Derek Webb posted this on his blog today and it really got me thinking..and wrestling…and shouting “Amen, brother!”…and feeling sad to be so deeply entrenched in many of the things Brian is talking about. The video is only 2:45 long. What do you think about his assessment of “worship” today? In what ways do you agree and/or disagree?
Wow, so good! I agree. It is so hard when I hear people at anytime rate worship experience, and put the ownice on the worship leader solely or the song choice. The experience has everything to do with the engagement of ones own heart in worship, regardless of songs or what is happening on stage in the corperate worship context. Worship is a choice of ones will, to engage the heart, surrender my passions, desire, sin, and so on and to exalt God with everything I am. To give him the best of me that I can give today.
Sorry Aaron that video got me a little fired up.
Consumerism is wrecking the masterpiece of what worship is. It changes the focus from God and puts it back on man. We lose sight of the giver and we get consumed with the gift, and more of them.
Thanks for sharing that video, it is a good heart check for all of us.
See you this weekend!
Grace and peace,
Kv
Comment by Kurt Von Eschen — September 2, 2010 @ 11:52 pm
yes yes yes yes. amen. it’s why i experience god in sigur ros and not always in church. god doesn’t work in our boundaries. and sometimes i think he purposely steps out of them–to try to awaken our soul to reality. miss you and s and h. x
Comment by j. yac — September 3, 2010 @ 9:15 am
i think he changed subjects in the middle, from a consumerism perspective to the value and place of art. both important, but art just as quickly becomes consumed and pressured into a value system… take all the artist and musicians that blow up without every “asking” for it… then they think they’ve sold out because they have greater influences.
brian’s thoughts on worship are right on though… i’ve been chanting this mantra for a while now, “worship is NOT a tool!” we are tools in His hands, but the worship we bring is not first a tool to effect something other than to be brought to Jesus! so many things happen because of worship that should happen because of worship but then we start thinking that is the reason we worship… evangelism is a great example. people come to a saving understanding of Jesus in an environment where worship is deep and true and unreserved and pure… but evangelism isn’t the primary purpose, worshiping God is the primary purpose, straight from our hearts, as individuals and community!
fill me in on what you think
gregg
Comment by Gregg Hampton — September 3, 2010 @ 11:37 am
What most intrigued me was Brian’s juxtaposition and endorsement of the following statements (paraphrased): “Beautiful artwork in the service of worship can and should include elements of doubt” and “Art as worship should be all resources, internal and external, in the service of glorifying God.” To corroborate the former, he cites the book of Job among others, but it would seem from the subtext of his remarks, particularly because they are directly lifted from the zeitgeist of popular art culture that signs off on personal “authenticity” and “expression” above all else, that he needs to clarify the relationship between the two quotes, namely whether it is possible to legitimate doubt as a standalone thesis or whether doubt must always return to faith in the form of dialectic, in art as it often does in life. This is not a trivial question, as it has serious implications for what agenda is set, and by whom, which drifts rather quickly back to the formulaic, against which he offers his thoughtful polemic.
Comment by Kyle — September 4, 2010 @ 5:26 pm