We asked the question this past Sunday that is sadly the
flashpoint for so much turmoil in today's church-is there a
particular musical style that is more appropriate for worship than
others? We saw from Psalm 92, 96, and 97 that there are two styles
that characterize worship of God-reverence and joy. Neither of
these is in opposition to the other but instead they perfectly
complement each other. Our own musical tastes and theological
biases taint our ability to know how to properly balance these two
styles. However, we saw from Romans 12:1-2 that God desires for us
to transform every skill, ability, and personality trait that He
has created us with - and every spiritual gift He has given us-into
a good, pleasing, and perfect sacrifice to Him. More often than
not, we become worship consumers that seek to implement a
contemporary style or traditional style or blended style.
Ultimately, these tell us more about our own self-interest rather
than what interests God. This can best be seen in the mindset that
says that certain instruments or styles can be used in other
services or ministry settings but not in the Sunday morning
service. Worship encompasses EVERY aspect of our lives.
Instead, we ought to be trusting that God has purposely placed
the people we have in our church. We should trust that He has
created each person in unique ways to worship Him because He knows
better than we do what our worship should look like. And so our
worship ought to be driven less by our personal preference for
worship and more driven by the gifts and abilities that God has
placed in a church. Such an approach results in a unique
presentation of worship to God in a style that pleases Him because
He is the one who has put it together.
We stated that so long as a person is willing to be a living
sacrifice-is willing to serve - we will seek to transform any
ability, skill, or gift to be used to worship God.
I was discussing this with a guy in one of my ministries once
and said the same thing to him. He responded, "You wouldn't put
cheerleaders in the worship service, would you? If not, then you
wouldn't use ANY ability or skill-you're just using the people that
align with your own worship preferences." He brought up two good
points.
First, it is always important for a pastor to watch the
motivations as he prepares the worship service. This guy was
right-pastors are human and can allow our own biases to direct our
choices instead of allowing God to direct us. However, that's
exactly where I believe this gifts-based approach to worship brings
us back to the throne of God. If it can be shown that gifted people
within the congregation are not consistently being used in worship
or purposely being excluded, then the pastor should be approached
with that issue. Might I just say, however, on behalf of all my
fellow pastors, that 'consistently' does not necessarily mean
'every week.'
There is a second point that was accurate-I would not use a
cheerleader in the worship service..well, at least, not the same
way that the world does. Psalm 27:6 speaks about how part of
worship to God is shouting. I realize that we don't make this a
part of our worship service very often-but there it is. And in case
we think that the Psalms deal too heavily in imagery and allegory
and so this shouting must mean something else, we can also go to
Ezra 3:11-13 (or over 20 other verses that directly link shouting
to the worship of God) where the shouting to God is in worship to
Him and is extended-not just a simple 'Amen!' in the midst of a
sermon.
I was convicted of this again last night. I went to bed after
the SuperBowl and my throat hurt because of all the shouting I did
during the game. I get excited about football and so I cheer for
it. It may not be football for you but everyone has interests in
their life that gets them really excited. Why don't I get that way
about God who I KNOW is so much greater than any other interest in
my life?
So, would I use a cheerleader in our worship service? No-not the
way the world does. However, if God were to bring someone to our
congregation that had the ability to get people excited about God
to the point where they are shouting to the Lord in a way that
mirrored what we read about in Scripture-well, then I'd have a hard
time not using that person in our worship. Our worship of God will
never be complete until everyone in the church becomes living
sacrifices that take every aspect of our life and use it in worship
to God.
And since I promised you cows in the title, enjoy this humorous
illustration of how much our worship choices are based on personal
preferences and perceptions.
Joe, a farmer, went to visit some family members in the next
state over. While there, he went with them to a contemporary
worship service. When he returned, his wife Martha wanted to know
how it was.
"Well," said Joe, "it was good, but different. They sang praise
choruses instead of hymns."
"What are those?" asked his curious wife.
"Oh, they are sort of like hymns, only different. Well, if I
were to say to you, 'Martha, the cows are in the corn'-well, that
would be a hymn. If, on the other hand, I were to say to you:
"Martha, Martha, Martha, Oh, Martha, MARTHA, MARTHA,
the cows, the big cows, the brown cows, the black cows, the white
cows, the black and white cows, the COWS, COWS, COWS are in the
corn, are in the corn , are in the corn, are in the corn, the CORN,
CORN, CORN."
"Then, if I were to repeat the whole thing five or six times, well,
that would be a praise chorus."
The next weekend, Joe's nephew, a young, Christian from the
contemporary church came to visit his Uncle Joe and Aunt Martha. He
attended their church's traditional worship service. When he went
home his mother asked him how it was.
"Well, it was good, but different," he replied. "They sang hymns
instead of praise choruses."
Asked to describe the difference, he said:
"If Uncle Joe were to say to Aunt Martha, 'Martha, the cows are in
the corn'--well, that would be a praise chorus. If on the other
hand, he were to say to her:
"Oh, Martha, dear Martha, hear thou my cry,
Inclinest thine ear to the words of my mouth.
Turn thou thy whole wondrous ear by and by
To the righteous, inimitable, glorious truth.
"For the way of the animals who can explain
There in their heads is no shadow of sense
Hearkenest they in God's sun or His rain
Unless for the mild, tempting corn they are fenced.
"Yea, those cows in glad bovine, rebellious delight
Have broke free their shackles, their warm pens eschewed
Then goaded by minions of darkness and night
They all mild Chilliwack sweet corn have chewed.
"So look to the bright shining day by and by
Where all foul corruptions of earth are reborn
Where no vicious animals make my soul cry
And I no longer see those foul cows in the corn'
"Then, if he were to do only verses one, three and four and do a
key change on the last verse, well, that would be a hymn."
Weekly Devotional
Continue this week reading the Psalms of Ascent (Psalm 120-134)
as ways of preparing you each day for worshipping God.