Worship Styles

Just worship God. I have read a lot of articles recently about worship style, worship music, worship programs, worship leaders, and worship atmospheres. All of them have truths in them in that most are just observations of the writer, coupled with his or her opinion. What ever happened to just “worship?” Well, here is another opinion; mine.

 

We humans are a strange lot. The smarter we get the more complicated we make things. Do you seriously think Jesus would hold a worship conference in our society today? That He would rent Madison Square Garden or some big sports arena and invite every pastor and worship leader to come and hear about how to have “Super Bowl Worship?” I think not. I think not because He never taught how to worship God; just to worship God. God gave detailed instructions to the Israelites on how to worship after commanding them He was the only One they would worship if they wanted His favor! He even told them how to construct the Tabernacle in which to worship Him. They followed His orders; for a while. Then their “worship” became work and they lost the intimate relationship with God it was intended to bring. Jesus came to restore that relationship and He did not dictate how to build the building or how to carry out the rituals; in fact, He said it would be destroyed, but another Temple would be raised up; referring to Himself! His instructions for worship were simple; eat the bread, drink of the cup, and remember Me and what I have done for you that you may have your relationship restored with God. 

Some say that worship services today have become Broadway presentations. Some say that we totally skip worship and just eat doughnuts, drink coffee, talk about the Bible a little, then go home. I find it interesting (not that normal people would) that a lot of emphasis is put on doing church and not as much on being the church. Mankind likes to express him or herself in different ways; just read a few blogs here on the net or read a few bumper stickers on the highways. Now it may just be me, but I do not consider worship just expressing my feelings toward God. To me, worship is my life. God is who I serve every minute I am alive. I do not preach every minute, or sing every minute, or pray every minute, but I am aware of Who has given me that minute. With every breath I take I am reminded of Who puts that breath in me. 

When I express my feelings toward God in public is indicative of how I feel about Him all the time; not just when I am in church. To me worship is what I do and not when or how I do it. The Apostle Paul said that “for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’”  The poets of that day had ways of expressing their feelings in words and Paul said that God is more than just words; He is our life source. We could not even exist without Him.

Here is a pastoral secret of mine, so if any Draper Valley folk are reading this you will know why I am not on stage when the choir is singing our worship songs. I bring my worship into the church with me and my focus is not on the songs, nor the music, nor the singers, nor the congregation even. I do not depend on them to “lead me into worship.” I worship God with them when I am with them and I worship God when I am not with anyone; I guess that’s my “style.”