Clapping During Song

[Touma]

How about this....If it glorifies God, then do it. If it doesn't glorify God, then don't do it? Why should it matter if you dance, clap, prostrate, etc while doing praise? Don't worry about what others think. You are praising only One. Worry about what He thinks.

 

[spamking]

I attended an AofG church until I was about 12 or 13 when my parents decided to start attending a local CofC with some other family members. I attended that small church (~125 people) until I graduated from college and my wife and I moved from Oklahoma to Arizona and then to New Mexico.

We attended various CofC's throughout or time out west and have seen noticeable differences in the various congregations.

I'm not mister emotional dude during worship either, but I was shocked when we moved back to Oklahoma at how "lifeless" the praise and worship CofC's we attended were compared to those in NM. This lead us to start attending a local Christian Church that had awesome musical instrument lead praise and worship. We basically felt it was just like our previous CofC but with musical instruments. Our first Sunday was a little difficult to deal with since it had been years for me (and never for my wife) to be in such a setting.

Ultimately we adjusted and both felt right at home. However, we recently moved and are in the middle of trying to find a church home in Edmond, Oklahoma. We've visited a couple of CofC's, a non-denominational church, a Christian church and a baptist church. I never dreamed it would be so difficult for my wife and I to agree on a church. She wants to go back to a more traditional CofC and I'm more in the Christian church mode.

So while I've seen the gambit of emotions in a church service (including an AofG preacher running around the sanctuary, to several members of a CofC getting up and leaving when a preacher asked a question of the congregation and a woman actually answering it, to feeling like I had just walked out of a rock concert) I can't fault people for clapping. In fact, I find it an awesome show of appreciation and support when they clap after a baptism or an announcement of a 60th wedding anniversary being celebrated or even the announcement of new members.

Sorry for rambling . . .

 

[spamking]

He does have an excellent point, though. So much of how we worship is cultural - and since we come from a white, conservative, puritan/protestant background, we are most comfortable with sitting on our hands in service quietly. Not everybody is going to be comfortable - or satisfied - with that environment. I've seen it drive people away from the CofC.

That's exactly what I struggle with. I'm not comfortable with everyone doing this but I don't want to be sitting with a bunch of folks who are basically either.

 

[spamking]

How about this....If it glorifies God, then do it. If it doesn't glorify God, then don't do it? Why should it matter if you dance, clap, prostrate, etc while doing praise? Don't worry about what others think. You are praising only One. Worry about what He thinks.

Not a bad way to look at it at all . . .

 

[crawfish]

Welcome to spamking, btw...he's my buddy from another board.

 

[crawfish]

Welcome to spamking, btw...he's my buddy from another board.

 

[Molal]

Welcome spamking - let me know if there is anything I help you with, etc.

I think you will enjoy CF - lots of different opinions and viewpoints.

Molal

 

[spamking]

Thanks . . . I've already spent way more time on here than I had planned to. This place is a great resource.

 

[jmacvols]

How about this....If it glorifies God, then do it. If it doesn't glorify God, then don't do it? Why should it matter if you dance, clap, prostrate, etc while doing praise? Don't worry about what others think. You are praising only One. Worry about what He thinks.

How do you know if what you are doing is "glorifying" God? The only way to "glorify" God is by doing what He said to do.

 

[Molal]

Thanks . . . I've already spent way more time on here than I had planned to. This place is a great resource.

I have learnt alot here - particular from DRA, crawfish DerSchweik.

I enjoy the theological challenge!

Molal

 

[Molal]

How do you know if what you are doing is "glorifying" God? The only way to "glorify" God is by doing what He said to do.

I suppose one should ask what verses can be interpreted to include clapping, swaying etc?

If the scriptureis silent on this issue, should we do those things? But, do we have freedom to clap, sway, etc.? How do we determine where this freedom ends where scripture is silent?

 

[crawfish]

How do you know if what you are doing is "glorifying" God? The only way to "glorify" God is by doing what He said to do.

According to 1 Cor. 10:31, I am to glorify God in WHATEVER I do. It doesn't tell me that I only glorify God in certain things that I am instructed to do.

