please understand that i seriously over analyze everything – especially words. i’m from the belief that words shape everything, so their importance is paramount.
with that disclaimer in tact, please let me say…
every time i hear the words “worship was off the hook tonight” (and not merely because they said “off the hook”…we’ll save that 80s catch phrase for a later discussion) or “i can’t wait to worship this weekend” i literally feel my stomach do this awkward knotting up thing.
i truly wonder if as a modern day church culture we are reshaping the true meaning of worship with our words…which then leads us to reshape the true meaning of worship in our lives.
and honestly, i think we take this issue too lightly. i know i’m not the first to bring it up or wonder about it. but within our own church bubble, we almost repeatedly chant, “we know worship is a lifestyle…we know worship is a lifestyle…”
do we? do we really?
god does not take empty worship, or even ceremonial worship, lightly. when i was working on my book, i studied a lot about the different forms of sacrifice and their meanings. it is almost spooky how old testament sacrifices parallel to the things we say today.
amos 5:21-22 says,
“I hate, I despise your religious feasts; I cannot stand your assemblies. Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them.?
burnt offerings were a sacrifice that said “i’m giving everything to you.” it was the only offering that nobody ate afterward. the entire animal was consumed by fire (devotion, dedication) and the smoke offered to the heavens (offering upward to god).
the israelites said they were completely dedicated to god. they sacrificed entire animals in order to prove it. but god saw their hearts. and he would have none of it.
how often do we say “god, take all of me?” but it’s just because we feel like we need to say that?
empty worship. god sees it.
micah 6:8 defines what god requires for true worship of him.
“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
how many times do we get this backwards?
step 1: get people to a weekend service.
step 2: encourage them to “feel” the song.
step 3: inspire their hearts to fully unite and engage with the father’s love for others.
the heart comes before the words. before the song. and well before the weekend service.
(painting by scott erickson)
::edit:: nathan points us to this incredible song by jon foreman that was just put up today that addresses the same issue.
Comments
100 responses to “the hypocrisy of worship”
In the word of What About Bob: “Ow, Ow…I think you can help me!” Keep pushing us, don’t let us off the hook, Anne.
And can I say how much I love the fact you have a category called “Hmmmm?”
I don’t think it’s a reshaping of worship with words. I think you nailed it with your last line of the post. It’s a heart problem. This is happening all over right now. In some cases, it’s a doctrine problem, but 99.9% I’d say is a heart problem.
You’re right, you see this same issue all through Scripture. I believe the majority of the people at church sicken God with the way we compartmentalize our lives. Worship here, the rest of life there.
Thanks for the post.
Aren’t we all really hypocritical worshipers? We talk about “living the life”. Heck, we sing about it!
And yet, I see the guy from the mission down the street walking in the rain and do I stop to pick him up? No, he might stink up my car.
What about the old lady who can barely walk hobbling to the Dollar General? Good luck, I’ve got to get home to check email and *work on that new song arrangement for this Sunday’s worship*.
Wow, thanks for rockin’ up my world this Thursday. Blech. I make myself sick sometimes.
Amen.
dang
i agree – and i also think we compartmentalize worship into 4 songs for 15 minutes on the weekend when worship can be found and grown in EVERYTHING we do.
working, writing, cleaning, speaking, teaching…
just had this conversation with the band at mosaic. we read romans 12:1 before practice. funny it doesn’t mention anything about singing in regards to worship. the amos verse you quoted … definitely read that with kim on our way to passion a few years ago … ha. it was pretty funny. little bit of a slap in the face, but humorous nonetheless.
since moving to l.a. i have battled the battle of figuring out what worship means to me since we don’t sing chris tomlin, david crowder and hillsong united at mosaic. i’ve been forced to come to grips with the fact that i worship worship (as defined by music and the sunday service). sad.
we actually had a girl tell our artisans director that she sits in her car and listens to “real” worship music before she comes and hears erwin talk because she doesn’t feel our songs are anointed. has it really come to this? this whole discussion about worship is the exact reason my skin crawls when i hear the word christian … ha… and i’ve been the epitome of it for years.
“offer my life as a living sacrifice, which is the spiritual way to worship.” (romans 12)
so glad God is having this conversation with both of us this week :)
Krysta that is funny…that Romans 12 verse is the verse I head into in the book after talking about the sacrifices of ol’.
anne, i believe this is one of your strongest posts on this blog! :) well said…
in line with your challenge:
– why is the word “just” so common in prayer?
– don’t we often soften God’s intent for holiness?
– do we TRULY desire to be set apart for the Lord (for those who are Christ followers)? (read Dallas Willard’s treatment of this or read about John Wesley’s early “small groups”)
i suspect many mean that they look forward to corporate worship when they make the statements you mentioned. but, i also believe many of us have lost our way when to comes to how we (Christ followers) are to be set apart for the Lord (“hrm” in Hebrew).
love this topic…
Wow! What a topic. This is one of a few reasons why I’ve taken a hiatus from leading worship. I needed a break from viewing it more as a task or job than a joy and privilege. I was beginning to feel like the people were worshiping the worship instead of God. People can get hooked on feelings and do whatever it takes to feel that way again (like drugs but maybe not as expensive). Some people choose their church more for the worship than the teaching/preaching/messages. It’s like a free weekly concert in some instances. We cater to the musical needs of the masses and sometimes never really connect. Bob Sorge has a relatively new book called “Following the River” that addresses a lot of these issues. In the last few weeks I’ve begun walking at the park, a few of those mornings have been some of the best ‘worship’ experiences I’ve had. And I wasn’t even playing the keys, there were no words with swirling video behind them on a screen. It was just God and me. It was incredible. I’m working on redefining worship in my life and it’s a great topic for all of us to investigate. I cringe when I look at worship leaders who have to act more like cheerleaders to get people in the audience to do anything. Perhaps there’s some unspoken pressure on worship leaders and teams to get people to a place mentally and spiritually to “prepare their hearts” for the message. You’ve got people of all ages and backgrounds coming together. Some might have just been fighting in the car on the way to church. Some are depressed or even suicidal. Some are worrying about their electric bill and whether they should pay their tithes. Lots of things on lots of minds… Worship leaders may feel obligated to pull them all in to the whole “one mind, one accord” thing. I love this topic. It’s deep. It’s relevant. It’s necessary to discuss and ponder. Thanks!
