Submitted by admin on Wed, 19/08/2009 - 9:44pm
MP3 File:
Over the past few weeks you've submitted some great questions—a lot of questions—about our current series of messages, "Doing Church Right." Some of my answers will refer back to ideas from the earlier messages (available online). Other answers can be found in the FAQ handout included in your bulletins today (a brochure we make available for newcomers who may have basic questions about our church).
Meanwhile, I'll try to answer the rest of the questions here. I noticed that most of your questions fall into one of three categories:
A. Questions about the philosophy or purpose of worship: What are the ideas behind our worship practices? What's the rationale?
B. Questions about the style or form of worship: Why do we do things a certain way? Can you explain differences in worship traditions and practices?
C. Questions about music—why am I not surprised?
The challenge of being a pastor (similar to what Moses faced) [ref: Annie Ortlund]:
- Get all the people out of Egypt, through the wilderness, and into the Promised Land.
- Get them all there together—keep them all moving at the same pace (when some want to go faster, some want to go slower, some want to go nowhere, and some want to go back to Egypt).
- Meet all their needs—and listen to all their concerns. [see Num. 9:17-18]
A. Philosophy of worship.
What does it really mean to "worship"? Our English word comes from an old Anglo-Saxon derivation [weorðscipe (W.Saxon) "condition of being worthy, honor, renown,"]. Old English meaning: ...to ascribe "worth-ship" to another—to acknowledge the state or condition of possessing great worth and value.
Several OT words are translated as "worship"—the most common (sahah) meant "to bow down" or "to prostrate oneself"—like bowing before a king or ruler, a more common custom in that culture. The most common NT word (proskuneo) also meant to bow or curtsy (from pro [towards] and kuneo [kiss]).
For us? Worship means to honor God as God—to bow our will before him, to surrender to him, and submit to him as the Lord of our lives.
You quoted 1 Cor 10:31: So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. How is this possible? Can whatever we do be for the glory of God?
As long as we acknowledge him as Lord of our lives (bow before him), all our words and deeds should be pleasing to him. As long as he is Lord, we will put his purpose ahead of our own desires. As long as he is Lord, we won't insist on having our own way. We will think of others before we think of our own wishes. In this way some very ordinary things can become vehicles for honoring God—how we drive, for instance, or how we act at a hockey game, or how we deal with an obnoxious neighbor. We may not be vocalizing the words, "praise the Lord," but our actions will be honoring to the Lord we serve.
Why are there so many different ways to worship?
Because there are so many different kinds of people. Every culture, every language, every tribe, every individual has unique customs, mannerisms, or expressions. Just as there is no single language used the world over, there is no single way to honor God.
Why do some prefer liturgy, candles, stained glass, pipe organs, and cathedral ceilings—while others enjoy clapping, hand raising, shouts to the Lord, and dancing?
None of us are alike. We come from different backgrounds and different experiences. Some hunger for God in fresh ways and as a result explore something different from the way they were raised. Others cherish their heritage and benefit greatly from doing things the way they are familiar with. There is no worship custom that is better than others—just different.
If it's all for God's enjoyment, why does what we enjoy even matter?
Good question! If God said we should crawl on our knees over broken glass, then we couldn't really be thinking about what we enjoy. We'd just have to do what he said! But God allows us the freedom to express ourselves in ways that we enjoy—because that's how we communicate; that's how we relate.
B. Style or form of worship.
Do we need to gather together to worship—or can we do it just as well alone from a fishing boat?
There's no question you can worship God while you're fishing from a boat. In fact, as we said last week, it would sad if you failed to worship God when you're out in God's creation! When you see the "lofty mountain's grandeur" or hear "the bird sing sweetly in the tree," you soul should sing!
Psalms 19:1 — The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Romans 1:20 — ...God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made...
However, there is something about gathering together to worship that is unique and important. (Maybe the question is a cover for the real question: "Do I really have to attend church services?")
Matt 18:20 — For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.
Heb 10:25 — Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another...
Acts 2:42 — [The first believers] devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Acts 2:46 — Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts...
Acts 20:7 — On the first day of the week we came together to break bread...
In the Bible God's people assembled at regular intervals to worship together—corporately, as a body of believers. In fact, we cannot fully be the church without coming together!
