Vibrant Worship

We are on vacation in the Carson Valley and went to Grace Community Church to worship this last Lord’s Day and the worship in both praise and word was great. One of the things it reminded me of was that all too often we put so much effort into the production of the music side of worship that it misses the mark. The worship this Sunday was almost all from the Trinity Hymnal and was accompanied by a piano and one singer. But the church attendees were enthusiastic and sang such that God was definitely praised.

I say this not to say that other music and songs cannot be used but instead it is the cooperation of the community of saints in worship that is what glorifies God. I truly like the Indelible Grace and Sovereign Grace songs and the words they use are Christ centered so their music could be used just as well. What is important is that the words glorify God and edify the congregation while the praise sung by the people reflects a heart that is truly seeking to worship and not be served.

It does seem that the area of worship music has become so consumer oriented that when songs are chosen they are chosen by what would most affect the congregation, which is often driven by the music rather than the words, and all too often how God sees them is ignored or put farther down the list. One can sing from a hymnal or a PowerPoint but in the end it is the heart and affections of the congregation towards God that matter most.

We need to approach all that we do in worship to God as being directed towards Him and not catering to us. Those of us in the congregation need to seek after Him and realize we were called to Him to worship so we need to offer up acceptable worship. The mentality that God called us due to something in us is all too often revealed in action if not in words and leads to worship that is more man centered than God centered. This is not necessarily a call to some form of worship from the past but is a call to avoid the present focus on self gratifying worship.

This does tie into the last post I made in that those referred to as revolutionaries are seeking worship that satisfies them but the goal should be worship that is acceptable to God. In the end if we are truly children of God we will encounter joy when we worship as God desires. It is not the accoutrements of the revolutionaries worship that are inherently the issue but the reason for them, satisfaction of spiritual narcissism.

Let us worship God as He and only He desires and deserves.