Who’s Listening?

Sky McCracken, long time online friend and even longer time colleague, drops these gems —

There’s a (partial) quote going around social media that’s been picking up steam. It’s one we need to be careful with – as it can come off being elitist instead of faithful. Here’s the WHOLE quote:

“When ministry becomes performance, then the sanctuary becomes a theater, the congregation becomes an audience, worship becomes entertainment, and man’s applause and approval become the measure of success…”

[Now, the *rest* of the paragraph]

“…But when ministry is for the glory of God, His presence moves into the sanctuary. Even the unsaved visitor will fall down on his face, worship God, and confess that God is among us (1 Corinthians 14:25).” – p. 79, _10 Power Principles for Christian Service_, by Warren and David Wiersbe)

This can be misused to critique worship/music that we don’t like. Ministry *is* a performance in the best definition of the word – done in the performance of one’s faith and duty.

As several of the psalms make clear, we are to make noise in praise of the Lord – even with loud cymbals and tambourine and dance. The line between applause and a loud “Amen” is a very thin one; both are misplaced if we’re applauding the choir, organist, soloist, or musician instead of giving thanks – an offering of thanks – to God.

When someone says that they didn’t like part (or all) of a worship service, or “didn’t get fed” by it, I sometimes must remind them that the worship wasn’t intended for them to begin with – it was for the glory of God: from a praise hymn to an organ voluntary to a drum fill… which are all mentioned in the 150th Psalm.

— to which someone added,

“I didn’t get anything out of worship today.”

“What did you put into it?”

— and IIRC, Soren Kierkegaard had something to say about this as well.

Are we listening?