Worship Wars
Kenny Lamm from North Carolina has an interesting first post in a new series on choosing a worship style in your church. Try to guess what the writer of this article was talking about before you get to the end of the article:
Take a look at this excerpt from an U.S newspaper objecting to the new trends in church music:
There are several reasons for opposing it.
One, it’s too new.
Two, it’s often worldly, even blasphemous.
The new Christian music is not as pleasant as the more established style.
Because there are so many songs, you can’t learn them all.
It puts too much emphasis on instrumental music rather than Godly lyrics.
This new music creates disturbances making people act indecently and disorderly.
The preceding generation got along without it.
It’s a money making scene and some of these new music upstarts are lewd and loose.
Does this sound like some of the “fan” mail you receive the week after you have pushed the envelope in worship with some new worship songs?
This was written by a pastor in 1723 attacking Isaac Watts, the writer of great hymns like When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, Joy to the World, and O God, Our Help in Ages Past.
You see, “worship wars” are nothing new to our decade. As long as we have had organized church and people with personal preferences, there has been conflict. As James 4:1 says, “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle with you?”
- Excerpted from the Renewing Worship blog.
WOW! Pretty enlightening huh? We have come a long way in our worship service haven’t we? Why is the one thing that is supposed to be entirely for God. . .the one thing that tears us apart?
My Prayer is this–
“O Lord, Please allow me to lead in worship in a way that is not uplifting myself, a style, a preference, or a song; but that it will be all about you! I want to come back to the heart of worship where it’s all about You Jesus. Not about me, not about my likes, dislikes, what people like or dislike. I want to lead worship, AND worship with freedom. I want to come into your presence with no agenda, no motives. . .JUST WORSHIP! to close my prayer I sing this song to you Lord. . .let it be my heart. Forgive me when I fail you, allow me to be transparent and allow you to lead through me at First Baptist Church Hamlin, Tx.
When the music fades And all is stripped away And I simply come. Longing just to bring Something that’s of worth That will bless your heart. King of endless worth no one could express how much You deserve. Though I’m weak and poor all I have is Yours every single breath. I’ll bring You more than a song for a song in itself is not what You have required. You search much deeper within through the ways things appear You’re looking into my heart! I’m coming back to the heart of worship And it’s all about You All about You, Jesus I’m sorry Lord for the thing I’ve made it When it’s all about You It’s all about You Jesus!
AMEN!
Hope everyone has a wonderful worship service tomorrow. Allow God to move in you and move you to follow his direction for your life!
In Christ,
Michael
