20th
APR
All I Have Are Questions
Filed under God Type Things
So tonight in our small group it was my turn to share some of my spiritual journey. As I’ve been doing my mental preparation for it over the last couple of weeks I’ve been looking at things from my past with my present-day glasses on.
The more I looked at a situation from 15+ years ago I recognized similarities in some present-day situations. Talk about an eye-opening realization. For someone who likes to know things, and have answers for even the most obscure questions, I have no answers, but I have a bunch of my own questions.
Disclaimer: These are honest questions. I do not intend to question anyone’s service to the church. These questions come from a desire to understand.
The biggest question in my mind right now is what does “worship” really mean? What does it look like? I know what Google says worship is, but those are just words. I know I experienced it this morning when Julie Anderson led us in song during Open Worship. The problem was that I was so excited to sense and recognize the worship happening that I almost missed participating in it. I’m silly.
The second big question, which is a follow-up to the first, is what is the point to church? Why is it that we get together for the “worship service” every week? Is it bad that I believe the purpose of the worship service is not to make me feel good, and get me energized to go out and face the “evils” that the week is going to throw at me? If it’s called a worship service, why is it used for teaching? I don’t know if I’ve ever felt worshipful listening to a sermon. Teaching and preaching is important, don’t get me wrong, but why do we treat the 30-45 minutes singing spent on Sunday morning as sufficient? Is singing the only “acceptable” way to worship?
I’m not trying to say that God does not respond during worship, and you should leave church feeling empty. What I’m saying is why do we expect the act of going to church to be for our benefit? Are we so consumeristic that we look for what we can take away from our time in the pews rather than focusing on being in the presence of the almighty God? On the flip-side, we can’t be so complacent that we don’t recognize when God responds to us. So where’s the point of balance?
See, I just have questions.
Tags: worship
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April 20, 2008 -
God Type Things -
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Jason, you ask some very important questions and make some really good observations. Church isn’t so much for us (I believe) but to equip us — by teaching –by communion–to be the instruments of God here on earth. We learn that, some by sitting in pews and being taught or preached at or we learn it through those who have demonstrated through actions that they are serving by doing.
Yeah, that is probably what eveyone says, eh? But, I appreciate your putting into words something I’ve questioned many times myself, all my life as a christian, in fact.
Living in a heavily southern protestant area–I see such a disconnect between the almost church addiction (*must* go Sunday a.m. and p.m. and Wednesday services because…people will talk or because that’s what the pastor/preacher says to do) to everyday actions.
It’s always good to ask questions. When we stop–well, I think that is the danger area.
Oh, way cool blog design, dude!
Great questions!
For me though I would broaden the scope beyond Sunday. To me worship is a lifestyle, a way of being in life on a daily - even moment by moment - basis. In that way I see Sunday morning as only a part of worship in my life, a part that I join corporately with others to fellowship, quiet myself in the midst of others, share together our love for God, listen, and learn. And dare I say it, some of my most profound worship experiences did not happen on a Sunday, nor did they happen at a church building. This is not a knock on Sunday morning worship for God has spoken many times to my heart in the midst of that worship, but just to say that I don’t think worship is tied to the church. Worship is tied to our relationship with God, which hopefully is in effect wherever we are.
Other questions to mull over for you: What should we expect out of Sunday morning worship? And what is our part in that? How do we as a body/community of believers step out of the “me” culture and truly bring worship in its true and right sense to the center of our Sunday mornings?
Dude.
You should come to the Family Man forum. Questions like these are asked and bandied around with much enthusiasm.
http://www.familymanweb.com