Anne, thanks for this. I have struggled with this reality for years, in the sense that once I finally got a glimpse that worship was more than just music on Sun. morn, I’ve tried to get others to see if from that perspective as well.
It is really the whole reason I started blogging in the first place, to try and share what worship is really all about.
Here’s one thing I do know, and it’s something we’re trying to constantly remind ourselves as a staff. Our responsibility as leaders is to shepherd people into an authentic relationship with Christ, not just one that looks good on the outside, but that is fully active and realized on the inside. Part of this is leading people to be spiritually disciplined. However, it is not our job to make sure they are actually working out their salvation, that’s between them and their Lord. We are called to be servant-leader-encouragers.
This applies to our worship as well. It may be that we sometimes are leading people who resemble Amos 5, but we need to stand up like Moses did and be strong leaders, leaders by service, submission and example. Those who will follow will follow.
Very well said Anne.
What are you prepared to do?
This is good stuff, Anne. There is an interesting thought in Jeremiah 7 along these lines:
This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD : “Stand at the gate of the LORD’s house and there proclaim this message:” ‘Hear the word of the LORD, all you people of Judah who come through these gates to worship the LORD. This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Reform your ways and your actions, and I will let you live in this place. Do not trust in deceptive words and say, “This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD!” If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly, if you do not oppress the alien, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm, then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave your forefathers for ever and ever. But look, you are trusting in deceptive words that are worthless.
Apparently, “This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD” was a slogan that people used at the time. “We’ve got our temple, so we’re okay.” Like any number of worship/church slogans we’ve all heard and probably sung.
unfortunately we also spend a lot of time pontificating this point – and doing little to change it
What am I prepared to do?
My husband and I have been reevaluating what the role of “worship” looks like in our lives.
Empty music and words have no place in our lives (music and words do, but it’s a matter of looking into our hearts in order to define “empty”).
We talk about this. We challenge each other on it. We challenge others on it.
Do I over analyze it? Maybe. But I think it’s worth it.
In service last night, our pastor spoke about the importance of the “common hours”. Meaning, the hour we spend in the spotlight on stage on Wednesdays and Sundays pales in comparison to what we are doing in our “common hours”.
I love the term “common hours” it.
A new song by Jon Foreman deals with this exact thing. Check out the video
Oh yeah, My pastor also said something powerful and convicting:
“Christians don’t say lies, they sing them…”
You should read my Worship Mythbusters series at the RKWL where I say that “worship is a lifestyle” is a MYTH. Meaning, I think we are not valuing the joyful communal experience of worship and think everything else is worship. If worship is everything, the worship is NOTHING. So, the act and spiritual discipline of coming to offer your life is good–and a joy. I think some are like David’s wife and feel angry at people feeling free and joyful in expressing worship. Worship naked.
Sure, there are a lot of sinful people in the pews like you and me and some perhaps not getting it. But, really I think there are also a lot of people simply not understanding the woman who anointed Jesus’ feet…they could have used the perfume to feed the poor, but Jesus also demands our devotion and affection. Why is that a bad thing? Why is enjoying being with God together a bad thing? I fear legalism is the why.
We had a church split over this “worship” issue.
It’s not an either/or, but a both/and deal. Worship is a communal response of God’s people gathered to celebrate His goodness and mercy. But unless it is the culmination of a bunch of life lives in the awareness that all of life is worship, our Sunday expressions fall short.
We worship corporately out of what we worship individually.
But is has very little to do with music on a Sunday.
Worship is so very much more. Gatherings are so very much more.
I am guilty of this view. This will take sometime for me to process and see how it works out in every aspect of my life. But I guess that is what it is all about. Allowing God to touch every part of my life, everyday and in everyway.
This is why I suggest everyone read “Celebration of Discipline” by Richard J. Foster. Not only does he step through each of the disciplines and show how each of them is and can be and act of worship, but his chapter on worship within the church body is fantastic.
Corporate worship, which might or might not include music, is just the overflow of a church that’s been worshiping as individuals all through the week. It’s a small glimpse of heaven.
Anne,
I think if the music is connected to the life lived in awareness of how good God is, then I think it can have something to do with the music.
I also agree that many sundays in many places what happens is that we “sing prom songs to Jesus” as Mark Driscoll says, and nothing much more happens.
Worship is more than just the music, but it does not preclude music from being part of the worship. Sometimes our songs are just songs and sometimes they are worship. It’s the condition of the heart that makes the difference.
Well that’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it :)
WORSHIP is about the music…too
100 times in the Bible “sing to the Lord”
2000 years of history
and Biblical worship always had music in some form…so
it is not really correct to say it has “little” to do with music… I think bashing the music is an easy way out of trying to wrestle with the fact that we “worship worship” which has nothing to do with music and more to do with theology and our understanding in what we are doing.
Great post Anne!
I have started to think of worship this way. It literally means worth-ship, or giving something its true worth. When all we do is sing songs during church services then we’re saying God is only worth an hour of our time each week.
