Worship Expressions - Part 1
I was in a meeting last week with a guy discussing an upcoming event that I have the opportunity to be leading worship at. This is annual event that I have had the opportunity to attend for 3 years.
As we talked through the event, he told me that one thing that was addressed from last year was one person’s dislike (for lack of a better word) for another person’s worship expression. Now, I won’t get into the specifics of what the actual worship expression was, because it is already controversial in nature, and everyone seems to have their own opinion on it.
He asked me how I thought we should handle this for this year’s event. Many of you may be worship leaders or pastors who may have had to deal with this type of thing. While I’m only 21 and definitely haven’t cornered the market on worship or anything, there are some thoughts that I think may be helpful, and this is what I shared with Rick that day.
The truth is, every single person has their own way of expressing their worship to God. This, in fact, is what I believe is one of the beauties of the body of Christ—the many differences we have.
However, at the same time, I believe that we have to be conscious of the fact that during corporate worship times, we must be respectful of the fact that it is “corporate”. One of my mentors use to always challenge me as a worship leader to encourage people not to do anything that would distract others and bring attention to themselves. We must at all times remember the purpose of that time of corporate worship. As one of the girls that attended The Worship Gathering this week said, it is a time of fixing our thoughts and hearts on Him.
If we can keep these two truths in mind, I believe our corporate worship times will explode into passionate adoration of our King.
January 20th, 2006 at 11:09 am
I like to think of this way: Sunday mornings and corporate worship times are just that. One should feel free to express themselves in their worship. But it should be expressed in their worship outside of the corporate gatherings before it is introduced into the gatherings. That keeps your hearts right, and prevents it from becoming a show. If it is going to be a distraction to those around you, then keep it in your private worship. Gatherings are not the only times we should express ourselves in worship of such an awesome God.
January 29th, 2006 at 12:17 am
Worship expressions… (sigh) This can be such an issue for me, because in some ways I hold very iconoclastic views on this. I think of the heart of David as he danced with joy and thanksgiving unto God until his very clothes fell from him. I think about the Samaritan woman that approached Jesus so that He might cast the devil out of her daughter. I think about how the friends’ of the man with the palsy broke the roof of someone’s house so that they could get to Jesus. My mind goes to the man Jesus healed on the Sabbath and told him to take up his bed and walk. I think about the woman who had an issue of blood and how she sought only to touch the hem of Jesus’s garment to be made whole. What am I saying with all of this? I envy David with Godly envy for his ability to worship our God without inhibitions. I am humbled by the courage and faith shown by the Samaritan woman to pursue Christ beyond the status quo. I love how Jesus, being Lord of the Sabbath, heals this man…defying tradition and coming against the self-righteousness of the pharisees. These stories make me want to keep singing even when the music ceases. dance like no one is looking… fall down on my knees even though others are standing and clapping their hands…
Can these actions and this line of thinking be uncomfortable to others? Yeah, maybe. Is that a bad thing? (shrug) I used to be one of the ones that was uncomfortable with other peoples’ worship expressions. I would look at these people and question why I didn’t do some of those things when it was “time” for worship. I was really bothered by this. Like…my clapping on the 3rd beat, whispered singing, and slight shifting of weight on the hips wasn’t as good as their praise. It wasn’t until I stopped looking around that I was able to truly worship God, and have that intimacy with God that these “expressers” seemed to have.
Nathan is definitely correct. It’s not a show. We are not trying to see who can be the most pious or artistic in our worship. It should all come from the heart. What does the word say?
John 4:23
But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
At the same time Paul also said let everything be done in decency and in order. So when the man of God is speaking it’s definitely not a good time to “dance till you bare”, or start speaking in tounges as the Spirit gives utterance.
just one man’s thoughts…