Worship

Stewardship involves every area of our lives.  Even our worship and opinions (nice word for judgment of others).

My small group Bible study is reading through Richard Foster's Celebration of Discipline and this month's chapter was Corporate Worship.  Of the four couples, all of us had recently experienced times where secular songs were used in a worship environment.  Some of us liked it, some tolerated it, and some flat out didn't like it.  The question was asked, "where do you draw the line of what is worship and what isn't?" 

Foster says, “Christ alone is the leader of worship, and it is He who decides what is needed and when it is needed. Christ puts His Word in the mouth of whomever He chooses, and He confirms this same Word in the hearts of the members of His community. Worship forms/elements are essential if we are to enflesh the reality of worship, however, what we are to be committed to is reality---real worship, real confession, real praise, and real adoration. If particular forms at particular times bring us more fully into worship, we are free to use them; if not too bad for the forms.”

So, is there a line of what can be considered "true worship"? 

Our conversation digressed to the televangelists who seem more interested in money than people being saved.  Are they wrong?  Did they cross a line? We thought at least part of their message was wrong.  Their doctrine was skewed.

So, you can be sincere and be wrong doctrinally, but can you be sincere and be wrong in worship?

I think that if you are worshiping the one true God of the Bible, then there is no wrong way to worship him if you are being real before God and your heart is right.  Other people may not appreciate your choice of form, but that doesn't make it wrong for you.

So, what am I going to do after this conversation?  I'm going to start listening to the local Christian radio station again and hopefully gain a better appreciation for the styles of worship that I have actively avoided because of my personal preference.  Maybe it will also help me learn to love my neighbor even better.