Obviously God is worth more than we could ever describe, but I think He wants us to tell Him how much He’s worth to us. I’ll confess that I often don’t do a very good job with this. But sadly, I sure do give worth to a lot of other things.
Music does…but I still believe the only thing that is required (Romans 12) is a living sacrifice. If I am not living my life as a sacrifice, holy and pleasing to him, I can sing all I want and it will mean NOTHING to him.
When I say, “I cannot wait to go to worship this weekend” what I mean to say is “I cannot wait to go to corporate worship this weekend.”
Some of the points made in the comment have struck a chord with me.
I am reminded of what my hometown pastor said once, “What if we started taking the words we read in the Bible and the words we sing in church literally?”
Take a song like “Made Me Glad” by Hillsong.
If we sung that, would we mean every single word?
Yeah, I’ve got to agree with Rich. Biblical worship INCLUDES music, though it is not in and of itself music. One of the “postures” of worship found in Scripture is singing.
I agree that we shouldn’t have a view of worship=music. That’s a severely anemic worship life. But don’t forget the instances in Scripture where music is a big deal. Look at the dedication of the Temple in Solomon’s day, they had an insanely huge “band” as a part of their worship. Music was not the focus of worship, but it was an integral part.
Of course, as a churchy-type musician, I can get a tad bid defensive on this subject as well. ;)
Of course worship leaders/pastors will get defensive. This challenges the thing that pays your bills and feeds your need for affirmation in your calling.
What about people who can’t hear or are mute? Guess they will never truly experience “Worship” biblically.
That’s sad.
Great conversation! We’ve been – and still are – grappling with this for several months now. So much I could say…here’s just a few thoughts though:
Whatever worship is or isn’t it does need to have integrity. And that means it MUST be integrated with our whole lives. It can’t just be part of it. Worship can’t just be for the ‘spiritual’ part of our lives. And, for me at least, the singing which I’m convinced IS part of being a worshipper must be the outpouring of a life the continuously worships.
Really enjoying this conversation…thanks for initiating!
Anne,
I’m with you on this for the most part…music does not equal worship, but I think it can be a part.
But what do you do with this (also written by Paul)?
Colossians 3:15.Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
16.Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
17.And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Awesome topic. I was a part of a church for a long time that truly believed that ‘worship’ on a sunday morning was to allow God the opportunity to ‘pour out anointing’ so the congregation would be more equipped to hear the pastors message. needless to say, this had some problems.
When thinking about worship in terms of the Sunday Experience, I often go back to the True Worshipper – Jesus Himself. I found that he didn’t hold a worship service before he spoke. nobody sang the opening song, there was no 20 minutes of ‘corporate worship’. Instead, He truly worshipped God with His life, and when He started speaking, people came and listened. There’s not too much in the Scriptures that talks about Jesus – or the Disciples/Apostles for that matter – singing. I’m sure they did, but most of the NT talks about what they actually did to further the Kingdom. We might be able to take something away from that.
i love what matthew henry’s commentary says about that passage. it sums up what we are saying here beautifully. emphasis mine.
We must not only do no hurt to any, but do what good we can to all. Those who are the elect of God, holy and beloved, ought to be lowly and compassionate towards all. While in this world, where there is so much corruption in our hearts, quarrels will sometimes arise. But it is our duty to forgive one another, imitating the forgiveness through which we are saved. Let the peace of God rule in your hearts; it is of his working in all who are his. Thanksgiving to God, helps to make us agreeable to all men. The gospel is the word of Christ. Many have the word, but it dwells in them poorly; it has no power over them. The soul prospers, when we are full of the Scriptures and of the grace of Christ. But when we sing psalms, we must be affected with what we sing. Whatever we are employed about, let us do every thing in the name of the Lord Jesus, and in believing dependence on him. Those who do all in Christ’s name, will never want matter of thanksgiving to God, even the Father.
Maria, not trying to argue here, but maybe I’ve not been clear enough.
I never said that music was the only way to offer Biblical worship. I just said it was part of the equation.
Basically, what I’m saying is that it is one of the many practices available to express worship. Someone who is deaf or mute has many other opportunities for expression, and my “job” as a worship leader is to do everything I can to help facilitate them in their expressions.
I’m also in complete agreement with Anne’s sentiment of being a living sacrifice. That’s where it begins. Without the living sacrifice of self, without the daily denial of self, then the music and all other forms are worthless.
I hope I’ve made that clear. Thanks.
Anne,
Absolutely. The dead guy is correct.
you’ve quoted the scripture that terrifies me the most, period. What if I’ve spent my working life striving to create… prepare… design…plan… the best worship opportunities ever? And what if I worry and pray about how we might ‘progress’ in our worship? What does that mean, exactly? When the people who gather to worship (myself included) have it backwards, as you said, we start serving a gospel of our own making.
Terrifying. I saw that someone asked you what you were prepared to do about it. That’s what I’ve been asking myself for a while now. No clear answer yet.
“how often do we say “god, take all of me?” but it’s just because we feel like we need to say that?
empty worship. god sees it.”
i thought anne’s ? was rather easy to spot – silly me.
it seems if anyone mentions worship the music crazies come out – for and against
anne – next time use notes, scales, and intervals, instead of letters, that’ll get ’em.
(then, tell them it’s all math baby, it’s all math)
so, as i pontificate (and not do anything else)the depth of this discussion……………
anne, thanks for the post, and the discussion it sparked.
this is a topic that has come up a lot in my life, and i struggle with the cyclical nature of forgetting my true purpose, moments of redemption, and a life of worship.
my wretched heart definitely falls short of God requires of us in micah 6:8.
