Week 7 - Fasting to Make Room to Focus on God
by Dr. Jason Burden

Worship Pastor Search Committee •
October 12, 2026

5 Minute Read

Opening

I remember the first time I attempted a fast. As someone accustomed to three meals a day, with ample snacks in between, I was surprised by what I discovered about fasting,about myself, and about God.

I expected to discover that I would be hungry. What I did not expect was to discover how quickly discomfort could control my thoughts, affect my attitude, and expose mydependence upon the comforts of this world.

Biblical Reflection

The words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount confront us in a way for which we may not be prepared. Jesus does not say, “If you fast.” He says, “When you fast.”

Jesus does not present fasting as an unusual activity reserved for hyper-spirital people. He assumes that fasting will be part of the regular spiritual disciplines of His followers. Fasting is not about proving how spiritual we are. It is about recognizing how dependent we are.

Fasting is not superspiritual. It does not earn us merit badges in heaven. It does not place God in our debt. It does not make us more valuable, more righteous, or more worthy of His attention. True fasting does not say, “Look at what I am giving up.” True fasting says, “Look at how much I need God.”

Jesus tells us to wash our faces, care for our appearance, and go about our responsibilities without drawing attention to ourselves while we fast. The goal is not for people to see our sacrifice. The goal is for us to seek our Father. Fasting is a volitional choice to humble ourselves before God so we can focus more on God.

Fasting is not an attempt to manipulate God into approving our plans. It is a way of submitting our plans, our desires, and our appetites to Him. When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, He responded with the words:

“Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

Matthew 4:

Food can sustain the body, but only God can sustain the soul. Fasting is a practical exercise of dependence upon God. We willingly experience a temporary physical hunger to remind ourselves of a deeper spiritual hunger. We fast to empty ourselves of ourselves so that we may seek to be filled with the things of God.

In the New Testament, the believers in Antioch were worshiping, praying, and fasting when the Holy Spirit directed them to set apart Barnabas and Saul for missionary service:

“While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’”

Acts 13:2:

Their fasting did not convince God to participate in their plans. Their fasting prepared them to participate in God’s plan. Prayer and fasting placed the church in a posture of listening. As they sought God together, He revealed His calling. Fasting should therefore be intentional, purposeful, and focused. The central purpose is not simply to receive an answer. The central purpose is to seek God Himself.

Encouragement

Decide what kind of fast you will undertake, when it will begin, and when it will end. You might fast from one meal, from food for a defined period, or from a particular comfort or activity that regularly occupies your attention. A biblical food fast has unique value because hunger creates a physical reminder to pray. The important thing is that your fast creates space for God.

When hunger rises, do not merely watch the clock like a countdown timer until the fast is over. Allow the hunger to become a summons from God. When your stomach growls, pray. When you instinctively reach for food, reach for Scripture. When you feel weak, confess your dependence upon God. When irritation rises, ask God to reveal what is happening in your heart.

Fasting is not complete when the clock runs out and the next meal begins. The true question is what happens after we have sought God. The church in Antioch did not merely fast and enjoy a meaningful spiritual experience. They responded by releasing Barnabas and Saul to the work God had appointed.

Fasting should lead to listening, and listening should lead to obedience. Do not fast only so that God will change your circumstances. Fast with a willingness for God to change you.

This week, choose a time. Make a plan. Establish a purpose. Join your heart with other believers, and seek the Lord. We are not fasting to persuade God to hear our voice. We are fasting to surrender ourselves to His voice.

Prayer

Lord, I cannot make it today without you.

You are my creator and my sustainer. You have provided for me abundantly. Help me to empty myself of myself in order to make more room for you in my life. Fill my time, my heart, and my mind with only the things that are spiritually profitable to me. May my fast reveal to me my absolute dependence upon you. Give me the strength of conviction to respond to you as You reveal to me any desires I may have that are outside of your will.

As I fast, help me to feast on Your Word, be sustained by You through Prayer, and empowered by Your Holy Spirit.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Reflection Questions

What attitudes or assumptions about fasting have I held onto that have prevented me from fasting in the past?

What kind of fast will I undertake, and when will it begin and end?

Am I willing to obey God if He reveals something I need to confess, change, or surrender?


