worship masquerade

I recently viewed a discussion put on by Lifeway Research entitled Reverence vs. Relevance.  In the discussion, two guys, both employed by Lifeway, discussed two different philosophies on what should shape worship within Evangelical Christian churches: worship expression shaped by a desire to be reverent, and worship expression shaped by a desire to be relevant.

At the risk of adding confusion to the discussion and fire to a flame, let's get a little more clear on what reverence and relevance mean... and don't mean.  When we talk about reverence, we are talking about worshiping God in a way that is reverent of his position and nature.  Musical expressions of reverent worship vary, from majestic hymns that sing about God's nature, to quiet and reflective musical moments... even to some contemporary choruses done in a more reverent way.  The most pronounced sound the ear would hear in reverent worship might be the congregation filling the room with their voices, a choir singing 3 and 4 part harmony, or a soloist/vocal team supported by a piano.  Think: beauty, stately, classic, God transcendent, me humble and in awe.

When we talk about relevance, we are talking about worshiping God in a way that is relevant to a particular culture.  Musical expressions of relevant worship vary as well, most often taking the form of a rock-style band, playing anthems about a God who is near and a humanity that he reaches and changes.  The most pronounced sound the ear would hear might be an delayed electric guitar riff, or a lead vocal line just above the band, perhaps so loud that it competes with the sound of your own voice... and drowning out the voice of the person next to you.  Think: power, expressive, edgy, God immanent, me proclaiming and overjoyed.

From these descriptions I think you can see how the two overlap, how the two are different, and really, how the two are misunderstood or misrepresented:

• Reverent worship often gets labeled "irrelevant," as if people these days can no longer appreciate and no longer desire or need moments of quiet awe or majestic praise.  The truth is this: the soul needs these moments of quiet and awe in a loud and busy society in order to really focus on God.
• Relevant worship often gets labeled as "irreverent," as if allowing culture to influence worship necessitates looking away from God and towards us.  The truth is this: we are to use all the tools at our disposal to advance the gospel, and current music is an unbelievably powerful medium to influence the mood of the heart of both believers and believers-yet-to-be, and to tell the story of how God can change them.

I could spend the rest of this post talking about where I happen to fall on the reverence/relevance spectrum.  Maybe another time.  But what is jumping out to me now is how susceptible worshipers in either camp are to falling away from authentic reverence or authentic relevance and into a masquerade.

Here's what I mean.

If we engage in worship only when the music fits our particular preference, we are masquerading.  If you can't enter in to a hymn sung beautifully from the heart, but you have no trouble shouting along with a screamin' loud Hillsong tune, then you are masquerading.  If you can't sing for joy along with an electric guitar and are only moved by a theologically heavy tune written 100-200 years ago driven by a piano or organ, then you are masquerading.

You may think that you are worshiping when you engage with the music you like.  But I doubt it.

That may sound judgmental and overly simplistic.  And I can understand if you have that impression.  But, here's why I feel like I can confidently assert a statement like that.  I think it is in line with what the Bible says about worship.

According to the Bible, worship, at its deepest and most simplest level, is sacrificial in nature.  It is our sacrifice to God (Romans 12:1).  And sacrifices, no matter what type, always involve us giving up something.  Letting go of something.  Submitting to something.  Putting something else or someone else ahead of ourselves.  Letting the will of another dictate our own will.  It is an act of the entire person - heart, soul, will, mind, body... you name it.  It always - always - costs us something.

A worship experience that costs us nothing is probably worth nothing.

An authentic worship experience always costs us something.

To be sure, a lot is gained from a good worship experience.  We benefit quite a bit.  We experience God, hear him, encounter him, respond to him, and in so doing we become more like him as we are motivated to follow him and obey him on a deeper and more authentic level.  We experience the good things about him - his joy, his peace, his kindness, his forgiveness, his grace, his mercy.  And we love it.

But it is all too easy to seek a worship experience that serves us instead of a worship experience that costs us something.  

So: what costs are you as a worshiper unwilling to pay?

I'm a sand-builder

One of those stories that never quite got reclaimed from Sunday School for me is the one Jesus tells in Matthew 7.

The story goes that there were two men who each built houses - one man built on a foundation of rock, and the other on a foundation of sand.  Jesus says that the man who hears his words and puts them into practice is like the man who builds his house on the rock.  When the rains come, that man's house remains; but the man who builds his house on the sand finds himself with a house that's been washed away.

