We Would See Christ
I had the joy of attending and singing with the Sons of Jubal at the funeral of Dr. Warren Fields in Athens, Ga yesterday. One of the speakers was his son-in-law, who said he always loved the sign over Dr. Fields’ desk that read “We Would See Christ.” In 34 years of worship ministry I have experienced “Worship Wars”. There are many battles to be fought: Hymns. Contemporary. Choirs. Robes. Bands. Volume. Style. Presentation. I believe the most important thing is the lyrics of the songs, not the style. Lyrics must be theologically accurate. Some older songs have a great message, but can be boring and out of date. Some newer songs sound cool, but lack the depth of the hymns so many grew up hearing. Worship is not a concert. It’s not karaoke. Worship is not about us. It’s about God. How do we decide which style is right or best? Is it popular opinion?
How do we resolve this worship war?
It’s not about us. The first thing we should consider is that a large portion of this conflict is based on our personal preferences. When you walk away thinking: “man that worship was great,” or “that was terrible,” take a moment to ask yourself why. What qualifications or standards are you using to measure the quality of worship? Typically, the answer will be how we felt about it. We often assess the quality of worship based on how well we resonated with it. It’s about our emotional connection. A “good” worship service is one that we liked. A “bad” worship service is one that didn’t engage or fit with our style. In many cases, we assess the quality of worship by what it meant to us. In so doing, we miss the point of worship entirely.
The amount of time we spend focusing on worship music styles is a strong indicator that many have little understanding of the heart of worship. If we aren’t careful, personal preferences overshadow purpose. If we get so focused on how we worship, it’s easy to forget why we worship, or even and at times, who we are worshipping. The best way to put an end to the worship war is to better understand what worship is about: We are all worshipers. As the Chris Tomlin song says, “You and I are made to worship”. Our very life is an act of worship, if we follow Christ.
While we shouldn’t neglect our praises to God in song, we should realize that worship is so much deeper than just singing. When you serve God, you are worshipping God. True worship is when we learn to live, love, and look like Jesus by following Him and serving in His Kingdom. The devoting of our life to God is our act of worship. So what if the style of music isn’t our cup of tea? So what if the band plays louder than we think they should? Worship isn’t about how. It’s about who. I’m with Dr. Fields, “We would see Christ” and Him alone in our worship.
Your servant, Phillip