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October 12, 2026 • 5 Minute Read
Week 7 - Fasting to Make Room to Focus on God
Opening I remember the first time I attempted a fast. As someone accustomed to three meals a day, with ample snacks in between, I was surprised by what I discovered about fasting,about myself, and about God. I expected to discover that I would be hungry. What I did not expect was to discover how quickly discomfort could control my thoughts, affect my attitude, and expose mydependence upon the comforts of this world. Biblical Reflection The words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount confront us in a way for which we may not be prepared. Jesus does not say, “If you fast.” He says, “When you fast.” Jesus does not present fasting as an unusual activity reserved for hyper-spirital people. He assumes that fasting will be part of the regular spiritual disciplines of His followers. Fasting is not about proving how spiritual we are. It is about recognizing how dependent we are. Fasting is not superspiritual. It does not earn us merit badges in heaven. It does not place God in our debt. It does not make us more valuable, more righteous, or more worthy of His attention. True fasting does not say, “Look at what I am giving up.” True fasting says, “Look at how much I need God.” Jesus tells us to wash our faces, care for our appearance, and go about our responsibilities without drawing attention to ourselves while we fast. The goal is not for people to see our sacrifice. The goal is for us to seek our Father. Fasting is a volitional choice to humble ourselves before God so we can focus more on God. Fasting is not an attempt to manipulate God into approving our plans. It is a way of submitting our plans, our desires, and our appetites to Him. When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, He responded with the words: “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Matthew 4: Food can sustain the body, but only God can sustain the soul. Fasting is a practical exercise of dependence upon God. We willingly experience a temporary physical hunger to remind ourselves of a deeper spiritual hunger. We fast to empty ourselves of ourselves so that we may seek to be filled with the things of God. In the New Testament, the believers in Antioch were worshiping, praying, and fasting when the Holy Spirit directed them to set apart Barnabas and Saul for missionary service: “While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’” Acts 13:2: Their fasting did not convince God to participate in their plans. Their fasting prepared them to participate in God’s plan. Prayer and fasting placed the church in a posture of listening. As they sought God together, He revealed His calling. Fasting should therefore be intentional, purposeful, and focused. The central purpose is not simply to receive an answer. The central purpose is to seek God Himself. Encouragement Decide what kind of fast you will undertake, when it will begin, and when it will end. You might fast from one meal, from food for a defined period, or from a particular comfort or activity that regularly occupies your attention. A biblical food fast has unique value because hunger creates a physical reminder to pray. The important thing is that your fast creates space for God. When hunger rises, do not merely watch the clock like a countdown timer until the fast is over. Allow the hunger to become a summons from God. When your stomach growls, pray. When you instinctively reach for food, reach for Scripture. When you feel weak, confess your dependence upon God. When irritation rises, ask God to reveal what is happening in your heart. Fasting is not complete when the clock runs out and the next meal begins. The true question is what happens after we have sought God. The church in Antioch did not merely fast and enjoy a meaningful spiritual experience. They responded by releasing Barnabas and Saul to the work God had appointed. Fasting should lead to listening, and listening should lead to obedience. Do not fast only so that God will change your circumstances. Fast with a willingness for God to change you. This week, choose a time. Make a plan. Establish a purpose. Join your heart with other believers, and seek the Lord. We are not fasting to persuade God to hear our voice. We are fasting to surrender ourselves to His voice. Prayer Lord, I cannot make it today without you. You are my creator and my sustainer. You have provided for me abundantly. Help me to empty myself of myself in order to make more room for you in my life. Fill my time, my heart, and my mind with only the things that are spiritually profitable to me. May my fast reveal to me my absolute dependence upon you. Give me the strength of conviction to respond to you as You reveal to me any desires I may have that are outside of your will. As I fast, help me to feast on Your Word, be sustained by You through Prayer, and empowered by Your Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Reflection Questions What attitudes or assumptions about fasting have I held onto that have prevented me from fasting in the past? What kind of fast will I undertake, and when will it begin and end? Am I willing to obey God if He reveals something I need to confess, change, or surrender?

