Dear Friends,

We simply cannot approach the great joy and meaning of Christmas without fresh contemplation of the One Whom we worship.

And, we cannot gaze at Him without realizing the overwhelming beauty of our inheritance as His children. David spoke for all of us when he wrote,

“O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You maintain my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Yes, I have a good inheritance.” Ps 16:5-6 NKJV

The Fullness of Him

The New Testament (especially Paul’s writing) contains numerous references to the “fullness” of Christ. One of the most incomprehensible realities in all of life is the majestic fullness of our Lord. He is overwhelmingly and eternally complete.

As the great preacher, Ern Baxter, once said:

“There is nothing in Him that should be out of Him. Nothing out of Him that should be in Him. He remembers nothing because He’s forgotten nothing. He learns nothing because there is nothing He does not know.

“He does not need to know because He holds all truth simultaneously. He is the God of the Eternal Now. He can look at human history from the beginning or the end or the middle - for all things are known to Him… He is the cosmic King.”

That Jesus – the magnificent Perfection, the absolute King, the complete representation of the Father – is the One Whom we worship in all our times and places (including Christmas).

But, too often, Christians celebrate Christmas from an individual perspective. In other words, many assume: “Jesus was born into the world in order to save me, make me insanely happy, and take me to Heaven when I die. The King came for ME!”

That view not only miniaturizes His magnificence, but also leads to the absurdity that He desperately needs our gifts, skills, training, technologies, etc. It is one thing to offer what we are and have upon the altar. It is quite another to insist that the great “cosmic King” stands in need of them.

Living Out His Fullness…

Paul returned to the theme of fullness in Christ in his letter to the Colossians:

For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. Col 2:9-10 NKJV

Or, as Eugene Peterson translates that passage in “The Message:”

Everything of God gets expressed in him, so you can see and hear him clearly. You don’t need a telescope, a microscope, or a horoscope to realize the fullness of Christ, and the emptiness of the universe without him. When you come to him, that fullness comes together for you, too…

For almost two years, we at WORSHIPINSTITUTE.COM have been grappling with the issue of His fullness. Every time we look at Him, He is larger than our last view. His mountainous majesty keeps unfolding before our eyes. Our part keeps getting smaller.

We are like men climbing a mountain range. Every vista, every “summit” reveals a larger and higher landscape of Christ than we ever imagined.

Yet so much of Christian culture – even “worship” culture – seems to continually discover ever-larger human strengths and ways we can “help” Him. As a result, we have developed complicated and human-centered approaches to the Lord. Now, too much of what we call “worship” has become a career-promoting, celebrity-obsessed, market-driven, technology-rich “show biz” model.

What kind of message do we represent? Do we now preach a “Christian humanism?” Do we enforce and expand cultural accommodation? Or do we proclaim and live a radical re-alignment to the fullness of His Kingship?

…Within the Glorious Community

Finally, we return to the 16th Psalm:

… “Thou art my Lord; I have no good besides Thee.” As for the saints who are in the earth, They are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight. Ps 16:2-3 NASB

David knew that he brought nothing to His Lord’s royal greatness. He knew that God was abundantly sufficient. Anchored in that view, David also proclaimed his deep affection for that community of saints who were convinced of the same thing.

We know what David meant.

We rejoice in that community of worshipers who are satisfied with nothing less – and desire nothing more – than the Presence. We look forward to every opportunity to join those who consistently press beyond the flashy, the new, the improved, and the clever.

We are honored to be your friends. And, we so desire to see your face in 2010. (Please view the Future Events tab of this website to see what is planned for the year – other events may be added.)

Each of the four of us overflow with thanksgiving to our Lord for His great kindness and generosity toward us and our families, all of you, and within the great sweep of His dominion.

We sincerely thank you for your friendship to this ministry and to us personally.

Have a blessed and merry season of celebrating the Incarnation, and may you find new dimensions of the joy of relationship in His family.

In Him,

Howard Rachinski, Steve Fry, Glen Roachelle, Ed Chinn

WI.com Leadership Team

P. S.  In our last newsletter, we told you about the health and financial crises faced by our brother, David Lawrence. Due to your generosity, we were able to completely cover his health care premiums for the next 9 months! On behalf of David, we thank you for your kindness and generosity.

This is the last ministry letter of 2009. We are grateful that some of you give a year-end gift to support our ministry. We will always work to steward your gift and your trust.

