“Always reforming” is the right mind set for the New Testament believer. But, reforming what and reforming to what?
Reforming our lives to the likeness of Christ and having a reliable standard given to us by God and preserved in all temporal days, the Bible.
Over the past decade we have been perpetually reforming how we structure our gatherings and how we conduct ourselves in these gatherings.
One of the most noticeable things we have done is desegregate the gatherings. Rather than separate families when the come to church we insist on families staying together in all corporate gatherings (ie: bible study, worship services and prayer). This has been fruitful, but not without intentional, biblical resolve.
The other most noticeable gathering that we have been perpetually reforming is the prayer gathering.
Really it has almost been a recovery of the prayer gathering. For nearly as long as we’ve been a family integrated church we have been treating the prayer gathering with great attention. This weekly gathering has been met with more resistance at times than anything else we are perpetually reforming.
Recently I read a very helpful theology journal article entitled “Read, Pray, Sing” (p. 8) by Ray Van Neste in the Midwestern Journal of Theology from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. In this well documented journal article, a history of the psalter in Baptist life was given, and an argument for the recovery of this powerful practice in Baptist life.
So, here we go. I thankful to God for a church family that wants to be perpetually reforming.
I introduced this argument last week with the other elders and this week we will begin introducing this discipline at the mid-week prayer gathering this week We will start by introducing the psalter of Psalm 3.
We have already had the practice of Read, Pray, Sing during our prayer gatherings, we will simply add the psalter to the practice.
We gather on Wednesday nights at 5:30 p.m. to Read (Scripture), Pray (Scripture), and now Sing (Scripture).
Here is the sheet music to Psalm 3 “You Are My Shield”. John Martinez will introduce this psalter this week.
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