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We should be honest. Nowadays, when someone mentions worship, most people think of music. You know, that time in the church service when everyone sings. Lots of Christian recording artists make “worship projects” with hit singles on them.

However, if we search God’s Word faithfully and look to mature Christians who possess wise insight, we will quickly see that worship is much more than songs. Worship is what we were created for, it’s what we’ll spend eternity doing, and it encompasses our hearts as well as our actions.

“Worship - whether an inner act of the heart, or an outward act of the body, or of the congregation collectively - is a magnifying of God. That is, it is an act that shows how magnificent He is. It is an act that reveals or expresses how great and glorious He is. Worship is all about consciously reflecting the worth or value of God.” - John Piper, Desiring God Ministries

From the beginning, worship has been an important aspect of the Rebelution. In the broadest sense, since everything we do as Christians is worship, all the hard things, both big and small, should be attempted for God’s glory. “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)

But in the more narrow sense, Rebelutionaries, including the Harris family, have always been passionate about singing God’s praise. We love worship as it’s defined by the Psalmist, “Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!” (Psalm 96:2-3)

Before The Rebelution, There Was Worship

In the summer of 2000, long before blogs, books and conference tours, Alex and Brett played keyboard and congas for a worship band that I formed in high school. They’ve been active members of the worship team at our church, and now as they head off to college on the East Coast, younger sister Sarah and younger brothers Isaac and James are stepping up to take their place.

Worship has always played a key role at the Rebelution conferences. From our very first conference in 2006, in Sacramento, CA, I‘ve led worship on my own or with a band accompanying me. We don’t include worship because teens like music. We don’t make room for it merely to bring variety to the day. We do it because it just wouldn’t seem right without it.

The reason Alex and Brett write blog posts and books, the reason our family travels across the country holding conferences, the reason the Rebelution even exists, is for the praise and glory of our Savior, Jesus Christ. But here’s the problem… because we are all prideful, sinful human beings, it’s very easy to lose sight of that.

We are far too quick to become focused on ourselves, focused on our accomplishments, focused on the task at hand, but forgetting the very reason for it all. That’s why it’s so important to open the day, and each session throughout the day, with singing. And that’s why it’s important for Rebelutionaries to be constant worshipers. It helps us keep the focus where it belongs.

Low Expectations in Worship

It also matters what we sing. It’s been established that our ungodly culture has low expectations for young people. But when it comes to worship, even the Christian community has low expectations for us. Worship songs targeted for kids, tweens, teens and young adults, have dumbed down the lyrical content because they think we’re too dumb to understand anything harder.

Sadly, in far too many cases this assumption is correct. Young people who don’t study their Bibles faithfully, who don’t read hard books, and who can’t sit through “grown-up” sermons, probably can’t comprehend the profound truths found in timeless hymns like And Can It Be That I Should Gain, or Rock of Ages.

Rebelutionaries, on the other hand, must not allow their worship to be dictated by low expectations, even if those expectations come from within the church. We should embrace songs that unpack rich doctrines like justification, atonement, sanctification, and assurance. We should love the old hymns, not for their cutting edge musical style, but for the wisdom and insight of godly Christians who penned those words centuries ago but were sinners who loved their Savior, just like us.

Why Not Just, Jesus Loves Me?

I realize this can seem counterintuitive. Wouldn’t the easiest and most efficient approach be to use simple songs which express love for God, or celebrate His love for us? Remember our motto, “do hard things”? It applies to this area as well.

When we exert ourselves, when we do the hard work of wrapping our mind around the glorious, profound, life-transforming truths of the Gospel, then the things we comprehend with our minds can spark deep affections in our hearts. We can tap into a joy in God, an amazement at sovereign grace, and a passion for His glory that would never have been possible under a diet of “worship lite”.

In the book Worship Matters, Bob Kauflin writes that “each of us has a battle raging within us over what we love most — God or something else.” He’s right. Worship is crucial, because every day there is a battle raging for our hearts. The enemy wants us to find our joy in the pleasures of sin and the distractions of this world. It’s vital that we fight back, for God makes it clear in His Word that if He doesn’t have our hearts, our outward service is wasted energy (Matthew 15:8-9).

We must fight for joy in God using the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. One way we do that is through songs which drive biblical truth deep into our hearts, so we can draw upon it in the midst of the fray. If the words are faithful and God-centered, they will provide fuel for our faith. And if the music is skillfully crafted, it will move our souls and ignite new passion for the cause.

