The Voice Of One Crying Out In Suburbia

Worship

It's more than just singing!

Two important and edifying shows concerning worship in the church from Albert Mohler last week.

The first show featured Keith & Kristyn Getty of Getty Music and they spoke with Dr. Mohler about the resurgence of hymn music for a modern audience. Their stuff is great, one could easily preach a message full of Gospel content using the words of In Christ Alone as an outline. There is a world of difference between the lyrical content of the Getty's songs and most drivel that passes for "Christian" music today. They exhibit a humility and a care for the right handling of the Word in music that has been sorely missing from the world of Christian music today. We certainly could use more people like the Getty's in the modern church.

In the second show, Dr. Mohler spoke with Bob Kauflin, worship dude from Sovereign Grace Ministries who led the singing at Together for the Gospel. Bob has a great understanding of the role of the worship leader, i.e. that it is a teaching ministry and that the role of music is not to be the worship but to be part of the worship, typically leading up to the pinnacle of the worship service which is the proclamation of the Word of God. Bob is a voice of reason amidst the din. His book, Worship Matters, was one of the giveaway books at T4G, and I am looking forward to reading it and then perhaps passing it on to someone involved in the music ministry and planning at church.

Dr. Mohler gave a brief, two word description of what our worship should look like: Humble and holy. Music has the power to bring great emotional reactions from people, and often in "worship" services that is the case. People think that they worshipped because the music made them feel uplifted and maybe even shed a tear or two. It is not a sign of poor worship if people cry, but if that is the goal then the point is missed. Music is not the end of worship but the beginning. Music in church services should teach, should prepare, should exalt Christ, ultimately it should enhance the sermon instead of replacing the sermon. In too many churches, people think the worship ends when the music does and the sermon is just a interruption between the people in the pews and their lunch plans.

This is not intended to be a blanket rejection of all worship music made after 1900. But what characterizes much of modern "Christian" music is: a lack of Christ focus, doctrinal/theological shallowness (or more likely complete absence), exaltation of man rather than God, weepy sentimentality that hardly befits the Lion of Judah, music that is shallow as a mud puddle and nutritious as a marshmallow. It seeks to appeal to the world by looking like and catering to the world. We should look and sound different from the world, otherwise why waste your Sunday when you stay at home, listen to a couple of cheesy 80's love ballads and save the trip to church?

But why all the fuss? Does God even care how we worship as long as we do worship Him? What does the Bible say about worship and whether it matters to God? Let's check, shall we?

Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, which he had not commanded them. And fire came out from before the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD. Then Moses said to Aaron, "This is what the LORD has said, 'Among those who are near me I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified.'" And Aaron held his peace. (Leviticus 10:1-3 ESV)

Kind of sounds to me like God cares, at least a little bit. God is many things: just, loving, holy. But He is also a jealous God, jealous of His name and His position. He brooks no disrespect or irreverence towards Himself. Our worship should be reflective of our recognition of His holiness, our sinfulness and the gratitude His people share in the common unity of those bought with the blood of Christ.

I am of the opinion that you could have a worship service and have absolutely no singing, but you cannot have a worship service without the Word of God preached. Unless we reclaim the center of worship, Christ, and the vehicle of worship, the proclamation of His Word, the worship in our churches will continue to deteriorate and if you could ask Nadab and Abihu, that is not a place we want to go.

(For more on this issue, see Bob Kauflin's blog Worship Matters or Steve Camp's 107 Theses)