Worship Pastor Search Committee

October 5, 2026 • 6 Minute Read
Week 6 - Worship That Carries With Us
“But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.” 2 Corinthians 2:14–15 Opening I don’t think I’ve hidden the fact that I have an enthusiasm for BBQ. One of my favorite sermon series in recent memory was our study through the book of Leviticus. Though Leviticus may initially seem like a tedious collection of rules about clean and unclean animals, conditions, sacrifices, and activities, it is actually something much more: a worship manual. God gave His people a way to approach Him with reverence. Consider going back and reading some of the passages in Leviticus describing the sacrifices God prescribed. Put yourself in the place of one of those ancient worshipers approaching the altar. As much as you can, imagine the full sensory experience of worship at the Tabernacle in the wilderness and, later, at the Temple in Jerusalem. The sights, sounds, and even smells reminded God’s people that worship involved real sacrifice. And there would have been an unmistakable aroma of roasting meat. I sometimes think about that when I’m smoking a brisket. Once the fire is lit and the meat is on the grate, everyone in my neighborhood knows something good is happening at my house. There is also an added benefit to being the pitmaster: as I tend the fire, check the temperature, and monitor the meat, the aroma of the BBQ pit settles into my clothes. Long after I step away from the smoker, I carry the aroma with me wherever I go. Biblical Reflection The Apostle Paul uses a similar metaphor to describe the life of someone who belongs to Christ. God uses us, Paul says, to “spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere.” Think about that for a moment. We carry with us evidence that we have encountered Jesus. We are living, breathing, walking, talking representatives of the Savior who died and rose again for us. As we live to please God, wherever we are, we spread the knowledge of His goodness and grace to the people around us. Paul goes even further. He says, “We are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ.” Our lives, surrendered to Jesus, become an offering that brings pleasure and glory to God. As we gather for worship Sunday after Sunday, my hope is that our passion for Christ is stoked like a fire. As we leave our corporate gathering, our worship continues through our words, our attitudes, our decisions, our love for God, and our love for our neighbors. When we come together to focus on Christ on Sundays, it strengthens us to worship Him with the totality of our lives throughout the week. Paul reminds us in Romans 12:1: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” Because Christ died for us, we are able to live for Him. Our worship was never meant to be confined to one day or one hour of the week. Our worship is unbounded because the love God has poured out upon us is boundless. Encouragement When we worship together on Sunday, we sing, pray, study, reflect, give, and respond. The elements of worship we practice together on the weekend are merely starting points for worshiping God throughout the week. On your commute to work or school, turn on a worship song. Whether you recognize the song or not, engage with it intentionally. Say in your heart, “Lord, I am giving You this time as an act of worship.” Make time to praise Him with songs beyond the sanctuary as part of your daily routine. Each week we encourage everyone to set an alarm for 8:06 in the morning, evening, or both as a reminder to pray. If you have not developed that habit, consider beginning this week. And if you are unsure what to pray, pray the Lord’s Prayer. There are no better words to offer the Father than the words Jesus Himself gave His disciples when He taught them how to pray. As you read this devotional book during our season of discernment, engage with these reflections as you would a message on Sunday morning, trusting that they have been prayerfully prepared to help the Scriptures come alive in your life. But never allow a devotional book to become a substitute for the Bible itself. God’s Word is “living and active…sharper than any double-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12). Let these pages lead you toward Scripture, not replace it. Choose this week to embody the grace and knowledge of Jesus in every encounter. At the store, at school, at work, in your neighborhood, and around your own dinner table, ask yourself, “By the way I conduct myself, will people be able to tell that I have been with Jesus?” Sunday may be where we gather for worship, but it should never be the only place where worship happens. May we leave the gathered worship of the church carrying the aroma of Christ into every place God sends us. Prayer Heavenly Father, Holy God, King of my life, You are worthy of my worship. I recognize Your gracious presence with me in every waking moment, and I trust Your watchcare over me when I lie down to sleep. Receive from me the reverence, praise, and devotion You desire and deserve. Make my life a pleasing aroma of worship that is nurtured by Your Word, empowered by Your Spirit, and shaped by the example of Jesus. Wherever I go, may others encounter something of Your goodness and grace through me. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Reflection Questions Where in my daily routine could I become more intentional about worshiping God? How can singing, prayer, Scripture, and generosity become regular parts of my weekday worship? Who in my life has modeled what it looks like to carry the aroma of Christ wherever they go? What have I learned from them?

