Cheap Worship
Kathy feels we need to unplug… to turn it down. I don’t disagree. (In fact, I do agree.)
We need more quiet reflection, and deeper study of God’s word. We need shared meals, more prayer, more confession (to one another). We need more proclamation of God’s amazing grace and righteous judgment (maybe not in that order).
We also need more loud music. But that music needs to be played skillfully (and in our day, mixed skillfully on skillfully designed sound systems). (Psalm 33, 47, 150)
I think she’s right about the “pop” nature of this loud music (and art) though. Throughout history the church has lead the charge in art (and, well, culture in general). Now we settle for cheap copies of art, hurried ripoffs of other artists’ work.
Why doesn’t any of the above happen? Because we are too busy. I personally am too busy. We don’t have the time to create. That is a huge loss. Something I’m currently mourning and trying to repent from. God help me.
You’re onto something with our busyness–that contributes to our lack of inspiration. I hope and pray we can give each other permission and give the Spirit time to breathe into us different forms of artistic expression, before our monoculture style of worship becomes one of the “traditions of man” we thought we left behind.
I enjoyed that Selah service so much more than I do whenever we have lots of music. Then again I can remember quite a few times when I was feeling blue and they helped capture my emotion/”wake me up”.
I recommend trying to consciously shut down/quiet your thoughts between activities and try to listen. I did it a couple of days ago and I found things went smoother, and I discovered how many thoughts come on their own and a bit as to why they do.
I so appreciate your heart in all that you said above, Matt. I especially connected with your paragraph of what we need more of. Thanks for sharing all of this– the more inspiration, the better, in finding that solitude, quietness, and refreshment Jesus just seemed to know how to take. I think our business is one of the devil’s greatest weapons forged against us. If he can’t take us out, he loves to keep us running.
Thanks Matt.I too have been musing over what worship really is. I think to most Christians it’s the music portion of a church service. But listening also is a form of worship, like Josh Harris said in “Stop Dating the Church”:
“The importance of the sermon has nothing to do with the stature of the pastor who is preaching and everything to do with the authority and power of the Word of God. … Listening to preaching is a form of worship” since “God himself is addressing you through his Word.” (Luke 8:18) (Page 111)
And Paul says that obedience and sacrifice is our ultimate form of worship:
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.” (Romans 12:1)
Striving toward holistic worship!?!
It appears to me that we need a proper balance of all of these elements for “holistic worship”.
The answer to the church’s ills is not one extreme or the other (unplugged versus cranked up, ect…), but for the body to follow the Head into the right and appropriate expression that the occasion calls for. How do you follow the Head? I’d start by following your pastor and pray that he/ they hear(s) from and follows the Lord.