Imagine that you have an eight year old daughter and she is giving a recital for just a few family members. This is going to be a special time for the family to get together and hear her sing. Everyone comes in a gets ready and she stands up to sing, but without a microphone.
But then, as she starts to sing, a loud voice comes over a microphone singing the exact same song and totally drowns her out. You notice someone off on one corner of the stage “leading” her in her song. How would you feel? Would you stand up and say, “Hey! We came to hear HER sing, not you!” Or would you say, “It’s ok, at least she is moving her mouth.”
When God listens to our worship, do you think He likes to hear the congregation lifting their voices in praise to Him, or do you think He is ok with the concert style that is so popular? Don’t get me wrong, I have no problem with singers or instruments in the church. I have no problem with having more contemporary music in the song list, but what I do have a problem with is where the focus is being placed.
My wife and I walked into one such church on their opening Sunday. Lights down the isles sloped toward a stage, no pulpit, with props on it and two large LCD screens on either side with a “cool” countdown screen. Counting down the last 1o minutes until the service started.
My wife whispered, “when do you think they are going to serve the popcorn?” Heh… funny, but sad. And then we overheard the person sitting directly behind us say, “I just pray that the lights work!” Say What? Their 5 member “praise team” were singing so loud, I couldn’t hear my wife speak to me. We went back some time later and the worship had not changed.
We need high and holy worship. We need worship that praises God as a congregation, not as a praise team. We need service that is done for God and TO God, not for our fulfillment. I had a friend say once that he wanted to find another church, because he is not getting a lot out of it any more. I had to tell him, “Well, it’s not really FOR you. You go to church to give worship to God. It’s for him.” He is still looking.
–Danny
...Say What?? 