The Big Show

This may hit some hard and come across mean. It’s not my intention to hurt feelings but I also know that when a wrong is pointed out, it often will hurt. It’s OK if you are offended, I just ask that you consider what I say before you cast it off as another rude person messing with “God’s annointed”…

Every Sunday across the world people gather in churches for worship. These services will look different in ways in each church, but will also have many similarities. Some services will begin with prayer and some in song. Some will sing Psalms only and some will sing hymns or current Christian songs. Pastors may preach for an hour and some for twenty minutes. Every church has a way it lays out services to use time best and to get the message out efficiently.

If you have visited different churches you will definitely understand what I mean. But to get to the point, some churches operate in such a way that it seems more like a show than a worship service. For the record, when we attend church it is for the purpose of worshipping God, not man. I have been in services where the experience was what was worshipped and God was just the name mentioned.

By a “show” I don’t just mean the churches with smoke machines and blacklights. I feel those are wrong but the particular show I’m talking about is much more of a concern than a smoke machine. The show I’m talking about is full of heretics and charlatans, preying on the weaknesses of others. The cult-like experience seekers looking to get their fill of excitement rather than actually giving God true, biblical worship.

Ecstatic babbling, mumbling and baby gibberish, falling out in the floor, people bringing forth “new revelations” or a “fresh word”, lines of fire, calling down fire, running through the church, interrupting the service, screaming, dancing, Holy laughing, drunk in the spirit, slain in the spirit….. These things highlight man, not God. This is the show.

Sunday morning is showtime and people are expecting an experience greater than the last show. The prayer is that “God shows up and shows off”. This makes God like the monkey in the suit that dances to the music box. If they have no other worldly experience, then something went wrong. If the service is full of the nonsense I listed earlier, then they claim God made a move. And nowhere, and at no time was God ever truly worshipped as He commands. It’s a pep rally to tickle the itching ears. The emotions are high, blood is pumping, and everything seems to be from God and for God, but it cannot be found in scripture.

Psalm 42:1 reads “As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for You, God.” When we enter into worship we should be fully aware of who the worship should go, and we should have a desire to give proper worship to God. Just as an animal desires water and searches it out, we should desire God and search Him out with our worship.

John 4:23 reads “But a time is coming, and even now has arrived, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.” Charles Ellicott explains “Sincerity is not a test of acceptable worship, though it is a requisite. Bigots sincerely think they do God’s service. Worship which is “in truth” is in harmony with the nature of the God whom we worship. To think of God in hearing His truth, to kindle the soul by hymns of praise, to realise the earlier portions of collects and prayers which utter His attributes, are necessary to the truth of the petitions, and thanksgivings, and adorations of worship.”

When going through scripture we can see what a truly acceptable worship service consists of.

• Prayer- 1 Corinthians 14:15–16
• Communion/Lord’s Supper- Acts 20:7
• Songs- Ephesians 5:19
• Reading of scripture- Colossians 4:16
• Preaching- Acts 20:7
• Collecting tithes and offerings- 1 Corinthians 16:2

When one cannot distinguish a “christian” worship service from Eastern mythology, one should rethink their worship. If your worship practice cannot be found in scripture but can be explained and is practiced in Hinduism, then it logically seems that you are not worshipping in spirit and truth. These practices are blasphemy by claiming it is the work of God.

The desire for experience is a desire we all have, and worship is ingrained in our nature from birth. Even in our fallen state we are creatures who love to worship, just not God. The natural man may worship work, children, hobbies, spouse, money, and experiences. So it’s important that we worship in “spirit and truth” and we know how God commands worship be directed to Him. If our worship resembles false fire, we should expect nothing but to be struck down. If our worship causes confusion to an outsider who visits, reconsider it. If our worship causes eyes to be on us and not God, repent and turn back to God, or possibly you need to repent and believe the gospel.