I have been thinking recently about new year things - looking ahead, evaluating what we are doing at HBF, considering how we could be more purposeful and effective. We have spent most of the last 5 years focused on the building project, and the results are tangible and wonderful. In 2008 work on the project slowed considerably, as the facility became mostly functional. Yes, we still have some things to finish up; our goal is to be virtually complete within a year. Now that we have the building, we need to shift (or re-orient) our focus. What will it be? There are many ways to explain it, many paths to propose and ideas to consider. I’d like to keep it simple; simplicity promotes focus. There are two ways in which HBF needs to develop people: as worshipers, and as evangelists. This is biblical and comprehensive; it covers who we are to be and what we are to be about. This month we’ll cover the first.

Worship is a broad, encompassing term- it can apply to much of what we do. On Sunday mornings we concentrate and focus it, by means of music, praise, prayer, the Lord’s supper, and preaching. The last is critical, as we examine scripture in a systematic way to see how it informs all areas of life - all of which can be lived with a spirit of worship, that all we do is unto God. This is the “worshiping in spirit and truth” that Jesus speaks of above, that we are knowers of biblical truth and approach life with biblical attitudes. The context of John 4 is Jesus’ discussion with the Samaritan woman, who wanted to debate the validity of components of worship practice. At HBF we do music, prayer, the Lord’s Supper, and preaching - which are standard components, that vary from church to church in style and execution. The Worship Review Board will meet early this year to evaluate and fine tune these. The distinctive, and least known, component is praise. What is it? What do we want to be doing on Sunday mornings?

God is the subject of our praise. We learn to express, in creative, reflective, and sometimes even exuberant ways, the content of his character and the awesomeness of his acts: God is; God does. Praise is about him and how he impacts our lives. I can’t say it much simpler than that. Praise involves us - how God is impacting our lives and manifesting himself in our experiences. But we are not the subject. My challenge to all of us at the beginning of this year is to offer this component of worship on Sunday mornings. It can be prepared or spontaneous; as effectively offered it goes a long way toward encouraging us to become worshipers in all areas of our lives - in spirit and in truth.