Eph 4:16 — From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
In the same way, the worship celebrations and festivals of the OT all had significance and meaning for God's people. They celebrated what God had done (Passover, harvest, tents in the wilderness).
In the NT, Jesus gave new meaning to OT customs, e.g. the Passover, elevating its significance to a new kind of "deliverance." It wasn't just about being set free from the slavery of Egypt; it was about being set free from the slavery of sin. So the Lord's Supper was intended to be shared with others so they could all remind each other of what it meant.
In fact, the NT tells us that the OT patterns for the tabernacle, laws, feasts and celebrations were simply "shadows"—hinting at something even bigger and more significant yet to come, fulfilled in Jesus!
Col 2:16-17 — 16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.
Heb 8:5 — [Priests] serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: "See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain."
So, go fishing and worship God. But at the same time, don't neglect assembling together with other believers. Make sure you participate as a fully functioning member of the body of Christ.
Why do we have to stand so long while singing?
I'll grant you—at times it can seem like we stand for quite a while. Often our worship leaders will begin worship by giving you some instructions—one being that if you get tired, that you should feel perfectly free to sit. You don't have to stand the whole time. Of course, if you are late coming into the service, you might not hear that announcement—so let me say it again: it's okay to sit.
Why do we interrupt our worship so often with announcements or an offering?
Well, the simple answer is: So you don't have to stand so long.
It isn't really that simple, however. "Announcements" are part of church life—they tell people things they need to know. Some things need to be said—even though we try to reduce that need by printed bulletins, PowerPoint slides, posters, and email.
Some of you have asked for public announcement time for your group or activity, and we've simply said, "Sorry, too many other things are happening today." Anyway, we try to limit public announcements to things that pertain to the whole church (picnic, for example) and not just to a few (small group leaders). Even then, sometimes emergencies require us to tell everyone something pertaining to just a few.
Some churches start their service off with announcements—to get them out of the way so they won't interrupt the worship time later. I'd like to do that, but almost half of you wouldn't hear them because you come in 5 minutes late. Other churches don't pass the offering plate—they just let people drop offerings in a box on the wall. That might work here—that's kind of what we do on Saturday night.
Anyway, this is an area we need to improve on, so we'll keep working at reducing the interruption factor.
C. Music.
What's the reason for singing praise songs?
Music is the language of the soul. There is something special when words are savored, when the cadence slows down or repeats a phrase so we can meditate on the meaning of words. Words are not just for information; they are also for feeling.
There is also something special when the words to our feelings are dressed up for a party—in festive clothing. Music can be a way for exhilarating celebration to lift up our spirits up in rejoicing!
At the same time, there are a variety of musical preferences—and it's not just the difference between what's in style and golden oldies. Some people are more musical than others. Some like to sing more than others. Some can carry a tune just fine, others can't. Some can sing harmony, others are "tin-ears." Some don't mind listening to music but they don't feel comfortable singing themselves.
Why should we sing words that have no meaning, such as "Adonai" or "Yahweh" or, for that matter, "Hallelujah"? What does "na-na-na-na-na-na" mean?
If God is our "Audience of one," which does he like more: organs or guitars?
Why can't we sing more hymns?
Several of you raised this question in a variety ways. One said, "[Hymns] are so rich in faith and testimony, and they've been done away with." Another said, "My soul doesn't connect with the new music. My heart worships with the old hymns." Another said, "Could you play more traditional gospel music at one service so we could have a choice?" Another said, "Some Sundays I feel like I'm at a rock concert... I yearn for some gospel music and old hymns that nourishes the soul and our spirits."
This is where a pastor feels like Moses—trying to get all the people from every generation to arrive together at the Promised Land.
First, let me acknowledge what you already know. There are excellent hymns with uplifting words—and they should be sung. They have enduring value—staying power to communicate God's truth. This is why I urge our worship leaders to honor our heritage and to learn songs from previous generations. Every week I tell them I want us to sing one of our classic songs—until my generation fades from the scene.
At the same time, however, we have a problem—actually more than one problem:
(1) Many (if not most) of the people who come here do not know the hymns you know. We all come from different backgrounds. One former Lutheran told me, "Every time you sing an old hymn, I scratch my head and say, ‘I've never heard that before.'" But if we were to sing the hymns she grew up with, many of you wouldn't know them. So the first problem is: Whose hymns do we sing?
