by I’ve been reading through A. W. Tozer’s collection on Worship and Entertainment as part of assuming my new duties as Worship/Music Team leader at my church. A lot of what he states in there coincided with what the sermon was about yesterday morning, so I figure that’s due up for my two cents here.
I believe that a lot of us, as fundamental Christians, are missing the boat. I’m not quite sure why. I have
tried to reason it to be because of our desire to stick to the Word– not a bad thing– making us predispositioned toward formal programs and methods. I have no doubt that we start out with a passion for Christ, but is that really maintained? Do we continue to have a passion for Him, or is that replaced with passion in general? Do we keep doing the same things we did before because of the comfort of their familiarity and because that’s what we did when we were passionate about Him, and now it’s grown stale?
A lot of churches try to rectify the problem of “something missing” in their services with different music
choices or programs. They think that they can change style or program and get something out of it– but I believe that they find that they only get a temporary “fix” since with any change there is a temporary bump until even that change becomes more of the same.
The problem is not the service or the programs, per se, it is the people. The not-so-well-kept-secret is that worship is about an internal heart attitude rather than an external action. Sure, a nice musical number or a starry heaven can give us a warm feeling, but worship is more than that. It is a humble adoration– a recognition for who God is. This adoration will cause us to do that which is right and to be obedient out of love. If you’re not worshiping God on Monday-Saturday, don’t expect that you’re worshiping God on Sunday is the way Tozer put it.
A worshiping heart can hear a speaker as dry as the Arizona desert and have his thirst quenched by the living water from the Spirit of God. He can sing the dullest songs, and know that it is music to God’s ears. He can be in the most difficult trial and know that God is with him. A truly worshiping person is a person amazed and captivated by who God is. He has a true understanding of how small he is compared to
God, and yet knows God loves him.
Oh that we had more men and women that worshiped God at all times– our churches, our workplaces,
our schools, and our world would not be the same.
Great post MIn and great insight on the condition of the perishioners heart as opposed to the program of the Worship team.