A Heart of Worship

"Worship is the activity of the human soul...True worship is a whole-life response to God's greatness and glory. A response that taps our mind, our heart of passion... and all our strength. We are created to worship," (Louie Giglio).

Worship isn't about what your heart looks like coming into it, but what happens in us as a result of worship. None of us are perfect people, but worshipping God brings us freedom. David was known as a man's man - a warrior, but he was known as a worshipper. He had failures and shortcomings, but he was also known as a man after God's heart.

What does a heart of worship look like?

1. A Decided Heart. Worship is a decision. It's not about whether you feel like it or not - it's about positioning yourself to worship. This decided heart stems from realizing what Christ has done for us - His incredible grace.

2. A Heart of Confidence. When we worship, the result is confi dence. God is looking out for you, even when you feel like you're disadvantaged. God is for us! (Psalm 27:1). Believe that God is looking out for you even in hard times (Habakkuk 3:17- 19).

3. A Heart that Magnifies God. It's impossible to say, "God, you are big," when you're focusing on the bigness of your problems. God is bigger than the issues of life. When God is exalted, our hearts are filled.

4. An Uninhibited Heart. A heart of worship is overflowing and unsurppressed (Psalm 45:1). Jesus came to break us free from the chains of sin. God doesn't want performance based worship that focuses on talent, but authentic, heartfelt worship.

Why do Christian leaders and ministers fail?

This morning, I received a call telling me that a young minister friend of mine, a man who has influenced thousands of young people for good, has confessed to living a lie for the past two years.

Pastor Michael Guglielmucci had claimed to be battling a deadly form of cancer. He has now confessed that these claims were untrue. Even his mother and father - close personal friends of my wife and I - were unaware of the truth of the situation.

I have known Michael since he was a little boy and have always loved him - I still do. Our hearts, of course, go out to those closest to him.

Though Michael's is not a household name, his music gift and speaking talent, along with his very charismatic personality, have made a major impact on many young lives, in a number of nations.

I write about this here, with some discomfort, because some regular readers of this editorial will know Michael and will be trying to understand the situation.

I write also because the issues here are bigger than this individual case. From time to time, Christian ministers and leaders will fall. People of faith must be able to face the inevitable question: 'How can this happen - and how should we respond?'

We must learn what we can lessons from these situations, for our own sakes and for the sake of the wonderful message of hope that we represent.

Perhaps the first thing we must take from the fall of a leader is the fact that the frailty of the messenger does not negate the authority or truth of the message.

Every faithful believer and church leader should continue to share the Christian message without fear or cant. Though God's messengers may sometimes fail (and haven't we all, though perhaps in less public ways?) the message remains as hopeful, reliable, trustworthy and life-enhancing as ever.

In fact, it is often only when we see the scale of human frailty laid bare before us that we can appreciate the true power of redemption.

And the failure of a particular key figure should not taint our picture of all Christian leaders. (In fact, I know personally that some of the people closest to Michael are among the finest Christian leaders you will ever meet.)

As Billy Graham poignantly noted some years ago, in reference to the moral problems of certain American televangelists, thousands of aircraft land safely at the world's airports every day - but the only time the media will take an interest is when one crashes.

Secondly, we need to remind ourselves of the importance of keeping a close circle of friends and counsellors; people who know us well enough to spot trouble before it arrives.

Of course, this won't necessarily prevent us from hiding our problems - human beings have a special talent for that.

But if we build around us an inner circle of wise and responsible friends, to whom we've given the right to speak honestly at all times, we can be open without losing our sense of dignity.

A third lesson, particularly for leaders, has to do with the dangers of seeking public affirmation.

Personally, I often find it easier to crave the love of the crowd than the love of God. At times, the crowd can seem quicker to respond and easier to find, while God can sometimes feel so distant.

Yet, while the acclaim and affirmation of people are valuable - we can't live without encouragement - our first calling is not to please people. We are living for something bigger than our own reputation.

People's deference to gift and talent can be both a blessing and a curse for a leader.

It's a blessing because it breeds respect for the message and vision, which allows the leader to lead. It can be a curse because it can set the individual up for a fall -- people start expecting leaders to be saints without flaws rather than flesh-and-blood human beings.

Finally, I think, when a minister falls we are presented with a marvellous opportunity to demonstrate the meaning of grace, that mo

Here's to the fathers, Who always begin,
On the outside of children, But looking in.
Such curious men snapping cameras like mad,
Recording the moment, they turn into "Dad."
Here's to the fathers, who put in their time,
Who don't say to Mother, that's your job, not mine.
Who wipe chins and noses and never say "won't"
Who do with the nappies, what some fathers don't.
Here's to the fathers who manage to stay
When so many fathers are turning away.
When so many run, leaving families to rot,
Here, then, a cheer, for those who do not.
Here's to the fathers whose big money dreams,
Die in the corner, while their baby screams.
And yet without anger, dread or regrets,
They comfort the child, hold it close to their chests.
And as the child grows, they grow with it too,
Learning a depth, that they never knew.
And soon they are older, their hair slightly gone,
Chasing two children around the front lawn.
Or carpooling teams to rugby and netball games,
Buying them hamburgers after it rains.
They mend broken dolls and fix broken wheels,
They cringe when their daughters try their first pair of heels.

They reach in their pockets, but never keep count,
They pay dear for parenthood, awful amounts.
They postpone their plans to sail across seas,
Instead they sing "Wiggles" and bandage skinned knees.
Here's to the fathers who miss on promotions,
Who forego the bonus, for birthday commotions.
Who come home from work and a boss they don't like,
Pull in the drive and run over a bike.
Here's to the fathers who get off the phone,
To hear their sons practice their new saxophone.
Who leave work to see their daughters recital,
Here's to the heroes who work without title.
For this is a world now full of neglect,
With everyday stories of lives that are wrecked.
Of fatherless children who take up with guns,
To kill other children of fatherless sons.
Divorce shattered families, childhoods derailed,
Mothers still waiting for checks still unmailed.
You wonder what wrongs these souls ever did,
To make a grown man turn away from his kids.
So here's to the fathers who won't compromise,
Who see a light shining in their children's eyes.
And feel a rare glow as if from a gem,
And know that once someone saw this glow in them.
For all the good boys, they have raised in the world,
For all the examples they set for their girls,
For all the loved children, whose stories they'll tell.
Here's to the father's that taught them so well.