What is it with Worship!

These days in America finding a good church is hard, but maybe it's because we Americans are so hard to please. It doesn't matter what it is we always have more choices than we could possibly consider and so we spend a great amount of time researching what is the best. We pull out our consumer reports for churches and see what the overall public rating is, what does their Pastor looks like, what kind of music do they play, what kind of missions do they have, what is there overall belief system, what is their youth group like, etc...... Then we start putting them into groups, like conservative, legalistic, contemporary, reformed, seeker friendly, rock concert. Then we decided what type of group we fit in best and think is most holy and try to find a church in that area. It just so happens that no church in the world happens to live up to our standards for a church and so all churches look stupid, or they're jerks, or weird, or just out there. So then we are forced to reconsider our utmost desire for a good church and see what we are willing to live with. In the end, we start going to a place consistently, get "plugged in" to the fellowship of believers and find it's the people that make up the church that you really enjoy and that help you grow in Christ. Then after you've been going there awhile and become friendly with all the people you start to find that some really aren't as holy as they pretended to be and so the search starts up again.


For some reason I have to wonder if Jesus looks down from heaven and notices that his body parts have been streun from one end of the map to the other and longs for the day when they all come back together as one body. It's got to be frustrating for Him when a missionary gets up in front of a church and says, "I'm going to this city that doesn't have a single (Indenpendent baptist) church in, when in reality God has 3 churches already there. they just don't communicate to each other because they come from different mission boards and might not have all the same values. But then how often do we do the same thing here in America? We have more churches then you could possibly believe and yet a nation that literally going down the tubes morally. A very few of the churches every work together and when they do they are so concerned that they might offend the other that nothing is really accomplished other than planting a few flowers and sweep a park.

Okay, now this brings up a serious question and really the reason for writing in the first place. Does corporate worship really matter? Not if we should, but how we go about it. I have been to churches where the music is loud and upbeat and I have to say generally the people are as well. They are excited about God and telling other people about God and it's just a really "awesome" experince. Everything is "awesome", and great, and wow just so awesome. They like to meet people where they're at in life and let them know that God loves them regardless of the way they live. Grace is poured out, but we're sure to filter out the repentance just in case somepne is convicted and gets upset. The emotions are high and you have to wonder is there something to it. But there is also the other side where hymns reign supreme. If it wasn't written before Grandpa was born then it isn't allowed in church. Standards are the cloest way to God and if you haven't confessed your sins before God and the church, and your neighbor, and school, and before the town then you my friend my need to reconsider your salvation. I'm not saying your saved by your works; but by golly your works don't live up to my standards so I've decided you aren't saved. (oh and FYI: don't say by golly, because that originated from by God which is vain. I don't care if God's name wasn't really taken in vain and in today's culture it is a phrase that has nothing to do with God's name. You my friend are in danger of hell's fire, or at least the church gossip letter, aka prayer sheet.)

I understand that those were two extremes and if you were offended then you may be a little extreme yourself......oh dear, hear it comes. But seriously, there are 2 things that we tend to find really addicting. An emotional experience, and a check list of doing it right. Is it so bad to really enjoy your corporate worship? To come away feeling inspired and excited and ready to meet the week head on? Are standards really a bad thing and maybe should you have a few? Maybe even a few that you know are right, even to a point where you might possibly judge righteously as Jesus commanded. (do what!!?) Yeah, that's right you legalistically against legalism people, same chapter that Kesus said if you judge someone be ready to live up to your own standard, he said for us to judge things righteously. Crazy, right?

So this is some of what was keeping me up tonight. I'd like to write more later, but I have to wonder if other people have had any thoughts along the same lines. I've been a bit random, but it feels good to write again.