What kind of frame are you?
The Revelation of the Mind of Christ
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3 comments:
As you could probably tell, the frame analogy was something that stuck out for me in this chapter. I think it could be used not only for our persons, but things like the cloths we wear or the instrument we play. I actually applied this unknowingly when I chose what guitar I would use for worship. I looked for the highest quality with the least amount of ornamentation. I considered what type of woods it should be, scale length for ease of play over long practice times and even the use of a black capo instead of a shiny silver one. Some may think that I over analyzed it, but I ended up being blessed with an exceptional instrument. What other things could distract or cheapen worship?
Chapter 4 – My Hands: What Do I Practice?
My comments are more of a summary (Chad notes if you will) for me to remember the highlights.
Worshiping God with excellence and skill because He deserves our best is what this chapter is about. Kauflin says, “Skill is the ability to do something well,” and I like how he pointed out the O.T. examples of the expert craftsman that God uses to build His tabernacle (Exodus 36:1) or musicians who “played skillfully” (Psalm 33:3). While do certain skill level is set or required in worship, I do think the principle is that a church should seek out the most skilled players or singers that it has to lead in worship so that God is always receiving our best. “Skill matters to God, it should matter to us too…it can mark the difference between ineffectiveness and fruitfulness…it can contribute to, or hinder people from, engaging with God.”
Kaulfin then turns and reminds of five things to remember about skill:
1. Skill is a gift from God for His glory (1 Corinthians 4:7) (All gifts from God are intended to direct our attention to God and create fresh affection for God)
2. Skill must be developed (1 Chronicles 25:7) (Discipline and hours of practice required)
3. Skill doesn’t make worship more acceptable before God (Psalm 51:17) God isn’t looking for something brilliant, but something broken)
4. Skill should be evaluated by others (feedback from others should be invaluable)
5. Skill is not an end in itself (valuing skill to highly can lead to pride, impatience, prayerlessness, and worldly definitions of success – the point of skill and practice is not to receive praise from others but to bring God glory)
Skill helps us to:
1. Focus on God – and not so much on the music/becomes 2nd nature – practice not only till you get it right but till you can’t get it wrong
2. Serve the church – eliminates distractions, worry, or embarrassment and promotes confidence, radiance, and joy.
3. Multiplies serving opportunities – we are able to do more than just one thing and meet more needs within the body
Skills to develop:
1. Leadership – leaders have a clear vision of what to do and where to go – help us see things or understand things we would otherwise miss (explaining a song – drawing attention to the most important – being able to say yes and no – goal not to make everyone happy but to glorify God)
2. Musicianship – mastering technique (mechanics), music theory (how music works), and taste (knowing what fits/works)
3. Communication – being honest and passionate in the moment, but also being prepared in knowing what to say in the specific length of time allowed.
4. Technology – using sound and media to enhance and make worship more effective (the sounds can be clearly heard, the words can be clearly read, etc.)
Conclusion:
All of these require more than a sincere heart and good intentions – they require skill, hard work, time, and preparation – but never substitute talent, ability, or skill for what God is really after – genuine worship that affects our entire lives.
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