The past few weeks we have talked about a lot of externals that have contributed to "worship wars" in our churches. Today, I want to turn us inward to the very heart of the matter, internal worship wars.
Whether we are a worship leading choir member, a worship leader, or a part of the congregation, we have the privilege of coming together in the company of the saints, giving the Lord the glory that is due His name. We must teach a new generation to take corporate worship seriously, being biblically faithful, historically appreciative, and addressing today's culture. Harold Best challenges us all "to understand that new, old, and everything in between have no life in themselves and must be continually rescued both from self-conscious novelty and self-preserving stodginess."
Bob Kauflin states, "I think leading God's people in worship is one of the most fulfilling, enjoyable, exciting, sobering, life-changing jobs on the planet. We help people connect with the purpose for which they were created - to glorify God. We watch in amazement as the Spirit of God transforms lives and gives people a fresh encounter with God's faithfulness, love and power." He's right, sometimes I can't believe what we get to do. All of that is great, but worship is much more and the real worship wars go on in our hearts.
Worship is about what we love and live for. It is about looking at who we are before Him. It's about what is in our heart. The only thing we should be bringing to congregational worship each week is our heart. The bottom line question is: What do I love? The real conflict is not over music styles, songs chosen, guitars or drums used; the real conflict is in our own hearts. The worship war going on inside each of us is what we love most - God or something else. Idols are all around us in many different forms, even as worshippers and worship leaders. Material comfort, financial security, sensual pleasures, electronic gadgets, hip clothes, or things we can't see like reputation, power, and control; or even wanting worship the "way I want it". Are we people pleasers? If so, we are people-worshippers rather than God-worshippers. God seeks those who would worship Him with a pure heart. He wants us to love Him more than our instruments, music styles, possessions, or even ministry...more than our mate, our children, our grandchildren, even more than our own lives. We are most passionate about what we love the most. The real "worship wars" are going on inside us. mjm
