Worship and Imago Dei

As I was reading through "Unceasing Worship" by Harold Best; (it's amazing how much you learn when you're not trying to fake your way through a 10 page paper) I came across a quote that struck me with an instance realization I've never had before.

"We were created continuously outpouring. Note that I did not say we were created to be continuous outpourers. Nor can I dare imply that we were created to worship. This would suggest that God is an incomplete person whose need for something outside himself (worship) completes his sense of himself."

In other words God created us constantly worshipping; not because He needs our worship, but because He is a continuous outpourer and we are created in his image. You see, God is the original "continuous outpourer" even before He chose to create He gives, reveals, and pours Himself out to His Triune Self that continues in the glorious work of being I AM THAT I AM. Since God created us continuously outpouring ourselves, as He is continuously outpouring our worship of Him is not a service to Him, it's not even a response to His action. (However, it is His action that causes our outpouring to be redirected toward our Creator.) Our outpouring is simply who we are. It's why people long for community, discussion, interaction. We seek to pour ourselves out, and that outpouring is for the glory of our god. Yes, I realize I didn't capitalize "god", because our outpouring isn't always directed toward the glory of God, the continuous outpourer. Rather, it most often is to our own needs, desires, and selfishness.

God desires our worship; to be giving, pouring and revealing in the glorious interchange that that comes so naturally to us, as ceaseless worshippers, but He does not need it. It also occurs to me that the most repulsive action is when you go through the motions of an outpouring exchange with God, but continue to outpour to other gods (Hosea 6:6).

How can we focus our outpouring toward God and help others do the same? Let me know if you have any ideas.

Leadership Lessons from the Bottom #2

Wow, it's been a long time since I've been able to write anything. I've been thinking about a principle that I've come to learn from the restaurant industry, but I'm not sure how it could or should apply to ministry.

In the restaurant industry employees should never use the word "no" to a customer. No matter how annoying or difficult it would be to complete their request you must comply; with a smile. If a customer asks for something completely unreasonable you simply have to explain that you are very sorry, but there isn't any possibility of completing their request.

For those of you in ministry I'm sure you are aware that you cannot simply comply with every request that is made of you, especially when requests for different people conflict. If every request for a new ministry, change (or reversion) of musical style, and special treatment of one child would be accommodated ministers would find themselves without time to develop themselves spiritually; let alone find time to be with their families. I suppose the greatest difference between the ministry scenario and my current position is that in the restaurant industry you are trying to please individuals, whereas in ministry you are in the business of pleasing God.

It would seem that today we have the idea that everything should be about us, and what we want. This viewpoint seems to have spilled over into our ideas about Christianity. Sometimes we are tempted to view the church in a product/consumer mentality. The ministers are the suppliers of a service that the parishioner consumes, and the suppliers are then compensated by the consumers through "charitable donation". This view is grossly misguided and dangerous to the spiritual health of everyone involved.

What do you think about this? Has consumerism crept into the church? What are some of the repercussions of this thinking?