Raising your hands in worship?

[FriendofSpurgeon]

I was raised in a conservative Baptist church. Growing up, I can't remember anyone ever raising their hands during worship. That was left to the Pentecostals. However, this is fairly common in my own church - and other churches that I visit while traveling. What is your experience with this?

 

[Lodic]

I attended several different types of churches in my early years of following Christ. In my experience, the Assemblies of God and some "non-denominational" congregations raised their hands a lot during the music part of the service. When I first started attending Baptist churches, they were more reserved. However, during the past few years, the people at the Baptist church that I attend have gotten into closing their eyes and letting the Spirit guide them. It's really nice.

 

[Jerome]

Do people raise their hands during singing at your church?

Kind of hard to do that when you've got a hymnal in your hands!

Off the wall songs encourage it, imo.

 

[just-want-peace]

Kind of hard to do that when you've got a hymnal in your hands!

Off the wall songs encourage it, imo.

When there are only about 4 to 6 phrases - if that many - repeated over & over, you don't need a hymnal!

 

[InTheLight]

 

[BroOldTimer]

Very common in our churches.

 

[Deacon]

Our Texas-raised pastor’s still working on getting us to clap.

There are a few, not many, hand raisers. Wish they’d sit in the back so I could see the overhead lyrics... but then again, I’m tall and I bet a few people wish us tall’un would sit in the back.

Rob

 

[HankD]

Hebrews 12:12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;

 

[Jerome]

Just what sort of thing are y'all talking about?

Handraising A to Z, by Randall VanderMey, in God Talk: The Triteness and Truth in Christian Clichés.

A's hand unfurls like a small flag.
B pumps his fist in a "right on" salute.
C's hand rotates slowly like a radar dish.
D's hands form a basket overhead, as if to catch a baby.
E holds his hands high, cupped and side by side, as if offering his wrists to be cuffed.
F wags her hand "hello" to God.
G slices the air like one of Hitler's underlings.
H's hand comes up straight and whole, like the red flag on a mailbox.
I's hand springs up quickly and off cue like an ice-fishing flag.
J's swaying body waves her hands like strands of kelp.
K makes a fist behind his head, as bicyclists do at the finish line.
L looks as if he's just heard through a bullhorn: "Come out with your hands up."
M keeps his elbows high as if to have his pockets frisked.
N looks like the guy in the first car on every roller coaster.
O's uplifted face and palms appear to soak in a spring rain.
P, with the outstretched hands, resembles Superman in flight.
Q leans her head along her arm like a swimmer doing the side-stroke.
R might be Rocky on the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
S's palms cover her brows.
Ts hands seem to push away the Evil One.
U's hands support two full bags of groceries.
V's spread fingertips appear to be lifting panels of acoustical tile.
W's arms haul in bales of grace from heaven.
X's fingers twiddle like a belly dancer's with finger cymbals.
Y puts an arm up like the know-it-all at the back of the classroom.
Z conducts a dream orchestra.

 

[Martin Marprelate]

It's interesting that today people lift their hands in 'worship' and bow their heads in prayer.
The Biblical examples seem to be the exact opposite.(e.g. Psalm 75:6; Matthew 4:9; Exodus 17:11-12; 1 Timothy 2:8).
We have one chap who sometimes raises his hands during singing. It's fine so long as it is not drawing attention to oneself: 'See how holy I am!"

 

[BroOldTimer]

We bow, and lift hands in prayer.

Here is another verse to consider:

"Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord." Psalm 134:2

 

[Scarlett O.]

The men in my church are allowed to raise their hands. The women are not. My pastor preached one Sunday that raising hands is for men only.

 

[InTheLight]

The men in my church are allowed to raise their hands. The women are not. My pastor preached one Sunday that raising hands is for men only.

What? That's crazy. What text did he use?

People sometimes raise their hands at my church during songs and hymns. I'd guess it is less than 5% of the congregation, though.

 

[BroOldTimer]

The men in my church are allowed to raise their hands. The women are not. My pastor preached one Sunday that raising hands is for men only.

I've never heard of that before. What baptist denomination are you a part of? What was the scriptural justification for that?

 

[Jerome]

Example:

 

[Scarlett O.]

I've never heard of that before. What baptist denomination are you a part of? What was the scriptural justification for that?

1 Timothy 2:8

I'm Southern Baptist.

He's wrong, of course, but I'm not going to make a big deal of it. I play the piano during the song service anyway, so lifting my hands wouldn't be prudent! He's a good man …… he's just got a tad of that Fundamentalism in him [not the good part, but the legalistic part].

 

[RighteousnessTemperance&]

The men in my church are allowed to raise their hands. The women are not. My pastor preached one Sunday that raising hands is for men only.

I've never heard of that before. What baptist denomination are you a part of? What was the scriptural justification for that?

This one's pretty obvious. Women should ask their husbands at home. Of course, if women had holy hands, then...

This is also why women should be doing all the work. Men are supposed to be lifting hands everywhere. This is the problem with modern society--women instead are always doing and drying their nails...

 

[RighteousnessTemperance&]

When there are only about 4 to 6 phrases - if that many - repeated over & over, you don't need a hymnal!

Obviously you haven't kept up with the state of education in America!

There are a few, not many, hand raisers. Wish they’d sit in the back so I could see the overhead lyrics...

(Name removed to protect the innocent.)

 

[RighteousnessTemperance&]

Thanks. Perhaps I'm just easily amused, but that's the funniest 2-1/2 minutes I've enjoyed in a while.

 

[FriendofSpurgeon]

Hilarious!