2021: The Year Of The Worshiper

God is not seeking worship. God is seeking worshipers. (see John 4:23)
If 2020 taught us anything, it’s that worship is our lifeline, it’s how we fight our battles, it’s where the victory is won, it is a conduit of hope from heaven. And Jesus is eternally worthy.

I have never experienced a season where my identity as a worshiper has been more vital.

Jeremiah 17:7-8 reads:

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,

whose confidence is in him.

They will be like a tree planted by the water

that sends out its roots by the stream.

It does not fear when heat comes;

its leaves are always green.

It has no worries in a year of drought

and never fails to bear fruit.”

This applies to 2020 and 2021. Just how DOES one get planted by a stream? What does it look like to send out your roots?

I think the secret may be something that goes past the ACTIVITY of worship to the IDENTITY of a worshiper.

That’s why I believe God is calling us to FOCUS on the identity of a worshiper. It’s not the year of worship. It’s the year of the worshiper. God invites us to BECOME someone.

We’ve known a measure of this identity, but we want to grow into the fullness of it.

Even now, within your spirit, the Holy Spirit is blowing on the embers, fanning into flame His gift. You may be feeling the desire to “sign me up!!” If not, I invite you to add this prayer to your daily routine - “Lord, teach my heart to be a worshiper.”

So some steps in that direction?

Let the BOLD examples in scripture inspire you

It’s no secret that our views, beliefs, and expectations of what a worshiper is have been shaped less by God than they have by our personality, comfort, and church background. That’s gotta change, y’all! Get into His Word and learn how worshipers have blazed a trail of deep, passionate, costly worshiping lives.

Get together with other like-hearted worshipers

A wildfire can start with a spark, but not without fuel. Follow the narrative of the-Jesus-Who-doesn’t-bow-to-fear and get together with other believers. Lift your voices loudly. Open up the doors and let the music play…let the streets resound with singing! If you’re ready to lead it, invite others to moments of worship.

Try this at home

In 1999, I created a “House Church Songbook” for my church’s small groups to use in worship at home. Our present and future require us to learn to lead our families in worship. I’ve been spending hours and hours creating a new version with about 80 of today’s songs, including a handful of hymns and other classics. Hey, you’d never think that eating once a week is enough. Neither is singing our hearts out to the LORD. It’s a daily. I’ll let you know when this tool is ready.

-Dave Helmuth
(purchase my book, "Worship Fertilizer: (the first hundred)" HERE)

2021: The Year Of The Worshiper (Nº 268)