It’s so easy to get caught up in the “song” or the “music” or the “lights”, and forget about the worship.
I’ve been there, we all have. You’re worshiping God, and then it hits you, you realize you’re focusing on sounding good, or singing harmony. You’re focusing on singing and you somehow forget why you’re singing.
Then we leave the church where we just had our “worship” and we forget to worship Him in our conversation, we forget to worship him in our car.
I suck at this. Truly. I aim for much greater things out of myself. I desire and want to truly worship God in my every minute walk.
This was a great topic Anne. Thanks for bringing it up. Oh and the song by Jon Foreman, great stuff. So glad Switchfoot dropped their label so that they could truly “worship” again.
I know language is important to how we formulate ideas, but I think the use of the word “worship” to describe a gathering is for the sake of common understanding of what we’re talking about.
Micah tells us to DO JUSTICE, LOVE MERCY, WALK HUMBLY WITH GOD. Jesus tells us to LOVE GOD AND YOUR NEIGHBOR…
I wonder…
If I am loving God with all I am (my gifts, abilities, talents, time, etc.) is that not worship? Isn’t worship about telling/showing God how worthy He is? What better way to do that than properly use what He has granted?
If I am loving my neighbor and seeking justice in their behalf, is that not reflecting the image of God? Isn’t a great way to tell or show someone their worth in your life to reflect them to the world around you?
Before the individual/corporate thing gets going here, let me say these thoughts are both/and. In worshipping God fully, I will seek to do these things myself, and as a church we will seek to do these things as community.
Just some muddled stirrings in me.
yep – great stuff!!!
I’m with you on the sick feeling, but maybe for a slightly different reason. I find it almost impossible to worship in places where the service is steeped in production values and expensive equipment. Not only is it a distraction; I spend the whole time thinking about how many children could’ve been fed with the cost of that HD projector or pretty banner or high-tech sound system.
Hi Anne Jackson
How are you my love?
someone told me the other day that caring for infants is the highest form of worship.
Since that’s what I do all day long I can wholeheartedly agree…but for those who may never get the opportunity to care for infants I suggest we re-word it and just say
caring for other human beings is the highest form of worship.
whatcha ya think?
Miss you :))
stop by and see me sometime
Thanks Anne. My husband are new worship leaders at our church that is being launched. That is powerful and what I needed to hear today. Are there any good books out there on this topic?? I bought one today by Rori Nolan…I hope it’s a good one…no clue.
Worship is our offerings…a living sacrifice. Are we willing to lay it all down in full surrender. Worship is a daily..minute by minute action. Full surrender and worship go hand in hand.
Godzgal,
My 2¢ on a good book to read is “The Dangerous Act of Worship” by Mark Labberton. It goes way beyond the limits of music as worship and delves into everyday life. Real rubber meets the road stuff like servanthood and social justice.
I completely here you on this one. There are too many Christians where that Sunday thing is actually their only means of “worship.”
But I guess the problem is what do those of us who do get that worship is life actually call what happens on Sunday?
It’s just too hard to say, “Sunday’s corporate worship, which I know is totally just one part of our life of worship, brought me back a little bit to the throne of God. It inspired me to keep it up the rest of the week as I live out my total life of worship.”
Much easier to say “It was off the hook!”
:)
It’s so good to hear other people discussing this.
Preach it, sista.
People are asking for literature on this subject. This is a great read: Music Through the Eyes of Faith – Harold Best
I’m also posting my theology of Worship on Wednesday at http://www.dannypoyner.com. Fits right in with this.
well said anne.
Couldn’t agree more.
This is a great post, but I have to confess, I got distracted by the art at the end. It is so powerful to me.
I know that I am learning everyday what it means to live a life of worship. I am learning that I can only speak for myself and what is in my heart. So often I am guilty of singing empty songs, and then experience true worship in completely random places. It’s not about the setting, but the condition of my heart.
Kris, I too have changes diapers for Jesus!
My brain’s too fried to add a thoughtful comment, other than I agree. I think that’s why I’m so passionate about the “missional” side of church. We’ve got to be outside of the walls of the church, living life, following Jesus, serving others, diving into messy relationships. There’s worship there that goes far beyond an emotional high.
I love worship music, but I’m realizing that if people see worship as the good feelings they get when they sing songs they like, we’ve actually done them a disservice.
i’ve already posted, but something i think (as a “worship leader”) i need to be careful of is not getting wrapped up in the emotions that music itself invoke. music is spiritual … emotional. i remember standing on stage at my old church looking at the crowd and if they weren’t “into it” we knew the chord progression and bridges that would lead people “into the presence of God.” ok, so we didn’t actually discuss this, but we knew what to do to solicit response from the audience to set the tone, so to speak, for the rest of the service.
i think that, again, because of the very nature of the emotional connection we have with music IN GENERAL, we need to be careful not to confuse the “goosebumps” with an actual connection with the Living God.
that’s all.
so many thoughts… so many, many thoughts…
i’m writing as a bivocational worship leader (maria, i don’t make a penny from leading worship) who volunteers as the leader of a church plant’s worship team while working full-time for a secular non-profit serving people living with hiv/aids. i absolutely believe that worship is ultimately about a heart that adores God and is surrendered to God. (so yes, it’s absolutely an act of worship to care about people God cares about. and yes, a mouth that sings a lot but isn’t connected to a heart that breaks for that which breaks for that which breaks God’s heart may not be truly worshiping God.) i’ll also say that it makes me cringe when someone is talking about a ‘worship style’ when they really mean musical genre. or when someone tells me after a gathering, ‘you did such a good job,’ as if i were a kid performing for a recital.
