" Relevance is not achieved by conformance to the world, it is achieved by conformance to God's Word."
-Gabriel H
There is a very funny and convicting video that is circulating the web "viral style" among Christians. It's called Sunday Morning.
"Sunday's Coming" Movie Trailer from North Point Media on Vimeo.
I saw this exactly a week ago, I think, from a Presbyterian friend of mine. If I were a good blogger I would've commented on it then. But I'm a little slow on the trigger sometimes so here I am.
Anyone who knows me, knows I do not attend a church even remotely like this. My opinion is that this type of service comes across as vapid and hollow no matter what the heart's intention.
Don't get mad.
Just my opinion.
It's not "my style".
But I do think a video like this can remind us that Church can so easily become about the church goer exclusively. We say what we want, how we want, when we want (Saturday night service for the weekend late sleeper). The completely un-ironic earnestness of this attempt at relevancy is not in question. We know that these people truly desire to have their "heart" in the "right place" when it comes to the worship service.
But is the question of the heart's motive the only question?
Is God concerned with both the ends and the means?
We are required to worship God.
Does God require us to worship Him a certain way?
It's not in question that this was true for the Israelites. I've been reading Exodus and God has been instructing the construction and design of His temple.
God was very precise.
The size, shape and materials were all dictated. Later I'll be reading precisely what was expected to take place and how the people were to approach a Holy God.
How do you think Church should look today?
Do you think God has instruction for the Christian believer?
Does only the "heart" of the worshiper matter?
Do the means by which we worship God matter as well?
I have my thoughts. But I'm asking you.
I saw this and had some of the same thoughts. My opinion: without a true heart of worship, the ritual is meaningless. ("...worship God in spirit and in truth.") However, that doesn't mean the FORM of worship is completely irrelevant. An analogy - without gas, your car isn't going to go. However, just because you HAVE gas in your car doesn't mean you're getting anywhere (or the RIGHT PLACE).
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, we do often get so caught up in the ritual (and, many times, the preferences) of the forms of worship that we neglect the heart. I think this is one reason we are commanded to examine ourselves. Is our heart true? Are we following God's direction in worship? Is our heart STILL true? We don't ever "get there" where we are "done" examining ourselves.
So assuming there are no issues with heart motive, is there a prescription or order that would guide a post-apostolic church? Does God require in no uncertain terms how believers are to assemble? Or is up to the worshiper to worship in his "own way"?
ReplyDeleteWell, I gotta say that I personally feel that the New Testament explains everything; but I also feel that each of us should be discerning enough to understand what we've read. It is all there, in black and white, but what is in red is most important.
ReplyDeleteI get that the gist here is public, corporate worship, but I think it is worth mentioning that the most important way that we can worship God is to be obedient to the commands in His word in and out of a corporate setting. Romans 12 tells us that presenting our bodies a living and holy sacrifice is the way we worship.
ReplyDeleteWhen Jesus said "This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far away from me," He wasn't just saying they didn't have the right feelings/motivations/intentions. He was condemning them for disobeying the commandments of God (Matthew 15). When we find God worthy enough to actually obey what He has said, then we are worshiping Him rightly. How worthy can we possibly find Him if we think His commands are optional or out-dated?
good comment
ReplyDeleteMy church has recently started including an explanation of "Why we worship the way we do" every Sunday to offer Biblical backing for why things are done. We have been using the explanation offered by Andy Webb, the pastor of Providence PCA in Fayetteville, NC.
ReplyDeleteThe introduction includes the following:
The ordinary elements of worship given to us in the Bible are: prayer; the reading of the scriptures; the sound preaching and attentive hearing of the Word, in obedience to God, with understanding, faith, and reverence; the singing of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with grace in the heart; public confession of our faith; the collection; the due administration and right receiving of the sacraments instituted by Christ. There are also occasional elements of worship given to us in the Bible, which should occur in our worship at appropriate times and special occasions (such as the ordination of an officer or after a national or local disaster or blessing), these are: religious oaths and vows, solemn fasting, and thanksgiving to God for his providential blessings.
You can read the full series of explanations here: http://www.providencepca.com/essays/whyweworship.html
Hey Josh - I am currently in Canada so I am an "American in Canada" commenting on "The Musings of an American in Canada" blog. That's funny.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, what I find is the oddest part of this video is that it was done by a church that is, by and large, very much into the Contemporvant. It's a spoof on themselves, which probably means they don't realize just how sad the video really is. They probably meant it to illustrate how "cut and paste" contemporary worship can be.
I think your comments are spot on (to use a British phrase). The 2nd Commandment guides our worship and the holiness of God is to be our overriding consideration, in my opinion. It was while reading "In the Face of God" that I became convicted of the worship I was taking part in (I think you know what I am talking about). Anyway, I thank God for the simpleness of worship, the beauty of the Psalms and hymns and for a Triune God that meets with his people every Lord's Day for worship. Simply amazing.