[Epaphras]

I recently had an interesting experience. I visited a local youth group a few weeks ago, just to search for a possible new church home. Anyway, they had a simple worship setup: one acoustic guitar/singer onstage (but with no amps, no mics, no monitors, no lights) and low lighting. Each song was preceded or followed by a reading of related Scripture, usually a Psalm or doxology.

Needless to say the worship was really heartfelt, sincere, and focused. There were few, if any, distractions.

Am I alone when I say that I believe this setup (perhaps amps if the group is large), is the most conducive environment for effective worship?

Call it what you will, but I find it easier to worship when things are simple: one or two acoustics, maybe a djembe, and low lighting or candles. The focus is taken of the worship leaders, and placed on God, where it should be. Personally, I find a full band to be distracting. As an occasional worship-leader, I would rather lead worship in a setting where the attention was taken off the stage. Can anyone relate?

[Jay Tea]

I don't think the focus inherently shifts off of the musician(s). More subtly, I think it increases reliance on atmosphere. I'm also not a fan of low lighting, as I think it's usually an attempt to get people to forget that there's other people there.

I am, however, a fan of including Scripture readings with the singing.

[bobthecockroach]

Originally Posted by Jay Tea

I'm also not a fan of low lighting, as I think it's usually an attempt to get people to forget that there's other people there.

What is worship?

Anyway, I can relate. I find a lot of what worship leaders do to be distracting. Namely, light shows, bad (theologically speaking) songs and showing off.

[Kato]

That's how we do worship in my youth group as well.. We have one worship leader, usually me, or the main worship leader, somewhere in there playing, not even on stage, just in the group, and the only lighting is from the overhead projector that shows the words to the songs.

[niangelo]

I personally don't like sermonizing during song sets. It's another distraction. It makes for choppy sets and choppy worship. Let people worship and experience their relationship with God and express all the worship they can in an atmosphere conducive to that attitude.

[Tony]

I think any "device" can have its season of usefulness. Sometimes it's the different feel of it the shakes us out of our lull; other times it's the familiar that reminds us of important things. Complex can be stirring; simple can be compelling.

[georgeo]

I would consider it unwise to limit worship to one style/setting of music, let alone limit it to music.

[simple servant]

personally, i dislike acoustic praise. i play acoustic guitar for our service praise band, and the lineup is bass, keyboard, acoustic, and 3 singers. with acoustic praise, our church never gets into it. i know that it gets the vibes in a better placement for worship, but our church just sees it as boring. i guess i can still pass for a "young-in", and i like that "devil music" (as some call it), but just some slight distortion will make it a bit more exciting, and get people jumping around and getting excited for God. with our acoustic service, the people stand there like "oh no, it's time for praise again." very uninterested in the music. i don't even enjoy playing it, cuz i feel that it's so bland when strictly acoustic. i'm not saying use screaming distortion on the slow heartfelt songs, but on some like trading my sorrows, open the eyes of my heart, and undignified, just put a little edge on it. that might just be me though.

[HeavenOnAStick]

Originally Posted by georgeo

I would consider it unwise to limit worship to one style/setting of music

I completely agree. And along with there not being on specific right way of worshipping, you'd be hard pressed to find a wrong way to do it to (of course, there is. But you can't say that it's wrong because it's too heavy, too soft, too boring, etc.)

[bobthecockroach]

Originally Posted by simple servant

personally, i dislike acoustic praise. i play acoustic guitar for our service praise band, and the lineup is bass, keyboard, acoustic, and 3 singers. with acoustic praise, our church never gets into it. i know that it gets the vibes in a better placement for worship, but our church just sees it as boring. i guess i can still pass for a "young-in", and i like that "devil music" (as some call it), but just some slight distortion will make it a bit more exciting, and get people jumping around and getting excited for God. with our acoustic service, the people stand there like "oh no, it's time for praise again." very uninterested in the music. i don't even enjoy playing it, cuz i feel that it's so bland when strictly acoustic. i'm not saying use screaming distortion on the slow heartfelt songs, but on some like trading my sorrows, open the eyes of my heart, and undignified, just put a little edge on it. that might just be me though.

It's always seemed to me that if the only thing can effect a response is different music then music is all that's truly being responded to.

[Jay Tea]

Originally Posted by bobthecockroach

What is worship?

I think I totally missed the connection between what I said and this question. So I'm just going to take the question at face value. Worship is ascribing worth.

[helives25]

I once sang for an acoustic worship band; we were just an acoustic guitar, a piano, and 2 singers (my self and the guitar player). I agree with what has been said here so far... acoustic worship is cool, but like all things, should be used in moderation. I think that a huge thing is also that everybody definitely needs to be focused on the Lord. I know the group that we played for wasn't really very focused at all on God, and it was quite frustrating to try and worship in a non-worshipful environment. However, if you've found a cool group that seems to be totally committed to the Lord, rock on! Which ever way is best for you to connect with God is definitely the path that you should travel!

[Insane Drummer]

"our church never gets into it. i know that it gets the vibes in a better placement for worship, but our church just sees it as boring. i guess i can still pass for a "young-in", and i like that "devil music" (as some call it), but just some slight distortion will make it a bit more exciting, and get people jumping around and getting excited for God. with our acoustic service, the people stand there like "oh no, it's time for praise again." very uninterested in the music."

What they are responding to is a sensation produced by music, take the whole church to rock concert (or soft rock, or whatever you play) and you will see the same response to this setting as to your worship... why... because you are experiencing the emotions and sensations of music. If they are only excited about God with slight distortion on the guitars. They need a wake up call to who God is, God doesn' t need distortion to make Himself 'exciting'.

"oh no, it's time for praise again."

Wow, if the Almighty is so boring that acoustic guitars make Him to dull to be worshiped.

Yeah man, I got my new Holy Spirit distortion pedal, 100% certain to get people fired up about God. This is not the way it should be.

[simple servant]

Whoa, whoa, whoa! I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that. Everybody has their own way of praising, and my church's happens to be different than what our praise leader's is. The reason I keep doing it is because I am glorifying God. It's just not my personal style of worshipping.

[Shredcheddar]

Don't forget that low lighting

Daniel, I love you for saying this:

It's always seemed to me that if the only thing can effect a response is different music then music is all that's truly being responded to.

It really doesn't make much sense that one particular style of worship is "more effective" than another. Worship is worship. As far as "effectiveness" goes, what is there to affect? Are we concerned with drawing a response emotionally?