There are literally thousands of hymns available! We could sing 10 hymns every week for a year and not even scratch the surface. There are Lutheran hymns, Pentecostal hymns, Methodist hymns, Presbyterian hymns, Baptist hymns—and so on.
(2) The second problem is: God loves new songs. Many times we read in the Psalms: "Sing to the Lord a new song." Even when we get to heaven, we're going to have to learn new songs (Rev 5:9; 14:3)! The Bible never says, "Sing to the Lord an old song." Now I admit I have my tongue in my cheek, just a bit. The Bible does talk about singing the "songs of Zion" or singing the "Lord's songs." And once it talks about remembering a song in the night.
I appreciate many (not all) of our old hymns. I also appreciate many (not all) of the new songs. Some songs I merely tolerate. But I am determined to focus my heart on the Lord more than the musical style so that—no matter what song is being song—I am reaching out to the Lord.
(3) One more problem: While our worship is for the Lord (and not to appeal to our preferences), we still want to connect people to God when we worship. Many people who come are not looking for hymns at all—they connect better with God through contemporary music.
I know, our music is for the Lord, not for people. But the reality is there are lots of churches whose young people are leaving in droves because they just don't relate to the music of their parents and their grandparents. Those churches would love to have music like we have here because they are losing something far more valuable than their traditions. They are losing the next generation.
One person said, "I think the older generation is being completely ignored." Well, I don't want that to happen. I want our worship teams to honor and respect their elders—and even learn some of their songs. But I also know that we want songs that will reach our society.
There are no right or wrong styles of music. All styles are rooted in cultural expressions: Drums. Guitars. Pan flutes. Crashing cymbals. Rams horn. It doesn't matter...all kinds of styles and instruments can be used to praise God. Tribal drums in Africa. Nasal half-tones in India. Violins in Europe. Steel drums in the Caribbean.
Deaf church in St. Paul. To me: Horrible, deafening, unmelodic, guttural sounds of deaf people "praising" God. But the "music" was pleasing to God!
Hearts in Tune: Bringing our best to the Lord!
Before we can analyze our worship traditions or style, we should look inside—at our hearts! We should ask ourselves, "What really motivates us to worship?" Because understanding our inner desires and attitudes is key to getting our worship right!
1. Am I only playing church?
It's easy to "go through the motions"—to look as though we're worshiping God correctly when our worship is all external and doesn't come from a heart in tune with God.
Isaiah 29:13 — The Lord says: "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men." [i.e. they're just going through the motions]
We can sing songs with our lips and mouths; we can talk the talk—use all the right lingo—and all the while our hearts are far from God!
Luke 11:39 — ...[Jesus said] "Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness."
Luke 11:44 — "Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which men walk over without knowing it."
Message: "Frauds! You're just like unmarked graves: People walk over that nice, grassy surface, never suspecting the rot and corruption that is six feet under."
2. Has my worship become meaningless? Religious customs and traditions can become tired and lifeless.
Isaiah 1:11 — "The multitude of your sacrifices—what are they to me?" says the LORD. "I have more than enough of burnt offerings..."
Isaiah 1:13 — 13 Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations—I cannot bear your evil assemblies.
David knew he needed to bring something more than meaningless rituals when he repented in Psalms 51:16-17 — 16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
3. What's really in my heart? A key principle of true worship is to check your heart and attitude: Is this the best I can offer?
Ex 23:19 — Bring the best of the firstfruits of your soil to the house of the LORD your God...
Deut 15:21 — If an animal has a defect, is lame or blind, or has any serious flaw, you must not sacrifice it to the LORD your God.
Mal 1:8,13-14 — 8 When you bring blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice crippled or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?" says the LORD Almighty... "When you bring injured, crippled or diseased animals and offer them as sacrifices, should I accept them from your hands?" says the LORD. 14 "Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord..."
Heb 11:4 — By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings...
Gen 4:3-5 — ...Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. 4 But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor...
fat portions [cheleb (316d): fat...sometimes translated as "best" or "finest." The expression "fat" is often used in figurative senses, e.g. abundant, exuberant, lusty, fertile, robust, outwardly successful]
4. Show me, Lord, what you see. Reveal to me my innermost thoughts and attitudes.
Psalms 139:23-24 (David) — 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
NLT: Point out anything in me that offends you.
Look in your hearts! What does God see?