Worship Challenges for Rebelutionaries

So, here are a few challenges for you Rebelutionary worshipers:

1. Sing. Start each day out with a song. Don’t be so dependent on CDs or data projectors. Learn the lyrics of songs by heart so you can sing as you get dressed, sing in the shower, sing in the car.

2. Expand your music-listening horizons. Most of you are probably familiar with artists like Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, Tim Hughes, and Passion. They have put out a lot of great stuff, but I encourage you to branch out. A lot of songwriters are writing theologically sound, doctrinally rich modern-day hymns, or giving old forgotten hymns another lease on life by composing new music.

Sovereign Grace Music
• Come Weary Saints
• Valley of Vision
• Songs for the Cross-Centered Life
• Upward: The Bob Kauflin Hymns Project
• Worship God Live

Keith & Kristyn Getty

• In Christ Alone

Indelible Grace Music

• Beams of Heaven
• Wake Thy Slumbering Children

3. Engage in your local church. If you don’t play an instrument, learn to play guitar, piano or something else useful. If you can carry a tune, volunteer to sing. Be a positive influence in the place God has you right now. Get a copy of Bob Kauflin’s outstanding book, Worship Matters, and after you’ve finished reading it, loan it to your pastor or worship leader (or both)!

4. Do the hard work of writing excellent worship songs. We need more of what my dad calls “poet-theologians” — like Isaac Watts, Fanny Crosby, and Charles Wesley. If you need help, consult Paul Baloche’s comprehensive worship songwriting handbook, God Songs. If you can’t come up with any ideas, use the lyrics to some old public domain hymn. Don’t have access to a hymnal? Check out Cyber Hymnal.

. . . do all to the glory of God.

Tim Sweetman (aka, “Agent Tim”) was an inspiration to Alex and me as we started blogging three years ago and has been a constant encouragement ever since. In his latest article, published by Regenerated Magazine, Tim both exhorts and encourages us to boast only in the cross of Jesus Christ — giving everything to God, no matter the size, insignificance, or cost. It is a critical and timely challenge.

I think we’ve all done it. We’re sitting at some conference and we’re not thinking about one word that is being spoken or sung. Instead, we’re wrapped up in being that person on stage. Oh, if only I were him. If only I were her. That would be so awesome. So … cool.

And then we decide to throw in the spiritual application just to make it sound better. What a great opportunity to serve the Lord! Yeah, right.

Many young Christians long for Christian “stardom,” desiring to do “big things” for God, and are often in sin when pride is the catalyst for their desire to be on that stage, literal or figurative.

I am continually discouraged by doing my “small things.“ I am constantly wishing that I was an intern for a Supreme Court Justice or traveling around the country on a speaking tour.

Sometimes in my pride I believe that I would give anything to struggle through the hard thing of getting a book published. In my mind, that’s a “big hard thing.” All my “small hard things” – well, they’re just that – small.

+ RegeneratedMag.com Has The Rest +

Finish the article and leave Tim feedback over at RegeneratedMag.com. For further reading on this topic we’d recommend our article, Understanding Small Hard Things.

Excerpt, Understanding Small Hard Things: “The point, however, is not to seek recognition or obscurity, but rather to seek the glory of God. A heart that longs for the praise of men more than the praise of God — whether prideful in receiving it or resentful in lacking it — does not honor God.”

For some reason Alex and I have a certain penchant for stories about twins doing hard things — so we were very excited this past week when we heard the story of Megan and Mandy Chapman, twin sisters from Russel County, Kentucky. They provide a wonderful example of what it looks like to “take a stand” for Christ.

A Federal Lawsuit Filed by the ACLU

Megan and Mandy were graduating high school on Friday. Megan had been selected to conduct a prayer during the ceremony. Friday morning a federal judge issued an order barring Russell County High School and Megan (she was cited in the order by name) from conducting prayer during commencement.

With graduation just around the corner and her entire life ahead of her, Megan faced a difficult choice. Can you imagine how it would feel to read your name in a federal lawsuit filed by the ACLU? As Megan wrestled with her decision, Mandy began to formulate a plan of her own.

Liberty Counsel and The Lord’s Prayer

At 4:00 PM, only three hours before the graduation ceremony, Megan received a phone call from Liberty Counsel, an organization devoted to protecting religious freedom. Liberty Counsel founder and chairman, Mat Staver, told Megan they’d be behind her every step of the way and counseled her that God can turn apparent adversity into great opportunity when we’re willing to trust and obey Him.

Only a few hours later more than 3,000 people packed into the Russell County High gymnasium to watch 200 seniors graduate. As the principal finished his opening remarks the senior class suddenly stood as one body and began to recite The Lord’s Prayer! Before they could finish the audience erupted into thunderous applause. Some students were too overcome with emotion to finish. But the statement had been made. They would not bow down to the ACLU.

A Secular Poem or Her Testimony?

Then, Megan came to the podium prepared to deliver a secular poem, The Road Less Traveled. But when she looked out at the large audience, and at the hundreds of seniors who had just completed The Lord’s Prayer, she asked God to give her a message. You did not put me here to recite a poem, Lord.

Putting aside what she prepared, Megan spoke from her heart. She shared how God had led her since she was a child. She spoke of the peace that comes from giving your life to Jesus. And she wished her classmates the same peace through a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Again and again the speech was interrupted with applause and punctuated by several standing ovations.The Louisville Courier-Journal reporter covering the event described the evening as having a “revival-like atmosphere,” to the complete dismay of the ACLU! In trying to silence a prayer they had sparked a revival!

Fox News and Liberty University

The following morning, Megan received a call from Fox News, and that night shared the story of her personal salvation through Jesus Christ — with millions of viewers!

That same afternoon, Mat Staver spoke with Dr. Jerry Falwell, Founder and then Chancellor of Liberty University, and was authorized to offer Megan full scholarship to join the 2006 freshman class. Upon hearing the good news, Megan was overcome with tearful amazement.

“Are you kidding?” she asked. “I’ve been praying for several years to be able to attend Liberty University, but I simply could not afford it.” But to Mr. Staver’s bewilderment, Megan did not immediately accept the offer. He was puzzled.

Mr. Staver called her a few days later and voice that sounded just like Megan answered the phone. “Megan?” he asked. “No, this is Mandy, her twin sister,” the voice replied. Mandy, he found out, was the one who orchestrated the recitation of The Lord’s Prayer — distributing bookmarks with a copy of the prayer on it in case anyone forgot the words (see the bookmarks in this post’s header).

Mr. Staver immediately called Dr. Falwell. “Guess what,” he said. “Megan has a twin sister!” Dr. Falwell paused briefly, and offered Mandy a full scholarship as well! The twin sisters, who had been planning to attend University of the Cumberlands together, now had an open door to their first choice — Liberty University!

From Liberty Counsel’s May 2008 Newsletter

“Almost two years later, Megan and Mandy have completed their sophomore year. Since arriving at Liberty, Megan has been volunteering in the Liberty Counsel office. She now wants to enter law school and eventually work with Liberty Counsel defending our religious freedoms against the ACLU bullies!

But there’s even more to the story. When CNN Headline News called wanting to feature Liberty Counsel in their series “God’s Warriors,” we introduced CNN correspondent Christiane Amenpour to the twins. The story of Megan and Mandy and their faith has now been shown several times around the world in the two hour documentary called “God’s Christian Warriors.” Megan and Mandy have received emails and notes of appreciation from all over the world!

God loves irony. Megan had a choice — buckle to the pressure of the ACLU or stand up for Christ. Had she buckled, her graduation would have been silent and her life would have taken a different direction. But she stood for Christ, and her witness was heard around the world. She is now at Liberty University and may soon go head-to-head in court with the ACLU as a practicing attorney. She did the right thing, and God honored her.”

Closing Thoughts and Application

Of course, taking a stand for Christ doesn’t always involved the ACLU — and it doesn’t often result in CNN documentaries, and full scholarships to your favorite college. The audience won’t always give you a standing ovation.

So what can we learn from Megan and Mandy? Well, I see a God who is in complete control. He brought Megan and Mandy an unwelcome test (via the ACLU), rewarded their obedience almost immediately (via Liberty University), and gave them a platform to spread the Gospel (via Fox News and CNN).

We can look at that story and say, “Wow, God is amazing! We obey Him and He gives us scholarships and fame!” But what if Megan had been booed? What if the ACLU had won? What if Megan and Mandy were made “media-martyrs” for standing up for Christ? Would God be less amazing?

