When the word worship is mentioned what comes to mind?
For many christians the worship experience is synonomous with a concert like setting.
Dim lighting. Throbbing bass. Pulsating drums. Emotionally charged music. Repetitive phrasing.
Ok, so maybe that doesn't describe your church's worship. But what is worship?
Is your immediate response to say, "well it's the singing we do before the preaching"? Or, "worship is the musical time when christians gather together
Let me ask you some questions; I am just curious, what is worship and how does it play out in our daily lives? "?
Does worship require the following aspects:
singing
musical accompaniment
preaching
kneeling down
arm raising
While none of these things are inherently wrong, do they in themselves comprise true worship?
Where does worship flow from?
What is the purpose of worship?
Can we worship anytime, anywhere?
Do you need an ipod to worship?
Please let me know your thoughts...
Update...
This brother has some good thoughts on worship.
4 comments:
Hey Jim, thanks for noticing that brother and linking him...he is the guy playing piano for us tomorrow...
:-)
Thank you for noticing my blog. I do not have the answers, but I do now know that music has little to do with real worship of God.
Depending on the denomination, it may have something to do with corporate worship, but still are we to believe that outside of the presence of musicians, no one can really worship?
The preaching of the Word has much more to do with worship, then singing songs ever could.
To say that God is bigger than a song, or instrument is so much an understatement that I am almost embarrassed to have written it. I do agree that there seems to be a lot of confusion in the thought that worship is singing songs to God.
I again don’t have the answers, but I choose to worship God through living my life dead to self, rather than closing my eyes to get warm fuzzy feelings while someone sings a song.
JD, I found his link on your site and figured out he must be ministering in the same church with you.
I really appreciated his honesty.
Christopher, having all the answers to this question is quite the rarity these days.
I think what perhaps is just as important is having the goal of pleasing the Lord first and foremost. To that end, being dead to self is really the process of conforming to the image of Christ.
You speak a truth many are hesitant to embrace. May the Lord bless you richly and continue to grant you much grace as you seek Him.
In Christ,
Jim
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