worship: music, silence or other? – part 3

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worship: music, silence or other? – part 3

continuing the series about music and worship – where do we go from here?

Is there more to worship than we see at KMC?
I think we all know the answer to this question. Whether we worship in traditional style at the 9:15am service, more contemporary style at the 10:45am service, or in some of the fresh expression services in the evenings, we know that there is more. What we have now is a pale copy of the ultimate worship service described in Revelation (ch 4).

However, our responses are mixed and widely different to the idea of “more” in worship. Among the comments made to me are:
• I don’t want to be in a happy, clappy church
• I don’t want to fall over
• All that “stuff” made me very uncomfortable
• I don’t see why you would need to do that!
• These songs are too slow!

We tend to have already thought of what the next step might be, and for some of us, it doesn’t seem appealing. And if worship is not appealing, we are off track somewhere. We need to find God’s track.

Let’s go back to the beginning again…
No, not Genesis, but the basic question: “Why do we worship together on Sunday?”
The basic answer is: To honour God together.
This raises the second question: “Why would we want to honour God?”
And the answer? Well, I would like to say “because for the last week, the Father has loved me, the Son has walked with me and the Spirit has filled me, and this is the same for all of us”.

This is only partially true for me, because I continue to let God down, but that partial success gives me reason to praise God. The failure gives me reason to come to God in confession and ask for forgiveness. To do this together, with one heart as the body of Jesus, this is our worship together.

And the point is?
The more we live with God in the week, the more honest and heartfelt is our praise and worship to Him on a Sunday. In fact it is the experience of God in our lives that gives us the ability to worship. Jesus put it this way “God is spirit, and only by the power of the Spirit can people worship Him as he really is.” (John 4v24).

What does it mean, to worship by the power of the Spirit?
You don’t half ask difficult questions! Jesus was talking with the Samaritan women at the well, and she had asked whether it was correct to worship God in Jerusalem (where the Jews believed the presence of God dwelt in the temple), or on a mountain in Samaria. Jesus’ answer was that God’s people would live in God’s presence everywhere, because of the Holy Spirit who would dwell within each believer.

Christian life must be powered by the Holy Spirit to be fruitful, and worship must be powered by the Holy Spirit to be honest and true, and it all centres on the knowledge and experience of the presence of God.

The answer to our main question, then, is: there is more to our worship when we seek the presence of God in our lives and in our services. As the communion liturgy says, “as we draw near to God, he draws near to us.” And when we experience the presence of God, we put more into our worship.

There have been many times in our church’s history when God’s presence has been widely recognised, and this has drawn from us greater response in commitment, in faith, in prayer, an of course in worship. We have queued for prayer and for healing, and some have had special, deep experiences which meant they could no longer stand up. Many of us have experienced this in other places as well.

What should I do, if I find this very uncomfortable?
Firstly, I hope this attempt at an explanation will help your understanding. Secondly, seek the presence of God in your own way, while allowing others their different responses. And thirdly, for all of us, we should look for God’s presence all week-long – to be Spirit powered.

Best bits about worship in the Bible, no. 3
1 Kings 8:1-13. Solomon opens the new temple in Jerusalem and God shows up, spectacularly! Similar stories of the “Shekhina” have been heard from church gatherings around the world in recent times.

Graham Boler

KMC’s organists, musicians and singers are there each Sunday to provide the framework for your worship, and the playing and singing is part of their act of worship. This might describe you, too, and if so, speak to me.

www.kmcworshipgroup.info