Charles Spurgeon Says …
December 23, 2008
“I can admire the solemn and stately language of worship that recognizes the greatness of God, but it will not warm my heart or express my soul until it has also blended therewith the joyful nearness of that perfect love that casts out fear and ventures to speak with our Father in heaven as a child speaks with its father on earth. My brother, no veil remains”.
(from “The Power of the Cross of Christ” by Charles Spurgeon)
My friends, this quote expresses the tension that we often find our contemporary worship services. There is an aspect of God’s greatness that requires the highest regard, respect, and solemn posture; yet, this stately King of the Universe has also called us his friend, and has embraced us as His very own.
I invite you to click the “comments” area below and express your thoughts about this quote and how this tension plays out in your churches.
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The Grace our Father has afforded us at the Cross should compel us to run to Him in adoration because “once” & for “all” HE has paid the price & satisfied the requirements of the law. This fulfillment of the law gives us “freedom” not to continue to live in sin, which is bondage, but to live for Christ without condemnation when we fail. As we grow in faith & understand this fact we find our desires changing to please our “Father” rather than ourselves. “Dad’s not mad at us!” We can come home and know He will run to meet us!
I often find these discussions interesting in that they always tend to be an “either/or” discussion, or at least it often feels that way. Our God is so expansive and the facets of His character so complex, that any expression of worship should mirror what we experience of Him. Therefore, our worship can and should be varied dependingon what God is revealing of Himself and how He chooses to move both in our own personal worship times and in our corporate settings. Of course this complexity brings a great deal of challenges to those of us who program a service especially if the congregation tends to lean toward one end of the spectrum of worship expression. I was raised Pentecostal but now attend and serve in a nondenominational church whose worship tends to be a bit more reserved and reverent than expressive and exuberant. I have found programming and leading a service for this congregation requires a great deal of sensitivity and prayer. I often try to create a balance making sure that I am not so far in front of the congregation that I lose them but making sure I am true to who I am as a leader and a worshiper. You can plan for those reverential moments and those expressions of demonstrative praise in the same service. It is a delicate balance that definitely can, with God’s leading and wisdom, be achieved.
Vicki,
Great insights. I am in the same position as you – coming from a Charismatic background, and now serving in a church with over 1,400+ in combined adult worship services … many of whom have no idea how to express themselves in worship, or even WHY they should. I have the challenge of prayerfully seeking how I can lead an authentic time of worship in spirit and truth yet keep everyone as close in “unity” as possible.
For the Kingdom,
Fred McKinnon
http://www.fredmckinnon.com
http://www.theworshipcommunity.com
My church is Charismatic, but my Pastor is very conservative, so there are a lot of songs(How He Loves, Breathe, Draw Me Close), that are too “touchy feely” for congregational worship in our neck of the woods. I definitely have to do my homework on new songs I bring in, and they all have to pass a theology and lyrical content examination to be included in Sunday Mornings. So, I understand where Spurgeon is coming from, and I agree with it, but in my current church, leadership’s priority is God-focused, God-exalting worship. There’s definitely less of the warm fuzzies(and oh, do I miss them).
test
God is awesome! He wants to commune with Him. He bids us to come. I understand in hymns we exalt Him, focusing on His attributes. Yet in a love relationship we include our selves as well. Meaning a love letter written would be somewhat of a personal narrative using pronouns – I, me, we, our, my us. So spiritual songs and psalms relate to this inclusion.
In p & w, I desire to please the Lord, Let Him know with my heart and model this in cooperate worship. I chose cooperate since that’s what we need to do in order to get along one with another and bring glory to God.
I believe Mr. Spurgeon is saying God is real so be real with Him. Awesome is He and simultaneously a loving father. Bless the Lord -
This is such a relevant subject for me. In my experience, in my own church and others I’ve visited, people don’t have nearly as much problems with God as our “friend” as they do showing Him the “highest regard, respect, and solemn posture.”
I am grateful that we can “run to Him in adoration ” because of what Jesus has done. But it is clearly an attitude that people take too far. I have a problem with people who regularly are not focused on what is going on in the sanctuary to the point of being disruptive to those who ARE trying to focus. Whispering conversations during service, getting up and down in the middle of the sermon or a song (you can’t wait a few minutes until a transition?) rummaging through pocketbooks, shuffling papers, cell phones … there’s even someone in my church who has sat in the pew with an emory board filing her nails during the sermon. Are you kidding me?!
The time I find this the most offensive is during communion. In my church, we take communion together once a month. We are supposed to be obeying Jesus’ command to remember His broken body and shed blood. To me, it’s as if we were standing at the foot of the cross where Jesus was dying 2000 years ago. Could they be that indifferent there? What could you possibly have to whisper about in the face of Jesus suffering in your place? Would you file your nails there?
I LOVE unreserved, joyful, jumping up and down, dancing like David worship! There’s a time and place for everything.
I have prayed for so long that the Lord would make our sanctuary SANCTIFIED in the hearts of my congregation. I pray He would work in every heart there to help us worship Him in Spirit and in Truth, with all our hearts souls, minds and strength. Believe me, I know I am far from there myself. “All” is a big word! But at least I’m striving for that. It is my goal. I don’t claim to know the hearts and goals of others, but I know a lack of manners and respect when I see it. (God’s word tells us to look to the fruit a person yields to know what kind of person you are dealing with.) If I bring the matter up in conversation, many people justify this lack of respect with the concept of God’s love and “friendliness.” “He doesn’t mind. He’s just glad we’re all there.” I’d be really careful deciding what God minds and what He doesn’t. Personally, I don’t believe those people asked Him.
There are many people in my congregation who love the Lord and are not disrespectful. Even the ones who are lacking manners are probably not realizing what they are doing. (That doesn’t make it less frustrating!) I think it is also a sign of the times we live in. Respect is taught less and less. I live in New York. Even when I go to a Broadway show or the Metropolitan Opera house, I am amazed at how people dress and behave. They have to make announcements about common courtesy before the show begins. And some still do not care.
Vicki makes a great point that God’s character is complex. When we worship, we are responding to whatever glimpse of God’s character He has chosen to reveal to us. It’s not about what we feel or want … it’s about responding in love and admiration and thanksgiving to the One and Only True God. I haven’t read any Psalms that include congregational nail filing or any other personal hygiene during this time!
It IS challenging for the leaders who serve the congregation to find the perfect balance. We all agree it boils down to prayer. Lately I have been struggling in that area. I need to manage my time a lot better.
God, help me (and others that you know have similar needs) to find balance. Balance between hymns and choruses, between light-hearted and solemn times of worship. Help our local churches minister to young and old, new and mature Christians. Make us “all things to all people” in order to help all people draw closer to You. Help us to see through Your eyes and understand with Your heart. We need You desperately. Thank You for Your grace, patience and unconditional love for us. Teach us to be more like You today.