i however believe that ‘vertical disciplines’ of worship are important, especially when folks are gathered together. that can look like a lot of things – prayer, ‘experiential worship’/’sacred spaces’, yep, music. (a church in my town that’s very effective in reaching the unchurched calls singing songs during gatherings ‘prayer set to music’. i love that.) but those kinds of disciplines are really important, not just as something that pleases God, but as something that draws our hearts toward God. (and i concur with rich’s comment on the history/tradition/Biblicalness-if that’s a word-of using music to honor God.)
anne-girl (girl that i love and adore, you know that, right?), you said, ‘the heart comes before the words. before the song. and well before the weekend service.’ that’s not always true. there have been many, many times where my heart has forgotten what my theology says is true. (like a time when really struggling with some relational brokenness, and i couldn’t get through practicing the song ‘enough’ without sobbing.) and there have been many, many times where singing or listening to a song has been what helped my heart and head connect again. there have also been times when a song has helped remind me of why i engage in more ‘practical’ acts of worship. (like in brenton brown’s ‘everlasting God’: ‘You’re the Defender of the weak / You comfort those in need…’) that’s not to say that music is the be-all end-all for helping people to engage. other forms of disciplines/communal activities accomplish the same ends. the point is that there’s value in tools that help people connect on a heart (and yes, even emotional) level with God.
so i guess to sum up, music does not = worship. and music used for the purpose of worship does not = crap. ;)
wow anne awesome discussion you have on here. You’re going to put the NY times out of business! There’s so many ways to approach this topic and it’s way too easy to offend someone or take offense. What it makes me think about is how no person can really worship God without the spirit of God residing inside of him/her. But anyone can listen to music. Music is a tool for us to worship God. It is not the only tool, and isn’t the greatest tool, and we should always worship God. For some reason I see everyone worshiping God someday, with a lot of loud music!
But heck, this is what I think and I’ve only known Christ for 3 years and I’m seventeen. I hope I have more to say in a few years.
Wow…this discussion is “off the hook.”
Wow! Loaded topic!!! Where should I start?
1. Worship = Realizing God’s Greatness
2. Sunday Service = Realizing Performance’s Greatness
It shouldn’t be, I know, and I’d even say we teach the opposite… but we’ve designed it to be taken that way: the stage, the band, the speaker, the lights, the sound, the screens, the drama…
There is a time and a place for this type of worship gathering… But week in and week out? What are we conditioning our church culture to expect and do in regards to worship?
Worship is being consumed: watched, talked about, purchased, and experienced once a week – it’s not being lived in the manner in which Jesus Christ encouraged: 24/7/365.
The real question is a heart question, but more so, it’s a question of the church fostering this kind of worship in it’s form of community… the ecclesia.
Also, worship has to become bigger than music in our churches. Music is a beautiful expression of it, but it’s only one expression.
Giving vocal thanks to God can be worship. Giving your hard-earned money can be worship. Wiping babies’ bottoms can be worship. Reading scripture can be worship. Helping old ladies find their seat can be worship. Cooking a meal can be worship. Confessing your sins to God and each other can be worship… Can you imagine someone doing this on stage every week, with similar pomp and resources that we produce our music. It seems so ridiculous doesn’t it?
Our culture idolizes music, and sadly/honeslty so does the church – until we change that.
heart that breaks heart that breaks heart that breaks….
sorry for the typo. :) hope you caught the heart behind that. :) <3
i couldn’t agree more with this. i myself, have found myself saying those exact same statements (except the “off the hook” part). “man, i just really need to worship tonight” – uh what? i know that i can worship with every step i take but some reason we compartmentalize worship into this 4-5 songs at the beginning of service. you know, i happen to think that if the heart is pure and its focus is on that of the heavenlies, its worship. believe it or not, when i get my tattoo in may with you – as anti-levitical as that might be – i will surely be worshiping even then.
oops… hit enter too soon.
… believe it or not, when i get my tattoo in may with you – as anti-levitical as that might be – i will surely be worshiping even then because this tattoo represents a new relationship with my Creator. a turn in a relationship that i never want to forgot to revert from. a daily reminder to die to myself and follow Him. worship Him. with everything i am.
Anne and all,
I’m sorry, at this point I think this is becoming an argument about semantics and more nitpicking the definition than anything else. Similar to the “uncomfortable church” post.
Can’t we just go to back to the basics of why we are going to the church, fellowships with other Christians, ‘worship’, to learn from the sermon, be encouraged, be convicted and just be it??
Once in a while, yes it’s good to have a ‘hmmmm’ kinda post, but I feel that the last few posts more about discussing or posting something that just creates more banter among people (or even just for shock value), but in the end it does not encourage anybody (at least it didn’t encourage me).
How about this? Everybody (yes including me incase some want to use that argument), put in their thoughts so eloquently, but what do you do after all this discussions? Have you gained anything from it, have your attitude changed? If not, how is it different than being involved in the ‘worship’ on Sundays, but not changing our behavior the moment our car leaves the parking lot?
I’m just saying- we just have to really know at one point we cross the line from being critical (which I think is important about Christianity) to nitpicking.
My. 02…ok some of you can stone me now! :)
You are right on. I think we blow right past this. The scripture from Matthew that makes me cringe is “These people honor me with their lips but their hearts are far from me.” Yikes! Thanks for sharing this.
Hi Anne:
This is my first time posting a comment. My husband Dan Atchison, led to your blog and I am so glad he did.
