Worship

Worship for the longest time has been thought of as a time to sing songs and listen to a preacher’s sermon. Worship has been limited, put in a box. Worship has also been a victim of Christian consumerism. Another words we have been looking for the new thing in Christian worship, like new songs, power points, fog machines, flashy lights. Things that will trick people into coming to church just for the fancy sound equipment and concert that is put on. This has caused worship to become a spectator’s event instead of an event of participation. I believe we have failed in the area of worship. We have forgotten what worship can consist of. I think that the after affect of consumer Christianity in worship is complacency. Is that bad? Yes, it is very bad. We have become bored with worshiping the almighty God creator of everything, the God that sent his son to die for us so we could spend eternity worshiping him in heaven. Worship is more than just singing praise songs and hymns. We can worship God in many ways.
The new movement of the emergent church, I believe, is on the right track of what worship is and how worship should be. You can worship God in many different ways through painting, sculpture, music, poetry, dance, just to name a few. The emergent church is bringing participation back to the worship service. They allow their members to experience God and the Bible in a different light. They do this through smells, touches, images, taste, just to name a few things. It’s like hands on learning. The worship service is real and true, straight from God’s word.What I really like about all of this, it is taking us back to the basics of why we worship and why it is important. I like the fact that the churches are not doing this to trick people into coming to church. It is done so we can experience God to the point that we can not help respond like Isaiah did in Isaiah 6. It is helping us get out of our comfortable life styles and is forcing us to be real with each other as a body. Another thing I really like is that we experience all of this together as a community of believers. This brings us closer together and builds a stronger church body. We actually care about each other because we know what is going on in each others lives and are willing to give our time to help or pray for one another because the body is a part of our lives. I think I am rambling now so I will end my ditty for this week.