Worship Pastor Search Committee

September 21, 2026 • 4 Minute Read
Week 4 - Praying for Discernment
“And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ.” Philippians 1:9–10 Opening When I was younger, I thought making the right choice was largely an exercise in intelligence. If I could just gather enough facts and think strategically enough, the “correct” answer would become obvious. I’ve since learned that some of the most important decisions I’ve faced didn’t come from being smart enough or having a clear strategy. They came through the right combination of prayer, waiting, a few trusted voices, and a quiet sense that God was near even though the path didn’t come with lighted arrows. It was never just one ingredient. It was several, held together in the right proportion. I think about that now as I picture our church family in this season. His Voice, Our Voice calls us to pray, listen, and discern God’s heart for who will lead us in worship next. Discernment isn’t a skill we master, it’s a gift we ask for, from a God who loves giving it. Biblical Reflection Discernment, in everyday terms, means the ability to judge well, to perceive and understand clearly, especially when the distinctions involved are subtle. It’s the capacity to tell the difference between options that aren’t obviously right or wrong on the surface. Paul’s words in Philippians 1:9–10 give us a picture of how that kind of discernment forms. Notice what he prays for first, not knowledge, not strategy, but love, that it “may abound more and more.” Only then does he add knowledge and discernment, folded in so love can be lived out wisely rather than just felt sincerely. Read this way, it’s less an intellectual exercise and more like a recipe with the right ingredients, in the right order, in the right proportion. Love is the base and then knowledge and discernment are added next. Love without discernment can be sincere but misguided; while discernment without love can turn cold. Paul prays for both, because one without the other falls short of what God intends. The result being the ability to “approve what is excellent,” not merely what’s acceptable or convenient, so that we might be “pure and blameless for the day of Christ.” Encouragement If you’re anything like me, you sometimes want discernment to feel more dramatic than it usually does—a clear voice, a sign, an unmistakable moment of certainty. More often, in my experience, discernment grows quietly. It grows in the ordinary rhythms of prayer, reading Scripture, honest conversation, and simply staying near to God over time. As our church seeks discernment together in the months ahead, here’s my encouragement: lovingly engage in the process. Paul prayed that the Philipians’ love would abound, and that discernment would grow alongside it. Let your participation in this season—your prayers, your conversations, your patience with a process that takes time—be shaped by love for your church family, even when you don’t yet see the outcome clearly. Prayer Father, thank You for Paul’s prayer in Philippians. I pray that our love for one another would abound more and more, made whole with real knowledge and real discernment. Help us to see clearly, not just what is acceptable, but what is excellent and pleasing to You, as we walk through this season together. Keep our hearts pure and our motives blameless. And where we feel unsure, remind us that You are near, and that discernment grows as we stay close to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Reflection Questions Have you ever experienced discernment as something that grew slowly, rather than arriving all at once? What did that process look like for you? Paul links discernment closely with love. How might approaching this season with love shape the way you engage in it? What practices help you stay close to God in seasons where you’re seeking His direction? Which of those could you lean into more right now? Is there an area of your life right now where you’re seeking to be “proven right” rather than genuinely asking God to grow your discernment? What would it look like to shift that posture?

