If we focus on only one aspect of worship, and minimize the others, then we do ourselves a huge disservice.

I love a good rousing hand clapping, arms raised singing service. But I also love the other parts of the service and draw deep meaning from them as I praise my Lord and Savior.

I lead singing at Prison and Jail ministries. It's always helpful to have a rousing series of praise music and at the end of it, when the inmates are laughing and happy, they are ready to hear the Good News. If it works in Jail, it ought to work on Sunday morning.

It is sad when folks never leave the shallow end of the pool to learn how thrilling and beautiful and dangerous the deep can be. It's sad when those who hope to speak for and about Christ never call others to dive into the mysteries and draw them ever closer to the heart of God.

But we all have to start someplace.

Some ministries specialize in introducing people to God through Christ. Others are better at helping develop and deepen relationships. A few – I'd include Osteen's – completely misunderstand and therefore misrepresent who God is and the kind of eternal, spiritual wealth He wants for us … no matter what it costs Him or us. And some ministries just work better for some people at their present stage of life than others.

I think the commenter can accurately say that a Michael W. Smith concert does not help him or her grow closer to God. I think it would be presumptuous to say that must therefore be true for everyone.

Also, again, if all we focus on is one hour a week our worship will ALWAYS be shallow, some will just be more fun to be around than others depending on your point of view.

At some point, though, the focus should be our Lord . . . not the music. This is something I deal with at times. I am a very musical person. 10 years of piano instruction (the three Bs) choral and vocal training . . . and lots of Boston, Queen, ABBA, ELO, Foreigner, hell yea. . . you know the great stuff. Sometimes I just love the music. It's like I'm loving it . . . but the Lord is not what is driving my joy. My joy comes from the sound and beauty, but not the beauty of the Lord. I seek a real joy that comes from the Lord. But I don't always have it.

There is something legitimate behind the thoughts expressed at the beginning of this blog. The comments remind me of a couple I know who worshiped at the church Max Lucado teaches at. The couple had been worshipping with the church for years, but after moving to a different city, they aligned themselves with those who spinkle infants . . . as if the word of God and Jesus' example didn't matter. Their comment was that they only worhipped where Max Lucado was at because they loved the music. They were drawn to the music.

And so it was apparent that they were not drawn to the truth and the godly examples given by those who were leading them. They traded the truth for a lie.

What the individual is weary of is when love for the truth . . . a hunger for righteousness . . . a desire to be more like Jesus . . . a desire to be Jesus to the world . . . takes a backseat and is replaced by a love for something else. Maybe love of music like the couple I described above. The individual senses that the worship he is describing is not really worhip of the Lord . . . but is rather…worship of self. It is a sense thing. His senses may be wrong . . . but then again his senses may be correct.

We sing these songs at my congragation as well. I like these songs. They help me express love to my God. They build the congragation up. I understand these songs. At the same time, I also sense that there are others who just love the music. I too sense that there are some who are drawn to the music more than they are drawn to my Lord. When that occurs, they are no longer worhipping the Creator God. The focus has moved to self.

Grace and peace,
Tim Archer