Together We Build Part 1:

Create a Firm Foundation: Maintain Your P.A.R. Level

Introduction

The event we’ve been waiting for- and working towards- is finally here! I’m excited to finally kick off our “Together We Build” Retreat. AYou’ll notice a deliberate use of analogies & symbols related to building, starting with the subject matter of our first session!

In whatever you’re building- a house, a family, a ministry, a marriage- the foundation is crucial. Everythnig must be built upon something. Christ said in Matt 16:18 “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.” The “Rock” that Christ referred to is thwe revelation of who He is. And so His Church must remain rooted in who Christ is, and what He has accomplished for us- what is commonly referred to as the Person and Work of Jesus Christ.

To help us with this, I came up with a short analogy: the phrase P.A.R. Level”. P.A.R. stands for: Prayer, Adoration, Reading. We will discuss communication with God, what worship is according to the scriptures- and speaking of which, we will discuss the importance of and benefits of reading the Word of God consistently. LEt’s begin!

Prayer (Talking & Listening)

Communication with God takes on various forms in the scriptures. It may be seen as petitions (a formal request with respect, for a particular cause), entreaties (humble request), supplication (asking earnestly or begging), thanksgiving, praise, hymns or songs of praise, and lament or crying out.

The biblical examples of prayer portray Yahweh as a God who listens, not a deity who is distant or must be cajoled into attending the affairs of humanity. Simply put, with respect to other dieties in antiquity and even in present day, the God of the Bible is personable and demonstrates His concern for His creation.

The earliest biblical prayers stem from a conversational intimacy with Yahweh and include spontaneous and unfiltered requests. Over time, prayer evolved into more fixed and liturgical forms. Speaking candidly, I don’t think this evolution has served to draw us closer to God. And I beleive the Jesus Himself would agree. The most notable developments are prayer in the name of Jesus and the introduction of the Lord’s Prayer in Matt 6:9–13 and Luke 11:2–4, where we were taught- by Christ, who is God Himself- to refer to God as “our Father” in prayer. Evertythnig that stems from that calls for intimacy in our conversations.

And I do want you to understand that it is a conversation- a dialogue, not a monologue. God can, and does, respond when we speak to Him! And yes, I not only mean that He speaks through His Words, but He also speaks to our hearts in a still small voice; He may choose to nudge us…but remember this is God. he has a VOICE, and can ACTUALLY SPEAK, audibly if He so chooses! The larger point is that we should be just as prepared to listen in prayer as we are to speak. I challenge you to try God in this area of your life!

Adoration (Worship)

In worship human beings recognize God for his attributes and express this through adoration, praise, thanksgiving, service, and living holy lives. Worship constitutes the primary calling of humans.

From Adam, serving the Lord in a pre‐Fall Eden (Gen 2:15), to the redeemed, worshiping God in the New Jerusalem (Rev 22), worship is a central theme of Scripture. Throughout the Old Testament, God admonished his people to turn from worshiping idols (often punishing them for their idolatry) to worship him alone. The first half of the Ten Commandments instructs believers on how to love God with all of their heart, mind, and soul. The longest book in Scripture (the Psalms) is a collection of worship songs that functioned as Israel’s hymnbook.

In the New Testament, Christ is recognized as the divine Son of God and worshiped by his followers (Luke 24:52). Following the birth of the church, believers gathered regularly for worship (Acts 2:46–47; 13:1–3). In the New Testament and early church, worship can be observed in a number of forms:

Baptism- following a period of instruction, new believers identified with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection through baptism (Matt 28:19–20).

Communion/Lord’s Supper- The Lord also commanded his followers to observe the Lord’s Supper on a regular basis (Matt 26:17–30; Mark 14:12–26; Luke 22:7–39). A sacred space for believers to experience Christ’s nourishing presence, the Lord’s Supper also served as a dramatic retelling of Christ’s saving work.

Worship “Service”- In addition to these two sacraments, the assembled congregation worshiped through the reading and teaching of Scripture, singing “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs” (Eph 5:19 ), praying corporately, giving offerings, showing hospitality and sharing communal meals, and serving the church and community (Acts 2:42–47; 2 Cor 9:7; Acts 6:1–7). The key word here is “service”. We call it service, but whom do we serve? Let us remind ourselves that in all we do- not just in God’s house, but even more so in God’s Name- that we are serving the Lord Himself. You honor one another for His sake; your give your offering, sing your songs, use your gifts and talets to the best of your ability for His sake. If we think of it in terms of a performance, then we are performing always for an audience of One.

As God’s people enjoy the presence of the Lord, the worshiping church naturally becomes the church on mission. Following evangelism, discipleship, and church planting, new believers become devoted worshipers. Worship, then, is the beginning and end of the Christian mission. The Worship Life of the Church is a rehearsal for eternity in the presence of our Lord!

Reading (Studying God’s Word)

Jn 17:17 “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.”

Ps 119:11 “I have treasured Your word in my heart, So that I may not sin against You.”

Ps 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.”

The Bible is front and center in the worship of the church. The reformers of the sixteenth century inherited a Christian tradition in which the Bible, for more than a thousand years in the Latin Vulgate edition, had been at the heart of the church’s liturgy and life. They inherited manuscripts of the Bible painstakingly copied by Benedictine monks whose motto was ora et labora, pray and work. But the monk’s engagement with Scripture did not end when the day’s work of copying was done in the scriptorium. The monk continued to pray, sing and recite the Scriptures in the daily liturgy of the hours. This did not mean that the Bible was never read by an individual apart from corporate worship—

Reaping the Benefits: The Power of 4

In a 2009 study sponsored by the Center for Bible Engagement (CBE), “Understanding the Bible Engagement Challenge: Scientific Evidence for the Power of 4”, a team of PhD’s, affiliated with our own Dr. Paul deVries, painsrtakenly combed through data related to the correlation between the reading of the Bible and it’s tangible effects. The CBE study concluded that Christians who are engaged in scripture most days of the week (at least 4 days, hence the “Power of 4”) have lower odds of participating in these behaviors:

Getting drunk = 57% lower odds

Sex outside marriage = 68% lower odds

Pornography = 61% lower odds

Gambling = 74% lower odds

Any of these habits = 57% lower odds

This is the sanctification spoken of in Jn 17:17, and God’s power restraining us from sin as mention in Ps 119:11. Moreover, the CBE study states that those who read or listen to the Bible at least four days a week have higher odds of participating in these behaviors:

Sharing faith with others = 228% higher odds

Discipling others = 231% higher odds

Memorizing scripture = 407% higher odds

So now, it’s time for you to check your foundation. Is everythnig in place? Is it secure? What can you do to strengthen the foundation of your Christian life, which collectively is the foundation for our church?

Let us pray & break for discussion.

Discussion Questions

How can we improve the QUALITY of our prayer time- not just the quantity?

What elements can we add to the “flavor” of our personal and corporate worship?

What are some creative ways to study God’s Word with greater consistency?

How can I encourage and support others (family, friends, neighbors) to pray, worship & read the scriptures? What are the benefits?