worship styles

[Quiet Storm]

PS- the thing I find quite odd is that I was born and raised in the church environment where the preacher hardly said one word in at normal volume, people danced, shouted and everything else. I used to hate going to church because it was so boring to me (I hated loud places). Then some time late in high school I saw a service that was calm where the preacher sensibly taught in a quiet, calm atmosphere. I was completely dumbfounded because I thought, "Church can be this good?!?!?!". It's not because I think shouting or anything is wrong, but I've always had the personality to enjoy a very calm setting. I personally get much more out of that kind of service than the kind I grew up in. But to each his own.

 

[cutekid 4 Jesus]

i was was born and raised a methodist as well. yep, excessive moments short of clapping hands wasn't seen around me. the first time i saw people dancing around in fellowship was on the tv, and i found it so odd i had to laugh. years later, i was invited to a pentecostal church, and i so "weirded out" when people starting jumping up and down, waving their hands, in the isles. tis a very odd thing for me indeed.

to share though, i now make it a point to raise my hands and they don't feel heavy.

I think its a shame you found it funny, i have brought non-christian friends who have never been in any church realy to my pentecostal church and they have been inspired,not laughed. Remember the reaction of David's wife in the OT when he was filled with the spirit and thus moved to dancing and clapping?..she laughed,this was an illustration of ignorance. Some people believe that her barreness was actually God's punishment for doing this.Think about it.

 

[vibrant]

I think its a shame you found it funny, i have brought non-christian friends who have never been in any church realy to my pentecostal church and they have been inspired,not laughed. Remember the reaction of David's wife in the OT when he was filled with the spirit and thus moved to dancing and clapping?..she laughed,this was an illustration of ignorance. Some people believe that her barreness was actually God's punishment for doing this.Think about it.

i'm thinking that you barely skimmed the thread and jumped to conclusions.

 

[vibrant]

Sorry guys for going on so to speak, but I've endured torture. I had to let it out somehow.

no problem.

i've come to the conclusion that different worship styles are just that - different. shouting, jumping around, dancing, waving arms, and screaming "praise God" doesn't make you more of christian, isn't reflective of the quality of your Christian life, nor means that you are not convicted of sin (that comment has been irking me) versus someone who doesn't.

in the Bible, when people have been filled with the love for God and have felt His presence, they aren't always led to "dancing and clapping". sometimes they just fall on their knees.

 

[Katty]

I get CRAZY girl......dance, lift up my hands, clap, shout, sometimes kneel.....man i just feel free .....I love worship. I even break it down when I'm alone it my bedroom sometimes.

A question for you....are you not lifting up your hands because you have never lifted your hands and you don't want to break tradition? I lift my hands to say I SURRENDER! To say, YOU ARE GOD! But it's the condition of the heart that matters, as long as one believes it there then be comfortable in your worship. Man, I bet God has a smile on his face when he looks down and sees all his children waving their little white flags saying 'We surrender'.......We NEED Him and He WANTS us.


P R A I S E A D O N A I

I totally agree with LIY. I was on our praise and worship team back home for 5years and am just beginning to see the reality of worship. It is the state of your heart when worship is in place. When you worship, thats from your heart. Everything around you should melt away when you're before His throne. Holiness is what we're given a glimpse of when we enter into worship. That alone deserves praise. Praise isn't praise until its heard. When I raise my hands, its like a child holding out their arms for the parent to pick them up. Its utter surrender. Its my way of saying "Daddy, I need you," and that to me is the beauty of worship. Its also very humbling to be in His presence.

~Katty~

 

[JC 101 FM]

tonight i went a weekly meeting held by my christian club. we had some awesome worship songs, but my arms/hands just feel like rocks. i seriously can't lift them high enough for my elbows to leave my side. lol. i'm just not the type to be clapping and waving my hands up high in the air and such.

i even get good-natured jibs from my relatives when i go out to concerts and such. i'll see an amazing artist, on the waterfront, in new york city, with a sunset and i won't be able to do more than admire - hands firmly holding unto some railing.

anyway, when i see people who can and do, i have to wonder if they're filled with the Holy Spirit more than i am. is that really an indication of anything? anyone else feeling what i'm feeling? how do you worship?

