Matt Maher – Teaching People the Art of Living

In this Worship Sound Bite, Matt Maher takes us on a journey that ends with a deeper understanding of a much overused word; “Lifestyle.” We agree with Matt that the meaning of words is powerful. Matt’s take on lifestyle as a written story or testimony is an important concept to take a beat and meditate on. What would it look like for you to build a lifestyle of worship?

Life style. It’s two words. Life: there’s one definition that says the space between birth and death, which I just thought, that’s amazing. So when you say lifestyle, you’re basically saying the space between birth and death style. The style in which you live, the space between your birth and your death.

If you agree with Matt and therefore subscribe to the idea that a “lifestyle” is really your written story or the dash between life and death and you then commit to a worship filled lifestyle or worship as a lifestyle, then the word takes on an entirely new form and can lead us to a new way of looking at the world. The dash between life and death is our opportunity to worship the one true God and our Creator.

Romans 12:1

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

More with Matt Maher

Transcription

Well, I think that lifestyle’s an interesting word. I love words. I write songs. So I love looking up the etymology of words. Why are they? Words matter. I think words especially to a Christian matter. They should. Life style. It’s two words. Life: there’s one definition that says the space between birth and death, which I just thought, that’s amazing. So when you say lifestyle, you’re basically saying the space between birth and death style. The style in which you live, the space between your birth and your death.

But style is really means it’s something that is written. So, it is- it is the space between birth and death and the totality of that life that’s used as a stylus to write a story. So, worship as a lifestyle is- is a- is the space between being born and leaving this planet. It’s like your soul, leaving your body.

It’s- it’s what you write. That’s what it means to say worship is a lifestyle. It’s that- this- this thing I have called a life the way in which I do it. I love the last pope, he’s currently retired, Pope Benedict. He said he talked about evangelization and he said evangelization is teaching people the art of living. So, I would say worship as a lifestyle is that it’s a- it’s- it’s reminding humanity of the art of living.

It’s another way to say it, but it’s that, that whole space between birth and death. And how do we how do we become a written testimony to God?