“Why” Wednesdays

Happy 2012! I know it has been a long time since the last post, but what is a better time to reinvest in the blog than New Years? So, here’s to rekindling the blogging fires at RHW for 2012!

We are going to kick off the new year with a new weekly blog series called “Why” Wednesdays. Each week we will post a discussion on why we do some of the things we do within worship at RH. The questions will cover a broad range of topics from “Why do we co-lead?” to “Why do we have worship at the end of our services?” If you have a “why” question about worship at RH, email it in to worship@rockharbor.org, and it just might become the question we highlight in the next week’s post.

So, for our very first “Why Wednesday”- the question is: Why do a “Why Wednesday” series?

The longer I am in ministry, around other leaders, and especially the longer I am here at ROCKHARBOR, the more I realize how important it is to have clear and strong vision and values. Clear, God-inspired vision is what gives purpose and direction to all aspects of your ministry, and with that, values shape how vision is played out practically and consistently. Here at Rh, we are constantly encouraged to reevaluate our vision and values to make sure we are effectively heading in the direction God is leading us, and that we are able to take others with us. The more clear and well-articulated your vision/values are, the easier it is to inspire others toward what you are up to.

So, the “Why Wednesdays” are a means of communicating vision/values and the intention behind what we feel God is calling us to within RHW. It is not a guide to the best ways for all aspects of worship leading in every scenario, it is simply a window into why we are doing what we are doing here. I believe knowing the “why” behind an action is incredibly important and brings a depth that isn’t found when you are doing something “just because.” For me, this is especially true with what goes on in church, and our spiritual lives. For example, knowing the “why” behind the practice of taking communion transforms that act into an interaction with the living God, a celebration of our freedom from slavery to sin, and an act of spiritual significance - so much more than a tiny sip of juice and a soggy cracker. Hopefully these posts will help us articulate and communicate some of our values and also shed some light on the heart behind the decisions we feel led to make as we seek to be a worshipping church.

See you next week!