Expanding Your Worship Boundaries

Last evening the group was over to our place for the umpteenth time for worship. It was really pretty predictable – singing, accompaniment, prayer and Scripture reading. Not to suggest that predictable is bad or even boring. “Boring worship” is really an oxymoron if it comes from the heart. No gimmicks are necessary. But might there be some ways of expanding our worship boundaries?

Where I grew up in the Blue Ridge Mountains we had a neighbor who cultivated her passion – flowers. Driving by her yard was like walking into a giant florist shop with all manner of colors, sizes and varieties. Every Sunday morning Revel brought to the church a beautiful bouquet of flowers she had cut and arranged. They adorned the sanctuary. As a boy I didn’t think much of it, as a young man I appreciated the atmosphere they provided, but looking back I now realize it was worship. Whether or not she thought about it, Revel was honoring the Lord by giving back from the talents and passions He entrusted to her. She was reflecting His beauty, creativity and eternity.

Before we came here we collected smooth stones from the streams of southern West Virginia. Then we painted on them words like, “adore”, “magnify”, “kneel” and “treasure” before we placed them on the banister of our back deck. There they gave up a steady continuous stream of praise.

But wait, that’s not all. Try some of these: make a banner with a name of God, write a poem, play skillfully an instrument, use calligraphy with a Scripture verse, light a candle to the Light of the World, write an exaltation to go along with your offering, paint a picture, bake homemade bread to remind us of the Bread of Life, give the first fruits of your garden to a spiritual mentor, tell a “God story” from your life, put together a flower arrangement, produce a DVD, bring a photo that declares “God is awesome”, read a Psalm you have written, display nature arrangements (fall leaves, pine cones, drift wood), sculpt something, bring pictures of the universe or some other fascinating aspect of the Creator, write a song, paint rocks with worship words, introduce a new instrument like a dulcimer, display craftsmanship in honor of His workmanship…

Expand your worship boundaries! Other ideas anyone?