Thursday, 17 July 2008
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Is "Worship Service" Biblical?
by mrs lily 
I’ve been struggling with the idea of a Sunday morning worship service. And I don’t mean going to church. This is not a church-bashing post. I am talking about the time that we call the “worship service.”I'd been having an extremely difficult time connecting to God during worship at church when it suddenly dawned on me: music is an overflow of the worship that we already give God everyday. Sometimes I feel ashamed when the worship service starts because I realize it is the first time I have acknowledged God in a day or two. It just seems like the way church has been institutionalized in our culture, we second-naturedly associate music with worship - we forget it's something we are supposed to do every day. Or perhaps worse, we go through the motions and forget to even acknowledge God. It’s just what we do,every Sunday morning. But if our hearts are not in it, and if we are not worshipping Him in everyday living, such as taking time to serve others, love people, to give beyond what is comfortable to give, how can we expect to instantly connect with God when music starts, as if we can flip a switch with the start of a beat?
He (Jesus) replied, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.' You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men." - Mark 7:6-8
Music is beautiful and it moves us, but when was this integrated as part of meeting together? I know that music and singing, and even dancing is all throughout scripture, but where did we get this idea of a "worship service"? Is it biblical?
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Comments (44)
When did the Lord's Day become the Lord's Day? When did we start to worship our Resurrected Lord every week? In the First Century! There is evidence that early Christians (here we're talking 8th & 9th Cent.) borrowed the idea of a weekly Sabbath meeting from the Jews, and moved it to Sunday, in an expression of their love and worship to God.
Music was (and is) such a central part of people's lives, that it became such a natural expression of worship. Jesus, and His disciples, after that first Lord's Supper, "Sang a hymn, and went out to the Mount of Olives". From ancient times through to the present, we have had music. I know how refreshing it is to hear, and to sing those hymns or worship songs. I am thankful for men and women who could put into words and set to music those sentiments that I have trouble describing. So often I'll have a thought in my mind, which I can't express without some great hymn of the Faith coming to mind, and humming it.
True Worshippers must worship in Spirit and in Truth. No where did Jesus ever sing to the Father or instruct others to sing to Him.
True, David danced, played a harp and others sang but that was their methods or worshipping and/or praising God. It's an individual thing. I do think that worship service is biblical because God told us not to forget to assemble ourselves.
@J_Goldens_Shadow@xanga - In regard to your first comment, I was not really referring to the contemporary style in which we do worship today. I am more wrestling with the idea of why is worship in our culture typically referred to as a scheduled time in the first part of a church service.
I absolutely disagree with you that one cannot be moved to worship or worship through a band live Five Iron Frenzy. This is one of my all time favorite bands, and the main reason is because of the meat that is behind their lyrics and the hearts of the guys who wrote them. Yes, a lot of their songs are catchy or even funny, and the beat often hyper, but I sincerely have had my own little worship session numerous times from several of their songs.
I think the Holy Spirit is "picky" about our hearts, not the beat we praise Him to.
@sheepthatsblack@xanga - I agree with you.
@captain_awesome__o@xanga - I'm glad to get your opinion. I guess my issue is not how do we keep everyone happy or exactly how we worship, but why is it a scheduled part of our Sunday morning service. I mean, we always start our services this way, and depending on where you go, it is almost always followed with the same things...more often than not, this is the only place most Christians worship, and that is what I think is wrong. Like I said, I believe it is to be an overflow of the rest of our lives.
@nita105 - I agree, I do not think that the assembling of ourselves is what our culture thinks it is. I'm not saying we should totally forsake the church as it is set up today, but there is much, much more to it.
I had never thought about the fact that Jesus never instructed us to do this. Again, not saying we shouldn't, but it is not the only way to worship, and as I said before, I think it is the overflow of the worship through our lives, not necessarily worship itself.
@brerjohn_lives@xanga - Well perhaps multiple churches as we know it means "whatever is a right fit" according to your denomination or specific beliefs, which I do not really agree with either.
I do not think that means we all need to meet in the same place in order for there to be unity.
Worshiping God through song and the partaking of the sacraments are Biblical, but if you are looking through the Bible expecting Jesus to have said, "Do ____ once or more every week, in this particular way: _____" then you won't find it.
What the contemporary church calls "worship" is not what worship was 50 years ago. The sermon, and your life the rest of the consisted of the worship.
@mrslily - you know, my husband and I had a huge "difference in opinions" with some of our old church members about this. They seemed to believe that we weren't as annointed as others because we didn't run, dance and jump around the church. it's a personal thing - a personal relationship between us and God. There's no way any 2 relationships are exactly the same.
I completely understand. When I am most moved in worship, I usually can do nothing! Many times people have insinuated to me that I am less spiritual because I am not shouting, dancing or boisterously praising God. In fact, there was one time when I did feel compelled to dance, and several people approached me as though I had had some spiritual breakthrough for the first time in my life. It was actually more discouraging than anything.
@AdveniatRegnumTuum@xanga - I have heard it all. Thanks for not starting a fight, though, I appreciate it. For the record, though, you and I worship the same God. And just for the record, you may want to check your sources when it come to the Church of Jesus Christ. You wouldn't go to a Dodge dealership to find out about a Chevy truck would you? Take a few minutes and read my latest post on my blog. I wouldn't mind knowing what you thought.
Ohhh good questions...
Here are my two thoughts;
a. There is something powerful when Christians come together to worship in the assembly- this is a biblical pattern.
BUT
b. That worship in the assembly should be an on flow of what is happening everyday in our lives (Romans 12:1)
I think sometimes we get a bit lax and talk about going to church to 'worship' which is okay in and of itself, but our whole lives are supposed to be lived as an act of worship to God.
