Do Baptists have a shallow view of Corporate Worship?

I'd like to think that you might be able to widen your experience of Baptists. Not all are in the conservative-evangelical camp. And not all are given to worship in the ways you have described. Some of us appreciate liturgical worship and do, indeed, entrust our music to people who are not only gifted, but also well-trained. I have been a pastor and am now an interim pastor, and truly appreciate well-chosen, vigorously-sung, properly-accompanied hymns and spiritual songs.

I might also add that when I am not interim-pastoring I serve as the organist for the church of which I am a member. We try to blend hymns and contemporary music in such a way that there is a sense of reverence.

Let's continue this dialogue. Even though I have spoken about liturgical worship, I am certainly not excited by reading lengthy litanies or "chancel-prancing". Let's keep talking about what authentic worship looks, sounds, and feels like.

I think you are on to something when you suggest that we Baptists have been so afraid of enthusiasm that we have reduced worship to repetitive choruses or to bland renditions of old warhorse favorites.

 

Frankly, hyperness is not where it's at for me in worship. I like some hymns, mostly, but if I had to sing more I'd get exhausted. I am not against singing - I definitely think it's part of worship but it's not all worship is.

Personally, I feel more worshipful with a liturgical style of worship, although my church is not like that.

I also think enthusiasm can be forced or fake. I feel more worshipful being quiet or having solemn music (not sad).

I just realized this is the Music Ministry thread so I guess no one will agree with me.

 

It will be helpful if music leaders would drop the idea that worship ends right before the preacher preaches.

 

And also helpful if pastors don't propogate that idea. I'm in agreement that the spoken Word is the primary reason for coming to corporate worship, but it is not the only reason.

 

Praying CAN be worship.
Singing CAN be worship.
Reading Scripture CAN be worship.
Preaching CAN be worship.
Giving tithes and offerings CAN be worship.

But just 'cause it CAN be worship doesn't automatically mean that it WILL be worship.

I think the intentions of the individual's heart determines worship. If you really want to worship God, you will! If you really don't want to worship God, you won't.

And we worship differently. Some like loud, almost rambunctious worship, and some like the still, quiet service.

Two people can be in the same service and one will worship and one won't. You will do what you've set your heart to do.

 

Well said.

 

Instead of social events, churches are hospitals for sinners.

I don't believe in weekly stage productions. I believe in the Gospel being shared from the Bible. I love to sing and praise the Lord. But if I don't hear the word "sin" and/or "repent" or "salvation" somewhere in there, I wonder what the message was for.

 

I really love this. I wish this were my thought. Tom, you beat me to it. :laugh:

But you're so right. We need to get back to what worship really is.

For believers, all of life is worship. We are always in worship. Every moment should be sacred.

So when we come together as believers, our hearts would have been conditioned for the duration of that meeting.

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom Butler
It will be helpful if music leaders would drop the idea that worship ends right before the preacher preaches.

That, too, Joshua.

Having attended a worship service where you were the music leader, I can say you are not one of those I referred to.

 

I agree. And a "stage production" can come from churches of all stripes. What a missed opportunity!

This may not come out right, but I'll try: I've been doing this a while. I know how to craft a Bible Study/sermon. I'm pretty decent at speaking in front of crowds, and I know what to do and say. Too many times, I've put together a good sermon/Bible study...all on my own.

But the fact remains: Without my allowing God to prepare me, AND the sermon, I've blown it. It's a "stage production." It may look good, and it may even be touching to folks. And since it is God's word, He can still use it...flawed as it may be. But I've missed out on what God really wanted to do.

 

Our worship services are probably a little different than most here. We have no song leaders, allow the congregation to choose the hymns, and have open singing/testimonies but yet we still fall into the rut of doing the same thing week to week.

Too often our worship services suffer from a lack of preperation. I am not talking about preperation in the typical sense such as the message, music, etc. But I am speaking of preperation on the part of those who are involved in worship. True worship takes obediance and faith. Too often our congregations come into the service from a hurried standpoint of getting kids ready, breakfast served, and all sorts of other worldly influences and expect the song leaders and pastors to make a worship service for them.

What I need is to take the time BEFORE the service to prepare my heart for God to use me as a part of the worship. Walk into the building with worship on my heart and a love for Christ already bubbling in my soul.

As a pastor I need to teach my congregation what it means to worship, how to worship, and what the focus and purpose of that worship is.

 

Thank you brother... that means alot!

 

I agree... I've always said that people should not come to church to worship. They should come worshipping to church. Too many times this doesn't happen.

 

Turning it into a concert of pop circus music certainly hasn't helped worship be more serious.

 

Choirs, soloists, and our church architecture have chipped away at a Biblical understanding of worship.

Pathetic theology crept into hymns way before praise choruses ever came along.

So yes, we have a very faulty theology and praxis of worship.

 

Two things. Please define corporate worship for me as I have never heard this term and don't understand it's meaning.

Second, I have read this thread and a story, a true one comes to mind and I wonder how you would react as Pastor and what your thoughts are.

During the beginning of the service, the congregation was singing and you could just feel God's presence. Song after song, it just felt right. They ended up singing that entire hour an a half and the Pastor never spoke his sermon. Have you guys ever had that happened and how was it handle?

 

It is when the body worship together.

As a pastor, I would wonder what this means. In fact, I do wonder what it means. What is this, and how do you define it? By what biblical standard you identify it? How do you distinguish it from anything else?