[beanbag]

i honestly think that the ambience depends on the setting. worship is ultimately an act of sacrifice andobedience on the part of the individual, as has already been mentioned. part of learning the discipline of worship IS getting out of your own head or your own box when it comes to the set.

i am a trained musician and a bit of a snob when it comes down to what i like and don't like. i will worship God by singing along to a lot of songs that i wouldn't ever consider knowing if they were non-praise driven. part of my personal journey with the discipline of worship is singing and focusing on the words, even if i don't like the tune. after all, it isn't supposed to be about me.

as for light and fog...it depends on the setting. i went to a hillsong united concert recently and was distinctly uncomfortable there. the whole youth staff at my church is also on the worship team rotation, and i got the same feedback from them. it wasn't the band that made me uncomfortable, but the crowd. on the other hand, i went to bible college on a campus of converted warehouses so our chapel was in a massive concrete and metal building. we did have lights and fog and for me the experience was just as intimate as sitting under the stars with my guitar.

i think a lot has to do with your own attitude and approach, but also with your leadership, and also with the people who surround you until you have practiced the discipline of worship enough that you are able to just make it about you and God. i think ultimately what each person needs to develop and understand is their personal philosophy of worship, and also to understand what their worship leader's philosophy of worship is.


i would also add that as worship leaders, we tend to overanalyze things sometimes. this can be a good thing, because my philosophy is that we are called to model worship for God's people, and sometimes it takes being a little bit over the top to help them become comfortable meeting God somewhere in the middle, but i just want to point out that what we are concerned might be strange or distracting (or a really terrible set in terms of musicial execution) might be exactly what someone in the congregation needs.

*also please pardon any typos. i started on my phone and had to jump on my laptop because it was driving me crazy, but i don't have the time to go back and make any further edits right now. =)

[1/2-Fast Player]

Originally Posted by ICallHimTurtle

People change churches like underwear these days.

Weekly?

i honestly think that the ambience depends on the setting

Candlelight and stained glass and elevated ceilings and pipe organs and dozens of other things have been used for centuries to give a certain ambience in churches and to create emotional responses. We think nothing of these elements because they've been with us for so long, but when I look at it objectively I don't see any real difference when it comes to using fog machines, lighting effects, projected backdrops, whatever.

If it helps achieve the objectives of the worship service, I see no problem.

Don't discount emotional responses. They are a valid part of who we are and how God made us. And they are a very powerful motivation. The danger comes in using them as a substitute for God, rather than as a motivation to move toward God.

[WorshipJesus]

Well after much patience and just going with the flow my church decided to start a third service and my pastor asked me to lead worship for it. So now we have three services: Celebration- hymns and organ; Journey- contemporary; Pursuit- acoustic. My pastor and I sat down to talk about it a few times and I was able to tell him how I was feeling about the aspects of the worship service in the church. He was gracious and I tried not to be critical. I just explained my philosophy and convictions about worship.

[looseofnoose]

Good point, God will use us in ways we know nothing about, I am sure. I have had mostly bad experiences playing with worship teams, what seems to start out as a good thing, usually ends up in a power struggle of some kind. Personally, I just stay out of it now ( for the most part ) and just try to connect with my Lord. I feel that we are called to have a pure motive and that we are held responsible for why we play our music. If he is glorified in what we do, and he will be if he is in it, then even our filthy rags can be used.
But, the spirit in which we lead a worship service is also shared with those who are following us.

Originally Posted by leekawa

When I was first saved, I can remember there being a time when I was so worried and concerned when I would invite someone to church. As a new believer myself I desperately wanted the person I was bringing to meet my Jesus too, and believe in him. I remember being so disappointed at times, because everything wasn't just right:confused, you know how I imagined it would be with my favorite pastor, teaching, and my favorite worship leader, leading, playing all my favorite worship songs of course. I was going to a CalveryChapel at the time, this was about 1983, I guess. We could get pretty wild during our services. People lifing hands, some laying face down on the floor, prayer for healing, etc. I always hoped whatever God was doing that day would not be too much for the person I had brought. (I'm sure God was so grateful that I was so concerned about His behavior)

Then God did this really cool thing for me; He showed me that He loves using the weak to shame the wise; using all of our "filthy rag" offerings of service, for His Glory. He let me know that He was in charge of the whole thing and that the moment when the Holy Spirt draws a person to Him is His and it won't matter a whole lot what is going on around that person. He said, go seek for my sheep, and I WILL call them and they WILL hear my voice and come! Just go Lee Anne.

I'm not saying that there are not things we need to address at times, but just that we should seek Him first to see if it is a concern to Him, or something else altogther. I heard a Pastor say one time, can't remember who or when, but he said that if I do need to go to a brother or sister about something I am concerned about, I should ask myself, if this is someone I would be willing to kneel before and wash their feet.

[Ben Toast]

I can see it being a cool thing to use with a more contemporary/city youth group for sure. I know where I live (in Wisconsin, that is) it might actually draw them in more, or at least help build not just an audible but visible atmosphere where they may feel more inclined to really press into worship. In that case, the goal would be worship. But I wouldn't use it in just any ol' traditional church where the pastor would accuse you of putting on a show.