This is something that I have thought about alot before too.
The conclusion I came to is that God loves worship, whether it is in music, or whether it is by words we say. But when it comes to music, there is a very fine line between entertainment and worship. I am very blessed to go to a church with an excellent music ministry, but the downfall to an excellent music ministry is that many people get so caught up in if the music is good or not. There are some days where the music is excellent, almost flawless, and there are some days where our singers are cracking notes left and right and it sounds pretty terrible. But what I have learned is that God wants worship from our HEARTS! Whether we are singing it or we are saying it, God wants us to sing/say it from our hearts! I don't think it should matter what songs you sing or what instruments you use, you can sing something a capella and still have it worship the Lord. What should matter is if when you are singing or playing, or just speaking praises to God, that you should say/play/sing from your heart.@J_Goldens_Shadow@xanga - Do you realize that the same was said about the authors of the hymns, such as Isaac Watts? Before hymns were used in worship, the church used Psalmnody. Basically, they sang the Psalms with monotone singing. Many in the church were opposed to using common music of the day in churches.
I also am not sure where you get the idea that worship must always be reverent and quiet.
Psalm 27:6 Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD.
Psalm 47:5 God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the LORD amid the sounding of trumpets."
Psalm 71:23 My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you - I, whom you have redeemed."
Psalm 98:4 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music.
You may have your own idea of worship, but the bible is clear that worship often involves loud instruments, shouting, dancing, and joy.
Even though the current dominant church format is usable by the Holy Spirit to accomplish what our Father wants, I find it far from optimum.
If our goal is to glorify the One True God as best as possible, it seems we've lost that as our focus. In fact, it seems we've not investigated the best way to accomplish this. Instead we've ended up in doing things because that's the way its always been done.
If we are to glorify our Father as best we can, we must know His love for us intimately. It is only His love for us reaching into our innermost being that heals our spirits, changes our rock-hard hearts to flesh, and causes us to naturally desire to please Him (trust and obey).
If we conducted our interpersonal relationships with the strategies the "modern" church uses we'd have no relationships at all. How do we develop relationships with our friends, our spouses, our children? Is it not by spending regular, focused, one on one time with them, picking their brains and their hearts to find out what makes them tick? Do we not sometimes just spend quiet time with them simply enjoying their presence?
But where is this taught by demonstration in the church? It is far to rare that we are taught to wait on our Maker until He is ready to move and to speak to us. Rather we tell Him what we are going to do, then ask Him to bless it. That does not at all sound like the reverence due Him.
Should we not give Him the reigns of the gathering and let Him orchestrate how He wants things to proceed. Granted, it is much simpler to deal with the immature or the tares in smaller groups. And granted, smaller groups allow for the safety and intimacy together in which to learn to risk hearing from Him as we pray for one another. In fact, my heart is to see small groups be the focus of those who belong to the Ancient of Days.
But this offering of the reigns to the One we seek to worship will work also in larger groups. A very few churches proceed this way, having a default way to proceed, but being ready for Him to rearrange the meeting.
That being said, I also agree with those who have pointed out the structure of the modern church doesn't allow for the gifts to operate as prescribed in Pauline letters. In fact, it is designed to put a major strain on the pastor and his family while preventing the growth of the individuals in the body.
The synagogues did not opperate thusly with a clear division between clergy and laity. There were elders who watched over the flock making sure that they didn't enter into error without hearing the countering truth. But any adult male was allowed to teach. And members of the congregation were allowed to disagree as to how to interpret certain scriptures. In fact, in the Chaderas, the Hebrew schools, the advanced students were taught differing interpretations of certain verses and were required to argue from each viewpoint.
What has happened to the idea that we should all submit to one another? Why do we accept that the "laity" should submit to one another and the "leadership" but the leadership only to the leadership and not to the laity? Why is leadership imputed and not earned?
End Rant
@J_Goldens_Shadow@xanga - @Theophilus166@xanga - i have also heard that many of the hymns we know today originated as drinking songs in bars...they were catchy, and people knew the tunes, they just changed the words to be about God. Just pennies for your thoughts ;)
Worship is both personal and corporate. The personal aspect of it is what every Christian should strive to do on a daily and moment-by-moment basis.
The corporate aspect of worship, where a community gathers together to praise and worhip God together with one voice, also has its place. This is what we mean by "worship service".
Perhaps some of us in the western world, with our individualistic mindset, may find that corporate worship may be unnecesary. However, in most parts of the world (and not just Christianity), worship is more of a communal thing rather than individual.
A holistic view would be this; we can worship God both individually (daily lives) and communally (worship service). They both complement each other; worship service should be the outflow of the daily worship, and the communal worship motivates us to worship daily at a personal level.
i personally feel the closest to God when i am in the middle of a good, contemporary Christian rock song. that is how i come together with God. just last night i visited the younger teens at my church at the camp they attend every year (i'm a year too old to go now. once you hit 19, you are over the age limit. it's a shame really. but anyway...) and i listened to the sermon, watched the video, understood the drama and was really into it. BUT i was not wholeheartedly, give up the way of the world and just worship Him until the praise music started at the end. The worship band started playing a very intense version of 'Jesus' Blood' by the Christian rock band Delirious? when that started, it carried me away to Him. i was so completely absorbed in His presence that nothing could distract me.
i think basically what i'm trying to say, is that it's a personal preference when it comes to this type of service. as i said before, i feel closer to God when listening and singing to music about Him, but there are some people who want to get through the music and on to the sermon. it's just a matter of personal preference, i guess. i truly believe that music is food for the soul, and i like to keep my soul well-fed.