I remember hearing this in Sunday school - even singing a catchy little choreographed song about it.  When it came time to interpret the story, Jesus was the rock.  And we were to build our lives on him... by reading our Bibles, by going to church, etc.

Ok.  Totally appropriate to keep it simple for 6 year olds.  But tonight I feel like I'm reading it again for the first time, especially in light of the place I am at currently with Jesus.

Here is where I am: I find myself a good part of the time not really wanting to do the "hard work" with Christ.  The hard work of a disciplined life.  The hard work of sitting in silence before him.  The hard work of being cleansed through a fast.  The hard work of living more simply and less busy to see him more clearly and obey him more singularly.  You know... the hard work.  The work that has deep spiritual benefit and reward, a reward that can not be earned, but that nevertheless requires a significant amount of effort.

It's a theme of slothfulness that is just plain in me.

Here's where Jesus' story in Matthew 7 intersects with my story:

I picture myself there in the builder's shoes.  I have an option to either build on the rock, or build on the sand.  Of course, the rock has obvious benefits: more sturdy, longer lasting, safer, and will provide support for a structure that can grow bigger and bigger.

But it has one major drawback: you are going to have to just about break your back building your foundation on that rock.  It won't give easily.  It can't be cut easily.  You're going to sweat.  It's going to go slower than you'd like.  You won't see progress as quickly.

You have to be patient.  You have to be determined.  You have to be strong, and allow your strength to grow as you reach your breaking points from time to time.

You have to keep the big picture in mind as you build, because it would be so easy to let it go in light of the slow, hard, tedious work of building a solid foundation out of solid rock.

You have to not compare your progress to that of those around you who are building mansions right on the beach.  And you can't spend working hours strolling over to your neighbor's mansion on the beach, sipping lemonade, looking over to the work that you should be doing that is now being stalled.

It's hard building a house on a rock.

It's easy, on the other hand, to build a house on sand.

Sand gives really easily.  A shovel goes nicely into the sand.  Work can be accomplished quickly.  And it looks like it's the same work - same veneer, anyways - so it's sometimes hard to even tell the difference.

But you can tell the difference when the rain comes.  One structure - maybe not quite finished, maybe not quite as ornate - remains standing, while the other rushes away under the pressure of the elements.

I have a tendency to build and rebuild my house on the sand.  Then the rain comes.  Then my house is washed away.

But then I rebuild on the sand!

Frustrating.  Stupid.  Isn't that the definition of insanity?  Doing the same thing every time but expecting different results each time?

Lord God:

Make me content building a house on the rock.  Strengthen my resolve.  Teach me what it means to work hard but to not work hard to earn.

Make me someone who loves your discipline.  Make me someone who is willing to be transparent enough to be disciplined in front of others.  Make me someone who is humble enough to learn from those who have been building on the rock for years.

Thank you for your grace and patience with me, God, and sand-builder.

Transform me, God, into being a son who builds his house on the rock!

a prayer

I have journeyed far from You
But not really.
Perhaps better said
I have shut my eyes
Or looked away
Or made my place
For a time
Away from Your warmth
And Your Light.

But You are my Shepherd.
My wanderings do not confuse You
I can not lose You
My paths are familiar to You
And I am surprised to find You
When I was not even looking for You
But You were looking
Ever looking
Ever watching me.

I found You
Because You found me.
How this can be
How can this be
Wrapped up in Your mystery
Of Grace and Kindness
Strength and Sight
Penetrating the darkness
Overwhelming

How skilled You are
With the hearts of men
Softening and healing
Forming and growing
Bringing peace
And stillness.

There is nothing that I could do
To move You to pursue me
Like You do
A beautiful helplessness
A transformative worthlessness
A godly dependence
Is my inability to save myself

You saved me
You save me
Not because of the righteous works
I have done
Or have not done
But because of Your grace
Your never changing
Everlasting grace
Overpowering grace
Relentless grace
Ruthless grace even
Beating back the fall
Crushing my sin
Protecting the seed of the kingdom
Your kingdom
You planted in my heart.

I wonder where I will wander tomorrow?
Or the day after next?
I rest in the knowledge that You will find me
But Jesus
Please help me to wander
In Your steps
In Your Light
Into fields of peace
So that I might lead those
Who follow in my steps
Into Your Light
Your Love that casts out fear
Your grace that will change their hearts
Like You are changing mine.