Worship Pastor Search Committee

September 28, 2026 • 4 Minute Read
Week 5 - Prioritizing His Kingdom
“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:33–34 Opening Everyone has priorities. The question isn’t whether you have them, it’s what sits on the throne of your life. You can say God is first, but your calendar, bank account, conversations, and screen time expose the truth. What gets your best energy? What consumes your thoughts? What do you instinctively reach for when you wake up or have a free moment? Many people don’t reject God, they simply demote Him. He gets the leftovers. He gets Sunday mornings, emergency prayers, and whatever time is left after we’ve satisfied ourselves. We claim to follow Christ while quietly building a kingdom centered on us. But Jesus didn’t say, “Seek God’s kingdom when it’s convenient.” He said, “Seek first the kingdom of God.” Jesus isn’t asking for a place in your life. He demands first place. In Matthew 6, Jesus confronts anxiety, materialism, and misplaced priorities. He warns against chasing money, possessions, and security because what we pursue reveals what we worship. We say we trust God, yet we obsess over success, comfort, approval, entertainment, and control. The issue isn’t that we own things. The issue is when our things own us. Seeking God’s kingdom first means surrendering your right to rule your own life. His will becomes more important than your preferences. His truth outweighs your feelings. His mission matters more than your comfort. Encouragement Ask yourself this uncomfortable question: If God removed the things you spend the most time pursuing, would He still be enough? Jesus promises that when we seek Him first, He will provide what we truly need. That doesn’t mean He gives us everything we want. It means He faithfully supplies everything we need according to His will. The hard truth is that many people aren’t empty because God has failed them. They’re empty because they’ve spent their lives pursuing everything except Him. Take an honest inventory. If someone examined your schedule, spending habits, and thought life, would they conclude that Jesus is truly first? Or would they see Him as an accessory added onto a life that’s really about you? You cannot seek God’s kingdom while seeking yourself. You cannot cling to comfort and carry a cross. You cannot live for temporary things and expect an eternal perspective. Many of us spend hours doomscrolling, feeding our minds with things of no eternal value. Our thumbs are strong, but our souls are weak. Stop giving God what’s left over. Give Him what already belongs to Him…your everything. Give God your first thoughts each morning. Give Him your best energy instead of your leftovers. Obey Him when it’s costly. Surrender your plans, finances, relationships, dreams, and future. Jesus doesn’t want to be part of your life. He wants to be the center of it. Psalm 37:4 is a commonly misquoted and misunderstood verse, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Many read this thinking they can get the worldly, selfish desires that occupy their heart if they can somehow show God they delight in Him. This verse is more accurately understood as, “Find your supreme joy and extreme satisfaction in the Lord, and he will place His desires in your heart.” When we seek Him and His kingdom first, He molds us into the likeness of Christ that results into a life well-lived and without regrets. Prayer Father, forgive me for claiming to follow You while still trying to control my own life. Forgive me for pursuing comfort, success, approval, and temporary things more than I pursue You. Search my heart and expose anything that has taken Your rightful place. Teach me to surrender my desires, my plans, and my fears. Give me the courage to seek Your kingdom above everything else, even when it costs me. Help me stop living for what fades and start living for what lasts. May my life reflect Your kingdom instead of my own, and may You have first place in everything. In Jesus’s name, Amen. Reflection Questions If someone examined your daily priorities, what would they conclude you are truly seeking first? What competes most with God for your attention, affection, or trust? What is one area of your life that you need to fully surrender to Christ today?

Worship Pastor Search Committee

September 14, 2026 • 4 Minute Read
Week 3 - Seeking God’s Will
“Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:12–13 Opening Growing up, my mother often reminded me to “always seek God’s will.” I’ve found myself thinking about those words often, especially during seasons that require important decisions. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about myself, it’s that I like to have a plan and know what comes next. I’ve realized that preparation may get us ready for the work, but only God can lead us in His will. Planning, listening, and reading The Voice of Our Congregation are all important steps, but they are only tools. True discernment comes as we seek God’s will together through prayer, Scripture, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Our theme, His Voice, Our Voice, is a reminder that before we ever share our voice, we first seek His Voice. We do that by praying, listening, and trusting the Holy Spirit to lead us. Biblical Reflection When we hear Jeremiah 29, most of us think of verse 11: “For I know the plans I have for you...” But those words were written to God’s people while they were living in exile in Babylon. Their future was uncertain, and they were waiting for God to change their circumstances. Instead, God reminded them to trust Him, be faithful where they were, and seek Him: “Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” What stands out to me is that before God revealed what He was going to do, He called His people to seek Him. That’s a good reminder that seeking God’s will isn’t about having all the answers. It begins with prayer, trusting God, following His lead. Encouragement One of the ideas I keep coming back to from The Voice of Our Congregation is that discernment isn’t about creating God’s vision for the church. It’s about recognizing where God is already at work and joining Him there. That’s what God was teaching His people in Jeremiah 29. Even in a season of uncertainty, He reminded them that He was still at work and called them to seek Him, trust Him, and be faithful. Our first priority is to seek God and follow where He leads. Listening isn’t just about gathering information. It’s an opportunity to listen for the guidance of the Holy Spirit, be reminded of God’s faithfulness, and recognize where God has been at work. God told His people, “Call on me...pray to me...seek me.” That’s the example we want to follow. Rather than relying on our own understanding, we can come to God in prayer, trusting Him to faithfully lead us. To me, that’s the heart of this phrase, His Voice, Our Voice. My hope is that before we discuss ideas or make decisions, we’ll first ask, “God, what are You showing us? Where are You already at work?” That’s where discernment begins, and as we continue to seek Him together, I believe He’ll faithfully guide us one step at a time. Prayer Father, thank you for reminding us that this church is Yours. As we begin this season of discernment, help us seek You first. As we prepare to listen to your voice and seek you with all of our hearts, give us ears to hear where You’ve been at work and hearts that are ready to follow where You’re leading. Give us wisdom, unity, and patience as we join together in worship. Help us to listen well, encourage one another, and keep us from relying on our own understanding. Teach us to trust You each step of the way. Above all, may we seek Your voice before we ever share our own, trusting that You will faithfully guide our church. Thank You for inviting us to join You in what You’re already doing. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Reflection Questions What does it look like for me to seek God’s voice instead of simply looking for answers? How can I prepare my heart to listen well to God through Scripture and prayer, and to others as they share how He’s been at work in their lives? Where have I already seen God at work through the worship ministry of First Baptist Church?

