piano. No warning, only, “Jonathan, please come up and play the piano”. I moved, slow. I went up and timidly began to play as he began to pray. In thinking back on that moment, some 30 years ago now, I believe that moment served as a calling that would shape my heart for the rest of my life.
All those years since, I’ve been involved in some way or another in worship ministry. Playing piano and, in time, singing and leading worship in church. But the “calling” has been more than the call to do something, to play music in church. It’s been the call to be something, to be a worshipper. And the piano has always been a large part of my worship life.
In my room as an adolescent, I would play in worship. In an empty church in my teens, I would play in worship. In the dark chapel in Bible school, I would play in worship. And the pattern continues here at Elim Grace. I find myself in our sanctuary when others have gone or it’s quiet, playing and worshipping.
When I became Senior Pastor of Elim Grace 4 1/2 years ago, I believed that my time of playing piano on a team and leading worship was over. I would be “too busy” to continue. I would do so in an emergency situation if no one was available, but it would cease to be an ongoing practice of mine. But God has breathed on that desire, that “calling,” over the last year and a half. I know now that a central component of my ministry here, that a central part of my pastoring here, is to lead worship. I am a pastor who leads worship. That’s a theological statement, but a practical one as well.
A pastor should always be the lead or chief worshipper in the congregation. He should lead the way in worship. He should be the first to worship Jesus. Yet, as a pastor, I’m also a musician and worship leader. These practical gifts or skills are part of my pastoral calling and vocation. To do away with them is to put aside part of who I am not only as a disciple of Jesus but also as pastor of Elim Grace. Leading worship is as much a part of my ministry here at Elim Grace as is my preaching.
This has an impact, then, on how I lead and pastor, on what I hope and pray for. As an example, when I step forward and encourage us to clap, raise our hands, or be silent and wait on the Holy Spirit in our services. But this calling and desire to worship, to lead worship, and to see us worship has taken on new significance and purpose for me, especially during our times together at Touch Down (one Sunday night a month when we gather together for an hour of praise and worship).
Understand that the overarching desire I have, and always have had, is to see the church worship Jesus. Whenever and wherever I see a group large or small taken up in worship to Jesus, I am brought to tears nearly every time. My heart burns within me.
I’m not taking about an atmosphere or environment. I’m talking about being, breathing, living in the presence of Jesus Christ, Savior and King. I’m talking about the eyes of the heart beholding Him and gazing upon Him. I’m talking about waiting on and inquiring of Him. I’m talking about a mind, heart, and body— thoughts, desires, and actions—rising in love and sincerity to praise Him. I’m talking about hearts overflowing in music and songs of adoration to Him, in awe of Him, in Spirit and in truth.
When Jesus returns every eye will see, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess, and every heart will know that He is Lord. Upon His return, the knowledge of Him will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. But my conviction is that He comes to dwell in the midst of His people now in special ways. Or, at least, that he desires to come to His people now.
My heart is that we, Elim Grace, would seek Him with all our heart. That we would draw near to Him and that He would draw near to us. That we would believe that, and gather as if, His presence is better than life. That we would bow, confess, and know Him as Lord. My longing and my prayer is to one day see with my own eyes every heart and face among us worshipping Jesus.
Dear Elim Grace, I believe that what God is doing now in Elim Grace, and what God wants to do in the future in Elim Grace, will be accomplished in and through our times together at Touch Down. Touch Down will play a pivotal role in the will of God for us. More specifically, worship will play a pivotal role. Worship will be the distinguishing characteristic and mark of God moving in our midst.
In recent weeks, I believe Jesus has spoken this to my heart: “If you lift me up, I will come.” If we lift Him up, He will come. When we exalt Him as Lord and Savior of all, He will come down in power and reveal Himself to us and among us. And in His presence before His face, we will all be changed. And when and where we are changed and satisfied in Him, worship can be our only true response.
We are not the center of our worship. We don’t worship Jesus because He’s made much of us or wants to make much of us. We don’t worship Jesus because He has something we need or want. We don’t worship Jesus to feel good about ourselves or our circumstances. We worship Jesus because we want Him. We worship Him because He alone is worth it. Worth it all. Worthy of all the honor and the praise and the glory and the power forever and ever.
Do you know why only the pure in heart will see God? Because only the pure in heart want to see God. The center of heaven and its worship is Jesus, the Lamb of God. So in our Touch Downs, the center of all we want and seek is Jesus. In His presence there can be no popular or legendary worship leaders, musicians, bands, artists, pastors, preachers, teachers, leaders, disciples —in His presence all are on level ground, holy ground, faces and hearts bowed down before Him. The only response in the presence of Jesus is, “Holy, holy, holy…Worthy, worthy, worthy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come”. In no place where Jesus comes in glory and power is any attention given to men or music or talent or atmosphere — or anything. Everyone and everything must fall before Him. He must increase, but I must decrease. If He must increase, then I must decrease. So be it.
Elim Grace, when we come to Touch Down we should expect and anticipate God. If somehow a fun time or great music or favorite songs become front and center, then we’ve missed our way. Then we’ll miss Him. May it never be. Touch Down is a time set apart for Jesus. To worship Jesus. To seek Him. To wait on Him. To exalt Him. To behold Him.
My prayer and my anticipation is that one day I will see EVERY face at Touch Down. Not because I asked everyone to come nor because some felt guilty for not coming, but because Jesus Himself has drawn each of us. All of us. Because our heart can’t bear the thought that He will come down and we won’t be there to meet Him. Let the Spirit quicken our hearts and stir up spiritual hunger and thirst for Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
There was a time when Touch Down was attended by less than 10 people. Now, it’s our best attended meeting almost every month. This is not I know because of me. This is I pray because of Jesus. If we exalt Him, He will come. May the desire I’ve always had to worship Him among His people grow in both you and me. May the desire I’ve always had to see and hear the church worship Jesus grow in both you and me.
May our worship be a hallmark of a new move of the Spirit’s “mighty rushing wind” filling “the entire house” of Elim Grace, so that “at the sound” our city might come to see and hear our singing of “the mighty works of God” (Acts 2:1-12)