Encountered in Worship

By Dean Maerz

Worship is an ancient activity that has been around long before our world was even formed. Yet, with hundreds of references to it throughout the bible, it still remains a mystery to many. In this book you will rediscover the joy of worship from the perspective of the heart. You will journey alongside Abraham and Moses in their search for worship relevant to their generations. You will step into David's tabernacle along with some friends, and participate in a worship shift in front of the ark. You will also find out how the cross forever changed worship and what it means to worship in spirit and in truth. Be prepared for an encounter. You will not leave the same as you came!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Creative Launch Publishing
• Release date: Sep 20, 2020
• ISBN: 9781777378110

Dean Maerz

Dean Maerz grew up in a small farming community on the Canadian prairies. He is a musician, mentor, teacher, writer, and blogger with a lifetime’s worth of experience in music and worship as well as a passion for the presence of God. Dean and his wife currently reside in the Fraser Valley of Vancouver, BC, where Dean aspires to serve others well and worship his way through life.  For more information, other books written by Dean, and blog articles, go to: www.presencenotes.com

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Copyright Information

Copyright ©2020 by Dean Maerz

First Edition 2020

Second Edition July, 2021

ISBN’s

978-1-7773781-0-3 (Paperback)

978-1-7773781-1-0 (eBook)

978-1-7773781-2-7 (Audio Book)

All rights reserved

No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form, or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information browsing, storage, or retrieval system without permission in writing from the publisher.

Published By:

Presence Notes Publishing

Chilliwack, BC, Canada

www.presencenotes.com

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Scripture Reference Information

Unless otherwise identified, scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (ASV) are from The American Standard Version of the Holy Bible published in 1901 by Thomas Nelson & Sons.

Scriptures quotations marked (ESV) are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (GNT) are taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition © 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked (MSG) are taken from The Message Translation®. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®. Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)

Scriptures quotations marked (NET) are from the New English Translation of the Bible®. Copyright ©1996, 2019 used with permission from Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NKJV) are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (TPT) are from The Passion Translation®. Copyright © 2017, 2018 by Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. (ThePassionTranslation.com)

All emphasis within Scripture quotations are the author’s own.

Acknowledgments

There are many people who have encouraged me along the pathway of this project. Prayer is vital when writing, especially when the subject is personal and close to the heart. To those who have prayed—Karitas and Nathan Townsend, Christine Foth, Cathy Lee, and my wife, Adeline, thank you.

Editing is also crucial and this book has been through a few different refinement phases. Thank you to Misty Bedwell for coaxing me through the first round. You forced me to think outside the box and gave me the courage to explore ideas far beyond where I would have gone on my own. Thanks also to Carolyn Currey for your second round copyediting and proofing super-skills. You helped me rethink, refocus, and reword. Your attention to detail is outstanding—nothing escapes your notice.

To all of the test readers, thank you for taking the time, and for your comments and feedback.

And finally, to my Lord Jesus—the one who is worthy of all glory, honor, praise, and worship. None of this makes any sense without you. There are not words enough to say thank you!

Dedication

This book is dedicated to all the worshipers I have been privileged to cross paths with over the years. You have come in many different ages, giftings, and ethnicities.

To all my friends who are singers, instrumentalists, worship leaders, dancers, artists, writers, recording artists, graphic artists, dramatic actors, banner wavers, makeup artists, photographers, costume makers, stage directors, sound and lighting technicians, and choreographers—this is for you. While writing this manuscript, you have been a constant source of inspiration, never far from my mind and heart.

I look forward to worshiping together with you for eternity.

Foreword

(by Steve Schroeder)

The greatest desire of the Father is to give Himself fully to us.

Our response to this gift is to worship.

I came across a magazine article on worship written years ago by someone I have always received insight and life from. In the article he wrote:

To worship or not to worship has never been the question. For all God’s created beings are inherently worshipers. Heaven is full of worship. It’s the stuff of which heaven is made. The book of Revelation progressively shows worship being performed by every inhabitant of heaven including mankind. No matter how vociferously they may deny it, each person on earth is a worshiper. It is in their genetic strain.

I am a worshiper. Not merely a worshiper, but a worshiper first. Something happens in my innermost being

that magnetically draws me into alignment with the Father’s heart when I worship. It is as though my spirit becomes unbound to this world and is swept up in union with all of heaven.

Let me illustrate with a story.

After receiving some news that troubled ours hearts, we headed to the house of some dear friends for dinner. Our friends are worshipers. Years before, we used to live next door to them as families. I recall hearing their grand piano pounding out worship in the early mornings—music that resounded through the walls into our home. It brought a smile to our faces whenever we heard it.

We had just enjoyed a great dinner and conversation together when our host asked if we wanted to head into the living room and worship. The words leapt out of my mouth Dinner was great, but we really came to worship.

From the moment the first note was struck, I was transported into the presence of the Father. As I was there, beholding the throne, I had a picture of Jesus dressed in a plain, long garment that flowed easily as He moved. He began to dance to our worship. As He danced, He started to spin, head swung back, breaking out into laughter full of joy. As He spun, I caught His huge, great smile.

I watched Him closely as He danced effortlessly. Then, suddenly, He glanced over his shoulder at me and said, Hey Steve, you worry, I DANCE!

With these words, I began to weep, not with sorrow, but with a surprising lightness that instantly unbound me from the burden I was carrying. It was a remarkable experience—I worshiped with tears of freedom that day. To think that His dancing broke the chains that the enemy attempted to shackle me with is incredible. It gives us insight into His nature and the power of worship. All I could think about for days were His words: You worry, I dance.

