Sunday, April 4, 2010

"Casual" Worship?


Our church started a new service today. We have been working on it for about two months, and today was the culmination of everyone's efforts. The service is designed to be more contemporary with a Casual feel. The music is lead by a band, with lead and backup vocals, the songs are current, jeans are fine, coffee is served, and there are no "rules" about how you have to act during the service, Just as long as we are worshiping. 

The service went very well, and everyone was pleased (even the techyest of the tech people.) I've seen and heard from many people that the "Casual Worship Service" was good. What bothers me is the terminology we are using. How can worship be casual? I get it, the word casual is modifying the Service not Worhsip, but I'm not sure that the average unchurched person would understand this. 

How could you have an experience with A living God, proclaiming his majesty and greatness and be casual about it? Its not really possible. I guess that it IS possible but not very plausable. If you worship casually then you really aren't worshiping. 

What if the Seraphs in Isaiah 6 had been worhsiping Casually? 

2Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they sort of covered their faces, with two they almost covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were Mumbling to one another: 
       "Holy, holy, holy is the lord Almigmmnb; 
       the whole earth is full of his glor."

 4 At the sound of their voices no one was impressed, and they really didn’t care. Not much fuss was made.

What would God have done or said? Is God accepting of Mediocare? Is Mediocare good enough for God? OBVIOUSLY NOT!

I know its just words that we are using but sometimes we use the right words in the wrong way and end up saying something we don't really mean. Something that could give the wrong impression to someone who really needs to Experience God and all that he is about, all he is doing, and all his glory. Nothing casual about that!

What do you think?


No comments: