10 markers of strong worship
“I admit that my assessment is entirely subjective, but here’s what makes the worship so strong for me that I can’t wait to preach.” - Chuck Lawless
More and more, I just find articles like this odd. It's as if Chuck assumes that preaching is the main event and everything else must properly build up to that as such. What he describes seems foreign from what I see in the New Testament.
Mark Mincy
I also find it odd as more and more people view worship at the "music time", and not the whole service or even what we do privately as it relates to God.
To me, Lawless' commentary gives occasion for another look at 1 Cor. 14:26, where various facets of the worship service were done by "everyone", and there was an emphasis on tongues and prophecy that at times got in the way of things. But, like Lawless' favorite churches, there was a very real internal drive to come before the Lord in song, prayer, and more.
Maybe we try to do too much in leadership. (says the guy on his way to a deacons' meeting in 2 hours.....ha!)
Aspiring to be a stick in the mud.
Amos 5:21-24 NASB 21 "I hate, I reject your festivals, Nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies. 22 "Even though you offer up to Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them; And I will not even look at the peace offerings of your fatlings. 23 "Take away from Me the noise of your songs; I will not even listen to the sound of your harps. 24 "But let justice roll down like waters And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
As I skimmed the article and I wish there had been a stronger focus about justice and righteousness in worship. I do not care how excellent the performance is if the hearts are not right with God. I am convinced that God is pleased with a singer who sings their best but is still off key while living a righteous life. I am convinced that the noise of a person who hits every note perfectly but does not care what God thinks makes God want to plug his ears. The same can be said for other forms of worship as well. There is a reason that at times the sacrifices that were supposed to be a sweet smelling savor to God ended up stinking to him. No doubt, quality with righteousness is wonderful, but if I have to chose between quality by human standards and righteousness by God's standard, there should be not doubt about what to choose.
Discussion