Worship Pastor Search Committee

September 7, 2026 • 4 Minute Read
Week 2 - Worship in Unity
“May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.” Romans 15:5–7 Opening When Paul wrote to the believers in Rome, the church was made up of people who were remarkably different. Jews and Gentiles came from different cultures, traditions, and backgrounds. They did not share the same experiences or customs, yet Paul did not ask them to become more alike. Instead, he prayed that they would live in harmony with one another so that, with one voice, they would glorify God. That phrase really struck me. Paul doesn’t picture worship as many individual voices competing to be heard. He pictures one church, united by one Savior, lifting one song of praise to one God. Biblical Reflection The goal of worship has never been simply to express ourselves. Worship is the joyful response of God’s redeemed people to His holiness, love, and greatness. As we gather each week, we bring different stories of God’s faithfulness. Some come celebrating answered prayers. Others arrive carrying heavy burdens. Some are new to the faith, while others have walked with Christ for decades. Yet when we gather before the Lord, we discover that what unites us is greater than anything that distinguishes us. Though each of us comes with a different story, we gather around the same Savior. It is Christ who unites our hearts, and because we belong to Him, our worship rises together as one offering of praise. As our church seeks God’s direction in calling our next worship pastor, Romans 15 reminds us to keep our eyes on what matters most. The greatest expression of worship is not found in a particular song or style, but in a congregation whose hearts are united in glorifying Jesus. When Christ is at the center, worship becomes a beautiful expression of the unity He has already created among His people. The worship pastor God is preparing to call will help lead us in song, but every member of the church helps shape the spirit of worship. A congregation marked by humility, encouragement, gratitude, and love creates an environment where God’s people truly worship with one voice. May this season be one in which God deepens not only our prayers for His direction but also our love for one another. As He does, our worship will become an even clearer reflection of the gospel, a people redeemed by Christ, gathered together for His glory. Encouragement This week, spend a few moments praying through Romans 15:5–7 before you gather for worship. Ask God to give our church a spirit of harmony and to unite our hearts around the glory of Christ. Pray for our search committee as they seek the Lord’s wisdom. Pray for the person God is preparing to serve our church. And pray that, as a congregation, we would increasingly reflect the picture Paul describes which is a church that glorifies God with one voice. Prayer Heavenly Father, thank You for making us one through Your Son, Jesus. Thank You for bringing together people with different stories, gifts, and experiences into one family. As we seek the next worship pastor You have prepared for our church, give us hearts that are united in our desire to glorify You. Grant wisdom to our search committee, prepare the man You are calling, and continue shaping us into a congregation that worships You with one voice. May our unity point others to Christ and may everything we do bring honor to Your name. In Jesus’s name, Amen. Reflection Questions What does it mean for a church to glorify God “with one voice”? How does remembering our shared identity in Christ shape the way we gather for worship? How can I pray for greater unity within our church during this season of discernment? In what ways can my attitude encourage others as we worship and seek God’s direction together?