Worship to me is my escape from this world. Dan and I have been through two significant life storms in the past three years. Our first storm was losing our little boy,Josiah,to cancer. He passed away two years ago. I will never forget the worship moment I had in the middle of that time. I was by myself and in all my grief and anger, I worshiped. I was alone locked in my bathroom….God did something in me that day.
The second was a marital breakdown. We almost divorced, but we are now more together and in the process of counsel and healing. Worship is supernatural. It helped me cope and withstand the torrential storms that came our way.
I do not understand the whys, but somehow when I raise my arms to Heaven and immerse myself in thoughts of God, it just seems so small. I know these storms are not small, but in a supernatural way, it seems as though they cannot over take me, as long as I remain in God’s presence.
I know this sounds so far fetched, but it’s real. It’s real and authentic. Two things that I have thirsted for, but not looked in the right places. Thank you for Flowerdust!
Sincerely,
Maria
We were a family in full time ministry for 7 years when all this occurred. Now we are currently in Ireland taking a life sabbatical.
I am thankful for Flowerdust because it is real and authentic.
Sincerely,
~ Maria
My apologies on the last bit of my post. I forgot to delete the last few sentences….whoops!:)
yonas – it sells books, that’s the point
But you know, I’ve got to add that I think churches are partly to blame for this. They produce worship services that are a complete “show”, but then they say, “this isn’t worship! worship is in the heart!” It’s distracting and confusing for people. Give me an acoustic guitar and a hymnal, any day.
sorry if this was mentioned already, but another great text related to this topic is “The Practice of the Presence of God” by Brother Lawrence
Anne,
During the years that I was ill, I was homebound mostly. Therefore, I could not go to a physical church building on Sundays or any other day/night of the week. It was unbelievable to me how many individuals told me that since I couldn’t be in the building – I was not able to worship. God used those years to really speak to me about worship. What real worship is…. Funny enough? Most of those moments came when I couldn’t move from the neck down and was totally dependent. Now, being in the best physical health ever in my life – He still is speaking to me about worship. How we are to live the moments of life worshipping Him with all of our being. It has nothing really to do with a building. It happens with breathing in/out and taking in His fragrance and pouring it back out.
Lovely thoughts everyone.
Yep, you know me. All I am out to do is get heated comments and sell books. I am so busted.
Than why do churches call it a “worship service”? In the last year or so our “worship leader” acts more like a washed up rockstar. I think that behavior/act certainly blurs the lines for both seekers and regulars.
eh. Haiti, shmaiti. I just want to fill up my jeep wrangler today, grab a bottled water and four-wheel myself all through the inner-city potholes (no need to go off-road)! Love gasoline, love water… really, REALLY LOVE the FREE AIR! Haiti is on the poor side of the world from us, right? Silly rabbit. Closing the comments on a post doesn’t stop the “inner wolf”.
I’m just saying, I don’t see the point of overanalyzing worship or any other aspects of the church (although you did mention that in the beginning of your post). I am not saying you’re all about getting bad comments (Tony can answer on his post about selling books), I am just saying that compare to the older posts (excluding sponsoring the children and the trip to Uganda), I just feel that in the past, the posts were more personal, something that’s true (either your struggle with porn, relationships, etc)..more importantly something that we can learn from.
I feel that the more recent posts are less of that and more about discusing subjective topics that don’t necessarily create any learning value for us (especially Christians).
I may sound like a hater, but we had discussed about how non-Christians view us (being self righteous, not being real, etc..) but this is exactly what we’re doing with the comments…it’s a contest about who is posting the most ‘valid’ or profound comments, but nothing more.
i struggle with all things church. and i refuse to accept some generic answer about “how church should be” just because it is something i’ve been spoon fed my whole life.
overcoming porn addiction and talking about it is great. but it is not my passion. god’s bride, the church, is my passion. and i want her to be everything HE wants her to be.
walking through this together as a community is essential to this.
i personally value all of the opinions and thoughts in this discussion. and i think we are being more “real” here than we would be just going through the motions of “what church should be like on the weekends.”
a few other people have taken away something from this conversation. feel free to read their expressions here.
i’m sorry if you’re not learning anything from this, but i know i sure am.
I never said you should accept generic answers on how church should be. I personally even think we SHOULD be critical about what we believe in. I didn’t say you should only talk about porn addiction either. I’m just saying the writing style before was more personal and down to earth (hate to use this excuse but English is only my 2nd language so I may not say this correctly)
Nevermind. You have the gifts of words (I don’t), so you can argue and voice your thoughts better.
BTW… this is a cool discussion, Anne. One thing I think makes this harder to grasp is that “worship expression” is one thing. “Worship” is another. We cannot make a worship expression worship, since it is not 100% worship–in other words, this is like saying reading your Bible or feeding the poor is not worship, just like gathering on a weekend service. Which is correct in a literal sense. However, these are spiritual disciplines, like coming together communally to express a “communal” sacrifice is one. What makes this really difficult is when we are around people who are at different points in their journey to follow Jesus. They may be at the “off the hook” stage, while you and I are at the “get over yourself” stage. God likes both to be in the community, since we all really are hypocrites anyway.
Thanks so much for your transparency, as always.
yep – busted!!
