True Worship is God-centred, not man-centred
Ever heard some well-meaning brethren say something like, “I didn’t feel worship today”? It’s because most churchmen believe worship to be about us; how it makes us feel. Therefore, their definition of powerful worship is the evidence of people crying, screaming, and even rolling on the ground. For this reason, many people don’t like the time of worship because is “boring” to their flesh. What they want is something appealing to their flesh; songs that are repetitive enough to give them that emotional high. I have been to some churches where I have been appalled by the fact that everybody seems to be able to turn tears on and off during worship time. I may be wrong in my assessment, but I think that is nothing short of acting and performance. Somehow “worship leaders” are able to make themselves emotional, just to be viewed as being the “powerful worshippers”. I am sorry that is not worship at all. If anything that is the purest form of idolatry, because it is worshipping our feelings about God, not God Himself. Just to repeat what I have said before; there is nothing wrong with emotions, yet we must always know the difference between worship and emotionalism. True worship, dear friends, is vertical; it's towards Him who is above! It points to Him in honour and praise, regardless of how it makes us feel. Therefore, I don’t believe there is a need for any drama every time God’s people conduct a worship service. Just simple singing is worship enough; as long the songs are about who God is and what He has done. It is also wise to go back to Scripture and watch how God’s people have always worshipped. I guarantee you that it wasn’t always as dramatic as it is inside our church walls.
Creating the atmosphere of worship?
This is a common theme these days, most notably among my charismatic brethren. It is believed that you can bring the Holy Spirit down through some repetitive singing, a certain kind of playing the instrument, flashing lights, smoke, candles, a big crowd, and God knows what else. This is called the atmosphere of worship. Even the preachers of such churches believe their preaching is powerful when the instrument is playing in the background behind the voice of the minister. Honestly friends, don’t you think it’s a canal mindset that believes God and His Holy Spirit can be attracted by physical objects such as a keyboard, green lights and a large crowd? In fact, this is exactly the same method that pagans and cults use; to appease and call their gods by playing some drums or something. God is Holy, it’s something we have forgotten. And if you take a glimpse at the Bible, you will notice that there are conditions that have to be met for His Spirit to work among His people. It’s not a keyboard but its hearts that are repentant, united, Christ-centred, Gospel-loving, and truly seeking to live for Him. And when The Holy Spirit comes, it’s always according to His sovereign will and purpose, not because of repetitive singing. No one has any power anywhere, to create an atmosphere of worship. There is nothing called the atmosphere of worship. And any place where the Holy Spirit is truly present will be evidenced by people bowing their heads in repentance, self-denial, the exaltation of Christ, and the bold proclamation of the Gospel.
True worship is not dependent on instruments
Biblically speaking, the only use of instruments is to accompany the people in their worship, yet these days it seems like this principle is reversed because God’s people find it hard to sing without instruments. It’s now the singing that is aiding the instruments, not the other way around. If you want to prove the truth of this point yourself, all you have to do is to pull all the electric plugs in the midst of your Church’s worship time and you will be amazed that people, especially the rest of the congregates apart from the choir are hardly ever singing at all. It’s because they got used to the fact that it’s the guys with instruments that are supposed to worship for them. Hence I believe the most blessed churches when it comes to worship are those churches that have no instruments at all, because every believer is privileged to take part and help fellow believers in praising the Lord.
Worship is not limited to music
Another pitfall is that God’s people believe worship is only singing. Yet the truth is everything that happens inside the house of God can be attributed to worship. That means corporate prayer, fellowship, the Lord’s Supper, baptism, preaching and the hearing of the Word are all forms of worship. Not only that, but worship goes further than the church walls. Anything I do at home, at work, and on the road, as long as it gives glory to Christ; is all worship.
Worship is connected to Scripture
In a simple definition, worship is when we sing and live the truth of Scripture. This means it is vital, – especially in the context of singing – to only sing those songs whose lyrics are in line with Biblical truth. Just as one theologian once said, “People start by singing their heresy before they believe it.” Our Lord always emphasized this point when He said true worshippers are those who worship in Spirit and in Truth (Scripture).
There is nothing in the Bible about the gift of being a worshipper
Finally, I just thought I could throw this in. That is, in all the gifts that Holy Spirit gives to the Church, there is nothing in the way of the gift of being a worshipper, keyboard player, or singer. All these are good, and have been helpful to the Church in many ways, but they are not gifts, but talents. Talents are natural gifts that are given equally to believers and unbelievers. Yet when it comes to spiritual gifts, only the born again must qualify for such. I raise this concern because churches these days are no longer concerned with being led by born-again people that are gifted, but they are busy recruiting and hiring talented people into worship bands to lead God’s people. This is evident by the fact that most of these talented performers still go back to their immorality as soon as the church services are over. Only for them to return the next Sunday to lead God’s people gain. That is bad enough.
These are my last words: We have no right to invent clever ways to worship the Holy One. Instead, we could all do well to heed this warning from the 12th Chapter of Hebrews, “Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire” (Heb 12:28-29). Until we meet again oneday, sayonara.
Sinothi Ncube
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