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Congregational Worship

“The debate over raising hands in worship resurfaces every few years…. Scripture answers that question directly, and the answer appears more often across the Bible than a quick read would suggest.” - Sam Storms

Discussion

Thu, 08/20/26

I raise my hand to cue the congregation to stand. Does that count?

Some Christians treat worship as strictly an internal experience, something that happens only in the mind and spirit. That view has old roots. Ancient Gnostic teachers treated the body as a lesser, even corrupt, part of a person, something to suppress so the “true” spiritual self could worship freely.

Much as I despise the ‘mind good, body bad’ mentality of gnosticism, Jesus did say “in spirit and in truth” in John 4.

I think Storms is pretty much right through the article. I appreciate this, though…

Do You Have to Raise Your Hands to Worship?
No. Scripture never commands every believer to raise their hands in every worship service. Posture is one expression of worship among several, alongside kneeling, sitting, standing and quiet stillness. Physical limitations keep some worshippers from lifting their hands at all, and that never diminishes their worship.

For me, growing up, it was never a thing. It was associated with “the charismatics.” So, it felt awkward and weird when I tried it. I’m getting over that, though. We don’t ‘beat the time’ like a conductor when we lead the singing, so, increasingly, I use hand motions very selectively to bring us in together on a new verse or chorus or whatever. That reframes the whole “what are my hands doing” dynamic and it can be an expressive thing in a wider variety of ways than marking the time signature.

Here’s a question, though: Why would we think we should raise hands during singing but not raise them during prayer? (cf. the examples in the article.)

Views expressed are always my own and not my employer's, my church's, my family's, my neighbors', or my pets'. The house plants have authorized me to speak for them, however, and they always agree with me.

Thu, 08/20/26

Aaron, I agree. I sometimes raise my hands during both.

Thu, 08/20/26

What I struggle with is the line between being more, shall we say, wholistic, vs. being theatrical. Most people don’t describe me as ‘dramatic,’ so what feels theatrical and extreme for me might be as natural as breathing for someone else.

Doesn’t pay to overthink this.

Views expressed are always my own and not my employer's, my church's, my family's, my neighbors', or my pets'. The house plants have authorized me to speak for them, however, and they always agree with me.

Thu, 08/20/26

This Babylon Bee article about a Baptist church hiring a retired sniper to pick off hand-raisers comes to mind...my pastor (and a founder of this site) had better watch out!

OK, seriously, I've just read through the Psalms, and the theme of worship connecting not just with the heart and mind, but also with the body, is really clear. I must confess that my tendency is to be one of the "frozen chosen" in this regard, but I consider that an opportunity for growth, not a fixed position.

Aspiring to be a stick in the mud.