Worship Pastor Search Committee

August 31, 2026 • 11 Minute Read
Week 1 - True Worship
“But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:23–24 Opening Many theologians, preachers, and Christian authors have attempted to capture the idea of humans longing for something other than this world, something else, something better. C.S. Lewis, in his book Mere Christianity postured it this way, “If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.” St. Augustine, in multiple writings, described how human beings aren’t just made of earth, but are made of heaven as well. This deep desire and longing creates a hunger for intimacy with the Infinite. The Infinite being God, with the only possibility of a relationship coming through Christ Jesus, and not from us, as the Apostle Paul wrote, ‘so that no one may boast.’ (Ephesians 2:9) But, as we read about longings and hopes, and even being ‘made of Heaven’, we should naturally wonder, what can satisfy these deepest of desires? The answer lies in the word used 10 times throughout John 4:1-42: worship. Biblical Reflection As you read John 4, specifically verses 1-42, you see the word, or a derivative of the word ‘worship’ utilized ten times. Jesus is speaking to the woman at the well in John 4:1-42 and in doing so He describes to her how the Father seeks out worshipers who worship God in spirit and in truth. We ultimately see Jesus bring salvation not only to the Samaritan woman, with whom he was speaking, but to many others in the town of Sychar. The end of this portion of scripture (John 4:42) essentially ends in worship to Jesus for salvation, “They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.” In Greek the word for worship is προσκυνέω, or proskuneo. This word means, “To recognize someone or something of superior value.” The Old English word for worship is similar to the Ancient Greek in terms of meaning. The Old English word for worship is, weorþscipe, or as we would say it now, worth-ship. Worth-ship is what happens, in some sense, in every episode of the American television series, “Antiques Roadshow.” The premise of this show is that ordinary people bring heirlooms of unknown value, finds at garage sales, or items discovered in attics to have them appraised, often for alarming valuations. One such episode found a Wisconsin man bringing a pocket watch, which was passed down from his great-grandfather. The watch was a 1914 Patek Philippe pocket watch, which the family had previously valued at $6,000. An appraiser and jeweler by trade, Paul Hartquist, acted as host for this portion of Antiques Roadshow. When he was presented with the watch, he called it the finest watch he ever held. He estimated it was worth at least $250,000. In fact, in a later update episode of this show they described how this pocket watch was later purchased through a Sotheby’s auction, by and for the Patek Philippe Museum in Geneva, Switzerland for a staggering, $1.5 million dollars. $6,000 dollars is a lot for a pocket watch, but it is nothing compared to the staggering purchased value of $1.5 million. What if you owned a pocket watch worth $6,000 and a jeweler told you, you must have it cleaned and repaired every few years to maintain the watch and that this service would cost you $3,000. Would you pay to have this service performed? The answer is probably, no. Within two services of the watch, the value has zeroed out. Perhaps there is value in holding it as a keepsake, but it is not worth performing maintenance on that item multiple times for that amount. Now, let’s say you know the pocket watch was worth $1.5 million, like the one from Antiques Roadshow, and it needed to be cleaned and maintained for $3,000 once every couple of years. Would you make that sacrifice? The answer is most certainly, yes. What if the only way to sell the watch was to fly to Europe on a trip totaling close to $10,000? Would you find a way for the end result, the sale of the watch? Yes. The valuation of the pocket watch changed this man’s life forever. This is worth-ship. Encouragement Seeing the worth of something, the ascribed value of that thing, and our belief in how life-changing a thing might be, makes all else fade away. Your entire attitude changes. Your stance of your whole being is transformed by your valuation of an item or thing. Dare I say, that if you owned that pocket watch, it would no longer live in a drawer with other odds and ends but would reside in a top of the line safe or even better, a safety deposit box inside a secured bank. The jeweler, who gave such a high value to that pocket watch, led the owner to understand there was a reality in the midst of his life that he did not recognize. Because he did not recognize the value of it, he was not living properly, did not have the right attitude towards the thing, or understand the implications for his life. We find ourselves as Christians, often living like the man before he knew the true value of the pocket watch. We ascribe to being Christians, yet we often live like we do not recognize the absolute value of the thing. We treat the gracious gift of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, as an item to be tossed away. We often throw this gift into the odds and ends drawer, along with everything else in our lives. Worship is placing God where he belongs on His throne, recognizing the implications of Him loving us first, His gracious gift of Jesus, and our need for Jesus as our savior from sin and death. If our entire life’s trajectory would change for a pocket watch, how much more should it be for the ‘Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world?’ (John 1:29) So, what is worship of God? I heard a preacher once say that worship is, “Doing what you do all the time, to almost everybody, but God.” To worship God, you appraise God much like with the pocket watch, but instead of assigning God ‘High Value’ you assign Him, ‘Ultimate Value.’ Instead of investing ‘Much More’ you invest ‘Everything.’ How much more would God demand than a high-priced watch? How much more in awe of God should we be than our most valuable possession? How much more joy should we have from our relationship with God than any personal possession or desire? How much less casually would we treat God than our possessions we throw into a junk drawer? How much differently should we live, as people who are in a relationship with God, considering we would change our whole lives for a possession? A few weeks back Dr. Burden preached from the text of Isaiah 6. Isaiah had this great vision of the Lord and sees the Lord, “High and lifted up” (Isaiah 6:1). Suddenly, Isaiah had this vision, and he saw the greatness and majesty of God. What does that mean? Isaiah worshipped. Isaiah always knew God was great, but he suddenly saw and understood the worth of God. What happens? Isaiah is a changed man. In this chapter of Isaiah, God asked for a volunteer for one of the worst job offers on the planet. God needed someone to go and proclaim his words to a people who would NEVER listen to them. Yuck. Yet, what does Isaiah do? He jumps up and says, “Here am I. Send me.” (Isaiah 6:8) Why does Isaiah respond this way? Because Isaiah suddenly saw the ultimate worth of God. Isaiah elevated God to the highest level in his life and worshipped him fully. Isaiah put God first to the point that he no longer needed a ‘successful’ life as measured by man, because knowing a God like his was worth more than anything the world could offer. This is worth-ship. This is worship. We oftentimes struggle in worship with the sense of proportion, or even more bluntly, our child-like character next to God’s. As the book of Isaiah says in Isaiah 55:8-9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” As a parent I have seen my children ascribe GREAT value to things that really have none at all. Think about your own children, or when you were a child, and the great value they place on their special blanket, or stuffy, or toy. To them, those items are seemingly invaluable. If someone walked up to one of my kids and offered them a house for their favorite toy or stuffy, they would waver. Maybe my slightly older boys would take the deal for the home, but my four-year-old daughter is choosing any one of her 50 plus stuffies every day of the week, over the home. Why? She has no perspective on the absolute value of the item. She cannot see the worth of the items and she has no perspective on proportion. Stephen, an early church disciple and the first Christian martyr, is called, “A man full of God’s grace and power” in Acts 6:8. Stephen understood the worth of God and worshipped Him, by aligning his whole life towards the will of the Father. In Acts 7 as the religious leaders are about to pick up stones and kill Stephen the Bible says, “But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” (Acts 7:55-56) What was God requiring of Stephen? His life. Yet, Stephen remained courageous, when most of us might falter. Why? Stephen suddenly understood his sense of proportion. The worth of the object before Stephen was far greater than his life. How often do we look like our children who would never trade their old, ragged blankets for something of infinite value before God? How often do we cling to tattered stuffies, in comparison to the infinite richness and grace of God’s goodness? Stephen looked at God and found his life was worth far less than knowing his Savior. Stephen worshipped and God was his focus and ultimately, his reward. In a very real sense, God asked Isaiah to be a total and utter failure, according to the standards of men. And God asked Stephen to completely give up his life in a very real and painful way. So, how did Isaiah get his liberty to live without need of man’s approval and Stephen his courage to give up his life entirely? Both of these men placed God as the ultimate thing in their lives. Both men treated their whole lives as tattered blankets or ragged stuffies, in comparison to the greatness of knowing God. These men aligned their whole lives so that nothing even came close to the worth-ship of God the Father. Prayer: God I am in desperate need of you, as Savior and Redeemer. Help me to orient my life, where I might worship you in spirit and in truth. God, replace or remove all things in my life that hold preeminence over you. May you be the center and the ultimate thing that dictates how I live every day. God, let my life fully and totally reflect you in all that I say and do. May I grow to a place where I worship you so fully that my response might be like that of Isaiah’s or Stephens or the Samaritan woman’s. Thank you, Jesus. Amen. Reflection Questions: What is true worship? How is worship, or rightly orienting your life toward God, reflected in your worship on Sunday mornings? When you rightly orient your life in worship towards God, do you think things like preferences and styles become more or less important? What things attempt to dethrone God in your life? How does your life change when focusing on those things as primary instead of God? What can you do to keep God rightly oriented in your life?

Worship Pastor Search Committee