Dean Abbott had a great post awhile back discussing why our worship services need to be more than happy, feel-good affairs. Go here for the original post and here for the update and clarification.
I have to agree that in order to communicate seriousness, we need to act in a serious manner. Reverence for God and respect for His laws are serious affairs. Fear of the Lord is a good thing. And our liturgy ought to inspire us and others to take God and His laws seriously. I don't think that we can do that when every week we have watered down praise songs instead of theologically dense hymns.
We shouldn't be going to church primarily to be entertained or experience an emotional uplift. These are great things. God doesn't want us to be sour-pusses. But we need seek the greater goods of reverence and fear of the Lord (meaning proper respect, awe and acknowledgment of our lowliness in comparison). Maybe if we do this, we will begin to draw others into a serious practice of the faith, and by such conversions put an end to the immorality that reigns today, most especially abortion.
2 comments:
Dan and I just watched the documentary "Jesus Camp" about a summer camp for Pentecostal youth. In it, a young girl at the camp says that God likes to come to churches where people are loud and active and singing and God doesn't like to come to churches where people are all serious. That kind of thinking is very scary. - Joyce
Yeah, I have kids like that in my CCD class. It is scary that the "Entertain Me!" attitude has creeped so far.
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