One encounter in worship will change your life.

Dean is my friend. We have a kindred spirit. We are both worshipers and we love the presence of the Father more than anything. Something profound happens when you encounter the Father in worship. It compels you to share the experience with others in the hope that it might stir in them the same longing to be fully unbound and alive in Him.

It has been said that a shared joy is twice a joy. This is the desire and reality of the words and stories written in the pages of this book. I am honored to walk with Dean and to encourage you, along with him, into the realm of the profound and powerful—into an invitation to be encountered. Encountered in worship.

It has stirred in me a renewed hunger for more. It will in you as well.

Steve Schroeder Uncle Steve

President CMA

Christian Ministers Association Canada

Preface

A few months ago, my wife and I held a small dinner party at our house. We invited a couple over whom we hadn’t seen in a few years—worship leaders at a church that we had previously worked for. We had been in a life group together for a period of time and I also had the honor of dedicating their first baby to the Lord.

Grant and Cathy hadn’t stepped two inches inside our door before I noticed something different about them. They were both beaming from ear to ear and the glory of God was radiant all over them. I knew immediately that they had been spending time in God's presence—they were wrecked!

We had a great time catching up that evening. We talked about Jesus, His presence, worship, the glory of God, and the prophetic—my favorite subjects! They told us how God had led them to a new church where they had become directors of worship. Cathy, in particular, told us many stories—how Jesus had opened up the eyes of her heart and showed her numerous pictures and dreams. It was humbling to see the transformation that had taken place in their lives.

 Just before they were getting ready to leave, we decided to pray together. As we did, Cathy looked at me and sputtered rather awkwardly, I have a gift for you tonight from Jesus that is, in the end, for my own benefit. But I can’t receive it unless I give it to you first. Would you like it?

I replied that I was open to whatever she had for me. 

She got up and boldly headed for our pantry. After fumbling around for a minute, she reappeared with some olive oil and stood in front of me as I sat on the couch. After smearing oil on my forehead, she touched my lips with her oil soaked finger. She then asked me to stretch out both of my hands and she proceeded to anoint each one of my fingers. After praying a blessing over me, she told me what the gift was—I was to write! 

Immediately I knew I had been set up. Writing is not new to me, but I really did not want this project. Jesus had been prompting me to write a book on worship for months already. I kept protesting, telling Him that there was really nothing more to say on the subject.

With so many readily available worship resources, I couldn’t imagine writing a whole book full of fresh, anointed material, but in that moment, I determined to be obedient. I also struck up a deal with Cathy that I would only write if she prayed for me during the entire process, something she did faithfully. 

As I started in on this book, the Holy Spirit clearly impressed on my heart that I was to be in a place of worship and presence throughout the entire writing process. At times, when I tried to get into a creative space without it, there was absolutely no inspiration. When I put on worship music and took the time to enter God’s presence, the words flowed easily and naturally. This entire manuscript has been written in the atmosphere of heaven.

And so, to my sister Cathy, here is your gift—from Jesus, to you, to me, and now back to you again. I pray that you are encountered by glory as you read it, even more than I was in writing it.

Your brother, Dean

Chapter 1

The Journey Begins

It was a hot, Sunday afternoon in the middle of July. My wife and I had been invited, along with a group of young adults, to lead worship at a small Vineyard church in our downtown core. After hauling our sound equipment up two huge flights of stairs, we began the set-up process. Each person had a specific task. Some were in charge of plugging in cables. Others were setting up speakers and amps.

Our keyboard player was wearing rather tight black jeans. When she bent down to adjust her keyboard stand, a critical seam split open and so she was frantically running around trying to find a needle and some thread. There were always plenty of laughs to be had with this bunch! We finally finished our setup, did our sound check, and retired to a small, muggy room to pray before the service started.

Sunday evening church began and we launched into our song list. There were maybe forty or fifty people in attendance but in true Vineyard fashion, they worshiped with all their hearts. As we began playing our third song, the presence of God was already starting to fill the room. We were used to lingering musically when these junctures came along, so we began to play spontaneously, eventually building up to a big song bridge. It was at this moment I witnessed one of the funniest things I have ever seen in my life.

A young man, possibly in his early twenties, got inspired and grabbed a flag that was in a holder beside the stage. He then began to run barefoot around the perimeter of the small, dusty, hardwood floor room—flag billowing straight out behind him. He circled the room twice, then rounded the corner of the middle aisle, and headed for the front of the room.

In my mind, everything from this moment onward seemed to move in slow motion. With eyes closed and heart completely absorbed in worship, our friend sprinted down the aisle with all the poise of an Olympic athlete carrying a flag for his country. When he finally opened his eyes, he was too close to the front of the room to make what needed to be a tight turn. A look of sudden terror seized him as he tried to stop but it was too late. His bare feet lost their grip on the dusty floor and he went sprawling onto the small stage area. His flag flew out of his hands, striking our worship leader squarely across the face, knocking his trendy glasses onto the floor.

After wiping out our second guitar player’s pedal board, our flag carrying friend’s ill-fated journey finally came to an end about six inches in front of my feet. Our big bridge just kind of ended—almost with a similar sound effect to pulling an electrical plug out of a wall socket. At first, we were all in shock. Then shock gave way to hysteria to the point where it was difficult to continue on with any kind of worship