DEBATE THREAD on Lights in worship

georgeo · 12-02-2003, 03:40 PM

i have one specific topic i'd like to hear comments on:
use of lighting during worship.

my thoughts go to when the David Crowder Band lead worship at the DCLA conference. when they got to a chorus, sometimes the lights would shine out on the people, really bright lights. i personally was very wary of the lights, i didn't like them because i felt they only lent to giving me a good feeling, not leading me to God any more.

on the other hand, there are some people for who may get very excited by the lights, people who aren't as devout christians, are new to the faith, who need to be excited about worship, in their case, maybe the lights are a good thing?

another idea is, we express coorporate worship to God through music, artwork, liturgy, etc...why not through lighting?

so i'm opening a can of worms, i'd love to hear some comments on it.

the things i said above were not really my opinions, as much as my attempts to start a discussion on the topic. try to keep it civil, but i think this is topic worth discussing.

God bless,
David

agrimes87 · 12-02-2003, 05:53 PM

we use lights in our services all the time. we sometimes have special services (bi or tri-monthly) when we go to a larger place and have a more concert-oriented worship service. We use tons of lighting in these services.

I think lights are excellent ways to create an atmosphere of worship, control focus (for example, darken places where you don't want people paying any attention to, and focus more lighting on the leader, the lyrics, the cross on the wall if you have one, etc). While lights can create a worship atmosphere, they also serve to help draw the people to our services that we're trying to reach. They help to attract people who may not be interested in the worship, but just come for the "show". I think this is an important aspect of setting up services, because we can't reach out to anyone in our services if they're not there. Attracting them is very important. Once they're there we can make God the focus, but it's hard to do that when they're not there.

All in all, I think lights are a great asset to worship services.

Nate · 12-02-2003, 08:16 PM

In as much as lighting could be considered an artform, it should be offered to God to the best of our ability... just as our music should be played to the best of our ability. However, in as much as lighting can be used to control our moods/emotions, it should NOT be used as such... just as our music should be used to facilitate our singing praises to God, and not be used to invoke an emotional response.

That said, I don't (personally) find lighting all that important. Beyond the band being able to see the chord sheets without glare and the congregation being able to read the lyrics in some way... I don't really see the need to fool around with lighting all that much.

In His love,
Nate

georgeo · 12-02-2003, 08:26 PM

agrimes87-

do you use lights that shine on people in congregation?

are the services with more lights geared to be more evangelistic than for those who are already in a committed relationship with God?

thanks

David

**Sean** · 12-02-2003, 09:30 PM

Theres a big difference between dimming the lights at a certain point and havintg strobelights flashing on the audience. If you turn worship into a concert, of course it will be emotional and exciting. However, it will be exciting because its a concert. You pretty much remove God's role from it. The act of worship should be exciting by itself. God is a whole lot cooler than a bunch of flashing lights.

Nate · 12-02-2003, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sean

God is a whole lot cooler than a bunch of flashing lights.

Haha... nice.

In His love,
Nate

R2D2 · 12-02-2003, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KeyboardFreak

In as much as lighting could be considered an artform, it should be offered to God to the best of our ability... just as our music should be played to the best of our ability. However, in as much as lighting can be used to control our moods/emotions, it should NOT be used as such... just as our music should be used to facilitate our singing praises to God, and not be used to invoke an emotional response.

I think I agree with you for the most part. We must be extremely careful when music, lighting, or anything is used to manipulate emotions, for worship is not merely an emotional exercise. However, we're called to worship God with our whole being, and this includes our emotions. All music caries with it an emotional connotation that will have an affect on the listener. It would be naive to think otherwise. This is really one of the wonderful things about music: it is capable of expressing things that mere words cannot express. As worshippers and worship leaders, if we choose to use music, we need to be cognozant of this fact and use it (not abuse it) properly.

Anyhow, back on the topic of lighting...my worship team did something pretty cool using lighting at a chapel service 3 weeks ago. The focus of the service was on Christ's resurrection, and what the heck this actually means for us. Before the service, we had put black butcher paper on almost all the windows of the room and turned the lights off (it was a dim but not completely dark room). The beginning of the service touched on our fallen nature, and included a reading from the crucifixion story from one of the gospels. When we reached the resurrection, we had people walk up to the windows and tear the paper off the windows, letting sunlight into the room as we sang In Your Resurrection from Taize. I thought this would be kind of cheesy, but it just about took my breath away when I saw the paper being torn off the windows and the sunlight peeking through. It was a small glimpse of the significance of Christ's death and resurrection.

Nate · 12-02-2003, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by R2D2

However, we're called to worship God with our whole being, and this includes our emotions.

Yes... I agree.

Quote:

All music caries with it an emotional connotation that will have an affect on the listener. It would be naive to think otherwise. This is really one of the wonderful things about music: it is capable of expressing things that mere words cannot express.

Again... I agree..... though even more so this time. If I didn't agree with this, I would probably be majoring in accounting or some such nonsense... and not music.

Quote:

As worshippers and worship leaders, if we choose to use music, we need to be cognozant of this fact and use it (not abuse it) properly.

Your church/chapel has some of the most interesting worship services I have ever heard of. I have still not decided what to think of them. I'd love to attend one sometime... too bad I'm NOWHERE near y'all.

In His love,
Nate

R2D2 · 12-02-2003, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KeyboardFreak

Your church/chapel has some of the most interesting worship services I have ever heard of. I have still not decided what to think of them. I'd love to attend one sometime... too bad I'm NOWHERE near y'all.

It's not a church....it's the official chapel services of my university. I'm on the chapel worship team and was last school year, as well. Alot of the "interesting" stuff draws from the Europe trip I went on this summer...the Chapel Coordinator (a paid student position...he's responsible for planning the services and making sure they happen) went on the trip as well, so it's providing an excellent opportunity to use what we learned this summer.

Just out of curiosity, what are your reservations about some of the stuff I've described that makes you unsure what to think?

Insane Drummer · 12-02-2003, 10:46 PM

Lights are needed because the Holy Spirit can only move in oddly lit foggy rooms!!!!

Luke · 12-02-2003, 10:50 PM

I don't believe in lights. Not that I think they shouldn't be used in worship, I simply refuse to believe that they exist.

Grace & Peace
Luke

Nate · 12-02-2003, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by R2D2

It's not a church....it's the official chapel services of my university.

I knew that... no really, I did.

Quote:

Just out of curiosity, what are your reservations about some of the stuff I've described that makes you unsure what to think?

I think it's mostly just that all of it is so strange and foreign to me. I've never so much as thought about using some of the stuff you mention: chants, murals, tearing down paper, etc.

It's all very interesting. Not necessarily bad, by any means... just different.

Hope that answers the question, somewhat.

In His love,
Nate

Nate · 12-02-2003, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Insane Drummer

Lights are needed because the Holy Spirit can only move in oddly lit foggy rooms!!!!

What happens when He can't find His way through the fog? Is that how people end up slain in the spirit?

*imagines the Holy Spirit as an 18-wheeler driving through thick fog on a cold and stormy night*

*imagines the Holy Spirit running off the road and ramming into a poor innocent bystander, literally slaying them*

Ahhh yes... it all makes sense now.

This forum is in a cheap mood tonight, I think... either that or just a really sarcastic one.

In His love,
Nate

Luke · 12-02-2003, 10:58 PM

Hey now, let's not criticize in any way the god of lights and fog. After all, the god of salvation can't enter our hearts without the aid of the god of lights and fog.

Grace & Peace
Luke

Nate · 12-02-2003, 10:59 PM

But who is this mysterious god of lights and fog?

In His love,
Nate