InfoWorship....

Not long ago I was eating at a local restaurant, like many with a series of TVs on highlighting various sporting events, except on one the channel had not been changed and one of the infamous infomercials was on touting a set of cookware that could change your life and destiny... Ok, I am exaggerating, but I'm sure you've seen it or one like it. There were two co-stars, one who was doing the cooking and another who was overawed and amazed with everything the other would do with the cookware. Excitement, smiles, laughter, food....it just seemed as if by just bringing the cookware into your home the whole kitchen would transform itself into a 5-star restaurant, and to top it off, they were going to offer you this one-time special price of just three easy payments of .... Well, you know. You've heard the same ones. Sometimes, they will break in and say, “But wait, if you order now, we will send you another complete set for free! Just pay shipping and handling.”

Hear me first say that I don't doubt that what they are selling might be good; this is not a commentary on the quality of the product. Perhaps it's just me, but when I hear those commercials I tend to jump to the defensive and wonder “What are they trying to sell me now? What's the catch?”  I confess that I cannot listen fairly because of some past experiences I have known from others who have made similar purchases and had less than positive results. I tend to lump all such advertisements together. The purpose of the infomercial is to sell the product. I get that, and yet I long for all the information and openness that doesn't tell me “this is the only pan you will ever need for the rest of your life...” Theoretically possible, but highly unlikely.

By now you might be wondering what all this has to do with worship. Glad you asked because I really am not on an anti-advertising tirade. If we are not careful we can allow our worship to morph into an infomercial about a Jesus “who will take all your problems away.” The manner in which we talk about our faith and relationship in Christ can begin to sound like a cheap infomercial and subconsciously be lumped together with those on TV. Authenticity requires transparency.  As we share of the transformation that Christ has made in our lives, we need to share the struggles and failures as well. As Bonhoeffer stated, “Free grace is not cheap grace.” Following Christ includes commitment and sacrifice.

Our worship must be centered around Christ's death and resurrection, salvation, redemption, His return, Who God is, all He has done and how this Almighty God desires a relationship with His creation. At the same time, this relationship demands a surrender of personal desire that welcomes the remolding of our character that is consistent with the new nature He has given.  The benefits of our relationship with Christ should never be minimized, but the cost of the commitment cannot be overlooked. Worship is God-centered. The focus of worship is not to meet our needs but to return to God the praise and thanksgiving to Him who alone is worthy. At the same time, as we are obedient in this recognition, God miraculously meets our needs.

Worship that is designed as an “infomercial” is shallow, gimmicky and lacks depth. Worship must be accessible to those attending, but not compromised just to bring in the crowds. Jesus never did the miracles just to bring in the crowd. In fact, Matthew 5:1 states that “When he saw the multitudes, he called his disciples to himself and when he sat down he began to teach them {the twelve} saying...” Nor was he worried when the crowds didn’t understand what he meant by “eating his flesh and drinking his blood” and began to leave. His desire was to test the commitment of the twelve: “Will you also go?” Peter replied, “To whom shall we go? You alone have the words of life!”   [John 6:55-69]

Worship is that celebration and thanksgiving for all He has done and will do, but it is also that obedient commitment to follow Him, to allow His Holy Spirit to cut away the rough edges of our personalities until we reflect the Son of God. We cannot have one without the other.

Truth, Bonhoeffer, and Worship Leaders

I recently finished reading Eric Metaxas’s, Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet,Spy, the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Many are familiar with the Lutheran pastor’s famous book, The Cost of Discipleship and his teaching that although God’s grace is free, it is not cheap. The biography, however, is just that, a biography and not a simple retelling of his written works. Over and over throughout his shortened life [he was executed by the Nazis just days before Allied forces reached the prison camp where he was being held], Bonhoeffer’s life revealed the importance of not just knowing about God’s Word, but living it out. Truth was to be lived out, not just debated. The book was a great read, but it was more than that, it was convicting.

As I read about his uncompromising life, I was reminded how many times as leaders of worship we are tempted to compromise. The temptation to compromise on personal preparation for worship and planning, to explain our laziness with “half-truths,” to avoid confrontation of our weaknesses, pride, and personal failures only leads to deeper problems. I am also aware that these issues are not restricted to worship leaders, but anyone in the ministry.

I don’t think that compromising is blatant at first: life, family, ministry, other responsibilities overwhelm us and things begin to fall through the cracks. Our natural tendency is to excuse ourselves from these little failures and move on. However, if we never stop and take an honest inventory of our lives, attitudes, or responses, we may be setting ourselves up for more failure and eventually are “forced” into a compromising situation. We need to stop and ask the hard questions: Have we taken on more than we really should have? Are we responding emotionally because what is irritating us about someone is really a response to a similar weakness in our own lives? Have we failed to understand the boundaries God has placed in our lives? Are we unwilling to share the responsibilities or receive advise as to what to do? Are we too prideful to admit that we need help? Obviously, the list could go on and on.

I know for many there is a temptation to define our worth by what we do, rather than by what God has done for us. An attack on our performance becomes an attack on our very character. We become defensive. We begin to rationalize our actions with “half-truths.” But wait just a moment. Stop. The truth can never be a “half-truth;” half-truths are simply lies sweetened with the appearance of “right” to complete the deception. There is price to pay for truth, but the greater price is paid by those that settle for less.

God’s grace is unfathomable. His forgiveness is beyond understanding. He is there even in those times when we have really blown it. God has taken the initiative with His love and grace; we must respond with confessing the truth of our actions and attitudes. Satan will give a hundred reasons for not doing it, and the end result will be the same: eventually the “real” truth becomes evident and the price to pay is greater now than ever before. One compromise only leads to another. We must stop and confess, that is, “come in agreement with how God sees the issues” and commit ourselves to living in integrity. Only as we commit ourselves to refuse to compromise the truth in living out God’s Word will we leave a testimony and heritage that glorifies the Lord.