There's a worship revolution happening in our churches today. Throughout church history, usually every spiritual revolution has been ignited in the hearts of the younger generation. After doing nine weeks of youth camp last summer, and ministering to more than 20,000 students in that time, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that the embers of spiritual awakening are warming up with this generation of teen-agers!
Yet just as the worship revolution is happening, there are also many fabrications, and many people trying to just jump on the bandwagon. Fortunately, the only real bandwagon behind this awakening I see is the call to die to ourselves and take up the cross of Jesus Christ.
This revolution is certainly not about music, nor is it about catchy names or innovative programs, but the heart of this revolution is the antithesis of all those things. It is the call to lay our lives down at the feet of Jesus Christ and say, "consume me." Many people want to see their ministries explode. Many people want to see their ideas come to life. But few really want a revolution, because a revolution will make you look right into the heart of yourself and allow you to see who you really are apart from God. That's the kind of revolution we need. That's the kind of revolution I need!
Galatians 2:20 says, "I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me."
And that is the heart of what worship really is. It's completely emptying ourselves and being filled with the life-giving power of Jesus Christ. Can you imagine what would happen in our churches today if every student minister, every worship leader, every pastor, every student were to embrace this concept? We would no longer live for our own glory. We would no longer live for our own ambitions. This worship revolution begins in the heart. It's invisible to the human eye...at first. It's really not fun. It's painful. Death is not a fun thing. But Jesus said that he who wants to save his life will lose it, but he who loses his life for Christ's sake will surely find it.
It has everything to do with the surrendered state of our hearts toward God. Worship is not the "hot new thing." It's Christianity, and to have a true revolution in ministry, we must look at our motives and our hearts. We can supply the chords and the new music, but God has to supply the power for the revolution in your life and your ministry.
These are very exciting times that we live in. To live this revolution, you cannot play it safe. You cannot be status quo. You're going to have to step out in faith and believe that God can and will do it. But know this: When you seek the heart of Christ, you seek the heart of the essence of worship. Jesus said it best in Matthew 6:33: "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Let the revolution begin!
Joel Engle ministers to hundreds of thousands each year through worship and sharing God's Word. Many Christian artists - including Point of Grace, SonicFlood and Charles Billingsley - have recorded Joel's songs. Joel recently released his second worship CD, "Nothing Left of Me." In 1997, Joel and his wife, Valerie, started spin360, a modern worship resource used my more than 4,000 churches worldwide.