Don’t you hate it when people don’t read the things you wrote and take them the way you intended them to? I hate that. Read what I mean, not what I say!(grin)
You are right on target Anne. God is doing a great work in your heart. Thanks for sharing it with us so that we can glean and evaluate ours.
gaj
to wake up to a song in our heart about the awesomeness of our GOD and the love, the thankfullness and adoration that we have towards Him, that stays with us throughout the day and carries us through a hard conversation is so much more than we could have ever hoped for or deserve. The treasure of a song -inmeasurable. I met a man who lives under a bridge who showed me Jesus or I should say who showed me what was in me that certainly was not Jesus. God used him to change my life. My time with him is way more lasting, transforming, and filling than any song service because Jesus is our song. I live in the inner city share some of my time at a mission, I lead a song service about 5 times a week. I try to leave a half an hour early so that on the walk i can talk to who ever wants to talk. I can’t stand saying,” I;m late, I can’t talk write now , I have to go to church. YUK. The walk is always more filling than the service. The songs well their kinda like John’s Baptism, The friends well their kinda like the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Lets be a friend to someone without a friend who has NO song. Give someone the gift – to have their own song. Jesus invites us to come and eat together. Sometimes we sing and then eat and then pray and learn , sometimes we pray and then eat, learn then sing and sometimes we just eat and learn. Hanging our together!!!! Jesus hung out. While your hanging out if you want to sing then sing. Relationship with Him is worship, intentional relationship with the outcasts, the broken the widows and the orphans is worship. If the songs are relationship based its all good.
Wow, girl – you know how to get it toasty warm in here!
I love this dialogue. As a worship pastor, I find it EVEN MORE difficult to get to a place of true authentic worship on a consistent basis.
My job is to create an atmosphere where we can help usher people into worship quicker (after all, we only have an hour, right?). I’m so busy brainstorming and creating a point of connection for the “congregation” that I can easily find myself lost in the ritual of it all. I have to give myself extra time before AND after a program or service (plus specific planned times in the week) to get my heart in the right place to lead. And if I’m going to be really honest – I don’t always do that.
The students in our ministry say “Worship was off the hook tonight!” often… and when I delve deeper with them in what they mean by that, it just usually means they met God that night.
Though there is DEFINITELY worship hypocrisy (I see it in myself), I would like to think that the majority out there is just a bit lost for words in expressing what they really mean.
Thanks for opening up this topic. Reading some of these comments have really opened my eyes and called me to action in my own life.
Praise God!
I think the cool thing is we can have these conversations. For some the experience, no matter how high or low the production value, can be worship. But as Anne suggests, sometimes it’s just not. And what a great moment in our lives to recognize that we still have so far to go. It seems to me, it’s at this moment that God can speak to us.
So why can’t worship at times totally happen with lights, cameras, electric guitars and drums? Who is to say that drummer is not totally worshipping with every fiber of his/her being? And that example leads to my entering worship as well? Surely I struggle with making every area of my life true worship. But the reality is this comes out of a 20+year relationship with Christ. I was not always looking for that but experiencing incredible corporate worship for me led me to desire His presence and intimate communion with Him in any and every area of my life…including service. Take a moment and read a challenging portion of a blog from a neat friend at http://www.erikaivory.freeblogit.com. It is on my blog but not my quote. Definitely worth a read. So not boosting my blog, don’t ever read it again, but just look at this tidbit.
interesting thoughts.
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. – Rom 12:1
The real question is who(m) owns our body (and I would add; mind, will, emotions)?
Things don’t have to be inherently evil to be leveraged as an idol. My blog stats can be an idol. My Facebook friend count, a flirty look from someone other than my wife, an experience within a “Worship Service” can be an idol.
Whatever/whomever is my idol owns me and whatever/whomever owns be is the object of my worship.
Jesus, please take us back.
To be completely honest, I get frustrated with conversations like this. People tend to take things to the extreme. On one end you’ve got someone who really pours their heart out during the music service. At the other end, you’ve got someone standing with their arms crossed over their chest thinking, “This is all just a show and I refuse to participate.”
Of course worship should be everything we do. Whether I am changing a diaper or singing a song, if I am doing it as to or for Him, it is worship.
The reality, though, is that not everyone is there yet. Everyone is at a different stage in their “spiritual maturity.” When I was a brand new Christian, corporate worship was the only understanding I had of what worship was. Should I have been denied that simply because I hadn’t matured enough yet? NO! Rather, corporate worship time is where I found my desire for more individual worship time. And in that individual worship time, I learned about service, justice, righteousness, etc. As I grew in those areas, I remained actively involved in corporate worship as well. And today, everything I do is an act of worship (well, I want it to be anyway….I do fall short more often than I care to admit).
So my point is this….corporate worship is important and should not be looked at as a show or performance. If someone is putting on a show, that’s their issue to take up with God. Our job is to make sure our own hearts are right. However, we shouldn’t begrudge the new Christian the opportunity to worship in the only way they have learned how so far.
Now on to the repeated question, “What are you willing to do about it.” If there is someone in your congregation that you KNOW is only worhsiping during these corporate times, someone who hasn’t learned to express worship in other ways….maybe you should go to this person and teach them. Develop a relationship with them, build trust, and share what you know about worship. Then you’re doing something.
We can talk about this ’till we’re blue in the face, but it accomplishes nothing. If you really want to see a change you’ve got to 1) examine your own heart, making changes accordingly and 2)reach out to other, less mature Christians who need discipleship.
Okay, I’m stepping down off my soapbox now.
anne – good post. i’ll keep my comment brief, because i’ve been having this discussion for nearly 15 years.
loving god happens most when i love people. for jesus, the greatest commandment is love god with everything (heart, soul, mind, & strength). and adding to their question, he said, “the second is like it, ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’
the question has always been, “how is the second like the first?” how is the second greatest commandment “like” the first?
THE SECOND IS LIKE THE FIRST BECAUSE THE FIRST IS LIVED OUT THROUGH THE SECOND.
for jesus, the loudest voice of worship was the live leveraged for others.
as someone who is full-on into music (half my blog is about music!), what i sing “in worship” is in fact a result of worship, not the other way around. singing is certainly a piece of the worship puzzle, but it’s not the whole thing, for sure. when my life has been emptied in service, the songs are much heavier and more tangible. when my life has been only about loving god and not others, the songs are empty, aren’t they.
again, great post. right on! carry on.