You may click here to support the work of WorshipInstitute.com. Adding the letters ” -DL ” after the offering amount will alert us that the gift is for David Lawrence.

Let me ask you a very serious question. When Jesus said, “Seek and you will find,” do you think He meant to just be a seeker? Or, did he mean that we should seek until we find?

Today, we are immersed in a “seeker” culture. That is why I was recently struck with something Dick Staub wrote (http://www.the-tidings.com/2009/073109/staub.htm):

     “If a search engine repeatedly yields unsatisfactory results, we try different key words or use a different search engine entirely… Motivated seekers are not satisfied with seeking and not finding.

     “It’s not unlike America’s spiritual journey. National surveys repeatedly identify a large portion of Americans who describe themselves as spiritual seekers. In the decade I’ve been watching this phenomenon, the percentage has stayed firmly in the 82-percent range.

     “Which leads to an obvious question. If everybody is searching, how come nobody is finding? Why would a culture accustomed to successful searches be satisfied with always turning up empty?”

Why, how, and to what (or Whom) are you Connected?

One of Staub’s conclusions about seeking and finding is that our culture tends to honor the idea of “search,” but devalues “finding.” We seek, but do not want to find.

I agree with him. But I also wonder if something else may be a factor. Have we been secretly “reprogrammed” by our culture to seek our own pleasure?

In January of 2008, I attended a retreat of worship leaders. One morning, because of the host hotel’s problems with their Internet provider, I struggled relentlessly – yes, even heroically – for an hour to get connected.

Suddenly I had an overwhelming sense of God in the room and this simple question: “Would you struggle this long to find connection with Me?”

It was time for a painful admission: “No.”

Of course, I had my quiet and safe “devotional time.” But, I wouldn’t struggle for an hour to find connection with the living God.

For almost two years now, the Lord has been de-programming my codes and wiring. He has been reducing my “stuff,” my abilities, my visibility, and my pride and self-reliance. As he has peeled it away, the connection with Him has become clearer.

During the same period, many of my friends have lost much more – “things” like careers, homes, health, savings, and reputations. And, even their families. Some have entered that state which A. W. Tozer called, “The blessedness of possessing nothing.”

Could those losses be, in fact, blessings from a kind and generous God? Is He pulling us past ourselves and our stuff so that we can find Him again?

David Lawrence  

Some of you may think I’m changing the subject here. I am not.

I have become aware of something I did not know when I started this letter to you - something which clearly fits the subject and burden of this letter.

Let’s consider another “seeking” question. When you find Him, do you turn His inevitable blessing on yourself or on others? Do I follow my consumerist culture and become a pond – hoarding His blessings on my own property? Or, am I a river – allowing the water to pass through my property to others?

Let’s get specific.

Many of you know and love David Lawrence. He has served as a faculty member and on the worship team at many INTERNATIONAL WORSHIP INSTITUTEs.

You may not know that David is battling cancer. To make his situation worse, David recently lost his job counseling troubled children. His employer did not want to lose him, but David lacked the credentials that the government required in order to continue funding. So they had no choice.

However, recognizing his dire need for health care, the organization will graciously carry David for nine months on their health care program. His only cost will be $143.53 per month.

WorshipInstitute.com is going to give all we can to help cover the cost of David’s health care for the next 9 months (approximately $1,300.00).

Will you join with us in helping?

We at WorshipInstitute.com will pass every dime you send on to David. And, yes, we hope the amount that comes in will exceed the need for healthcare and go toward helping to support David as he finds another job.

Could this be a time to look beyond ourselves – to lose “me” – in order to serve others? Is this a time to walk in the reality of Isaiah 58? Please read it carefully and prayerfully as you consider our brother David.

I hope this letter is an encouragement to you as you seek after, and walk with, the Lord. And, I ask you to please consider this very current and crucial opportunity to express the word.

If you can give toward David’s health care, please click here.  Adding the letters ” -DL “ after the offering amount in the appropriate box, will alert us that the gift is for David. 

If we can serve you in any way, please let us know. When you write, we always pass your comments on to the whole team – Steve Fry, Howard Rachinski, Glen Roachelle, and myself. Your perspectives are very helpful to us as we process through the Lord’s direction and your need for “connection.”

May the Lord bless you in this Thanksgiving season.

Sincerely, 

Ed Chinn