Welcome to church, enjoy the show

I was talking to a guy who for many years attended an area evangelical church. He has since become Catholic. Something he said struck me. He said, "In the Catholic Church you have an alter, in my old church we had a stage".


I never really thought about it that way but it's true. If there is a stage, then who is the star? The quiet contemplation and space necessary for worship has been jetissoned in most modern evangelical ceremonies.


I believe many people are confused when it comes to what what worship is, was and should be. The charismatic delusion has almost completely taken over the churches. "Christian" rock music might appeal to some young people but it does nothing for them spiritually. When we confuse entertainment with true worship we are lost. The church choir, organ, and piano have been replaced by praise teams, bands, and drum set.


Some churches imitate pop music concerts in the name of “praise and worship”. Lights flash, videos fill the screen, singers engage in “liturgical dancing”. The music is loud and its beat is strongly similar to that of secular music. Worshippers wave their arms in the air and applaud.


When the emphasis is on audio-video stimulation, then God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit become “excuses” to indulge the senses in “worship” that does not lead to a higher plan of godliness, spirituality, and Christian maturity. In this environment people become totally enamored by the phenomenon of “worship” rather than being enthusiastic about serving God. The worship “experience” is their focus rather than the work of God which is by faith.

There is a fixation on worship experience. The result is persistent immaturity and carnality among Christians. Something dysfunctional is happening. Yet it is impossible to see it from within the Christian bubble. I have had people tell me they were not able to participate in works of service because their schedule is filled up with praise concerts.


Don't get me wrong. People should enjoy going to church. Praise, joy, and thanksgiving should be a delight. Sermons should be motivational and life-changing. We should enjoy God’s Word. We should be uplifted. We should be inspired to grow, develop, and become more productive in God’s kingdom.


Still the assembly should not substitute audio visual-stimulation and sensational excitement for genuine worship. Bright lights and hyper-emotions should not replace the delight we have in the Word of the Lord. If we need fast, loud music, stimulating videos and liturgical dancing to get people to church, then we are abusing the assembly. If this is “entertainment”, then the church should not be entertaining. After all, who are you going to worship?

The church needs to strike the middle-ground between sleepy boredom and excessive sensual stimulation. We need to create encouraging churches that do not run to excess to achieve that goal.

Some people are (by nature) more emotionally expressive than others. Some are more rational-intellectual than others. 1 Corinthians 14:40 does not outlaw emotional expressiveness, neither does it mandate a highly subdued and sleepy assembly. We can have decency and order in the middle-ground where people can be expressive and/or quiet. 1 Corinthians 14:40 does not eliminate the possibility of finding a moderate solution to the problems we face in today’s world.

13 comments:

The Unseen One said...

If there is a stage, then who is the star?

Christ is the star, or at least has been in most of the churches I've been to that have a stage.


When we confuse entertainment with true worship we are lost.

When we confuse blind repetition with worship we are also lost, yet for me to claim that that is what is happening in Catholic churches would be based on my own supposition... as is the case with your observations.

Anonymous said...

I don't consider the Mass a blind repetious form of worship, I don't think the comment was made as a cheap shot to anyone's form of worship, it was just that--a comment.

I personally don't go to church to be intertained, I'm there to draw closer to God.

Shaun Pierce said...

I really was not looking to start a fight, just provoke some thought.

Christ should be the star. And if he is then great. But you must admit there are churches when the pastor is the star.

Blind repetiton is wrong. However a group of Christian praying in unison is powerful.

Anonymous said...

I don't feel that people should make sharp judgement about the Catholic church all of the time, if it were done to someone else they would speak up, and rightfully so, why does everyone feel that they can just say anything that they wish about Catholics? Are we just supposed to sit back and let them or do we oppose.

I don't feel that the question posed should lead into a fight either, but it seems like thats what happens every time, and I've often wondered why myself, there is no need for it, we can talk and be Christian like and civil.

The Unseen One said...

Anonymi, please read my entire comment before jumping down my throat.

Anonymous said...

Unseen One--I did read your comment and I'm not jumping down your throat, but it seems that the comment about confusing blind repetition with worship seemed a bit harsh. Do you not pray the same prayer over every day or at every service.

Anonymous said...

Why doesn't someone respond to one of the many interesting comments posted here, why just this one?

The Unseen One said...

Anon, I was illustrating a point that it isn't our place to judge the worship of someone else.

And no, I do not pray the same prayer over every day or at every service.

J.E.B.: I do. Why does it bother you so much when people post a lot in certain posts and not others?

Anonymous said...

There are so many other interesting topics but everyone seems to center on one that causes a fight or deals with someone's religious beliefs.

The Unseen One said...

Then feel free to comment on the other posts, as I do. There is no "Powerblog Comment Fairness Doctrine" in place here, after all.

Anonymous said...

Unseen one, I do comment on the other posts, unfortunately not too many other people do, it would make for a much interesting blog if more folks would do the same.

The Unseen One said...

I do comment on the other posts,

As do I.

Anonymous said...

I also comment on other posts, J.E.B.