Practicing Christian Leadership, Student Workbook, SW11

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P R A C T I C I N G C H R I S T I A N L E A D E R S H I P

a. Paul referred to Christ as our Passover, 1 Cor. 5.7.

b. Paul referred to the great stories of deliverance in the history of Israel as signs for us, 1 Cor. 10.1ff.

c. The early Church developed liturgy (the Church calendar and the service order) to help members of the Church recall the important moments in our history of redemption .

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3. As leaders of God’s people, we employ order in worship not to encourage dead tradition, but to train others to lead in worship.

a. We are to be careful not to be faithful to our tradition and ignore the plain statements of the Word of God, Matt. 15.3 .

b. Mark 7.13

c. Col. 2.8

4. We employ liturgy because it can help the family of God recall our salvation history (going through the key events and stories year by year for encouragement and instruction).

D. Worship in faith: avoid empty tradition to celebrate God and his provision .

1. Without faith, it is impossible to please God; regardless of the way in which we lead the people of God in worship, we must always beware of the power of tradition to become stale and meaningless .