Just For Show?

There are an abundance of blog posts floating around lately about singing out loud in church. There is information about the history of singing in church, laments about how men are being left out because we don’t make it easier for them to sing in church, admonitions about staying silent when we should be involved in corporate worship.

Okay. Are we agreeing with the person speaking on the holy scriptures and/or sharing some testimony? You know, out loud. Are we praising Jesus when we give our financial tithes and offerings with a heart of worship? Are we joining in corporate prayer?

Are we singing songs of praise throughout the week, with our small groups or in our cars?

I adore the singing part. It is amazing how easily I lose myself in the words of worship, the music lifting me away, helping me into a place of worship and surrender. There are many times when I physically can not sing out loud.

The Holy Spirit blesses the group with his presence, and I am overcome. I raise my hands in praise, but am choked by the tears that flow…the only response I can manage.Maybe I’m missing it. Maybe all of the others in the room that are not singing need to be reprimanded. Maybe we should bring back those tasseled knobs that ushers used back in the day to rap sleeping parishioners on the head to wake them up. We could prod people to sing out loud.

Or not.

When people are moved by the Holy Spirit, they will respond in worship. Perhaps the silent person next to me is being allowing his/her spirit to mingle in worship while offering prayers for those around him/her during the time of music. Perhaps this person is mourning something. Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps.

Corporate worship means that we are agreeing together. I have a difficult time even imagining that it means we are following a prescribed order, not be be wavered from.

If there are people in the pew that are simply tight lipped in a personal agenda to avoid worship, then I hope and pray that the prayers of others along with the worshipful offering of song will be helpful tools in softening the hearts of these people.

If the worry of congregational silence during musical worship truly creates a worry that those leading the musical worship are simply putting on a show…then cut out the show.

Really, though, why be put out about people with natural talent, who have been putting in hours of practice, showing us that they are being who God made them to be? Please! Bring on the dancers, and the painters, too!  Show me how people pursue the gifts that God gave them and use them to worship and praise Him!

Then a gain, maybe I’ll be seeing posts about how remiss I am for not joining in the dancing and painting during Sunday morning meetings…