Worship – reverent honor and homage paid to God (dictionary.com)

I thought the “worship wars” had died off, or at least died down, but I am seeing more and more articles and blogs about it every day. One would think by now we had gone to our neutral corners and decided to let people and churches answer this question for themselves, but I guess it will never go away.  How sad for the Christian church that we cannot stay out of other people’s business.
I hear the complaints from inside an individual church, but that is for that group of believers to work out among themselves. What I don’t get is why one leader feels the need to criticize another group’s practices. If what they are doing works for them and they are not doing anything to hurt or hinder The Kingdom, what business is of mine or anyone else’s?
I still hear the voices of, “it has got to be hymn’s with a choir” while others say, “it must be modern choruses and a praise band.” They are both right and they are both wrong. If hymns and a choir work in a specific context then they are right and would be wrong to do anything else.
Personally I do not believe it is so much the style of the music but the attitude of the worshippers. I like a blend of old and new and I like an extended set of music that makes musical, thematic, and theological sense. Too often the musical worship part of the service is so chopped up with other things it is difficult for me to get into a flow of worship.
I also need music that is done well. I have sat in services where it is obvious the musicians have not had enough time to work out all the transitions, chords, timing, and other things. I believe anything we do in worship should be the best we can give. Time needs to be given to planning and preparation. I led worship for many years and in the beginning would show up on Sunday morning, select a few hymns and go. It did not take long for me to discover that if I did not spend some time preparing my heart and selecting songs that worked together, I was not going to worship and the people in the congregation were not either.
Finally I want more participatory time and less observation. By that I mean I want more time singing as a congregation and less “special” music. There are certainly times when I can worship while others are singing, but I worship more and best when I am participating and not watching. Maybe this is an area I need to work on my attitude.
A word about the unbeliever in worship. I personally do not believe an unbeliever can worship God. I believe they can participate, they can enjoy the music, they can even play an instrument in the service, but they cannot worship a God in whom they do not believe and accept as Savior. Their presence in one reason I believe we must do things well and that are relevant. Music is important in our society and there are people who will judge not only the local church, but The Kingdom, if things are not done as best as they can be done. You may not think this is the right thing for them to do, but it is a reality. Do with it what you like.
As I have grown older my taste in worship music has changed. I still love the old hymns, but I want more. I want the piano, but I also like to hear some guitar and drums, in balance. It does not need to be fasts and loud, but it can get there when appropriate. I do not need a constant low-key, slow rhythm, but it is certainly nice at times to slow down and meditate. God can use all styles of music to honor and worship Him, as long as my heart and attitude allow.
No one style is God’s style, He looks at the heart; the style is for us. God created us as individuals with different needs and desires. Why not embrace the differences?

This is cross-posted at howard.chbcblogs.org.