Worship is more than just the songs we sing, more than just what happens on Sunday morning. Worship is the life we live. It is everything that we do according to 1 Cor. 10:31 “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” But just to make things easier over the next few posts if I say worship I am referring to praise and worship music. I have become disheartened by the seemingly constant battle over how worship should be done, what songs to sing and how to sing them. Some people want high energy, intense music. Some want hymns, and some not just hymns, but they have to be done in the traditional way or they just don't count. Some want free-flow, no songs prophetic worship. Some want 3 fast songs 2 slow songs and we sit down. Some want the whole service to be worship, some just want to get it over with. I have seen and heard it all over the years, and it breaks my heart.
I have been thinking about it a lot lately. About what connects us to God and why. About how we respond to Him and He to us. About what really matters in worship. I think God wants everyone to connect in no matter what that takes, but how can that be accomplished when so many people are concerned about their personal preferences? I have so much to say that it will take much of your time than I want to at once. So I'm going to break it up, and I hope over the next few posts to speak to all of you. To validate your points of view and preferences, but also that of others. I hope that you read everything and maybe see things differently than you have to this point. I hope to bring us all together at least a little bit. So until next time. . .
I have been thinking about it a lot lately. About what connects us to God and why. About how we respond to Him and He to us. About what really matters in worship. I think God wants everyone to connect in no matter what that takes, but how can that be accomplished when so many people are concerned about their personal preferences? I have so much to say that it will take much of your time than I want to at once. So I'm going to break it up, and I hope over the next few posts to speak to all of you. To validate your points of view and preferences, but also that of others. I hope that you read everything and maybe see things differently than you have to this point. I hope to bring us all together at least a little bit. So until next time. . .
August 12, 2009 at 1:22 PM
Misty - Just read this today while studying "Celebration of Discipline" by Richard Foster -
Worship is our response to the overtures of love from the heart of the Father. Its central reality is found "in spirit and truth." It is kindled within us only when the Spirit of God touches our human spirit. Forms and rituals do not produce worship, nor does the disuse of forms and rituals. We can use all the right techniques and methods, we can have the best possible liturgy, but we have not worshiped the Lord until Spirit touches spirit. The words of the chorus, "Set my spirit free that I may worship Thee," reveal the basis of worship. Until God touches and frees our spirit we cannot enter this realm. Singing, praying, praising all may lead to worship, but worship is more than any of them. Our spirit must be ignited by the divine fire.
As a result, we need not be overly concerned with the question of a correct form of worship. The issue of high liturgy or low liturgy, this form or that form is peripheral rather than central. We are encouraged in this perception when we realize that nowhere does the New Testament prescribe a particular form for worship. In fact, what we find is a freedom that is incredible for people with such deep roots in the synagogue liturgical system. They had the reality. When Spirit touches spirit the issue of forms is wholly secondary.
To say that forms are secondary is not to say that they are irrelevant. As long as we are finite human beings we must have forms. We must have "wineskins" that will embody our experience of worship. But the forms are not the worship; they only lead us into worship. We are free in Christ to use whatever forms will enhance our worship, and if any form hinders us from experiencing the living Christ - too bad for the form.
A long comment, but touched me in my devotion time this morning. Love you!
August 26, 2009 at 5:46 AM
Wow, that quote from Foster just lays aside the whole worship war.
The question then, for those of us involved in 'doing worship' is, how to tell folks that the Spirit of God wants to touch them. That all they need to do is ask Him to come and be with them.