worship: music, silence or other? – part 2

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continuing the series about music and worship – this week tackling some of the difficult or regular questions

Isn’t service in the community or in church good enough to be our act of worship?
Yes! And No! It is a worthy act of worship, but not the same as worshipping with the body of Christ in music. Our whole lives are meant to be a living sacrifice (Romans 12) of worship. As the preacher Ian Coffee once said, the trouble with living sacrifices is that they keep crawling off the altar. Our acts of service, our work times and home times, our making the tea times, are all capable of being worship, but we need to go back to the altar, the presence of God, and pour out our hearts in praise and adoration, and in tune (approximately) with our fellow believers.

Why do we repeat songs over and over again?
Quick answer – because we are enjoying it.. That could be some of the worship group, and some of the congregation, but clearly, because the question gets asked, not everyone.

Longer answer – some songs are not too long or complex, but convey a particular sense of God’s presence. When these songs are used, they are not just to communicate a message in words, but to allow time for all the congregation to enjoy God’s presence without rushing on. This might be a quick song, full of life and joy, or a quiet song which becomes a prayer or a meditation.

What would I suggest, if you don’t like repeat choruses? Firstly, use the time to be with God. If you can’t use the music to worship, tune out and pray. Secondly, don’t allow yourself to get annoyed, because that will dampen your own spirit. Thirdly, and this applies to the worship leaders, don’t over-do it.

Aren’t the old hymns good enough?
Of course they are. Or were. But the same thing applies to the Psalms of the old testament and early church days, the canticles of the middle ages and the chants of the evensong. God is creative, and puts a creative spirit in his people. I am thankful that God inspires the Wesleys, the Watts, the Newtons as much as I am for the Kendricks and the Redmans. I believe that God raises these people up to write for their own generation, and sometimes the inspiration lasts for years and centuries. But many, many hymns have not stood the test of time, just as many of the last 50 years’ songs will disappear in only a few decades.

As I discussed last time, we are constrained in our worship by our cultural roots, and we may not be able to be comfortable with – for some – songs, or – for others –hymns. Does this mean we will loose our musical heritage – no! But we need to use all this fantastic music to worship, not for its own sake.

Why do some people raise their arms in worship?
In a training course, Graham Kendrick asked everyone who had a problem with this to hold their hand up. Then he said, “raise the other one – now wasn’t that easy?” It is an expression of openness to God, and is easy to do, but, like many outward expressions of worship – clapping, dancing, etc. – it makes some of us feel self conscious. What can I say – let those who can, do, and let those who can’t, be relaxed about it. It’s not about us, it’s about God, and it’s all ok.

Best bits about worship in the Bible, no. 2
2 Samuel ch 6 v14. David was very un-self conscious in worship, and got into trouble with his wife. He was right, on this occasion, to abandon all decorum for the Lord.

Is there more to worship than we see at KMC? See part 3.

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