Worship
In a clergy meeting the other day, we discussed how visitors might experience our various congregations. Recognizing that the most direct way this experience would happen would be in a worship service, we spent a good deal of time talking about “Getting something out of worship.”
I am for getting something out of worship, but aren’t we missing the point? If worship is indeed worship, it is about what God gets out of it, and thus what we put into it, not about what we get out of it.
These two things are not in opposition. I firmly believe that if one pours oneself into worship and offers oneself and one’s praise, adoration, and thanksgiving to God, one will always come away from such an experience feeling like one got something out of it.
On the other hand, can going into a worship service hoping to get something out if it actually hinder what one puts into it?
If worship is primarily about meeting with God, there’s an awful lot one might get out of worship. Blessings? Sure. Danger? You bet. Of course, being nice folks we usually only talk about the former.
I agree. I have often thought about the fact that worship is supposed to be about God and not about us. I don’t think that getting a blessing should ever be the motivation for worship. We worship God because He is God, regardless of whether or not He will drop down a blessing upon us. Think of a child. If he only came to his father when he wanted something from his dad (in our context– with God — through prayer or worship), isn’t he just using his dad? In one sense, if we come to worship for the blessing it is self-centered worship. It lead me to think about… hmm, do I come to worship God so that I can feel His peace, love, joy,… so that “I” can. This could even cross over to the times we have worshiping God alone. What is at the heart of our worship?
On the other hand, this post also made me think about a passage in 1 Corinthians 14. Here it talks about tongues and prophecy as it relates to services. I think that the primary context of the passage is that prophecy should take prominence for the sake of edification of the church, but as a seconadary we see Paul say that they should use prophecy in the church instead of tongues for the sake of unbelievers as well. The secondary argument concerned unbelievers coming into the church. Whether or not Paul was really concerned about making it possible for unbelievers to understand or whether he was simply using it as a supporting argument for using prophecy instead, I am not sure. I would need to study, pray, and think about it more. But… I just thought it was an interesting passage that somehow came to my mind while reading your post.
Let me ask you this. Do you think the church has created its own monster by emphasizing the whole production / entertainment value of worship services?
I’m one who is responsible for both planning and sharing in the leadership of worship. I pray that my Guest-conscioueness (we don’t use the ‘V’ word; “visitor” identifies an outsider as such, where “Guest” communicates our intent of hospitality) helps me to find ways to anticipate our Guest’s unfamiliarity with what we do and how we do it. Then, we subtly (OK, sometimes covertly) shape our Worship with aids that ease their participation.
15+ years ago, I met Walt Kallestad. He introduced me to both the concept and the language of “Entertainment Evangelism.” At the time, the church he leads was offering a “cutting edge” style of worship within his denomination. I still believe that his was the right idea for the right reason at the right time: being “Church” – including as the worshiping Body of Christ – that appeals to persons less-than-receptive to traditional models of ministry. We need to be careful that we do not lose the ‘why’ that premises that kind of model and reduce the idea as an excuse to stage weekly productions.
Entertainment abounds in our culture. What we as Church can offer as we worship God together is an engaging, experiencial encounter with the Holy.
I think your “why” is what makes a good worship experience, in many ways the “entertainment value” being a by-product of an open, caring community that’s just excited about being a part of worship rather than just a consumer of it.
Hi! I like your blog
glad I clicked on it from Methodist blogroll among the many many links – your title interests me 
You are right on in saying that worship is indeed all about God but I like it that you also mentioned that it should as a result let us come away with a great experience. It is a relationship and it has to be both ways — but first and foremost, it still has to be all about God.
But one more thing I learnt once during a worship camp, we worship no matter what we feel. There are times when I really do not have the mood to worship or the feeling to do so but how we feel should never ever be the reason to worship. That is one important lesson I learnt. And ever since then, whether I feel like it or not, I worship.
“On the other hand, can going into a worship service hoping to get something out if it actually hinder what one puts into it?”
When I go home for holidays I have expectations. I expect to spend time with my family. I expect to share food and fellowship together. I expect to hear some new “stuff” from someone in my family. It seems to me the self-centeredness begins when I have already defined the time, the food, the fellowship, and the “stuff”. My uncle left the Christmas dinner table one year because my mother chose to serve homemade lasagna instead of turkey.
Expecting something when we approach the throne of Almighty God is imperative. Being so bold as to tell God and others what that something should and will be is another issue completely! Herein lies the challenge for the Church in 2007.
Steve, I agree that worship is about giving to God worship and praise, but I think that is the mature understanding about worship. I think most people, especially seekers, come to church with the idea of “getting” something. They may be curious, or they may have a need that they think will be met, but I doubt if most folks come with the idea of offering something to God. I think that comes with spiritual growth. Neal commented about the entertainment value. I am sure we have gone over the edge as far as making worship entertaining, but the reality of our world is that those who are in need the most come for some, less than pure reason. So that means in the process of providing something that will hold their attention, we have to focus on teaching what worship should be and inviting folks to come get more. Well, that’s what I think. Allen
Worship, I agree is fully about blessing God, by expressing to Him how wonderful He is to us. It really is a by product of this that He blesses us!! I think it is not ever about entertainment, in fact if we become consumers of worship rather than givers of worship, actual worship cannot take place at all.