Thoughts and words on Worship. Well, not worship, but the music part of a congregational church service. Some ugly accusations are always thrown around and make me sick to be judged that way, but some souls offer hope and encouragement to continue.
"It often feels like the people up front are the center of attention, or are trying to make themselves the center, when obviously the center of attention should be God." --S
"There was a time when corporate worship could be quiet, reflective and encouraging people to focus on God. Those days are long gone." --C
"If musicians are used in a church service, they should be there to facilitate worship of God, not be worshiped as celebrities themselves." --L
As someone who loves the guitar riffs and hair-splitting harmonies, this kind of hurts my feelings. I love leading on worship team. I take a huge amount of pride and humility in that position. It is a nearly unparalleled responsibility to be charged with helping lead people to the throne room of God. I practice my parts. I pay close attention to my attire. I need to be a vehicle not a distraction. I take that seriously. Would you see authentic faith if I practiced some mistakes? Should we not use the talented musicians that want to use their gifts to glorify God? What about the great speakers? We'd have to throw several grammar and spelling errors in the bulletin and newsletter. Should we paint over the Sistine chapel because it's too professional? I get that you want to see real faith walking around. But that is what some of us look like.
"We employ abstract, vague descriptors like, “That felt like a show – it just didn't seem authentic.” All the while the person on the platform may be a genuinely godly person who has put much thought, effort, and prayer into using his or her own stylistic musical talents to lead in corporate worship as excellently and effectively as possible." --Stephen Miller
"Perhaps the way I see these things thru such a critical lens has much less to do with what is really going on in the hearts of others and more to do with the baggage I am hauling behind me. We judge not as things are, but as WE are, after all. " --K
"The Biblical mandate of singing a new song unto the Lord (Psalm 96:1, Psalm 98:1). Much like our spouses like for us to tell them we love them in different ways, our Father loves and deserves to hear us sing of our love for Him in as many ways as possible." --J
I think that's the difficulty in any ministry or any Christian life. We strive and struggle toward fulfillment. Yet even when we are succeeding in weaker areas we will never be Holy as He is. The spectrum of growth for Christians is one more confusing than any other. The soul conflict. The more we grow and deepen our faith the further we see we are from the goal. It becomes an exponentially greater distance the longer we are on this journey. (Write out a math equation for it!) To make matters even more confusing, our fellow travelers are each moving at different paces. Like a bizarre fun house conveyor belt system. Some fast, slow, steady, stopped, lurching forward and back... no two alike. So you can never tell exactly where on the journey your neighbors are, though they are walking right beside you.
"We are not entitled to make the call on whether or not we feel like worshiping God and building up his church. His glory does not wait for us to like the music before he becomes worthy of all our worship." --Stephen Miller
"If this service isn't pleasing to me, then I'll take my ball and go home. When this is supposed to be pleasing to God! Worship is as worship does." --B
"Here's we're I've made my personal conclusion - the corporate worship service takes up roughly 30 minutes out of 168 hours each week. In humility, consider others better than your self during that worship service and sing as loud as you can, to a great God, songs you feel uncomfortable singing, and spend the other 167.5 hours the rest of the week worshipping God in every other way you can." --C
" Fight for the truth to captivate you in a way that music never could. " --Stephen Miller
http://jasonandkelliwoodford.blogspot.com/2013/06/authenticity-stems-still-caked-with.html
http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god/church/modern-worship-music-wars
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