Cornerstone Curriculum, Official Certification Edition

332 / CORNERSTONE CURRICULUM STUDENT WORKBOOK

The biblical understanding of representation is the fundamental concept in practical Christian leadership: the leader does not represent him or herself but the authority and purpose of the Lord. As those who belong to the Lord, our leadership can never be about ourselves, but rather we must speak and act for God as we strive to represent his purposes and interests in all we say and do. The four dimensions of effective worship leading for the practicing Christian leader is to lead God’s people to worship him in the Spirit, to worship him in truth, to worship him with order and peace, and to worship him in faith through Jesus Christ. As we lead God’s people into his presence, we must work tirelessly to ensure that each member of the family is properly fed and nourished with a full and steady diet of the Word of God. If you are interested in pursuing some of the ideas of Effective Worship Leading: Worship, Word, and Sacrament , you might want to give these books a try: Boschman, LaMar. Future Worship . Ventura, CA: Gospel Light Publications, 1999. Webber, Robert E. Worship Is a Verb . Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1992. ———. Blended Worship . Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1998. Wiersbe, Warren W. Real Worship . Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2000. Now is the time to try to nail down this high theology to a real practical ministry connection, one which you will think about and pray for throughout this next week. In all that has been covered in this lesson on the nature of practical Christian leadership, what application or idea specifically connects with your experience in your life and ministry today? What in particular is the Holy Spirit suggesting to you regarding your own worship, your own nourishment in the Word of God, and your own celebration of the sacraments in the midst of the body? Are you growing in your sense of God’s call on your life, and do you flesh out that call in the context of the local church, under the leadership of godly pastoral authority? What particular situation comes to mind when you think about how you might need to change or adapt something in your life so you could better represent the Lord in your worship, your ministry of the Word, and your practice and celebration of the sacraments?

Restatement of the Lesson’s Thesis

Resources and Bibliographies

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Ministry Connections