Comments on: True Worship http://hardcorefaith.com/archives/3300 HardcoreFaith.com - A ministry of Christian St John - Real faith for a real world! Mon, 06 Sep 2010 00:04:28 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: Ruth Rich http://hardcorefaith.com/archives/3300/comment-page-1#comment-2121 Ruth Rich Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:02:03 +0000 http://hardcorefaith.com/?p=3300#comment-2121 If the music's good and we feel joyful in God's presence, I wonder why Christians don't feel comfortable even clapping their hands in a service? I'm starting to think that being Canadian and white is a deadly combination. Just recently I watched some Indo-Canadian men dancing with incredible joy and freedom at a community event. It was wonderful. After seeing that, I began to think that being expressive is a cultural problem for the average church goer. We stop ourselves from dancing or even being enthusiastic pretty soon after toddlerhood. Of course there's that old religious idea that dancing is inherently bad. When we stop moving physically, it's easy to stop other things, too, like the passion of the heart. It seems to go together. But here's a question: Why do we dance up a storm at a Christian wedding and then stand like boards during a toe-tapper at church? I'm not even being critical....I'm actually just wondering what's going on. If the music’s good and we feel joyful in God’s presence, I wonder why Christians don’t feel comfortable even clapping their hands in a service? I’m starting to think that being Canadian and white is a deadly combination. Just recently I watched some Indo-Canadian men dancing with incredible joy and freedom at a community event. It was wonderful. After seeing that, I began to think that being expressive is a cultural problem for the average church goer. We stop ourselves from dancing or even being enthusiastic pretty soon after toddlerhood. Of course there’s that old religious idea that dancing is inherently bad. When we stop moving physically, it’s easy to stop other things, too, like the passion of the heart. It seems to go together.

But here’s a question: Why do we dance up a storm at a Christian wedding and then stand like boards during a toe-tapper at church? I’m not even being critical….I’m actually just wondering what’s going on.

]]> By: Christian St John http://hardcorefaith.com/archives/3300/comment-page-1#comment-2120 Christian St John Mon, 22 Jun 2009 23:12:50 +0000 http://hardcorefaith.com/?p=3300#comment-2120 It's interesting isn't it that we get all hyper and "woo-hoo" for rock stars, movie stars, sports stars, sporting events, concerts and so on. And yet when it comes to the God of the universe, the Great I AM many of us become as wooden as William Shatner, with our hands in pockets, and just sing the words 'cause they're there, without ever giving them a second thought. Passion, that's what we need more of... unfortunately passion's not available at the chemist... what to do :) It’s interesting isn’t it that we get all hyper and “woo-hoo” for rock stars, movie stars, sports stars, sporting events, concerts and so on. And yet when it comes to the God of the universe, the Great I AM many of us become as wooden as William Shatner, with our hands in pockets, and just sing the words ’cause they’re there, without ever giving them a second thought. Passion, that’s what we need more of… unfortunately passion’s not available at the chemist… what to do :)

]]> By: Ruth Rich http://hardcorefaith.com/archives/3300/comment-page-1#comment-2117 Ruth Rich Mon, 22 Jun 2009 22:28:38 +0000 http://hardcorefaith.com/?p=3300#comment-2117 Yes, I have heard that song and I like it a lot. Interesting, it does come from the point of view of the writer..."i was born to sing for you." Somehow that doesn't bother me because the writing is so eloquent and because the words lift you higher than yourself. The music is great, too and fits well with the lyrics - I guess every worship band can't be U2. One of my worries with singing songs like this in church is that sometimes we are in danger of singing about passion for God without feeling any. That scares me. You get people kind of standing stiffly, looking bored while they sing the words "oh I feel like dancing" to God. Maybe being Canadian doesn't help us be outwardly passionate about anything - unless it's hockey! Yes, I have heard that song and I like it a lot. Interesting, it does come from the point of view of the writer…”i was born to sing for you.” Somehow that doesn’t bother me because the writing is so eloquent and because the words lift you higher than yourself. The music is great, too and fits well with the lyrics – I guess every worship band can’t be U2.

One of my worries with singing songs like this in church is that sometimes we are in danger of singing about passion for God without feeling any. That scares me. You get people kind of standing stiffly, looking bored while they sing the words “oh I feel like dancing” to God. Maybe being Canadian doesn’t help us be outwardly passionate about anything – unless it’s hockey!

