Do you Worship Your End Time?

This is how I would have described a portion of my job recently:

Part of my current job is to be the Program Director for the Senior High Worship Service that takes place on Wednesday Nights. For most of the year this year, I have taken the approach of making the cue sheet to fit whatever we decide we have planned. It usually keeps us on track to get done on time and we can usually allow for some cool teaching moments inside that model. 

It seems pretty harmless at the outset and, in reality, that probably describes the role of many youth pastors around the country. But, recently, I have grown to almost hate that mentality. And I don't mean that I think that that vision is flawed. No, I mean that I have discovered a distinct disdain for this philosophy of programming in the Church.

Even as I write this, I am frustrated with the line "It usually keeps us on track to get done on time and we can usually allow for some cool teaching moments inside that model." Honestly, my first thought here is, "Who do I think that I am." See, this thought process goes completely against what I tell my students I want us to be about. It is a clear effort to take God and His Holy Spirit and put it into a 75 minute, human shaped box. And that ain't right, folks.

Now, don't get me wrong, this is not a "we should have worship services that never end and we shouldn't have end times at all and we should just continue to worship for 3 hours a night" blog post. Do I think that some of the examples I used in that scare quote would be awesome, you betcha. But if the church simply continues to sing empty songs that God doesn't want to hear and preach half-hearted messages that don't edify God, then we miss the point. But, in the same vain, if the church simply entertains the idea that we are going to try and box God in to a 75 minute timeframe because we have made ourselves so busy, or not prioritized the PRIVILEGE, the OPPORTUNITY, of worshipping Him, then we also miss the point.

All that to say, I'm changing my mentality on programming. I'm officially resigning as the Program Director and accepting the position as Tentative Plan Writer. I want to develop plans that engage our hearts with His; worship services that worship Him instead of our schedules. Holy Spirit guided plans that honor those serving in other areas of the church and yet disciple students to tune into the Holy Spirit.

I wonder how that changes things. I wonder what would happen if the Consumeristic American Church would create some space in her over-crowded, overly-busy life to just exist in the Spirit of God. Sure, that's the Body's decision, but it has to start somewhere. And Pastor, it takes a servant of Christ to lead His People toward Him.

What's your role?
What area of your life are you worshipping on Sundays instead of Jesus?