I love living in this age of ministry. I wish it had come sooner. In my early Christian/singer/songwriter career in the 1990s, most churches and military chapels where I performed still reflected the church architecture of the 1920s. A piano on one side, organ on the other, 50 choir chairs as a backdrop – you get the picture. We would arrive, and begin moving the chairs, move the piano up on stage, and figure out where to put the heavy wooden pulpit. Then, hunt for a 6-foot folding table and position it on top of the pews where we could mix sound. Finally, we would haul in our sound system. At the time, most church PA (Public Address) systems were designed for talking heads, and guaranteed fidelity akin to AM radio news coming through 3″ speakers in a 1965 Plymouth.
We used to moan and dream about the day when church platforms would be designed for communicating with the tools that the rest of the performing world were using: lighting, screens, and world-class sound. As usual, the church was decades behind. But we’ve caught up! Yay! Today I only have to show up, plug in and play. Oh yeah…and minister the Gospel. But now, with all the gear and gadgets, we can also entertain while we minister truth. How cool. How relevant. How risky. Here’s why…
While entertainment can communicate truth, its greater purpose is to distract, help us forget our pain and temporarily check out of reality. True worship makes us focused, aware, and present in the reality of how much we need God’s grace and mercy. That reality can be hard on us emotionally as we stare into His holiness and have a similar reaction as Isaiah: “I am undone for I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell among a people of unclean lips.” (Isaiah 6:1-5) It is very human to want to skip the emotional challenge of facing His holiness and our un-holiness.
I can already hear some reacting: “Wait! We are more than conquerors – We share the righteousness of Christ – God doesn’t see our sin anymore – He suffered so we wouldn’t have to!” Absolutely correct. Yet the paradox in those truths is we can be incredibly naïve to think the Christian experience is for the purpose of eliminating discomfort, especially how, when or where we are triggered to stumble, even as believers. Paul assured us (2 Corinthians 7:10) that kind of “Isaiah sorrow” is an appropriate response to God’s presence, for that kind of sorrow leads us away from sin’s influence and into His holiness, which transforms us (Isaiah 6:6-7). We don’t need more information. We need more transformation.
True worship leads us away from ourselves, our preferences, our tastes, our story and into His heart, His reality, His preferences, His story. We say we have the greatest life-changing Gospel message the world has ever heard. Yet it takes more gear, better gadgets and shorter sound bites to get people to pay attention. What an interesting age in which we live!
Want entertainment with your Gospel? Fine. It’s available everywhere. Just remember it’s simply a tool to communicate a Gospel that can be uncomfortable yet truly life-changing.
“Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” Hebrews 10:24-25
Wow! Beautiful! This message came into my space at the perfect time. Thanks!
Ray, as usual God’s timing is perfect. Glad you connected with the thoughts.
Danny, thank you! Thanks for caring enough to get deep down into the questions around what I consider to be the most important thing we do as humans – to worship God. This is my favorite part:
“We don’t need more information. We need more transformation.
True worship leads us away from ourselves, our preferences, our tastes, our story and into His heart, His reality, His preferences, His story.”
Mollie, thanks for being willing to think deeply on this vital yet misunderstood discipline of the believer. Thanks for your comments.
Too often our vertical connection is lost as people connect horizontally with those on the platform. Together we need to connect vertically with the Lord. Thanks for pointing that direction.
Ray, well said. The key word you use is “together.” Hebrews 10:25
I agree, Danny! Isn’t it crazy how we get so wrapped up in what’s cool and what’s not… and I bet God couldn’t care less about being “in.” As humans, it’s so hard to get past all the trappings, down to the real heart of anything, much less worship. Stillness helps.
Bethany, stillness? O my. What a foreign concept to us as 21st century-ers! Watch for next blog that will talk about that. Thanks for interacting.
Thanks for your insightful message on worship. The more I learn about worship, the more humility grows in me. What an amazing gift for us to worship the king!
Dean, thanks for your comment. You said it: humility grows with our realization of the amazing gift(s) we’ve been offered from the King Himself!
Thanks, Danny, very well said! May the Lord continue to bless you, your ministry and this message of turning hearts back to Christ.
Thanks Eric! It really is all about our hearts being turned to God. Blessings to you!
Great blog, Danny! I got a chuckle out of the first part where you described “the piano on one side, the organ on the other…” How true — we’ve lived through an amazing transformation these past few decades, yet we must remember to keep focusing on “the Main Thing.” Excellent insights! 🙂
Dave, great hearing from you up in Canada! Yup. Keeping the main thing the main thing! Hugs!
Thank you for shining a welcoming light to the subject of worship as you did.
This sentence stood out to me at this moment in time: True worship makes us focused, aware, and present in the reality of how much we need God’s grace and mercy.
I like a good rousing concert…entertainment, with a purpose…feel good moments. But when worship leads us to long for God’s grace and mercy, and not just have a good time (…and nothing against good times!), that grace and mercy can then lead us to that peace which truly does pass all understand…no matter the circumstances.
Wes. I’m with you! Love those rousing concerts that show off our prowess, abilities, gadgets, etc. Gadgets and gear need to reflect the glory of God as well – and they do when used in His service. But like a train, there are two rails: the “do” and the “be.” The “be” requires reflection and quiet, two things we lack, especially as we try hard to impress in our worship services. Isaiah’s sorrow is a hard place, but a good place…perhaps the best place to be awaiting His presence and blessing! Blessings to you!
Danny, I might be missing something, but I’m now in a congregation where I not only praise and worship God on Sunday morning but on Wednesday night choir rehearsal as well and on Thursday morning, where we start with worship music. I know it isn’t perfect, but I am so blessed to be in a new place in my life where I am truly worshiping with other believers. with my whole heart! I love your messages and your insights into worship. Would love to host you if you ever get to Houston. There is still life in the body – though we still have those who wish the music was “as it used to be.” God has been speaking to me lately: “You ain’t seen nothing yet!” (Then He confirmed it with I Corin 2:9: “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” ) Thanks for staying the course and encouraging those who love Him to seek true worship! Love and prayers and thanks for your ministry!!
Carol. Thanks for participating in this conversation. I agree. We think we are so good at production. It could be that God is bored with it all, as He continues to seek after worshipers who will worship in spirit and truth. YES! I’d love to come to your church! All it takes is an invitation! Blessings.
Danny, I’m so thankful to God for using you in these days to speak some much needed truth concerning worship. As one who grew bored of the ‘traditional’ worship you described in your first paragraph, I found myself renewed and excited about the more demonstrative, contemporary worship that began in the 80’s. However, I remember saying that if we weren’t careful, the new praise and worship era would become “tradition” if we just focused on it as a new way to worship. And so, it has become “tradition” in many churches (in my opinion). When will we learn that worship is not about ‘us’, but about Him?! I pray God will continue to use you to teach the true message of worship and how to worship God in spirit and truth. Blessings galore to you, my brother!
Beverly, thanks for your kind comments. What you’re saying is what Jesus said to the woman at the well in John 4. Form doesn’t matter. Apparently it never did. It’s about our hearts before God. Thanks for your prayers and support.