what if we didn’t…
Published August 29, 2008 christian , christianity , church , creativity , religion , thoughts on life , worship , worship leader 26 CommentsTags: christianity, church, music, worship
Tags: christianity, church, music, worship
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Different… but not earth shattering!!
One long moment of 100s of Christians praying together.
Our little house church in Salem only had singing once a month. You know, I think what it did was keep it very community centered. There was no individual time to close my eyes and think about Jesus by myself lost in the music. I had to make that time outside of church. It was tough at first for me as a worship music enthusiast but it made our time together really close-knit and made my time on my own more personal (if that’s possible). It’s not for every church but it fits God’s design for our church plant. (btw, loveyoumissyouxoxoxo)
Definitely different – maybe a little bit of a relief in my particular church because our worship leader is very traditional/formal and the singingand music is a bit “showy.” However, on the occasions that my praise band leads, I think a lot of the younger crowd would really miss it. Not because I’m leading, but because it’s much more worshipful!
A choir of humming.
People bringing their favorite instruments to jam along.
kids grabbing shakers as their parents grab bulletins upon entering the sanctuary.
Silent prayers of song filled heads.
Beautiful noise to His ears in a different way than the norm.
yep, different, but i guess I’d roll with it.
(again, how do you do those cartoons. i’m stuck with my own stick figure. see today’s post. I’ve got to upgrade!)
church w/o singing would be like a family reunion-ppl sitting together chatting, listening…for me itd be a bummer to not sing.
I think it’d be nice for a change.
As long as there was at least music I’d be alright…
we have a prayer gathering coming up…we do exactly that, listen to music, and pray for hours…its so amazing!
Sorry but I gotta have me some music. I love music! I could still find a way to worship without it I am sure but I love music! Seriously you could take away my TV but not my music.
That’s how my throat feels…hmph. I love singing…leading worship…etc. I’d be bummed without it. I learn more from the words in the worship songs than I do from sermons most times. God uses the lyrics to prick my heart each time I sing.
They would be awful I think. Personally my favorite time of Sunday mornings is the worship. For me, I feel like God speaks to me more through music than a teaching. Teachings are good, but worship is why I go. (which is why it’s been hard finding a church here still
)
and p.s. that whole sick thing you described…I’ve TOTALLY got it. With the “sweats” and all.
boo for being sick. 
Start beating on chairs or something…anything…at least have rythem..LOL
i don’t know because i wouldn’t attend. *snobbily lifts chin high into the air*
that’s such a tough one. i think actually, at my church, some of those days would be a relief. you see, i lead for the youth and for an independent college ministry, but my MIL leads in “big church”. and although i love her, i’m sure you can relate to me on this: watching someone else do what you know you can do and really, really want to do and HUMBLY think that you can maybe do as well or better is really stressful!!! maybe i’m kind of thinking along the lines of theepiphany?
but.
me thinks me still would choose the musak. cuz i like it!
depends on who you ask, those that actually sing…or those that cross their arms and stare…for some (me) it is a huge avenue in which the response called worship is shown…so i would have to find another avenue to respond to God…for others it would mean they wouldn’t be able to complain about the songs that were sung, or how they were sung…still others would just feel less entertained that week…
it could be very interesting…you try it and let us all know how it works out!!!
strange.
I would be sad! I really look forward to the music portion of the service. When I am not playing I really enjoy the time to connect with God on a musical level.
Shorter
But I would really miss it! I love that time!
good question.
b/c don’t we always associate WORSHIP with SINGING? as if the only way to worship was to sing.
what would it be like if we were forced to find a different way to worship in a corporate setting? or if we weren’t allowed to sing or something horrible like that.
i don’t know. i think it would weed a lot of people out who aren’t there for the right reasons.
It would definitely challenge our concept of worship.
It would force us to get creative and change it up.
Here’s what I would do:
Give everyone a piece of canvas as well as paint, crayons, pastels, magazine cutouts ect… and let them express themselves through art.
Hum, I guess if I’d answered this question years ago, I might have responded as some of the others–that is that music/singing is essential to worship.
That was before I started attending my current church. Let’s just say the music leaves a lots to be desired. In fact many Sundays it’s almost like fingernails scrapping in a chalkboard for me. What God has taught me during this time, is that I don’t need music or singing to worship Him. Yes, good music (gotta qualify it here) gets me to a place of worship pretty fast, but I can also worship through the WORD or through simply prayer/meditation. It’s been a hard (and humbling) lessing to learn, but I think I really get it now!!
So, yes I can worship without singing, which is a good thing this week since I have a killer of a cold!!
Much love,
~Cheryl
ohmygosh y’all have given me oodles to think about. oodles!!!!
what do i think? hmmm…. i think prayer and conversation would increase in our services, since singing can be prayer or others-encouragement at times. i think the sense of togetherness might increase in some weird way, by removing the “performance/concert” dynamic that is so pervasive in our culture and has permeated some of our churches…
wow. i’ve gotta think through it. i think it’d be a loss more than a benefit, for sure. but i’ve gotta continue to iron out what the losses would be.
Ugh that would suck.
Take my song away from me, I would still sing unto my God for He is good.
And I suck at singing.
So please, don’t stop singing.
sorry. i havent read the comments. but…what does “music” have to do with worship? i think it would be kinda cool. it would redirect the focus real fast.