Contemporary Worship and the Church

CONTEMPORARY WORSHIP AND THE CHURCH

I’ve been reflecting and reading for several weeks now on the matter of worship in the local Church and would like to flush out some random thoughts on the matter.

Entertainment or Exultation:
A few years ago my wife and I were invited to attend a friend’s Church (of the mega variety, which shall remain nameless) in the greater Bay Area. At the time we were just months away from planting Boundless Grace Church. Therefore, our eyes were wide open to discover the secrets of a successful contemporary Church.

I must say the worship team was excellent that night. The singers were all beautiful women of the Runway variety. The stage mimicked that of a rock concert with cool lights, screens, and décor. The musicians were nothing less than professionals who played a tight set of contemporary music of CD quality. However, what struck me that night was the lack of volume coming from the congregation. I would guess there were close to a thousand people in the building that night but, by the sound of things, maybe one hundred believers were engaged in heartfelt worship.

What was the cause for this lack of outpouring of praise among God’s people? And why would these believers settle for the role of a spectator rather than worshipper?
While I’m not an expert on the matter of corporate worship, I do believe that this Church, like many others, was so focused on doing it right that they got it wrong. You see, while there is nothing wrong with striving for excellence in worship, the Church is not called to put on a great performance. As Christ followers we are rather to offer to Jesus a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of our lips.(Heb 13:15) You see, I believe that unknowingly, many Churches in our modern day have traded exultation for entertainment forgetting that the primary instrument in worship is the heart not the harp, and the people not the band.

Choosing Preaching over Praise
Recently, I was talking with my cousin about Church life and he shared his struggle to find a Church that worked for him and his family. He struggles to find a Church, from his perspective, because, most of the Churches he attended were obviously targeting you. This was evidenced by the climate set on the stage which was of the rock and roll variety. I hope I’m not putting words in my cousins mouth, but I think what I heard him saying was that worship in many of the Churches he tried felt more like a rock & roll show than a worship gathering.

What I find interesting about this conversation is that my cousin is the same guy who turned me on to classics of rock and roll back in the day. He is a lover of music and can appreciate its power and effect. One would think that if anyone would love the modern worship set he would. Yet, in the end, he chose to attend a Church with less than professional worship on the platform but a pastor sold on biblical exposition. For him, and many like him, worship should awe you not just wow you!

The purpose of Worship in the local Church:
The most important thing about worship is to understand its purpose. Musically driven worship, like all forms of worship is designed to give God’s people an opportunity to express their gratitude to God for his many blessings. And while worship should be pleasurable to the worshipper, its intended purpose is to bring glory to God alone and nothing more. As one worship leader from my former Church put it, we are to be servants not stars on Sunday.

Recently a friend emailed me an article about worship that underscores that purpose of worship in the life of a Church and individual. The following excerpt is worth mention:

Worship rescues our spiritual efforts from routine, religiosity, pride and guilt; it takes our minds completely off ourselves and burrows us into the overwhelming life of God. Measure Those Who Worship: By Francis Frangipane

Worship Alone is Insufficient in our Gatherings.
While worship in song is a major blessing to the Church, it alone is insufficient to accomplish the will of God for his people. Many people mistake worship as the conduit through which all the benefits of God are accomplished, i.e. healing, transformation, prophetic words, etc, etc. The fact of the matter is that worship is about what God receives from us, not what we can get from him during our times of praise.

However transformation and worship are related subjects. After all, worship medicates the heart so our divine healer can perform his work in us through the preached word. I like to think of it this way; music expands our spirit so the preached word has sufficient room to transform the heart.

The Apostle Paul’s states in the book of Romans, Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ (Romans 10:17). And in another passage he exhorts Timothy, his disciple in the following way:
In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 2 Tim4:1-2
My blog friends, good worship is not enough for God’s people when gathered. We must also expect preachers to deliver the truths of the word of God in a demonstration of the Spirits power. (2Cor.2:4-5).

Many Churches today have great worship only to be followed by a pastor who is really nothing more than an Anthony Robbins type inspirational talker. And while there is certainly some value to inspirational speakers, God has called pastors to preach the whole council of God as spelled out in his word (the Bible). This council will include the doctrines of depravity, redemption through the blood of Christ, the resurrection, biblical morality, etc…..

