Teaching on Praise, or UnTeaching on Religion?

[twc_admin]

Hey Gang,

I just posted this on my blog ... and I really want some conversation. Honestly, it drives me nuts when people post "come to my blog to comment", so (though I'd love to have the blog traffic), I'm going to post the entire text here so we can have conversation here as well. There may be additional conversation happening on the blog (or how bout this - if you reply here, consider copy/pasting it as a comment).

Here we go:

To teach or unteach …
That’s what I’m wondering today. I was speaking a while back with some folks about the desperate need we have to educate and teach our congregations on authentic worship.



For example, the seven words for “praise”, what they look like, and how we express them. The specifics on physical demonstrations and expressions of worship, such as kneeling, raising hands, bowing, and corporate singing.


Then, I couldn’t help but think … if God created us to do these things, shouldn’t they be natural? If, as the Chris Tomlin song declares “you and I were made to worship …”, is true - shouldn’t it be something we just “do”?


If so, maybe we need to spend more time “un-teaching” the religious junk we’ve learned in years of church. But then again, seekers who were never exposed to “religion” and “church” don’t necessarily come in and freely express themselves in praise and worship to God.


Or do they?


So do we teach or unteach? How would you do it?

[yod1948]

Telling someone how to be spontaneous defeats the purpose, imo, but explaining how to appropriate different elements into our corporate worship times would probably be very useful in many churches.

[russhutto]

As posted in a comment over on the blog.

My mind kind of wanders to this scripture passage when I think about “teaching”…

Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the LORD swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth. (from Deut. 11)

I know this passage is specifically talking about the “commands” to Love God with everything we’ve got…but isn’t that what worship is?

We SHOULD be teaching our children (natural and spiritual children) what it looks like to worship. How do we do that?

We make it utmost in our lives (binding it to our arms and heads), we live it day in and day out (coming and going), we make it centerpiece in our homes (doorframes and gates)…

Worship is a lifestyle (cliche? yes. truth? definitely).

And honestly, there’s nothing wrong with teaching a lifestyle. But here’s the kicker. You DON’T really teach it by just doing a weekly sermon about it. It has to be talked about ALL THE TIME and then SEALED with a life lived right in the MIDDLE of worship.

So I say teach away.

[Sambekzx]

I do believe it is natural to worship God, if one is regenerated by the Holy Spirit. Worship begins with God and ends with God. Once we've seen and tasted God, we simply react to that in our hearts as spiritual beings. This reaction is possible only due to the Holy Spirit living in us, who gives us spiritual "taste buds." When you have just taken a bite of the best food you've ever tasted and exclaim "WOW!!" while falling off your seat, did anyone teach you how to react? That is genuine worship to God, when we are exclaiming "WOW" through our words, actions, lifestyle, and thoughts, all given meaning, depth and power through the Holy Spirit living in us.

Even the most unregenerate sinner knows the concept of worship. Just go to any sports stadium or rock concert. There are some serious expressions of worship going on there, just not to the right object.

But, while some may say "WOW!" others may say "WHOA!" or "SCHWEEET!", some are stunned into silence, some begin singing, others head to the kitchen and cook, write books, fix the church lights. Worship can come in so many expressions.

In sum, if I were to teach anyone, I'd teach them about God, who He is, what He's done, and what that means for us. If I've done my part, then the worship should follow shortly thereafter, even if I don't personally understand or identify with that mode of expression.

[worshiptheKing]

This has actually been a hot topic. This past Sunday, during the slower part of the set, a gentleman was obviously moved by the Spirit. He initially raised his hands and was somewhat vocal, nothing out of order, but not something that a lot of people in our church are used to. He then stepped out into the aisle and walked. He walked around his section of the seating, hands raised, somewhat vocal, but nothing "over the top." He is the brother of one of our members and visits every now and again. I was moved by his outward act of worship as were some others who were encouraged by his freedom to do so. Yet through the grapevine (you know how church people are) leadershiop heard from those who were very upset at the idea of someone "acting this way."

Is this the type of thing you are talking about Russ?

We have been encouraging more outwardly expressive worship, raised hands, kneeling, even something as simple as standing without being promopted to do so.

I am looking forward to this thread and will probably use it in the weeks to come.

Thanks Russ.

[Sambekzx]

I always wondered what to say to people who criticize others for how they choose to worship. Usually, I just nod and don't say anything. Hopefully, they'll be reminded of Romans 14

"Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. One man's faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord."

I think of people criticizing others on how they worship is like someone criticizing a person who went brain dead and was resuscitated by CPR for breathing through his mouth. The mere fact that we're worshiping God at all is a miracle!

[russhutto]

Not sure I follow what you're asking about (worshiptheking).

I'm just saying that worship, though expressed through music, is not only limited to music. We do have very Biblical expressions of worship to express our worship with (7 types of praise for starters), but my point is if you're teaching a whole-life view of worship FIRST, these things can be added easily.

We should teach about worship expressions, in fact, I almost think it's a crime not to. Why? Because if we know something that other's don't that is an obvious truth in the Bible and we hold it back, that can't be good right? Of course, there are exceptions, but I'm specifically talking about teaching about worship and worship activity.

[worshiptheKing]

Amen! ***********

[Sambekzx]

What is in the list of 7?

[milepost13]

We spend a lot of time, thought and energy focusing on "unteaching" people the religious jargon, methodologies, rituals that keep us from a deeper walk and keep us from clearly explaining Christ to others. There are so many misconceptions about worship, so many words that we use that have no meaning outside of the church walls, so many traditions that we cling to that can be counter to the purpose of the Church.

We have discovered that, so many believers are so "brainwashed" by religion, we are actually much more careful and deliberate when accepting a long-time Christian into our church membership than we are a new believer. Our statistics (from within our church) show that, the the majority of people who leave our church because of petty differences, never get plugged into a small group, never lead a friend to Christ, never bring a person to church, never increase their giving, never sign up for the mission team, never commit to consistent ministry, never have anything positive to say...those are the people (most of the time) who come to our church with a long history of faith/church attendance.

In comparison, the majority of people who couldn't even imagine leaving our church, who love their small group more than anything, have shared their faith with every friend they have, have brought anyone who is breathing to church, are growing in the ability to trust God with their stuff, are the first to want to go, are the most encouraging ministry team members, always have a smile and something positive to say...those are the people (most of the time) who were recently led to Christ and to our church by people just like them.

Beyond modeling in our own lives, we teach/unteach by purposely choosing and using words and phrases that break down boxes and misconceptions, in one-on-one conversations and from the stage on Sunday morning. We offer discipleship classes that break down these barriers as well.

Nate