How do you Worship?

September 2, 2008

Worship - It’s kind of a big deal for us Christians. 

The first question of the Westminster Shorter Catechism asks, “What’s the Chief end of man?”  To state it in a bit more contemporary language, “What’s the primary purpose of human beings?”  The answer we are taught is, “To glorify God and enjoy him forever.”  To bring glory to God and to enjoy a relationship with God, well that’s pretty much what worship is all about.  The importance of worshipping God is one thing that the great majority of Christians can agree on.  But once we start trying to describe that experience of worship, that’s where the unity comes to a screeching halt.

The many Christian denominations are often described by their style and form of worship, but the real differences come in our Theology - our ideas and understanding of God, who God is, what God did for us and how we’re supposed to respond.  The ways that we worship are really just the different forms that our worship takes.

Many churches have long heated “discussions” regarding worship: should we have guitars and drums or piano and organ?  Should we read the words for songs from hymnals or from a big screen?  Should we sing hymns or contemporary songs and choruses?  Should the Pastor wear a robe and stole, shirt and tie, or shorts and sandals?  There are as many variations in worship as there are variations in personalities of people.  The problem is, just as God is a relational God (ie He wants to have a relationship with us), God created us for relationships as well and worship is one of those things that we, as followers of Christ, are supposed to do together.  In his letter to the church in Rome (Rom 12:1-2), the Apostle Paul instructed believers to offer their bodies (plural) as a living sacrifice (singular), and this was to be their spiritual act of worship.  Worship is something that we are made for, and something that we are made to do together.

Well, how do we do this when some people like the drums and some people hate the drums?  How do we do this when some people are well educated and some people didn’t finish high school?  How do we do this when some people work all day in an office with meetings, emails and profit margins while others spend their days in classrooms, school buses, and sports practices?

Here at Hope, we have two worship services.  We have a “Traditional Service” with an Organ, choir, hymns, robes and distinct liturgical elements.  We also have a “Contemporary Service” with drums, guitars, vocalists, praise songs, a more casual looked and a more relaxed structure and order.  Some people like the Traditional service because of its style and rich heritage others because of the earlier hour.  Some people like the Contemporary service because of its upbeat music and others because its simply not so early in the morning. 

The idea has been suggested by the church council and supported by the Youth leadership staff, that it might be beneficial to have a third worship option.  You can call if what you want, I would call it “CONNECTED.”  Our third worship service would take seriously the passions, the distinctiveness, the priorities and the day-to-day life situations of our young people, and provide them with the opportunity to worship and be nurtured and encouraged in ways that are most natural and most in tune with who they are.  We aren’t just talking about loud music. We’re talking about giving young people the opportunity to take ownership in the worshipping life of our church, to create something that resonates with the faith they know and something they can use as a witness to their friends and others.

When?  Where?  How?  What? - I’m not sure I know the best ways to answer all of these questions.  One thing I know is that when young people are able to encounter God in a worship setting that feels natural, authentic and real, the results are powerful and over-whelming.  Young people must be encouraged to seek God and must be given opportunities to do this in varried, innovative and radical ways, shapes and forms.  What’s the best way to make this happen in the life of a congregation full of families who enjoy worshipping God together?  I’m not sure - but I’m convinced that God can work it out if it’s His will.  Our task is to listen for God’s lead and to listen to each other.

As we work toward discerning God’s leading in this area of our church life, you can help us by filling in your views and reactions to this topic on our SURVEY.  Simply print out the survey and drop it by the church or mail it in, and continue to pray that God will guide this process.

Rev. Adam D. Knudson

Posted in Worship