In ministry, sometimes it is good to push the reset button and ask ourselves, “Why do we do what we do together?” The way I have asked that question of our gathering of believers recently is, “If this was our last Sunday church service together, how would we spend it?” I wonder what would we do and how what we did together would impact our lives now and beyond the grave?

These questions arose out of a message I delivered two weeks ago titled, “Terminal.” (Click here to read message)

Well known worship leader, Matt Redman, explained that he confronted similar questions in his ministry. He explained that sometimes it is good to press the pause button on what we do in worship and refocus. To do this, he explained in an interview, sometimes we need to fire the band, strip away all the props, instruments and routine, and bring the hearts and voices of the people together and consider what we can bring to God that will bring Him joy.

Later, with this revelation, he wrote a song to give voice to the heart cry of every believer to love God authentically, which included the following lyrics:

“When the music fades

All is stripped away

And I simply come

Longing just to bring

Something that’s of worth

That will bless your heart ...”

I am sure many of you have listened to this song. Perhaps you have even sung it at your church? I have too, but until the last few weeks, I had never considered the practical implications of applying the message behind the words to our gathering together on Sunday mornings.

So, the last few weeks, we have stripped everything down to the basics and created an intimate environment where a few people have been asked to pray during the week,”Lord, what song can I bring to share with my friends at church that will bring you joy?”

From this prayer, they have each brought one song. Sometimes the song is accompanied with an instrument, sometimes not. The focus is on loving the Lord during the period of time we call, “Worship,” and give Him something he values beyond all things: you and I. If He sent His son, Jesus Christ our Lord, to die so that we might be His, it is safe to say that worship should be focused on giving all of who we are to Him.

The songs we sing together are a means to that end, not the end we are seeking together. Wouldn’t it be horrific if we sang a great song together, but failed to give God the gift of ourselves? This would be like a bride going to her wedding, giving her vows at the service, and then leaving having never given her life and heart to the bridegroom.

Stated another way, we don’t come to church to give God a song, we come to give God ourselves as an offering to Him, which we know by faith brings Him joy. He lovingly longs to receive us! In so much as a song helps us bring the offering of our life to Him and express to our Lord our love for Him, the song has served the ultimate purpose for which it was brought. Indeed, “It is all about you Jesus, it is all about you,” as the chorus to the Matt Redman song declares.

I pray as we gather again this Sunday (and every Sunday) that we will continue to give Him our lives as a gift, through song, through prayer, through the sharing of the Word of God, and through the way that we love one another and those He gives us to love.