I love stories like Megan and Mandy’s because I can see what God was up to. And at those times when it’s not so easy to see, I can say, “God, I know that you are in complete control. And even though I don’t understand what you are doing, I trust you, because I’ve seen you work before.”

I hope that Megan and Mandy’s story will inspire you to take radical stands for Christ, trusting firmly in God’s goodness, whatever the outcome might be. My prayer is that our generation would count the cost and stand anyway. That we would be able to stand firm and say with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego:

“If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and He will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if He does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” (Daniel 3:17-18)

Brett and I have always said that “do hard things” isn’t new. We’re not out to invent truth, we just want to help our generation rediscover what has always been true. Because of that, we’re always thrilled to stumble across quotes from great men and women of the past, who say, in their own words: Do Hard Things.

A few days ago we received an email from fellow rebelutionary Brian Jones with this entry from Oswald Chamber’s classic devotional My Utmost for His Highest:

ALL NOBLE THINGS ARE DIFFICULT — JULY 7

“Enter ye in at the straight gate…
because straight is the gate,
and narrow is the way…”
~ Matthew 7:13-14

If we are going to live as disciples of Jesus, we have to remember that all noble things are difficult. The Christian life is gloriously difficult, but the difficulty of it does not make us faint and cave in, it rouses us up to overcome. Do we appreciate the marvelous salvation of Jesus Christ that we are our utmost for His highest?

God saves men by His sovereign grace through the Atonement of Jesus. He works in us to will and to do His good pleasure; but we have to work out that salvation in practical living. If once we start on the basis of His Redemption to do what He commands, we find that we can do it. If we fail, it is because we have not practiced. The crisis will reveal whether we have been practicing or not. If we obey the spirit of God and practice in our physical life what God has put in us by His Spirit, then when the crisis comes, we shall find that our own nature as well as the grace of God will stand by us.

Thank God He does give us difficult things to do! His salvation is a glad thing, but it is also a heroic, holy thing. It tests us for all we are worth. Jesus is bringing many “sons” unto glory, and God will not shield us from the requirements of a son. God’s grace turns out men and women with a strong family likeness to Jesus Christ, not milksops. It takes a tremendous amount of discipline to live the noble life of a disciple of Jesus in actual things. It is always necessary to make an effort to be noble.

Updated language editions render “our utmost for His highest” as “our best for His glory” — and replace the word “milksops” in the final paragraph with “pampered, spoiled weaklings.” Both editions proclaim: “Thank God that He does give us difficult things to do!” Thank God that He calls us to “do hard things” for His glory!

Give us your reaction to Chamber’s words in the comments section — and share your favorite non-Rebelution “do hard things” quote. We’d love to hear it.

+ Daily Readings from Oswald Chambers +

Like many 14-year-old guys, Austin Gutwein loves basketball. Unlike most, however, Austin has used his love for hoops to raise over $450,000 for AIDS orphans in the nation of Zambia. Hoops of Hope began in 2004, when Austin was 9 years old.

“I wasn’t as good as other players, and I’m still not,” Austin told CBS Sports. “But I’m really passionate about helping kids, especially kids who are less fortunate than me. What really moves me is when I hear about kids who have been orphaned.”

“A World Outside My Own Backyard…”

In the spring of 2004 Austin saw a video by the Christian humanitarian organization World Vision about children who had lost their parents to HIV/AIDS. Recalling Jesus’ words in Matthew 25, he decided that he had to do something.

“What really hit me hard was just thinking about how I’d be if I lost my parents,” the young Arizonan explained to MSNBC during a trip to Africa. “I’d be devastated, and yet there are 15 million children in the world that have.”

A Simple Idea = Hoops for Hope

After begging his dad to let him do something, Austin was put in touch with World Vision. The next thing he knew they were having a conference call. And after taking stock of his talents and interests, they came up with a simple idea: free throws.

“We decided that I would shoot free throws in honor of the kids who were orphaned due to HIV/AIDS,” Austin explains. 2,057 free throws, to be exact — one for each child that would be orphaned that school day by HIV/AIDS.

On December 1st, 2004 — World AIDS Day — 10-year-old Austin shot his 2,057 free throws. Individuals in his community had agreed to sponsor him, raising over $3,000 for World Vision, enough to help eight orphans. But Austin wasn’t satisfied.

“1,000 of My Friends to Join Me…”

“The second year I went up to my dad and told him, Hey Dad, I want to shoot free throws again, but this time I want to get 1,000 of my friends to join me.” Austin says, laughing. “He kind of gave me that look.”

