Worshipping Worship

About ten years ago, my wife, Teresa, said to me, “I have a concern for the church world. I am concerned that we will see a day when we will worship worship instead of the Lord”. Since that day, I have watched as that very scenario has apparently unfolded.

Recently, a friend called from another State who is a part of a large church of several thousand. He said, “ I was at church today and the worship team was so wonderful that I was so caught up in the power of the music, the blend of the voices, and the powerful experience of the acoustics in the room that I suddenly realized, if we’re not careful, we’ll start worshipping worship.” I believe the Lord is trying to get us to see and avoid a snare that is very subtle. Most of us have been afraid to approach the subject in fear of being misunderstood or labeled as not “understanding spiritual worship at the deeper level”. With that in mind, please allow me to venture in where angels fear to tread.

Most pastors have had the frustrating experience of listening as a sweet couple or individual sat in their office explaining that they were leaving the church in search for a church where the level of worship met their needs. The obvious is often overlooked. As the beautiful worship chorus declares, “I’m coming back to the heart of worship, and it’s all about you…I’m sorry Lord for the thing I’ve made it…it’s all about you, Jesus.” Worship, while bringing personal edification to the worshiper, is not primarily for the worshiper but for the ONE being worshipped.

Personal worship is a time of intimacy with the Lord where we abandon ourselves in His presence, the bridal chamber, and we express ourselves in ways that only the Bridegroom can appreciate. In these special intimate times of worship, adoration, meditation and revelation, there is no awareness of anyone else because this is the time of intercourse where we are impacted by the presence of Jesus for spiritual reproduction.

Corporate worship, the worship of the Body of Christ, is not the same as that intimate time of personal worship. Here, in the presence of other believers, we must be aware of their presence. This thought is confirmed by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Church at Corinth. Paul says in First Corinthians 14:18, “ I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all;19 yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also.
Notice Paul’s words, “yet in the church”. There is a clear distinction between what we do in private in our personal worship than what we do in the corporate gathering of the local church. For example, we may pray in tongues in our private time but in the church, tongues must be accompanied by the interpretation so that the entire Body might be edified.

This distinction between activity of the individual and the corporate gathering should be examined and our practices in church critiqued in the light of Biblical standard. When we are in church services among Spirit-filled people where we all walk in the same experience and belief about worship of the Spirit, there must still be this preferring our brother as well as a conscious effort to make sure that all we do in the corporate service contributes to corporate edification more than personal edification. Again, Paul writes in First Corinthians 14: 26 “How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.” LET ALL THINGS BE DONE FOR EDIFICATION. I can hear the screams of some even as I write this, but I believe the screams come primarily from those who see the corporate church service as the place where they have their “tanks filled” by the experience of Sunday worship and have a weak or shallow personal devotional life.

Corporate worship should be a time where the Body of Christ ministers to the Head, Christ Jesus. Yes, worship should be powerful and Spirit led. It should be spontaneous and with participation of individuals who are led of the Lord in bringing forth Scripture, songs, hymns, prayers and the release of spiritual gifts for the glorification of God and the edification of the corporate body. The picture is one of an orchestra making beautiful music as a large number of people are so in tune that no one stands out and all are blended with a common purpose. Individuals will rise to the surface on occasion to deliver a “solo” of the Lord’s direction but quickly blend back into the group for the edification of all.

Worship leaders and worship teams must be especially careful not to interfere in this delicate act we call worship. Worship leaders should assist the group in worship, but not seek to “take the group” to worship. The worship team must be just ahead in order to lead but not too far ahead as to become professional worshippers that the church learns to watch and enjoy. This takes the focus off of the Lord God and places it on one or a few gifted people. A number of years ago, I noticed that the worship team, gifted musical artists , were enjoying their worship so much that they were far ahead of the Church at the same point in the service. The worship team had their eyes closed and they were moving in a level of spontaneous musical flow that was bringing obvious fulfillment to them. I turned and looked at the congregation and they had, for the most part, stopped worshipping and were watching and apparently enjoying the moment. The problem was that the worship team was certainly worshipping God but their level of worship had hindered the journey of the church.

An obvious question is asked at this point. “Shouldn’t a worship team always be challenging the church to rise to a new level of worship?” Good question! Here is the great challenge. Yes, the worship leader/team should be moving ahead in the never ending experience of discovery in worship of the Father. However, there is a razor fine line of leadership that when crossed leaves one out front but no longer leading. A good leader must know when and how far he can lead the group under his or her care.

I am not writing this as a definitive word on worship. Worship is a powerful dynamic that is a very important part of my life. I love the powerful worship times in the church where the Presence of the Lord flows through the congregation like a river. It is here where the gifts of the Spirit reveal the heart and directive words of the Father. It is here where spiritual warfare is waged. It is here where the soil is prepared for the preaching and teaching of the Word of God. In fact, this is precisely my point. For these things to occur, there must be an arrival into spiritual worship by the majority of the church and not a select few gifted artisans. May the Lord continue to teach us how we can become more complete worshippers in Spirit and in Truth.