Friends, we are now living in the last days when people only want to have their ears tickled and their hearts warmed by the music and a shallow message and then leave our Churches touched but not changed (2Tim3).

• Worship is a Welcome Mat
We have all seen one of those carpeted welcome mats on someone’s porch which is intended to communicate to visitors that the inhabitants are hospitable folk. Well, I believe that worship is the welcome mat that God is looking for. What I mean is that, God is looking for a gathering of people who have come together to worship Him with all their hearts based upon a right understanding of the person of Christ.

In this context the story of the woman at the well comes to mind. In the gospel of John, there is a recorded conversation in which Jesus dialogues with a sinful woman about worship. In this conversation Jesus makes it clear that God is seeking to manifest himself among a worshipping community who understands the truth.

Jesus declared, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth." John 4:21-24

What is clear from the passage is that the worship mat that God is looking for is a true understanding of his Son Jesus. You see, this woman, not unlike the chosen people (the Jews) were showing up at their worship sites and worshipping without a true understanding of what made their worship acceptable/pleasurable before God. Worship that the Father seeks is worship that declares JESUS as LORD!

Friends, our God cares not about aesthetics in worship but only authenticity. It matters not what our buildings looks like, where they are located, what type of stage and lighting package we have, what genres of music we select, etc….. No, God is searching for Churches and people who will throw out the welcome mat of a heart that understands the truth about His grace and mercy demonstrated in the person of Christ and will sing with all of their hearts to declare Jesus as Lord! After all, it is he that has made us righteous in God’s sight.

(Note: there is nothing wrong with the aesthetics unless they get in the way of our worship)

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1Peter 2:9

God is not seeking pastors, healers, apostles, prophets, evangelist, successful leaders, executives, or even worship leaders. No, God is seeking worshippers who make it their priority to worship Him and declare his praises!


• Worship must be planned yet spontaneous in our gatherings
Have you ever been bored in Church? My guess is that you have. After all, Church life can be rather predictable can’t it? We meet every week at the same time in the same place. We generally follow the same format and see the same people. And we may even sing the same old songs the same old ways.

While there is nothing wrong with routine, it often leads to a lack of freshness in worship. At the core of true worship is divine romance between the bride and the bridegroom. And nothing ruins romance faster than predictability and formula. Bob Sorge, in his book, Following the River hints at what I believe is true about modern worship when he speaks of people who, pass through the river of our worship services and come up the other side, for the most part, untouched. They leave a little bit damp, saying, “They have good music at this Church.” Or they may say, “Nice service.”

From this author’s perspective, many worship leaders believe that if they work hard at putting together a great team of musicians, a great line up of contemporary songs, practice until perfect, all they will need to do is “bring it” on Sunday. This formula will guarantee spiritual rain to fall week after week. Yet, we have all been in Churches that have the formula down pat but only a trickle of water seems to flow from heaven’s streams.

Much like a sermon that is exacting in logic but lacking in power, worship can be beautiful in form but lacking in fragrance. With this in mind, the Church and its worship leaders must learn to run the risk of moving outside the comfort zone of predictability and go with the flow of the Spirit into the river of refreshing!

All right, what does all this mean? Well, first it means that we bring new songs to the church often, and that the worship leader and pastor be sensitive to the Spirit of God during the gathering so that they can be lead by the Spirit and not the platform schedule. It means that songs may be sung that are not in the line up and words may be spoken that are not in the notes. It means that the line up be thought through weekly for the purpose of keeping it fresh.

• Understanding the law of Synergy in Worship
Synergy is a word used to describe the notion that the whole is better than the sum of its parts. In cooperate worship, there are many parts: the pastor, the worship leader, the singers, the band, the sound technicians, and of course the congregation. When all of the above parties join in worship with all of their hearts magic happens! Our worship experience moves from merely singing songs to making music before our majestic God! Sorge calls this concept, the tapestry of worship and suggest that the congregation has the greatest contribution to this tapestry (p.45) After all, once the congregation understands that while the worship team has musicians, singers, and microphones, they don’t make up the majority vote, the pew does. You see, a congregation can move the worship team into the river of worship if they decide, “we have the majority voice” and we can take them (p.70)!