God forces you out of your comfort zones to make your walk more powerful. Take those shackles off so you can dance, sing and praise the Lord! It's party time.

The one thing that is uncomfortable for me is singing "love type slow songs" in church. If Jesus was a girl it would be easier for me to do, but love songs to a man...
I do it anyway...

peace

 

[Lizzi4Christ]

Worship isn't about singing songs.

Worship isn't something you do on Sunday and Wednesday nights.

Worship is a life style. It's how you live your life. How you follow God.

Worship can be mowing the lawn with a smile on your face and a good attitude.

Worship can be drawing a picture of a rose.

Worship can be doing the dishes gladly.

It's more then just singing or raising your hands or dancing (which are great). Worship should include every day things.

 

[SqueakyGerbil]

This thread makes me thankful for my church.

The only thing asked of me during the "Worship" (called this because it is what we refer to it as) part of the service is that we all stand when we first start to sing. After that, all the power to ya to do whatever it is that you want to do in regards to worshiping Him. Some walk to the sides and sing and move to the music, the pastor walks to the side and starts to wave a flag around, and if you want to dance to the music, have your hands in the air and add the however occasional "thank you lord" then you are more than welcome to.
Myself I sit down and sing but that is all I am comfortable doing. No one judges another for how they preform during worship and I like that. Give the option, but don't force it upon anyone is the way to go in my eyes.

 

[vibrant]

Take those shackles off so you can dance, sing and praise the Lord!

so if we don't dance and sing, we're shackled? to what? our comfort zone? you make it sound as though it were some oppressive sin, when it's just sometimes who we are. some of us are laid back types who aren't comfortable doing "whatever". it's not a lesser form of praise as your comment makes it sound like with the shackled reference.

 

[laura_lynn]

Bless you all for this topic, I cannot tell you how much it means. I'm on a worship band at this rather large, contemporary church and although we are known for being very artistically free, the congregation can get quite rigid. Well anyways, Praise God, it feels like God spoke directly to my heart through this topic.

Vibrant: God appreciates and acknowldges any praise that you give him. The "praise hands" we're talking about sometimes aren't always truthful from people who give them up.
If you don't feel the urge to physically praise God in a way that involves all four limbs, girl don't worry about it!
I am kind of in the same situation - when I worship, and it gets intense, I cry. I cry no matter if I am full of joy, or feeling overwhelmed, I just cry. This too is something which hinders me from worshipping, because there's always a point where the waterworks start. But I just concentrate on God and try not to think of other peoples' judgment.

 

[Higgaion]

Has anyone here ever heard of something called the Regulative (or Scriptural) Principle of Worship? I'm betting not, but thought I'd ask. It's something that was recently brought to my attention, within the last couple of years.

Basically, the idea is, and it's not very popular I know, that not just anything that we would like to do is permissible in worship. That we must have a clear biblical warrant for any doctrine or practice that we introduce into the worship of God, or it is rebellion and sin, or "will worship". We are not free to add to OR subtract from what God has told us to do the Word.

Of course, if consistently applied, this would rule out MANY of the popular practices that are so widespread in churches today. A few major and obvious examples:

1. Uninspired hymns which have replaced the Psalms. This would include all so-called contemporary Praise and Worship songs.
2. Choirs
3. Musical Instruments

No, I am not crazy, and yes there are actually a goodly number of people who believe in this. I didn't come up with it on my own. So, If anyone would like more information and sources for where they can read more about the subject, or just a private discussion, please feel free to e-mail or private message me

 

[momluvsjesus]

I think we should change our worship style up everytime we begin to feel stagnant. We should remember, it's not all about our comfort...worship isn't about us, it's all about God.
Worship is for Him!

