Worship -- Part VI

In previous posts we've looked at the Who, What, When, Where, and Why of worship. If you thought that was the end because we'd reached the last of the five traditional journalistic "W"s, you're sadly mistaken. " -)

I want to conclude with a word of caution -- avoid the Worship "Wars."

The Worship Wars have touched my life. They didn't kill me, but I was wounded in battle. I've been in hand-to-hand combat with brothers in Christ. Like many land-fought wars, even what appears to be a victory comes at a bloody price.

The Worship Wars are being fought everywhere there are Christians, and know no denominational barrier. The "issues" primarily involve style -- what should we do between the hours of 10-11 a.m. on Sunday, and how should we do it? Should we sing this kind of song, or that? Fast, or slow? Should our worship time include a choir? A band? Drama? Art? Dance? Communion? Videos and Powerpoint? Women? Coffee? Should we be focusing on attracting visitors with something "seeker-friendly," or is the hour principally designed for members of the body?

I don't want to say that reaching a working solution to these questions isn't important, because it is. But as I've written in the "What" portion of this series, God leaves the question of the activities of worship much to our imagination. You want to dance before God? Dance as David danced. You want to celebrate the Lord's Supper weekly? Go and be blessed, as the Acts 2:42 church was. Pulling together a choir to sing next week in church? May your songs, hymns, and spiritual songs encourage one another and bring glory to God. I wrote that worshipful actions must be accompanied by worshipful attitudes for it to be a sweet aroma to God. Marry actions and attitude, and you've got a winning combination.

With about 15 years of Worship War experience under my belt, my opinion is that the intensity of the war is directly proportional to the true spiritual life of the church and its individuals. Are your church members dedicated to a Romans 12 lifestyle of worship (discussed in the When post)? If so, the scrutiny of the Sunday morning sacred hour is likely lessened. Do you believe that God can be worshipped with a variety of creative actions (What), including some that feel strange to you personally? If so, the actions of your hands-lifted-high brother may not cause you much concern. Are you focused on an audience of One (Who), or are you more concerned about what the person in the next pew is doing? Have you come to a thorough understanding of God's unconditional love for you, and the depth of that love (Why)? Does your worship leave the church building with you (Where)?

As we come to understand what it means to worship God, perhaps our focus shifts from getting it "right" on Sunday morning, to striving for graceful righteousness the other 167 hours of the week. My friends, if the army of God can take that step together, the Worship Wars will claim far fewer casualties.

----------------------------------------------------

My own attitudes about worship have changed much in 20 years. I expect they will change even more during the next 20. The who, what, when, where, and why of worship ought to change as I mature in my faith -- as I better understand the nature of God and the nature of Brian. I'm not sure we ever "arrive" when it comes to having a full understanding of our relationship with the One we worship. So, as we mature, please be gracious with me, as I try to remember to be gracious with you. We're all in this together -- the body of Christ.