Is worshipping with music authentic?

[simon]

I've been meaning to start this thread since joining this forum a month or so back, but figured I should hang out first and get a feel for the place before doing so.

I have spent twenty years playing in worship bands in evangelical/ pentacostal /charismatic churches. The band Delirious came out of my youth group and I have been fortunate enough to be involved in a lot of amazing stuff that has happened in the UK over the last fifteen years or so.

However about four years ago I became completely disillusioned with musical worship. I noticed that a "good" worship meeting (often described in terms of the "spirit really moving") was defined more by a good choice of songs, astute worship leader who could gauge the congregations mood, and a band that sounded good. Indeed I used to play games in songs by seeing how many people I could get to raise their hands simply by dropping out for a verse (on the electric guitar) and then really building the dynamics when coming back in. Obviously I realised when it got to this point that it was time to move on.

I now really struggle in charismatic style worship contexts because I just can't get out of my mind that what people attribute to "the spirit moving" is in fact clever use of mood and crowd dynamics/psychology. In one sense I know that it's fine for God to use aspects of our biology to communicate with us, however another part of me cannot help but think people are deluding themselves into some sort of cathartic delirium which in the long run does nothing to practically help anyone once they leave the church building.

I really want to experience God in worshipping with music, but I can't quite convince myself that such experiences are authentic. I'd be interested in other people's thoughts.

Simon

[NickAlexander]

I love your insights, and you are blessed to have had such a unique experience!

As far as I see it, you got one part of the equation absolutely correct. We are to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, souls, minds and strength. I sense that a lot of what we have in our worship is heart-felt, but the mind is not engaged, or we are not challenged to live out our faith in action after the Sunday or Wednesday service (strength). I suspect if we did so, we wouldn't worry about a heart-based response to good music, a steady flow, and an acute understanding of group dynamics in a musical setting.

Nick

[theworshipfiles]

I definitely appreciate your thoughts here. I haven't really thought of this since I don't come from that background. I agree that if emotions are the focus and if they're being manipulated, that can certainly leave the soul dry shortly after exiting the church building.

I will say, however, that worship on a Sunday morning has become quite refreshing to me. It seems to recharge me regardless of whether or not I have an emotional encounter. In fact, I would say that the majority of Sunday mornings lack any sort of "experience" as you describe...at least for me from the stage. The songs I choose are chosen to relate to the message. Many times they're simply a prayer for me to pray as I sing. Sometimes they are exclamations of God's goodness which serve as a reminder to humble me before him. I wonder, though, if the purpose behind why I choose certain songs is passed on to the congregation. I should evaluate this and see how it relates to what you're describing and see how I can improve what I do on a Sunday morning.

[Lance]

I agree with Nick. We need to worship with our intellect as well as with our emotions. I wonder how many people have been moved by a particularly emotional worship service into dedicating their lives to Jesus, only to wake up the next day & wonder what they were thinking? Unfortunately, if that happens, it's because they weren't thinking so much as they were feeling. They only had one half of the equation. A good worship service needs to include time in the Word, prayer, & perhaps even a general confession of sins & a pronouncement of forgiveness. It should also be supplemented with daily Bible reading & prayer &, as Nick suggested, service.

My own background is not Pentacostal, but I occassionally attend other worship services. I was at a 2 1/2 hour Pentacostal service a couple weeks ago & the overflowing emotions of the people was overwhelming. We did spend quite a bit of time in the Word & in prayer, although there was no public confession & forgiveness. I don't know if some Pentacostal churches regularly include this or not.

I confess now that the overall emotionality of it left me drained for almost a week afterward. I didn't pick up my Bible again until Thursday or Friday & I couldn't bring myself to listen to the local Christian radio station until Saturday. Maybe it's because my own faith tradition tends to lean too far the other way. We pride ourselves on having a strong theology, but we find it hard to emote in a public setting.

I like a happy medium, which is what I try to bring to worship when I'm leading. Get the people to clap their hands & dance around, but also keep that Law/Gospel, Sin/Forgivess theme in their minds (as well as their hearts).

I see that as I've been typing this long-winded essay here, theworshipfiles has posted a more concise but well-thought out view on this matter that sort of compliments mine & Nicks.

Let me end this by saying that, yes, it is possible for worship leaders to emotionally manipulate the worshippers. It is not the desireable thing to do, though. There's nothing wrong with getting emotional during worship, but it should be more than that. It's good that you're aware of that danger, because, hopefully, that will make it easier to avoid it.

[russhutto]

Short answer: yes and no.

Depends on the worshiper.