]]> By: Christian St John http://hardcorefaith.com/archives/3300/comment-page-1#comment-2112 Christian St John Mon, 22 Jun 2009 20:12:07 +0000 http://hardcorefaith.com/?p=3300#comment-2112 A few years ago some people did a study on worship music and secular music. They asked people to read the lyrics of worship and secular songs and asked them which they thought were the “girl I love you” songs. The results astounded people as around 7 out of 10 people said that the worship songs were the “girl I love you” songs. (Sorry I cannot back this up as I don’t have the source as to where I read this… you’ll just have to take my word for it). I think that bands like Casting Crowns, Newsboys (the worship stuff), and even the new Hillsong United stuff are changing their focus somewhat and it will be interesting to see where this all goes. I don’t personally mind the “how I feel about God” songs, but do prefer the “You are God” songs. By the way have you heard the new U2 song Magnificent? This is a out and out worship song that has it’s focus in the right place… Beginning at verse 2: “I was born, I was born to sing for you I didn’t have a choice but to lift you up And sing whatever song you wanted me to I give you back my voice From the womb my first cry, it was a joyful noise… Only love, only love can leave such a mark But only love, only love can heal such a scar Justified till we die, you and I will magnify The Magnificent Magnificent.” Thanks Ruth for your comment, always welcome! A few years ago some people did a study on worship music and secular music. They asked people to read the lyrics of worship and secular songs and asked them which they thought were the “girl I love you” songs. The results astounded people as around 7 out of 10 people said that the worship songs were the “girl I love you” songs. (Sorry I cannot back this up as I don’t have the source as to where I read this… you’ll just have to take my word for it). I think that bands like Casting Crowns, Newsboys (the worship stuff), and even the new Hillsong United stuff are changing their focus somewhat and it will be interesting to see where this all goes. I don’t personally mind the “how I feel about God” songs, but do prefer the “You are God” songs.

By the way have you heard the new U2 song Magnificent? This is a out and out worship song that has it’s focus in the right place…

Beginning at verse 2:
“I was born, I was born to sing for you
I didn’t have a choice but to lift you up
And sing whatever song you wanted me to
I give you back my voice
From the womb my first cry, it was a joyful noise…
Only love, only love can leave such a mark
But only love, only love can heal such a scar
Justified till we die, you and I will magnify
The Magnificent
Magnificent.”

Thanks Ruth for your comment, always welcome!

]]> By: Ruth Rich http://hardcorefaith.com/archives/3300/comment-page-1#comment-2109 Ruth Rich Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:55:23 +0000 http://hardcorefaith.com/?p=3300#comment-2109 That sounds like an interesting read. A good observation. It's not that I don't want to worship God, I just don't like worship music. That's a problem for me because I'm a worship leader. I'm looking for passion and truth - a focus on His glory and a reflection on the foundation of the scriptures - but what I find more often is that worship songs focus on our own egos. "I" feel this way about God or "I" believe that about God. Sometimes it seems like I'm standing there singing about myself and I feel embarrassed to be doing that in front of God, when it's supposed to be about Him. This is not always the case, but it tends to be the way worship songs are written. Maybe we need a change from the touchy-feely music that was introduced to churches in the 80's. At that time it was novel to tell God how you "felt" and it spoke volumes about how we wanted to relate to Him. That kind of thing doesn't translate so well to our culture now and it seems a bit lame - maybe that's why people are avoiding it. Or maybe we are just lukewarm. Yep, that's possible, too. That sounds like an interesting read. A good observation. It’s not that I don’t want to worship God, I just don’t like worship music. That’s a problem for me because I’m a worship leader. I’m looking for passion and truth – a focus on His glory and a reflection on the foundation of the scriptures – but what I find more often is that worship songs focus on our own egos. “I” feel this way about God or “I” believe that about God. Sometimes it seems like I’m standing there singing about myself and I feel embarrassed to be doing that in front of God, when it’s supposed to be about Him.

This is not always the case, but it tends to be the way worship songs are written. Maybe we need a change from the touchy-feely music that was introduced to churches in the 80’s. At that time it was novel to tell God how you “felt” and it spoke volumes about how we wanted to relate to Him. That kind of thing doesn’t translate so well to our culture now and it seems a bit lame – maybe that’s why people are avoiding it.

Or maybe we are just lukewarm. Yep, that’s possible, too.

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