 

[Higgaion]

Hi, momluvsJesus



Well, I agree, I think worship is for God, but also for us. The real issue is whether anything at all that we may think up to do is acceptable worship in God’s eyes. I assume that most people would agree that anything doesn’t go. If that’s true, then that means there must be some way of separating the wheat from the chaff. There are really only two possibilities. We may do anything that isn’t blatantly sinful, that God hasn’t specifically forbade in his Word. If that’s the case, then we are really left with our own fallen reason and personal preferences (and all competing with other believers’) as a guide. It is a totally subjective thing and inherently divisive, even allowing those with power to persecute those without it, by making them stumble and violate their conscience, when God alone is Lord of the conscience. Or, alternatively, there could be an objective, Scriptural principle that limits what we do to the commands of God in the Bible, as the Westminster Confession alludes to. It states,



"But the acceptable way of worshipping the true God is instituted by himself, and so limited by his own revealed will, that he may not be worshipped according to the imaginations and devices of men, or the suggestions of Satan, under any visible representation or any other way not prescribed in the holy Scripture."



And I’m convinced that that is the correct position. I'd love to get some more people's input on this

 

[stubbornkelly]

I grew up in a Southern Baptist church, and clapping was all the rage. Not just during songs (which was your preference), but after each performance. Honestly, I hated it. Not the clapping to the beat or anything, but the applause. It struck me as honoring the soloist or whoever rather than recognizing their gift as an honor for God. I know we have few other ways to express our appreciation in large crowd than applause, but it still irked me. It's one of the major reasons I never sang before my church.

Another one that was popular was urging people to sway or lift hands or something. Ugh. So many well meaning older women would nudge me and say, "Oh, clap your hands, girl!" with a smile, and it wasn't acceptable if you didn't want to. They wouldn't force you to, but it was implied you were unspiritual if you didn't do it. Same if you didn't want to hold hands during a prayer, and especially if you were a little reluctant to raise those clasped hands (this was often done at the end of a service, as we sang the last song, and it seemed to be more an expression of solidarity than anything -- always struck me as odd).

That probably has plenty to do with my distaste for such antics (although, I didn't really care for them from the getgo, which, now I think about it, it kinda interesting. I'm just not a "physically exuberant worship" kind of person). I had to work really hard to believe they're honest expressions, since they have never been for me. Don't get me wrong, I believe you guys, those that clap and lift hands and whatnot -- it's just a hurdle I've had to get over, and I'm not likely to express myself in the same way.

I've been attending Friends (Quaker) meeting for worship for some time now, and I really enjoy it. My meeting is unprogrammed, and we sit in silence until someone feels led to share, be it a comment, a song, a Scripture or a story. I tend to be more simplistic in my worship preferences.

 

[Rocki]

I do all sorts of things when i worship... i jump, dance (more or less), wave my hands.. what ever comes to mind.. usually i'm playing an instrument so its kinda hard to jump everywhere.... getting tangled in the cables and falling.. (wireless for my guitar is gonna be great )

 

[A Brethren IN CHRIST]

John 4:24 God is Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth

Eph 4:23 And be renewed by the spirit of your mind

Humans made of three parts 1 thes 5:23 flesh soul and spirit????


interesting how God spells it out

 

[aria384gp:)]

I have to say that when I worship God, I sometimes feel like I'm holding back. There are others in my church who completely give their hearts over to God, and worship Him freely. I lift my hands, but I'm praying for God to give me the boldness to completely let go.

 

[Higgaion]

Am I speaking another language? I must be speaking another language....

Oh well, going out of town for a few days so will check in when I return. God bless, people

 

[Lotar]

Am I speaking another language? I must be speaking another language....

Oh well, going out of town for a few days so will check in when I return. God bless, people

This is a forum for fellowship, not theological issues, so nobody is going to enter into a debate with you. If you want to discuss your OP, post it in the PRE or IDD, but you better study up first

 

[katelyn]

Higgaion,

You say we are not supposed to use musical instruments. You also say we are supposed to use the Psalms. But what about all the references to musical instruments in the Psalms?

"Praise the Lord with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre." Psalm 33:2

"I will praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, O God; I will sing praise to you with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel." Psalm 71:22

"Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals." Psalm 150:3-5

It just seems strange that you would have us use those words in worship, yet not allow us to do the very things we are saying.