Enter His Gates

I was behind a lady the other day at my local Starbucks who ordered the most complex sounding drink I've ever heard. It had a couple of "half-pumps" in it and strict temperature demands. When she got her drink, she took a little sip and immediately retorted to the barista that she must have put in more than half a pump of some syrup.

I stood behind her marveling at how specific her demands were for her coffee. I was amazed that someone would accept nothing less than exactly what suits her tastes. And I was aghast at how much she is like the Church when it comes to worship.

I hear people say all the time "I love it when so-and-so leads worship, but when such-and-such leads I just can't worship..." "I would worship so much better if so and so ALWAYS led worship." We all have favorite songs and favorite types of music. But what in the world are we expecting the songs and instruments to do? Are we expecting them to lift us to a place we won't otherwise go?

Now, don't get me wrong. The Church needs musicians who play excellently. Well-written songs can express what is in the heart of the Church and be a fantastic way to lift up worship to our great God. But have we become addicted to music in worship? More specifically, have we become addicted to the musical style that we like or a certain group of songs that we like?

I can't lead anyone in worship. I can lead BY worshiping. But leading in worship can only be done by the Holy Spirit. When we approach corporate worship with cold, dead hearts it is no wonder that our offering to God is passionless and dull.

I think that corporate worship can be really wonderful and alive when believers come into the door already worshiping. Then the music is just a means of expression and not the critical part that it so commonly now plays.

What changes from week to week? Or song to song? Maybe the quality or the instrumentation or the lead worshiper. But God hasn't changed! God is no less worthy of honor, glory, blessing... (worship!) when the worship team doesn't suit our personal tastes. God's glory and greatness can be found in the songs written by Redman, Tomlin and Baloche. His immanence and love can be found in the Gaither songs. The profound riches of his work are throughout the newer songs written by Keith and Kristyn Getty, or the older Hymns of Worship and Remembrance. But none of these songs can make us worship. They can help us express what is in our hearts, but the worship needs to be in our hearts first just bursting to come out no matter what the baristas are making that day :-)