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Busting a move at church requires some thought

Dance

I did the unthinkable at church the other day. I raised my arm during worship. It was a first for me. I have to admit, I had to think about it.

It's all about execution. You can't go halfway, like you're about to answer a question but not quite sure you've got it right. Plus, you really need to raise it right at the inspirational part of the song -- when the drums or guitar kick in.

The problem was this: what do I do with my hand? A fist in the air? Nope, that's too much like a protest. Do I put up the "number one" finger? Too much like a college basketball game.

What I finally decide do was the "open palm" — not the high five but more causal, as if to say, "I'm digging this but not like a Pearl Jam concert." What brought this sudden moment of ecstasy? 

After a two-year battle, I was still cancer free. I was still alive. Not dying is always good motivation!

I took a quick glance around as the song ended. There were only a handful of us hand-raisers in a congregation of more than a thousand. I sat down and got ready to yell out some "amens" and a few "that's right" during the sermon. Then I started wondering, should I shout it out or just use my "inside voice"? Hmm ....

Ever get that Holy Ghost inspiration at church? Bust out the tambourines? Leave a comment and let me know. 

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Christians: One hour of church on Sunday is not enough

Pew

I remember sitting in the pew on Sunday morning when I was growing up. That plank of wood did not give an inch, though my father squirmed up and back, left and right, as the priest walked down the isle. The burning incense found it's way to our pew in the back, giving our noses a wake-up call. 

Our family of five trekked to church almost every Sunday. We would listen to the ceremony of the mass and kneel and stand and sit, reciting the prayers. Everyone said them out loud, the same things each week. When church was over, our spiritual focus was over. That one hour was not enough. 

I listened carefully to the clink-clink as the boy carrying the incense lamp swung it back and forth. I lost him at the front row because we sat back at the far left every Sunday. The priest started his recitation of the mass that I could hardly make out, part Latin, part something.

There was beauty in the stained glass of the church, the light entering and genuflecting in colors. The candles flickering in the back added to the mystery. The carved scenes of the passion of Jesus on the walls next to us. 

But that one hour was all I had each week. It was not enough for me to grow as a Christian. For anyone to grow. One hour is not enough. 

Christians Need More
You need individual prayer time with God to develop a relationship that helps. You must read The Bible yourself - that's how God will speak to you. Finally, a church service alone is not enough. You need to become friends with other Christians to grow.

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Pastor Shocks Church: "Get Out Hymn Books"

Sheetmusic


Just as I was standing up in church to sing, I heard our worship pastor say, "Hymn number 548." Suddenly, the pianist stopped, the choir's voices tricked out one-by-one and the congregation froze. Did he say "hymn book?"

Well, it didn't exactly shock the crowd but it should have because PowerPoint killed the hymn book. I imagine some churches still use them but many have relegated these once essential books to be used as door stops or rather backstops when you need something firm behind your paper when writing notes.

When I was a kid going to a Catholic church in the 1970s, PowerPoint wasn't invented yet and I seriously doubt the Pope would have authorized its use should it have been around anyway! Now, all song lyrics are on the screen. But back then, we had to use the hymn books to know what we were singing.

That's not to say using PowerPoint for song lyrics is a bad thing. It does free up worship some - you can raise your hands without the fear of whopping the person next to you if you were holding a hymn book! 

But, there's something about having the sheet music in your hands that gives you a link to the composer and the process used to create that music. It's a bit mysterious to see those notes on the page come alive through the instruments.

Many might not know that the great theologian and teacher Martin Luther composed many hymns. I even found him listed on a classical composer website. Today's church hymn writers are pop and rock music stars, such as Chris Tomlin. I doubt if many of them can even read music notation, which is not necessarily a bad thing. It's the end product that matters.

Still, if you've ever tried to learn to read music, it's a daunting task! Yet it really can unlock the mystery of music. When the pastor referenced the hymn, I know I was the only person around me that actually got out the hymn book. It was kind of cool to see the rhythm on the page become unlocked by the musicians. I have to admit that it did distract from me worshipping because I was focused on the actual music.

Does your church still use hymn books and does it help or hinder your worship?