DEREK
I see nothing wrong with trying to lead the congregation in worship music that is recognizable, singable, and tied with the pastor’s message in order to create a unified theme of what God has led our pastor to share with us – and I see nothing wrong with desiring to do this in the most excellent way possible. I see nothing wrong with using screens to project the words so people don’t have their noses stuck in a hymnbook trying to figure out which line they are supposed to be on. I see no problem with having a sound system that enables everyone to hear clearly what is being sung and said. And yes this sometimes means spending more money than usual because most rooms where worship services are held are TERRIBLE accoustically, leaving people with hearing blending chords but mud for words. When I hear someone say “worship was off the hook today”, or something similar, I don’t automatically assume that they mean that is the ONLY worship they are experiencing in their lives every week. The same way that I don’t assume that the sermon message is the ONLY Bible they get every week. If it is, thats a God-problem that needs to be worked out between Him and them. Don’t blast my worship pastor or worship team at my church just because they want the worship music portion of the worship service to be all about God in the best way possible in order to reach people who are far from God with His lifesaving and lifegiving message.
So…are you saying that people can’t worship with hymns or muddy, acoustic rooms?
And that if they are not getting fed elsewhere throughout the week, it’s not the church’s responsibility to help them?
I don’t think anyone’s blasting anyone.
Take a deep breath, please.
People can definitely worhsip with hymnals and muddy, acoustic rooms…..well, people who are already in a place of worship in their hearts. But church music services are about more than just a community of believers worshiping together (although that’s huge). There are lots of new believers there, not to mention the unbelievers. What about them?
We all know that music is powerful. And I think that many would agree that reaching people on their level is not a bad thing. So imagine for a moment that you are a brand new Christian or not a Christian at all. You’re standing in the middle of a bunch of people who are singing along with some really really bad music. The vocalists are off key, the drummer can’t keep pace with the keyboards, etc etc. And then there’s the platform…flooded with flourescent lights, loose chord sheets being tossed about because of the ceiling fans above, etc. What’s worse, if there were no words on the screen, you’d have no idea what words were being sung because the sound quality is so bad that you can’t make heads nor tails of it.
Now imagine that’s the situation you’re in. Do you really think you’re going to encounter God in that setting? Yes, it’s possible. However, the simple truth is that Mr. Average Joe is going to be so distracted by all the bad, that he won’t be able to see past it.
Our job is to remove the distractions. Are colored lights a distraction? I guess that depends on your demographic. The average person my age (34) has spent their lives inundated with flashy advertisements on tv and loud concert settings (outside of church). So it’s only natural for someone like me to be most comfortable in that setting. That is, in fact, probably the least distracting setting for me.
See, in Africa, we were in a worship service. No sound, everyone singing (we weren’t, we didn’t know the words). No screens, no lights, no air conditioning.
I have never seen or felt the holy spirit move in such a way.
If muddy sound, no lyrics, and offbeat drummers is the best a church can do. God will honor that. Period.
It’s not about our version of excellence. It’s about our version of sacrifice and God looking at our hearts, to see if we are being pure and true. Nothing good or bad can or will distract from that.
People can worship alone in the shower if they want to, whether or not they can actually sing. All I’m saying is the main timbre of this discussion seems to have been against the thought of placing any priority at all on doing things as well as is possible/practical. I for one see nothing wrong with wanting to do things well. If my culture was that of a country where the per capita income was $100, then yes I doubt I would be shopping for a 24 channel mackie system with powered speakers. But my culture is not such. I love foreign missions and support foreign missions, but I also love the people in my own country and culture and if it takes good quality, high-tech means to reach them (including internet, computers, buildings, indoor plumbing, a/c, heat, etc.) then I’m all for it. Its the “all things to all people” motto of Paul in my opinion.
so perfect
however I cringed a bit when you didnt capitalize (G)od TWICE (i am sorry that is the inner pharasee in me)
good words, good message… how can we change this?
What about the unchurched? You cannot worship a God you don’t know, if the music gets you in the door to hear about God and while you are there fall in love with Him, do you really think He cares if you only came for the music in the first place? He wants our hearts. Period. God will do anything to get our hearts back, how He gets ours is nobody elses business.
personally, honestly, my heart is not always engaged. while “in a perfect world” my heart should precede my words, it doesn’t always. even in private devotions, when i’m purposefully “worshiping” god – with or without music – often my words not only sound hollow but are hollow. however, if i persist, somewhere down the line, this heart of mine begins to engage.
as in the old covenant rituals, i believe that if i were just doing the motions expecting the motions to get me a gold star, then i’m screwed! but if there’s a shred of honest self-awareness on my part, god is delighted in my attempt to worship him!
so while i’m a bit hypocritical, he knows that i know this and i think that makes a difference!
peace and love . . .
Totally agree that worship is everything we do. I do think though that maybe people just enjoy the corporate worship experience so much and they just want to say,
“I can’t wait until we can corporately worship God together again at that building we meet in weekly.”
Instead, maybe they’re just shortening it, so as to not sound like a blue-haired, hanky-waiving freak, by saying, “man, I can’t wait for worship this week!”
But that’s just me, giving people the benefit of the doubt. Maybe their utter lack of reverence and understanding should render them run through with a sharp light pole…
Anne, how did I miss this one. I so agree with you on this. Thank you for bringing it up. It has been an encouragement to read these comments. I don’t need to add anything but to say thanks again.