A life-giving church is a connected community that contextualizes the message of God’s love. Why? At the core of what it means to be a life-giving church is worship. Worship in a life-giving church provides people with the opportunity to encounter and interact with God, helping them to find meaning and to connect with something bigger than themselves.
Worship is a means for incomplete and broken mankind to find completeness and wholeness in God’s presence. Worship is man’s destiny.
John 4:23, The Father is looking for anyone who will worship him… (NLT)
To understand the purpose of God in creating man, look at the beginning and at the end of the Bible.
There is a growing hunger in the hearts of people for the supernatural.
The Vision of City Church of Chattanooga
To be a Life-giving church, helping the people of Metro Chattanooga..
Ø Experience God’s presence
Ø Feel His Love
Ø Hear His Word
Ø Become Jesus’ Disciples
There is a increasing awareness that there is more to this world than we can see, feel, taste of even imagine. Worship is a journey toward a God-encounter (Psalm 100).
To experience God’s presence it to be changed.
2 Corinthians 3:16-18, Whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away…wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, he gives freedom. And all of us have had that veil removed so that we can be mirrors that brightly reflect the glory of God…and we become more and more like him and reflect his glory even more. (NLT).
Life-giving is both a mystical and a rational experience.
John 4:23, …Worship the Father in spirit and in truth. To truly worship is to experience something we both can and cannot
explain. Life-giving worship attracts the attention of non-believers.
Psalm 40:3, He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be astounded. They will put their trust in the Lord. (NLT).
1 Corinthians 14:25, Their secret thoughts will be laid bare and they will fall on their knees and worship God, declaring, “God is really here among you.” (NLT)
1. Exalt God
Psalm 48:1, How great is the Lord and how much we should praise him!
2. Expound his word
2 Timothy 4:2, Preach the Word.
3. Experience God’s presence.
Psalm 27:4, One thin I ask of the Lord…that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon his beauty and to seek him in his temple.
4. Examine our lives
Psalm 139:23, Search me, O God, and know my heart…Point out anything in me that offends you and lead me along the path of life.
5. Enjoy God
Psalm 16:11, You will fill me with joy in your presence.