Is It Time For Church “Worship” To Grow Up? Pt 2

My previous post on worship seemed to generate a fair bit of passion.  Apparently there is no small amount of pent up frustration on the subject  …though fortunately most of the comments I received were positive.  But a couple friends came to me with a sentiment that could be summed up as,

“Steve, I agree with you mostly but I need my “worship” time.  This is how I relate to God.”

My response to that?

“I get it!  I do…”

If your understanding of what God loves, expects, or even requires has been part of your Christian faith for years (or for some, a lifetime) then it can be very unnerving to suggest that what you had thought was an essential piece of the Christian faith (i.e. evangelical style “worship”), was instead, only “optional”. On top of that, understanding God doesn’t see that form of “worship” as an essential way of relating to him can be especially difficult for those who have experienced very real connections to God during these times.

But these challenges are nothing new.  Paul the Apostle was dealing with a similar issue 2000 years ago.

Don’t Impose It On The Gentiles

In many ways, the modern Christian church mirrors the Jewish faith of old in that overtime there have been very prescribed structures (wineskins) for helping to develop our faith and understanding of God. In the early church when people in the Gentile regions beyond Israel were first hearing and responding to the message of Christ it was only natural that the Jewish people, who already had a relationship with God, would expect these new believers to adopt the customs and rituals that they understood were necessary to that relationship.

Temple attendance and worship, ceremonial laws, dietary rules, religious festivals, and yes, even male circumcision were understood by the Jewish people as “the way” people served and related to God.

The only problem with this plan was that although these new gentile Christians were very interested in following the Way of Jesus they were less enthused about adopting foreign Jewish culture.

Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.”  This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. (I really know how they feel)… Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.”

Acts 15: 1-2,5

Because many of the Jewish people could not even conceive of a real relationship with God apart from the religious patterns they had been raised with, there was a real fear that the system they had placed their identity in was under threat.  And unfortunately both then as well as today, that fear often manifests as antagonism and threats against those that would challenge the system.

But in Acts 15 Paul and the early church leaders meet to discuss the issue and decided that the Gentile Christians did not have to follow the Jewish requirements in order to follow Christ. But, and here’s the thing, if you were Jewish and / or these religious practices have been integral in your relationship with God, feel free to continue…

…just don’t impose it on the Gentiles!

You think that would of settled the matter…but of course it didn’t! Paul faced persecution from the establishment throughout his ministry for promoting a relationship with God which was free from imposed ritual.

Why the fuss?

Come on Steve, why is this such a big deal?

Well, two reasons really:

1. Like the Gentiles of the New Testament, the culture that Christianity finds itself engaging with is increasingly “foreign”.    Unlike generations past where even if someone was not a regular church-goer they were usually familiar with the forms, rituals, and vernacular of Christianity, people today tend to view much of the church culture as peculiar and strange.  In effect many Christian leaders have become a lot like their the Jewish leader counterparts of New Testament.  They want new Christians to confirm their faith in Christ by first conforming to their religious culture.  Our “wineskin” has become hardened.  Specifically in regards to music, singing, and praise we need to find a “new more flexible wineskin”.   A “wineskin” that allows space for those who have “worshipped” in the modern evangelical way without imposing it on new followers of Christ who may wish to walk a different path.  
2. There are many Christians in churches today that are going through the motions during a lot of “worship” time.  Not everyone connects to God through raising hands, singing, and clapping no matter how much you encourage them to just “press in”. In the end these folk see “church” as something boring and to be endured.  Because they love God though they stick out, year after year.   This is the result of creating a church culture that has forced everyone to relate to God in the same way.   We instead need to let God’s people GO so that they can really worship him!   

Worship in the New Testament is obedience demonstrated in mirroring the teachings and life of Jesus Christ.

Helping someone walk in the Way of Jesus is what worship leading really is

And we need more worship leaders!

I’ll expand on that more in Part 3

Peace,

Steve