• Prayer and Worship: Tuning more than your Instruments
An essential requirement for a worship team that desires to throw out a welcome mat for God is to meet Him in prayer prior to worship gathering. Sorge refers to this matter of prayer as, the time to be digging wells in the Spirit.” I love this word picture and I am fully persuaded that this is essential to our worship experience. (p.33)

Why is prayer so important to the worship experience? Well, for one reason, the worship team may need to get their hands clean through confession. After all, sin is one major way we can ruin the rhythm of the divine dance of worship. Listen to Israel’s worship leader in this context,

Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy presence? He who has clean hands and a pure heart. Psa. 24:3-4
Another reason for pre gathering prayer is that it allows us to focus on our God, after all, while there will be many people before the platform, its an audience of one that we must center in on.

And finally, we may need to work the wrinkles in our spirits out. How easy we forget our many blessings in the battles of life and become preoccupied with our trials. The only way I know to cast off this thinking is to count our many blessing. This will get our minds back on the giver of every good and perfect gift.

Conclusion: Although I have only scratched the surface on this topic of worship in the Church, I hope that you have enjoyed this article and that it will enhance your worship in the worshipping community. Would you now take a few moments for the sake of your Church and pray the following scriptures into its corporate soul.

I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders. I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.
Ps.9:1-2

I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad.
Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together!
I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.
Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.
Ps. 34:1-5

Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous;
it is fitting for the upright to praise him. Ps. 33:1

Faith in Troubled Times

I am preaching through the book of James in a series I call, Shoe Leather Theology. I must admit, James is challenging all of us at Boundless Grace in this series.

After all, James commands believers to view trials and troubles with an attitude of joy!

Are you kidding me, I hate trials don't you?

Well, readers, James wants us to know that trials are designed to grow us not destroy us. Therefore we must process them with a positive attitude. James line of thinking goes this way; God is the Father of lights who blesses us with only good things not bad. Therefore, when what appears to be a bad thing shows up on our plate we must know that God is not the source of the mess. (Although most likely He is the solution).

Friends, most of the time we dish up our own messes in life and our plates are full of hardship we have brought upon ourselves. However, I believe that many of the biggest trials in our lives are sourced in evil. Satan is working his plan to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10).

Whatever the source of our trial though, James would have us be warned that on the heels of a trial will be a temptation to see God as the problem and not the solution. After all, God could stop our trials if he really wanted to, could he not?

You see, once we blame God for our test and trials we begin to doubt his love for us and stop relying on Him for deliverance.

If you're in a trial right now let me remind you of a biblical truth, yes God can and will intervene on your behalf. After all the Bible teaches us that both Jesus and the Holy Spirit will be praying us through our trials(Romans8:26-34). So be certain that your Father in heaven is hearing their prayers and will come to your aid in due time and in accordance with His plan for your life!

At this point, I am reminded of Jesus and his discussion with Peter about Satan's request to sift him like wheat. Jesus did allow Peter to be sifted (tried)but not without a promise of divine prayer to help him through his ordeal(Luke 22:31).

Brothers and sister, when being tested, refuse to allow yourself to be deceived into thinking that God can't be trusted, He can. Yes, trials are painful and they test our faith at the deepest levels but only to makes us stronger and grow us up in our faith.

What do we do when strong trials strike our lives?

Let me tell you what James recommends. Grab hold of the promises of God that have been implanted in you. It was God's Word that produced saving faith at the beginning of your spiritual journey(Romans 10:17) and it's this same word that will save you now in your present need for rescue. This is what Theologians call, present tense salvation. My friends, God's promises are essential to navigating our trials and we must accept them and work them out in our daily lives. One such promise that comes to mind now is:

And we know that in All things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to his purposes (Romans 8:28).

Right Now, read the above stated promise out loud and claim it as God's word to you!

Let me wrap up this blog with a quote I have written,

God's Word provides the truth we need to remain hopeful, God's Grace provides the strength we need to remain faithful, God's Spirit provides the help me need to remain peaceful, and God's people provide the encouragement we need to remain stable.

Blogger friends, lets trust in the heart of God today!