Chapter Four: The Whole Christ

Chapter Two: The Otherness of God

Reflections:

Check out the definition of the word "otherness," here.  It's amazing to me that the word otherness is a noun, God is unique.  There is none other like Him.  Check out the lyrics to the song "Indescribable."  After reading this chapter try to approach this song differently.  We are singing to and about a God who is truly indescribable.  Below, I've pulled out some great quotes from this chapter for reflection.

"Worship thrives on wonder."  

"Sometimes in the Church we find ourselves doing the total opposite-we take the extraordinary revelation of God and somehow manage to make Him sound completely ordinary!  We fail to communicate the sense of God's otherness."

"Left to ourselves we tend immediately to reduce God to manageable terms." (A.W. Tozer)

"Sometimes in the Church, I worry that we've settled for "goldfish bowl" worship.  We convey a tame and domesticated God, and then find ourselves stuck in the endless pursuit of the ordinary."

"Reverance for God must find its way into even the smallest details of our lives."

Questions:

1.  As worship leaders, how might we help to communicate the "otherness" of God?

2.  Do you ever feel like you've settled for "goldfish bowl" worship?

3.  Have you ever had a time when you we're ever "lost" in wonder?

Chapter One: Facedown

I hope you've found chapter one, of Matt Redman's book "Facedown," to be insightful and challenging. I love the fact that Redman, in a few short pages, captures the essence and communicates the necessity of facedown worship. Well, below you'll find some thoughts and reflections from chapter one and also a question, as I promised, to respond to.

Reflections:
"When we face up to the glory of God, we soon find ourselves facedown in worship."

"Each time we gather together, we don't just journey to a church building-we journey to the very throne of God."

"Good people bring good things out of the good stored up in their heart, and evil people bring evil things out of the evil stored up in their heart. For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks."
-Luke 6:45 (TNIV)

"Every posture in worship says something of both the worshipper and the One being gloried in. The raising of hands tells of a soul stretched out high in praise and the worth of the One being exalted. Joyful dancing interprets a grateful heart and points in adoration to the source of that joy. When it comes to expressing our worship, what we do on the outside is a key reflection of what's taking place on the inside."

Questions:
1. How does this apply to us both personally and corporately?
2. Why is raising our hands in worship seem easier than bowing ourselves in humble reverence?

Put it in Action:
Sometime this week I would encourage you try facedown worship. You could take this posture on during your personal prayer time or during a time of corporate worship. It might be hard at first, but take it one step at a time. As Redman says, "To worship facedown is the ultimate outward sign of inner reverence."

blessings,
Matt

How It's Gonna Work...

Here's how this experience will work.

1. We will commit to read 2 chapters a week.
2. On Tuesday and Thursday mornings I will post a few questions relating to the chapter that should have been read.
3. You then post answers to the questions.
4. Then respond to others by commenting on at least one other persons post.

Hopefully, this makes sense. If not, don't hesitate to post a question or leave a comment.

-Matt

The Material...

You should all have in your hands a copy of Matt Redman's book, Facedown. I've taken some excerpts from the book below. Check it out. You will also find a brief bio of the author.

"Facedown worship always begins as a posture of the heart. It's when we are so desperate for the increase of Christ that we find ourselves decreasing to the ground in an act of reverent submission-becoming so captivated by the Almighty that to bend low in true and total surrender seems the only appropriate response.

Matt Redmand's third book in the Worship series takes us on a journey into wonder, reverance, and mystery, urging us to recover the otherness of God in our worship."

Matt Redmans' songs include "The Heart of Worship," "Better is One Day," "Let My Words Be Few," and "Blessed Be Your Name." Matt has led worship at gatherings around the world. As an author, he has written The Unquenchable Worshipper and served as general editor for The Heart of Worship Files. Matt, his wife, Beth, and their children, Maisey and Noah, reside in West Sussex, England.

-Matt