Planting Churches Among the City's Poor - Volume 2

316 • P LANTING C HURCHES AMONG THE C ITY ’ S P OOR : V OLUME 2

Effective Worship Leading Rev. Dr. Don L. Davis

The Special Call to the Ministry of Praise and Worship The praise which overcomes is not merely occasional or spasmodic praise, praise that fluctuates with moods and circumstances. It is continuous praise, praise that is a vocation, a way of life. “I will bless [praise] the Lord at all times ; his praise shall continually be in my mouth” (Psalm 34.1). Blessed are they that dwell in thy house; they will be still [always] praising thee” (Psalm 84.4). It has been pointed out that in heaven praise is so important that it constitutes the total occupation of a certain order of beings (Revelation 4.8). God gave to King David such a revelation of the importance and power of praise upon earth that, following the heavenly pattern, he set aside and dedicated an army of four thousand Levites whose sole occupation was to praise the Lord! (1 Chronicles 23.5). They did nothing else. One of the last official acts of King David before his death was the organization of a formal program of praise. Each morning and each evening a contingent of these four thousand Levites engaged in this service. “And to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord, and likewise at evening,” (1 Chronicles 23.30, New Scofield). To the shame and defeat of the Church, the significance of the massive praise content of the Word has been largely overlooked. To be most effective, then, praise must be massive, continuous, a fixed habit, a full-time occupation, a diligently pursued vocation, a total way of life. This principle is emphasized in Psalm 57.7: “My hearted is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise.” This suggests a premeditated and predetermined habit of praise. “My heart is FIXED.” This kind of praise depends on something more than temporary euphoria.

~ Paul Billheimer. Destined for the Throne . pp. 121-22.

I. Exalted God-centered Purpose, Ps. 150.5; Rev. 4.11; Ps. 29.1-2

A. “That’s why we praise Him, that’s why we sing!”

1. To express our joy in God in the Holy Spirit

2. To acknowledge the grace of God in the person of Jesus Christ

3. To experience the presence of God

4. To see the beauty of God in the midst of his people