[Chris Gates]

Authentic? I don't think you are asking the right question. Obviously, authentic worship from the heart of a soul touched by Jesus is authentic regardless of its "mode" of expression. The question should be, "Is every 'worshipper' authentic? Not every person who raises their hands on Sunday morning is a true worshipper. It is clear in Scripture that the Lord desires to be worshipped with music (e.g. Psalm 150). In light of that, I would be more than hesitant to "throw the baby out with the guitar solo." We must not blame the band for every in-authentic worshipper in the church. If someone comes into the church and worships only in pretense, and not in truth, it is not my fault as their pastor or worship leader, unless I am teaching them that true worship is all about raising your hands, singing songs, and having an emotional experience similar to what one would have at a U2 concert. If that is the depth of my teaching regarding worship, then perhaps I am to blame. As a leader, it is my responsibility to teach the church what true worship is according to the word of God. There is a definite place for music in worship. The same sin of pretense can/does also occur in churches where worship is very intellectual (recitation of creeds, responsive readings, etc.). False worship, as it were, can happen even in churches that do not use music at all. Rather than question the authenticity of a biblical practice, such as "playing skillfully on the strings" (Ps. 33:3), we must take on the responsibility, as leaders, of teaching the church what true worship is. It's okay to get emotional when singing to God, whether we are using instruments or not. But let us pray that worship doesn't end with the last verse of our closing song. Isaiah 38:20 says, "The Lord will save me, and we will play my music on stringed instruments all the days of our lives, at the house of the Lord." Let's worship in that way. Let's worship in every way.

[betnich]

Good point - looks like the Holy Spirit convicted your heart. Yes, there is a lot of flesh and manipulation in commercial Christiandom. Anyone leading from the platform can fall into the sin of pleasing man rather than God.

Not so good point - guilt can take us only so far. I can't say to myself, "Since this chord change makes people want to raise their hands, I will never again use it." See the fallacy? God can use it, but I need to be sensitive to His leading and timing...

[yod1948]

There are 107 places where we are told to sing praise to God. That doesn't include all the other places where music is also used.

Is the mere act of making a melody come from your mouth "worship"? No, but worship accompanied by singing is the most mentioned form in the bible. The joy of the Lord is our strength and singing is the natural expression of it.

Having said that, singing without conviction is easy to fake. God doesn't enjoy the singing of someone whose heart is far from Him. Maybe that isn't you, Simon, but perhaps you have seen this in crowds who have replaced praise with hedonistic pleasure in music?

In this particular case, it sounds like a sabbatical would be good for refocusing on what is important.


On a related note, there are things in every church that should be openly repented of which would hinder any depth of worship. Those who embrace this will find life, those who ignore it are already dead and may not know it.

[simon]

Thanks for the thoughts guys - they're really helpful.

On further reflection I think one of the places where it started going wrong for me was upon visiting a "famous revival that I will not name" in around 2000. We'd heard of it in England, had the albums and used some of their songs, so I was really looking forward to going out there however once there, and despite being keen to join in, I just found the whole experience over the top and too intense. It was the first time I had ever walked out of a worship service because I felt uncomfortable.

Having had my eyes opened to what I thought was over the top worship I then started noticing it in my own church and especially in evening meetings with atmospheric lights, smoke machines etc. From the band you are in probably the best place to be able to watch whats going on around the room and I started to like what I saw less and less. I should probably add it wasn't just my church - I used to tour occasionally with a relatively well known worship leader and see the same things happening in lots of churches around northern Europe.

I am now in a church that uses liturgy and although I do lead worship on occasions I am very careful not to "go with the flow". I make sure there's a short gap between songs just so that people don't get too caught up in the atmosphere and even use arrangements. For where I'm at this feels much more comfortable. What I am not sure, however, is whether this is me finding I prefer another "style" of worship or whether there is something deeper going on. I can't help but wonder if the change I have felt might be based upon changing views of God or theology, but if this is the case I am not sure how my views about God have changed! Is style of worship linked to theology or is it something different?

[Jason Huffman]

I know I'm late coming to this thread. But if you will allow me to share my experience in this department, I will. Almost 15 years ago, I was asked to play drums at a week-long church camp for teens in the Baptist church. Unfortunately for us, the camp pastor had just come back from a huge revival experience that had been going on for months and was taking the worship community and the country by storm--new songs and CDs released, etc. One night, we had selected the song "Pour Out My Heart"...a G D Em C progression in 6-8. He insisted we keep playing the song for over half an hour while the kids "experienced God." What was happening wasn't an experience of God, but it was emotional manipulation by lulling those kids into a trance. The other guys in the band and I almost walked off the platform. We informed him after the service of our concerns and we didn't try to re-create that scenario any more. But I felt something heavy in my heart that what we were doing was not right. I think we are all called to worship in our own way and use our talents and gifts to do that. Using music as a tool to bring worshipers together in unison is great. But to use music to manipulate people can cross the line.