Sunday Worship Do You?

Do you worship on Sunday?
Or do you go to a church that has a service on Saturday night.

Does your church look like a 'normal' church.

Do the people you worship with dress the way that you were brought up dressing for church?

I don't know about you but when I was growing up church was on Sunday. And, we dressed in our Sunday best.

But, things have changed. And, I wonder  do you think it is for the better? Some people would probably not be able to agree with that statement when it is about how people dress to go to church.

But, I have to stop and think about that.

You see I was talking to the owner of the company where I worked during this spring and summer. He and his family go to a local mega-church that offers Saturday night and Sunday services. His family because they live over an hour from church go on Saturday afternoon usually after a day of soccer or baseball. And so sometimes they are not 'dressed' for church.

It makes me wonder what is worship? What is worship to you?

For us me and my Cowboy worship is something like this . . .

I know that this photo is usually used to represent a precense of God in the homes where we live.
But for us it represents where we worship because we worship in a halfway house for teenage boys. It is actualy a prison unit. It is called 'The House or The Ranch' .   All of our congregation have committed felonies.   They are all dressed the same.  There are not shorts or flip flops.  There is no "Sunday Best". 

But there is a heart of . . .

Worship.

Every Sunday when they walk into the room they shake Cowboys hand and they have smiles on thier faces.  If I am sitting at the computer they will set their chairs done and walk over and say hello to me and shake my hand.  They are happy to be 'in' church.  

It wasn't always that way; when we first began providing services almost 3 years ago the boys came I think to 'check it out'.  There had never been a real service provided for the boys.  I think they were 'checking out' what church would be like.  The first Sunday we were a little worried that only 1 boy would  come.  But, God had gone before us and brought 10 boys.  And all 10 of those boys listened with yearning hearts.  They were seeking God they were looking for something.  They really weren't sure exactly what but they knew that they needed something.

Knowing that music is a huge part of a 'normal' service we knew we had our work cut out for us. 

We knew 'opening a hymnal' would not speak to them.  We began searching the internet and Youtube for music that would 'speak' in their language.  And I have to say it had to be God because we stumbled onto Walk on Water a song by a Christian Rap Singer from Georgia.  And, he posted on the discription on Youtube to use and share his videos.   This over 50 believer has become a fan of Christian Rap (at least a fan of B-Shocs work).    And, we have learned to listen to the lyrics of a few other artists that share their faith this way. 

                                                                 B-Shoc and LaCrae

Today I am thankful for Christian Rap and Hip Hop not that I am a huge fan.  I am one of those people that lean toward Sunday worship.  And, I still wear 'Sunday Best' when I go to a 'regular' service but God has changed my heart.  Because he has put me in a place to Praise and Worship with a group of people that worship differently from me. 

After almost 3 years along with the music that meets them 'where they are' we 'sneak in' some Praise and Worship songs.  And today while we played Revelation Song by Kari Jobe three boys on the back row began waving thier arms.  It took me a moment to realize they wren't raising their arms in Praise they were trying to get my attention.  When I made eye contact one held his hands up like he was writing.  He wanted me to write down the name of the song.  They were Blessed by the song.  I was Blessed because 'they get it'. 

Today God Blessed me by showing me that they are connecting with Him.  They are beginning to worship outside their comfort zones.  They are moving away from music that speaks to them but learning to appreciate other forms of worship. 

But, as different as they are we are all the same.   They sing and they worship and  . . .

they take their needs to Our Father.  And, they are beginning to see past their own little worlds and their own hurts and needs and they are beggining to care about each other.  This is a prayer request we received today . . . Lord, please go into these young men's lifes and touch them like you've touched me.  Show them the better way.

And even though they are still a little shy, they are still hurting and they  . . .

. . . feel alone but when they see their prayers answered they say things like this  God all I want to say is thank you, for everything that is happening.  I'm getting my GED and goin home in December.  Thank you God.   They come to God like little children . . .

. . . as tough and worldly as they are they are just hurting humans like the rest of us.  They are searching and seeking just like the rest of us.  The only difference is their hurts are different.  They are seeking God just like you and I and they worship and they praise and they thank God for hearing their prayers. 

And I thank God that I get to worship on Sunday.