Worship Leader Magazine December/January 1993

“With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord: ‘He is good: his love to Israel endures forever.’ And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid” (Ezra 3:11 NIV).

The “world house” foundations are shaking and many people are in lament! Our nation, and most parts of the world is generating a tremendous chorus of lament. The issue is more than global warming… it’s global change. The result is economic trauma, social unrest, and bloody cultural wars. The change is so revolutionary, some say it will be impossible for our children to understand the world of their grandparents, and very likely they will not even understand the world in which we, their parents, grew up.

At a personal level, nearly everyone is being touched by unrest and discontent. For example, in the “business world” of music ministry, to which I have dedicated 18 years of my life in leadership at Maranatha! Music, we are seeing many changes at this time. All of us know companies, even whole industries, churches, and denominations, that are in transition. You may even be in transition yourself or have a close friend who is changing a job, changing geographical residence or, to the disgrace of our culture, changing husbands and wives. Many individuals (pastors and ministers of music included) are saying,

“Take this job and shove it!”

National statistics show that over 70 percent of the American work force is discontent with their work, and basically go through the motions for a paycheck. The stress and anger from job misfit generate all kinds of cultural malaise, and for Christians, spiritual malaise.

Political systems may produce leaders some good, some bad. But Christianity produces saints. These saints exist even today, and like salt, preserve what is good and demonstrate the hope, faith, and love that are the hallmarks of true believers in Jesus Christ. I enjoyed a fine Italian dinner the other night with such an individual. At 70, Art, my friend, is vigorous, healthy, clear-eyed, focused, in love with God and his wife. Art’s work. his ministry, has reached into the highest levels of British and American governments, and private industry. His message:

“You have been designed, you are gifted. and you are responsible and accountable for the management of those gifts.”

For a generation whose first thought is, “What can I do that will generate the most income?,” and not, “What has God created me to do?,” Art’s message is both timely and prophetic. The lie of our culture is that “you can be whatever you want to be.” To that statement, Art’s simple reply is: “No! You can be all that God has designed you to be.” It is also very clever of God to make us very passionate about those things for which we have been designed. How can we love God with all of our heart, mind, and soul unless we are totally motivated?

So, in this time of transition, whether you are in the process of letting go, or are in between, or are reaching for the new. may our Lord grant you the joy of doing what He has made you to do. Wherever the focus of your ministry is in the world or in the church-may your gifts be used to love others and glorify God. For this is true worship-worship in Spirit and Truth.

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Chuck Fromm was the founder and executive editor of Worship Leader for over 30 years.