That year Austin and his dad went around to dozens of churches and schools and told them about Hoops for Hope. Austin reached his goal: 1,000 friends shooting free throws for orphans. And he wasn’t ready to stop yet.

The third year, in 2006, Austin decided that he wanted to do a specific projects. That year they raised enough funds to build a school in Twachiyanda, Zambia. Last year they raised over $200,000 for a medical testing center in Sinazongwe.

And this year their goal is to raise $290,000 for a second medical center, along with 1,000 caregiver kits and 1,000 bicycles for caregivers in Zambia.

Austin Gutwein: A Real Rebelutionary

Austin has built a school and a medical center. He has been featured nationally by major TV networks. He has even traveled over 10,000 miles to Twachiyanda for the opening of the school he helped to build — arriving as the guest of honor.

All those things, by themselves, don’t make him a rebelutionary. What makes Austin a rebelutionary is that, despite all that he has accomplished, he doesn’t view himself as anything special. He is a wonderful example of how and why we do hard things.

“What I’ve learned from doing Hoops of Hope is that it can take just one kid to make a difference,” he explains. “One kid just has to have a passion. And also, I’ve learned that God can use anybody. You don’t have to be out-of-the-ordinary, you can just be a normal kid. You don’t have to wait to be an adult to make a difference. You can make a difference in the lives of anybody, just by wanting to do something.”

Closing Thoughts

Austin, we want to commend you for your example and testimony. Your heart for orphans and desire to move your generation to action is an inspiration. May God bless and strengthen you as you continue to “do hard things” for Him.

Everyone else, we want to encourage you to learn more about what Austin is doing and get involved. But more than that, we want you to catch a vision for how God could use you — normal, ordinary you — to make a real difference for His glory.

Take Action - Get Involved

• Watch and Learn: Watch coverage of Hoops for Hope and see Austin share about his passion for orphans and the urgent need in Zambia.
• Shoot Hoops: Join thousands of other kids and teens in a basketball shoot-a-thon this December. Start practicing your free throws!
• Host an Event: No Hoops for Hope shoot-a-thon scheduled in your area? You can host one! Get your friends together to make a difference.
• Become a Sponsor: Don’t care for free throws? Sponsor those who do!

Two questions we’ve been asked a lot recently: What role does the family play in doing hard things? How do families do hard things together?

We can think of no one better qualified to answer those questions than our father, Gregg Harris — and he did, in a message presented at Bethlehem Baptist Church last month, and now available online for download.

The sermon, fully titled As for Me and My House, We Will Serve the Lord, is the final piece of a five-part series at Bethlehem called A Vision for the Next Generation. We posted the opening message by John Piper in April.

We encourage all of you to share this sermon with your parents — and listen to it with them! Catch a vision for families devoted to ministry serving as the launching pad for rebelutionaries. Then come back here and discuss.

+ Go Here to Download +

Recent Comment: What I would like to know is your view of 1 John 5:3 which states: “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.” You say that following Christ is hard, but worth it, and yet here we read it isn’t hard. What is your response?

First, let’s read the next sentence. After John writes, “His commandments are not burdensome,” he follows-up on that statement by saying, “for (or because) everyone born of God overcomes the world.” In other words, God’s commands are not burdensome because we have Christ dwelling in us.

In my opinion 1 John 5:3-4 is confirming Luke 1:37, where the angel of the Lord tells Mary, “For nothing is impossible with God.” This doesn’t mean that God’s commands are not hard, it means that (with Christ) they are not impossible.

God’s commands definitely aren’t burdensome or oppressive like the legalistic code the Jews were living under at the time. They aren’t commanded as our means of eternal life — which is a huge burden lifted — but instead as a joyful expression of our love and appreciation for being saved. 1 John 5:3 says: “This is love for God: to obey his commands.” It does not say: “This is how we are saved: by obeying God’s commandments.”

I’m convinced that God’s commands can be hard — but not burdensome. They can be hard — but not oppressive. They can be hard — but we can joyfully do them through Christ. They can be hard — and God is glorified by the fact that it’s hard.

The Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:10, “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was in me.”

Here you see a beautiful paradox. Paul’s hard work didn’t get him any glory, and God’s grace didn’t make it easy. But both of them together brought Paul to the end of his life where he was able to say, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7).

What do you think? Are God’s commands hard?