I’m about to comment on something very sacred to many of my Christian brothers and sisters; their worship services. I know this is a delicate subject so let me begin with an important disclaimer: I do enjoy singing worship songs. OK? I honestly do. Some of you will find that hard to believe when you are done reading this humble little piece because it may give you an emotional reaction and sometimes emotions cause us to read or hear things that were not actually said.

But it’s true. I love church worship and I especially love current church worship. I’m glad contemporary bands have replaced the roller rink style sounds of organ hymns in many of today’s Evangelical churches. Unfortunately, this energized vitality has also created a new practice. It’s like that old saying, “You can’t have the turkey without the stuffing.”  While we Protestants pat ourselves on the back, congratulating each other for the abandonment of meaningless, Catholic ritual, or old fashioned 1800’s tradition, we may want to pause for a moment and examine a few sacraments of our own.

Before continuing, please know that I am not singling out any one church. As a matter of fact, because I am an itinerant speaker, I have visited countless churches and para-church fellowships for well over three decades. And yet, no matter how many new doors I step through, I seem to hear the exact same lecture inside. No, I do not mean the pastor’s sermon. I mean the worship leader’s sermon.

Is this starting to sound familiar? We’re in the middle of a worship service, singing with the band. Suddenly, the worship leader stops us faster than a plug can be yanked off the wall.

“Hey folks!  Are you really worshiping or are you going to sleep? Come on! Some of you look like wax statues out there!”

In all fairness, the description wax statues is not always used. Sometimes the congregation members are referred to as “zombies” or “corpses” instead. After a little bit of  uncomfortable laughter from the audience, people are reminded that they are not in church to merely sing. Indeed, we are here to worship. And not just worship. True worship!

“Are you worshiping? I mean, are you really worshiping?  If so, why that sad melancholy look on your face? And how come you are still
sitting down? You should be standing and clapping. You should feel the freedom to lift up their hands in praise!”

Spiritual as this is supposed to sound, the experience is not unlike many of the secular shows, concerts, or pep rallies you’ve been to so many times in life where some enthusiastic host lets you know in a not too subtle way that you aren’t getting excited enough.

“How are you tonight?” the emcee shouts from center stage.

Some clap. Others say “Fine” or “Great.”  Doesn’t matter. The emcee responds with, “Whoa…Let’s try that again!  I said…HOW ARE YOU TONIGHT?”

At this point, audience shouts and claps are louder, so the guy says, “That’s better!!!”

I suspect he was going to put us through this routine no matter what the reaction. If the audience stood on its head after hearing the words, “How are you tonight?” the emcee was still planning to say, “Oh come now! We can do better than this!”

Today’s worship experience is not much different. Neither does the patronizing lecture become legitimized merely because somebody reminded us about worshiping God. Those who talk about the Holy Spirit would be insulted by a suggestion that they may actually be as legalistic as the Pharisees. That’s because none of us ever see our own legalism as legalism. To us, it is keenly spiritual, so spiritual, we wish everybody could walk with God as we do. Yes, the behavior or practice is always spiritual when we do it. Legalism is something everybody else struggles with.

It might interest you to know that the first century church was also filled with people who judged the spirituality of others. No, they were not arguing as much about music, but they judged each other on the practice of holy days, what foods to eat, and a plethora of other “spiritually motivated “concerns.

I mean no disrespect for those of you who love worship. Maybe you sincerely care about the people around you and merely wish they could get as much out of the singing time as you.  Your heart is probably in the right place. All I ask, is that you remember, a couple of things:

1) Music is a matter of taste. That’s why it correlates so strongly with our feelings. Not everybody enjoys the same song to an equal degree, even when the song is about Jesus. If I hear a tune I do not care for, I am not quite as excited. I can still appreciate the fact that others enjoy the music and I can still have a worshipful attitude.

2) Even when somebody likes a particular piece of music, that person will respond with his/her own personality. Some people are quieter by nature and do not always feel like jumping up and down. They may even LOVE the song.  Such love does not automatically translate into clapping or dancing. Why exactly should this be considered a problem?

“But Bob. Maybe those who sit still are not truly worshiping.”

Maybe not. Then again, maybe they are. Do you have the ability look inside another person’s heart? What should our response be?  Paul told us long ago and quite clearly: “Who are you to judge some one else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls” (Romans 15:8).

“Maybe worship leaders just want people to feel a special freedom to let go of any inhibitions. Some are intimidated when challenged to lift up their hands. But they should feel free to do so and not be looking around to see who’s watching them.”

Hmm…Freedom to lift up our hands. Sounds great! Only one question:  Doesn’t freedom to do something include freedom to NOT do something? I remember a Christian friend from the Philippines who shared an interesting comparison to the “freedom” which worship leaders always wanted to see. “In my home country,” he said, “We are free to vote. But we aren’t free not to vote.”

“But Bob, if the same Holy Spirit is really leading us during worship, shouldn’t we all be worshiping the same way?”

Worship is a voluntary response to God. God made us each different for a reason. Perhaps He does not need to see identical posture while looking across the isle. Maybe God is more interested in enjoying our worship than commanding choreographed movement.  I’m not saying the Holy Spirit won’t choose to inspire us here and there while we sing.  He can do whatever He wants. He’s God. But even so, if we really desire the Holy Spirit’s leading, why don’t we get out of the way and let Him lead?  Far too often, we do not observe the Holy Spirit pushing the direction of worship.  Instead we hear the worship leader sharing those stern, fatherly exhortations.

This is Bob Siegel, making the obvious, obvious.

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