Worship and Mission: Interdependent and Essential 

A few weeks ago I spent some time at the YWAM base in Lakeside, Montana.  I love the commitment to both Worship and Mission that is so evident in this community.  They love to draw near to God to know him better and better.  And they are fiercely committed to sharing the wealth of God’s goodness with their neighbors and the nations. 
  
Here are a few things I know about worship and mission: 

As we worship authentically, we see God, and know his love.  We get a taste of how good and beautiful he is and we overflow with gratitude.  We realize that every good thing in our lives comes from him. 

Knowing his love naturally leads to a desire to give away his love.  To put it another way, we worship because we love and we love because we worship.  

We can easily get sidetracked and distracted from the call to give away God’s love.  The biblical model of receiving leads to giving can get muddled by a watered down, self-centered vision of worship. 

This morning, my family sent off Jessica, my 24-year old daughter to go on a 9-month missions trip to Hong Kong and the Philippines.  She has caught the heart of worship and mission!  She is active in worship leading ministry and is now going overseas to help those who have been abused. 
  
Below are the lyrics to my song, Empowered.  Jesus told his disciples: “I have given you authority…”   It’s important for us to receive prayer for repeated fillings of the Holy Spirit.  But it’s also possible to wait forever for an empowering that we already have.   We’ll never feel 100% ready to “go and make disciples.”  It’s a step of faith!  Jesus has promised that he’s always with us.  If we keep on worshiping and pressing into him, we’ll have the strength to keep on GO-ing and loving people in Jesus’ name. 
  
Empowered 
  
My beloved children, I’ve filled you with my Spirit 
You are empowered to go 
I’m strong when you feel weak 
All you’ve got to do is trust me 
You are empowered to go 
The fields are white for harvest but the workers are few, 
So I’m sending you 
  
To go and bear fruit in all that you do 
For the kingdom of God is with you 
The doors that I open, no one can shut 
The kingdom of God is with you 

I’ve given you authority to bring my liberty 
To heal the sick in my name 
In the name of the Father, the Son and the Spirit 
It’s time to take a step of faith 
The fields are white for harvest but the workers are few, 
So I’m sending you 
  
Go and make disciples of all of the nations 
Baptizing them in my name 
Teach my commandments and always remember 
I am with you to the end of the age 
  
I will be with you, I will be with you

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