Simple Service Living room Sessions

Ok, for the title of this blog post, I stole the last two words from a Chris Rice album (The Living Room sessions). But, it does communicate the joyous night I had with my brothers tonight as we sang songs to our King. My church just recently began a "simple service." This phrase came from our pastor, who had a vision, with our elders, to have a new service at the church. This service was to be as simple as possible. For example, no large choirs, orchestras, flashy bands, colorful lights, etc. It was simply to be a service that was simply led as if everyone was sitting together in a living room. Well, I believe in the last few weeks, this service has lived up to its name! Black and white power point slides for the songs, piano, acoustic guitar, hand drum, and bass guitar as the instruments...and only a sheet of paper provided to each person which contains the lyrics to each song. It is SIMPLE! I love it.

The team that I have the joy of leading this new service with, just left my home. I love each of them. We don't gather to "practice." We don't gather to "discuss how the service will go." We gather for one purpose; musical worship. I love it. In my living room, we meet each Tuesday night and simply sing songs to our glorious King. We don't stress over details or worry about how smooth transitions may or may not be; we simply worshipped. I love it.

Look at this passage of Scripture with me; "Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God." (Colossians 3:16). AMEN! I love this verse. Look at the first word with me; Let. In the original language, we have the word enoikeo en-oy-keh'-o, which simply means: to inhabit (figuratively) -- dwell in. How do we do the last part of the verse? How do we sing with thanksgiving in our hearts to God? We SIMPLY let, allow habitation of Christ to be in us! We dwell in His Word which produces a simple joy of musical worship. I believe in the church today, this is sadly missed. We get so busy and worked over details and cues and practices and room temperatures and time and so many other things...that we forget the joy of SIMPLY letting the Word of Christ to dwell in our souls richly. I love this word for richly: plousios (ploo-see'-oce: copiously -- abundantly, richly.) When we inhabit ourselves in the Word of Christ, it produces an abundance of...HIM! What is our response? Well, I believe our response is what my friends and I did tonight in my living room. We sing songs to the King. I want to close this blog with a song we sang tonight, for it blessed my soul in so many ways. Allow the Word to dwell in you. Simply come to Him. Simply marvel at His grace. Simply...Sing to Jesus (by Fernando Ortega)

Come and see, look on this mystery
The Lord of the Universe, nailed to a tree
Christ our God, spilling His Holy blood
Bowing in anguish, His sacred head

Sing to Jesus, Lord of our shame
Lord of our sinful hearts. He is our great Redeemer.
Sing to Jesus, Honor His name.
Sing of His faithfulness, pouring His life out unto death

Come you weary and He will give you rest
Come you who mourn, lay on His breast
Christ who died, risen in Paradise
Giver of mercy, Giver of Life

Sing to Jesus His is the throne
Now and forever, He is the King of Heaven.
Sing to Jesus, we are His own.
Now and forever sing for the love our God has shown.