It was the summer of 1998, I had only been following Christ
for one month when I was asked to serve on a worship team for a weekend
youth retreat. The drummer had bailed out with one week’s notice. I
had never even been to the youth group and didn’t know what to expect.
I was just a baby Christian and had yet to discover the vital place of
WORSHIPING WITH MY HANDS. I was reluctant but because of a friend who
was going to serve on the team I decided to give it a shot.
The retreat was life changing for me. It placed me in
uncomfortable and stretching positions and caused me to grow
spiritually. I saw God work through us and experienced an exciting new
joy. The next thing I knew I was serving on the youth group’s worship
team every week. I signed a covenant saying that I would keep a good
testimony and remain committed to the team for the next season. I was
held accountable and challenged to grow spiritually and relationally.
There were many trying times with various relational dynamics. My
commitment found me traveling out to the South side of Chicago three
times a week. I would pick up and drop off other team members on my
way; this took a lot of sacrifice. We had long practices and times of
prayer. We laughed, worked, fellowshipped and grew together.
At the time I didn’t see the full significance of serving in
ministry, but as I look back ten years later I realize that, this first
of many ministry experiences shaped my heart and changed my life
forever. I used to think that it was the Pastor’s job to do the work
of the ministry. But as I read God’s Word more I learned that I was
created to do good works (Eph.2:10; Mt.5:16) and that God gave us “Pastors and Teachers, to prepare God’s people for WORKS of SERVICE,
so that the body of Christ may be build up until we all reach unity in
the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become MATURE,
attaining to the WHOLE MEASURE of the FULLNESS of Christ... EACH PART
DOES IT’S WORK” Ephesians 4:11-16.
The
fact of the matter is, if we are to be people who are growing to “the
whole measure of the fullness of Christ” we must be people who are
serving in ministry (worshiping with our hands). “Each one should use
whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully
administering God’s grace in it’s various forms” 1Peter 4:10. So you
love God, how are you “worshiping with your hands”? You are unique and
thus you have a unique way of “serving others”. How has God created
your personality, spiritual gifts, abilities and passions? God wants
to work IN and THROUGH you in a unique way. Will you take the
challenge and begin to worship with, not only your heart, but also with
your hands?
