Worship is man’s righteous response to God’s revelation of Himself. Since God has graciously revealed Himself to us through His Word, the Scriptures guide us in how we are to respond to the Living God. While music is not worship, throughout the pages of Scripture, God shows us that music plays a very special role in how we respond to God. We believe that music is a gift from the Creator that should be used for His glory to reflect His majesty in all the earth. Psalm 66:2 says, “Sing the glory of His name; give to Him glorious praise!”

The music ministry at Ashland endeavors to fulfill this command as we corporately lift up the name of Christ in song. While our music is first and foremost offered to the glory of God, we also understand that God has ordained music to serve to strengthen the body of Christ. Colossians 3:16 says, “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” The music we play and the lyrics we sing have the fantastic ability to shape our understanding of who God is; therefore, the music we make is not merely an emotive response to God, but a soul-fortifying opportunity to grow in the depth of the riches of God’s grace.

Music also proclaims the good news of salvation to the lost. Psalm 96:1,3,10 says, “Oh, sing to the LORD a new song! Sing to the LORD, all the earth…Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples…Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns!” God commands us to not merely declare His glory to the nations, but to sing it! With one voice, let us honor the name of Christ by declaring His message to all the earth in song!

The banquet is ready.  A spread of fine cuisine unlike anything you could ever imagine has been carefully arranged with painstaking attention given to every minute detail.  While everything is prepared, the feast still lacks one thing…people!  The Master must have His house filled, so He commands His servants to, “go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame…go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that My house may be filled”  (Luke 14:21-23).  While we as believers anticipate with great joy and hope a future heavenly feast (Revelation 19:9), we recognize our position as servants of the Master whom He entrusts with the delightful duty of compelling people to join in the feast!  On Sunday, December 13, we will celebrate our first ever, “Compelled Christmas.”  It will be a day our church will labor as servants of the Master, not only to provide a banquet for those “poor, crippled, blind, and lame” but also to compel them toward a greater feast to come, enjoyed only by those who trust in Christ for salvation.  To sign up or for more information on ways you can help serve this banquet, go to the Compelled Christmas table in Crossroads today.

The banquet for the needy will be only the beginning of a wonderful evening of music celebrating the birth of God’s invitation to the feast, Jesus Christ.  While our church is specifically serving the needy in our community during the banquet at 5:00, our outstanding choir, quartet and orchestra will present a free concert for the entire community at 7:00.  Please begin compelling as many people as you can to join us for the concert.  I pray your loving service throughout the banquet and your multiple invitations to attend will ultimately compel many to one day fill the Master’s house for the true feast, the marriage supper of the Lamb!