Performance vs. Worship: PART I
A comment on a previous post the other day prompted me try and tackle this subject (as if I have all the answers). I’ve wrestled with this question on a number of occasions to almost always find myself right back where I started.
It is both.
Why do i feel that way and how can I support that with scripture? Well…that is what I hope to do over the next few posts. But I’ll start with this. God is the author of all things and anything that can be used to enhance a worship experience should not be overruled just because it is most often associated with rock concerts, leotards, theatrical productions or anythign else outside of the church. In addition, no one should believe any amount of any material thing is necessary to worship God at any moment. There is no one way to worship, but there is, however, only one thing that should be worshipped. And if you are a part of any church or service that consistently creates an environment that distracts you from focusing on God and God alone, you need to reevaluate why you are there.
Distractions are the worship killer. Some people don’t like a rock concert-like setting with lights, smoke, and loud music. I personally don’t like being forced to listen to a bad choir, out of tune string section, or songs that were written for a generation i can’t even trace ancestory back to. Now, I’m not saying either way is right but I am saying any kind of distraction can keep you from truly worshipping God as we are called to in John 4:23-24. Yes, I understand, I (and everyone else) should be able to block out those distractions. But serisouly, out of tune strings…yikes.
Thankyou for your post. Ha! I’m really glad you decided to tackle the topic. I agree, that every style of worship can have it’s distractions.
I wonder though when it is ok to appeal so much to the flesh or culture in order to bring people to Christ. I’ve been a part of lots of worship events that are hyped up for the purpose of appealing to people to get them to church. Maybe that’s ok though. I don’t know.
Perhaps there are places in the Bible where people use the world and culture to appeal to people to get them to see some aspect of God and his truth.
I’ve just seen in my own life experience that, especially with teens, you draw them to the music and that’s as far as it ever goes. The music IS the worship and the youth are not really ever shown that worship runs much deeper.
By the way, I found out from your wife that you went to Ski and Share in Idaho. I used to go to that for years. It holds some of my greatest youth group memories.
Well, I hope to hear more from ya! Thanks for writing.
-Kristy