I’ll go ahead and lay it out there for you. I’m a happy-clappy, raise my hands in the air, and shout hallelujah kind of worshiper. I like to dance, wave flags in the air, and if I could find the tambourine my worship leader has hidden from me, I’d be Mr. Tamborine Man (err, Woman). I wasn’t always this “free” with my worship and praise, though. I actually grew up in a Southern Baptist church where an elderly woman led us in song each and every Sunday from a worn hymnal. With her thin, pointed finger she would wave it back and forth to the piano’s tune, smiling as she softly sang, “and He walks with me and He talks with me…”
I can still remember each and every word of each and every traditional hymn we sang back then, but my heart has changed since I left there. Back then I remember being bored to tears as the songs were sung, and I would pass the time trying to make sentences by stringing the title of Hymns together while placing the folded books side by side.
Of course now I’m the furthest thing from bored when I’m singing about Jesus. Now it’s like I feel the love of His Holy Spirit leap from the words and invade my soul. Worship brings me to tears, and sometimes I even laugh out loud with joy at the thought of how good my God is to me. What changed? Was it the style of worship that drew me closer to the Lord?
Well, I don’t think it hurt the process, but to place the act of worship as the sole contributor to my walk with the Lord would be like blaming the preacher if I didn’t get saved. We can no more state that our form of singing songs brings us closer to Jesus all on its own than we can say the flare with which it’s done distracts us from His glory. I’ve sorta seen articles alluding to both, and really that’s placing a little bit too much power in the hands of your worship leader. So while music is a great tool to bring us into the emotional presence of the Lord, I don’t think we should be sidetracking ourselves too much with how other people are doing it.
I can recall being on the mission field at nineteen years old. By this time I no longer tried to get through the music service at church like I had done as a child. Instead I usually wished it would last longer. That past year I had found a true, solid, personal relationship with Jesus, and that had changed everything. It transformed the way I saw time with God, and it had opened a doorway with which I could enter His presence. I found I didn’t need an elaborate worship service to do so, but contemporary worship was something I enjoyed. In my journey I had decided I preferred a Charismatic-type worship experience. That’s what worked for me. In choosing a mission organization I had found a nondenominational group that also participated in the type of worship environment I enjoyed. We used guitars and words on screens; things far different from my upbringing. I recall at one point our team visiting a local church in the area, and it so happened this church practiced a very subdued, traditional and routine music service. And you would not believe what I found in that apparently lackluster, non-spontaneous singing of Hymns.
I found Jesus.
He was there. Because He is always with us. The singing of traditional Hymns didn’t hamper the spirit of worship for me. In fact, they are wonderful testimonies to God’s goodness. Think It is Well With My Soul! At the time I realized I was madly in love with my Savior and the closeness I shared with Him could be found in an old song, a sunset, or the laugh of a child. My Lord had no constraints, but He also was not easily outshone. I’ve seen conversations against a more charismatic worship experience stating that it detracts from the Lord, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen a spotlight that shines brighter than His glory, heard a song that sings louder than His voice of love, or felt an emotion stronger that the pure joy that is being close to Abba Father. Nothing compares, and if we’re worried about something taking center stage in His place we might be better utilized to place that concern elsewhere.
Here’s the bottom line. You have to find what makes you comfortable. To start you have to find the heart of Jesus, and you won’t find it in a contemporary worship service or a more traditional, Sunday singing service. You’ll find Him when you seek Him, through prayer and meditating on His word. And once you’ve found Him you’ll see Him in all faucets of worship and life. You just might find a certain type of worship suits your personal needs best. Focus on what helps you find a spirit of worship, and let the next guy focus on what accentuates his personal walk most accordingly. Pretty sure God is happy with all songs, whether A cappella, with an organ, or with a kicking drum beat, as long as they are offered with a heart of worship that is singing praises of thanksgiving to His name.
In the end someone is no less spirit-filled if they don’t raise their hands or dance, and I am nowhere near unnoticing of His majesty simply because I enjoy an array of instruments singing His praise. The words written in worship of a Savior are sweet on all lips who sing with gratitude for His mighty, mighty work in us all. No matter if you sing them from a hymnal, or from a large, projected screen.
Psalm 71:23 ESV
My lips will shout for joy, when I sing praises to you; my soul also, which you have redeemed.
Sandy Brooks says
Brie, I have to respectfully disagree with your statement that “you have to find what makes you comfortable “. We should find out what the Bible says about the subject and follow that and as a New Testament Christian, we should look to the New Testament for our guidance. Ephesians 5:19.
brieann.rn@gmail.com says
What does that scripture say to you? I find myself carrying out that scripture when I worship. So I’m confused. By saying “what makes you comfortable” I mean some people may not prefer a contemporary worship experience, but that’s fine. I don’t try to say my preference is the best way or the only way, though many people do choose to say that.
Lisa Pierce says
Sandy Brooks, what is a New Testament Christian? I have never heard this expression before.
Mark says
Thanks for this Brie. I was raised on the old, traditional hymns, too, and I really like a lot of the newer praise music found in churches today, but I find that in churches that I’m familiar with, that’s all that’s played. Very rarely do I hear any of the old hymns. I just wish we wouldn’t abandon them entirely. Some of them are filled with praise and are every bit as meaningful to me as something newer. “Great is Thy Faithfulness” is a good example, and every time I sing it I’m reminded once again that I deserve none of His faithfulness and goodness, but He gives it anyway, and my heart is filled with thanks.
I’m in total agreement with you – “The words written in worship of a Savior are sweet on all lips who sing with gratitude for His mighty, mighty work in us all. No matter if you sing them from a hymnal, or from a large, projected screen. “
brieann.rn@gmail.com says
Thank you so much.
Gwen Woodard says
I love your explanation of what worshipping God in song means to you. You always had a beautiful voice, but I know God loves the praise from your lips just as much as praise from a tone deaf worshipper. I love hymns of all kinds, but the old hymns speak to how I want to praise and worship the Lord.
brieann.rn@gmail.com says
Thank you so much! I love you and your heart for worship!
Dave says
I have mentioned this before but having been raised in a minister’s family I have fond memories of being in church often as a kid when many of the old hymns were sung! After I got of age I departed my relationship with the church and God was not a part of my new language with my cool friends I decided to hang with! After retirement from Disney I took on jobs and one being finishing off a cabin in the NC mountains for a Disney attorney! Being alone there I would watch lots of television in the evenings and the channel selector landed on an hour long program hosted by a man by the name of Bill Gaither! He was pulling together many of the old southern gospel singers and they were singing many of the old hymns still in my mind! God used that program to call this prodigal back to Him! The hymns have a special place in my heart! I too like a lots of the contemporary praise music! I wish I could find a radio station and church that plays/sings both! I think there is a place for all music that lifts up Jesus! We are told to make a joyful noise to the Lord! God is big enough to handle my squeaky voice and also all genres of music that lifts up His Son to a lost and dying world!
brieann.rn@gmail.com says
Yes!!