Again, you don't address the cultural issue. If I was a missionary to a certain culture, and their singing involved a lot of physical movement (and no ties to any other religion, I should add), would I be right in telling them they had to stop?

 

[bling]

He does have an excellent point, though. So much of how we worship is cultural - and since we come from a white, conservative, puritan/protestant background, we are most comfortable with sitting on our hands in service quietly. Not everybody is going to be comfortable - or satisfied - with that environment. I've seen it drive people away from the CofC.

A friend who was a missionary in Africa told me of the congregation he visited - about 300 people, some of whom woke before dawn and walked hours to get there. They would swing,sway, sing, yell and dance as they worshiped the Lord, for hours and hours and hours. Their service lasted the better part of the day, and the early risers would often end up walking home in the dark. Who are we to say that we are doing things the right way and they are not? They seem to have a sincerity and passion for worship that Americans rarely match. If justification is truly found in one's heart, then I feel like a spiritual dwarf compared to such people.

That is the major part of my concern.

 

[bling]

These things do not add to what God said when He said sing, they only aid in singing.

Does clapping and swaying help keep you or others in rythem?

 

[jmacvols]

According to 1 Cor. 10:31, I am to glorify God in WHATEVER I do. It doesn't tell me that I only glorify God in certain things that I am instructed to do.

The question is this; is one glorifying God when they are not doing as God has directed? No one can glorify God while acting in disobedience to His will.

Again, you don't address the cultural issue. If I was a missionary to a certain culture, and their singing involved a lot of physical movement (and no ties to any other religion, I should add), would I be right in telling them they had to stop?

I don't know what you mean by "physical movements", dancing maybe?
What if it were part of their culture that the women are topless, should they be taught to stop this?

 

[jmacvols]

I suppose one should ask what verses can be interpreted to include clapping, swaying etc?

If the scriptureis silent on this issue, should we do those things? But, do we have freedom to clap, sway, etc.? How do we determine where this freedom ends where scripture is silent?

Yes, if God is silent about it then we should not do it. God does not have to say 'thou shalt not"' do this or that, all God has to say is do 'this' and that eliminates us doing other things.

 

[bling]

How do you know if what you are doing is "glorifying" God? The only way to "glorify" God is by doing what He said to do.

Loving God with all your heart, soul, mind and energy and loving other, brings Glory to God. If you are being a priest, offering yourself up on the alter you carry around, at the temple then you are glorifying God. If what you are doing is in obedience to God’s commands: such as edifying others, praising God, being joyful, sharing in the joy of other brothers/sisters, comforting others, and trying to help others overcome their sorrows of the past, then you are bringing glory to God.

 

[bling]

The question is this; is one glorifying God when they are not doing as God has directed? No one can glorify God while acting in disobedience to His will.



I don't know what you mean by "physical movements", dancing maybe?
What if it were part of their culture that the women are topless, should they be taught to stop this?

One of my African friend said early on in his ministry, they gave a new convert a sheet to use for her baptism and sent her off to change when she came out she had wrapped around her waste leaving her breast exposed. None of the Africans at the time saw anything wrong and he went on and baptized her.

 

[jmacvols]

Loving God with all your heart, soul, mind and energy and loving other, brings Glory to God. If you are being a priest, offering yourself up on the alter you carry around, at the temple then you are glorifying God. If what you are doing is in obedience to God’s commands: such as edifying others, praising God, being joyful, sharing in the joy of other brothers/sisters, comforting others, and trying to help others overcome their sorrows of the past, then you are bringing glory to God.

But what does "loving God" require of us?
Jn 14:15,21; Jn 15:10.

If we love God we show it by keeping His commandments. Is one loving God if he is not keeping God's commandments....if he is going beyond what God has commanded? If one is not doing what God has commanded, is what he doing then being done in spirit and in truth?

 

[jmacvols]

One of my African friend said early on in his ministry, they gave a new convert a sheet to use for her baptism and sent her off to change when she came out she had wrapped around her waste leaving her breast exposed. None of the Africans at the time saw anything wrong and he went on and baptized her.

So culture, not God's word, determines morals?