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Sunday, August 30, 2009

WORSHIP MYTH BUSTERS


I GOT E-MAILED TEN (10) WORSHIP MYTH BUSTERS & I THOUGHT THAT I’D SHARE IT WITH YOU GUYS:

  1. CHURCH POLITICS: not everyone can or will be “pleased” by the style of worship at a church, no matter how many services, styles, video venues or times for worship. Pleasing people in general is a bad idea, right?

  2. BIBLICAL ILLITERACY: a worship ministry that does not commit to biblically presenting a complete Jesus or filter song choice or content biblically will risk teaching the congregation a lesser picture of Jesus.

  3. UTILITY OVER ARTISTRY: a demand to see music, and other expressions of worship as utility and not understand art hurts the ability to actually authentically express. It makes worship a means to something rather than the end.

  4. CHURCH POLITICS: not everyone has gifts to lead or can be in front all the time. The goal in worship leadership is to serve the church, not your own desire to be leading upfront or showcasing talent. When personalities clamor for the stage, it hurts the worship expression.

  5. NOT LETTING THE KIDS TAKE OVER: keeping worship for this generation and not giving the younger mentorship, exposure and leadership opportunities in worship means the church loses the future. Remember, they are not the church of the future, they are the church.

  6. WORSHIPING EXCELLENCE: pushing the worship team to be so non-inclusive that only a small elite become the musicians, singers and tech might hurt the church since losing one of these individuals means a huge hole and loss of excellence.

  7. LACK OF EXCELLENCE: if music, lighting, speaking and whatever is available are not done well, the church loses gifted people who would rather not subjugate their gifting to poor planning, execution or leadership. (So, with 6 & 7 there is a sweet spot each church has to find–value doing your best, while not making it a club!)

  8. CHRISTIAN SUBCULTURE: when music selection is limited to only a small group of writers from a couple publishers and there is one radio station in town your veteran church members listen to, we live in a ghetto. The goal is not to keep our worship expression in a bubble but to reach the world. Make worship style indigenous to reach and reflect your community, not the choice of Christian publishers marketing to veteran Christians.

  9. CHURCH POLITICS: song selection, use of drums, volume, personalities, who gets to play, friends, complaint cards…

  10. ME, MYSELF & I: the trinity of selfishness perhaps is the root cause of all of these. Worship in a local church is “us” worshiping our God. Even when we feel our personal need to worship is important, gathering with dozens, hundreds or even thousands of worshipers is something special and not about me or you in that moment.

DO YOU THINK ANY OF THESE MYTHS DAMAGE A WORSHIP MINISTRY & HAMPER WORSHIP IN CHURCH? WHICH OF THESE MYTHS DO YOU THINK IS THE WORST OFFENDER?

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