If you have attended modern American church services of any kind over the past two or three decades, I imagine you have the layout of every service memorized to a T.
The two fast songs
The one and a half slow songs
A quick instrumental for the offering (which lets be honest is normally a filler for the people to find their seats, blow their nose, and corral the kids back to the seats or to the back for kids service)
Followed by a forty to hour long message from the pastor before he dismisses you to go and get those same kids and get out to the restaurant in time to beat the charismatics and Pentecostals to lunch (they like to go long).
Meanwhile unbeknownst to the most of the congregation, the Pastor and the Praise and Worship leader are breathing a sigh of relief as another service wraps up, and they have a few moments not under the weight and expectation of running yet ANOTHER performance to keep the people happy, the complaints to a minimum, and the Blessed Sacred Cow of American Christianity quiet and content.
Am I hitting the mark?
Before you ask, no folks I promise I’m not bitter, or angry or spiteful. But I am HUNGRY for something real. So much of what we have been led, taught and indoctrinated to believe under the American/Western religious dogma, has stripped the life out of the believer, and touted a cheap fake gospel as something real. I might go off on a rant here, but few areas are more religious in Churches today than the music. Hang on for a second, just…hang on and follow me here.
Musical Delusions of Grandeur
What’s the first thing you think of when I say Praise and Worship? Yep…music, right? Look I’ll be honest, I’m down for solid well produced professional sound. Its hard to deny the power of music. The prophet Elisha even said, “Someone grab the guitar and lay down some sweet tunes…” (Translation Cacey, un-official) before he began to prophecy. It can move you to tears, to joy, to introspection, to dance, to bow. No question in my mind Music was formed and breathed into us by the Father himself. But is that Worship?
Get out the butcher knives, it’s time to kill a sacred heifer. My friend, my brothers and sisters in Christ, music isn’t worship. Not in and of itself. If the only time you worship is when you do corporate music on a Sunday morning or Wednesday evening, then are you only worshiping the God of heaven and earth two days a week?
Yes we know Ms. Seven Octave Range can sing, and Mr. Piano Prodigy can kill it on the ivories. But what about the single dad trying to raise his two daughters working three jobs? He can’t carry a tune with both hands. Is he able to worship? Or the young woman whose heart has been crushed under a damning medical diagnoses that has put her whole life upside down? She can’t dance to the rhythm on time at all…what about her?
If we make the mistake of making Music and Worship the same thing, we actually cut out most of the population of believers who don’t have that gift. No my friends its actually much simpler than that
Music isn’t worship. Music is the VEHICLE I place my worship upon.
This is going to be the first of a theme of articles talking about the Music and Worship, and how you and I can tap into the true purpose of Worship. Its not to stimulate your senses and give you that end-of-week bump to get you started. Can it and does it? You bet! But Worship and Praise, adoration, and exultation, the claps, the shouts, the singing and dancing are all external expressions of something beautiful that’s supposed to be happening internally. Ready to learn more? Stay tuned an I promise you will.
Creating a life song one day at a time
Cacey M
Oasis Wilmington’s mission is to develop a vibrant healthy family of hope-filled believers who deeply experience the love and presence of God. We partner with Jesus to express the joy and power of His kingdom in every area of life.
