Looking for true worship

Over the last several years I have visited many different Churches. Some reformed, some Pentecostal, some charismatic, some assemblies of God, some Baptist, some non-denom.

I can count on 1 finger from all those churches how many actually led people to worship God in unity with a focus upon God himself. Of all the services, all the songs, all the praise bands and leaders and with all the pastors, only 1 in all of them knew what it was to bring people to worship God in song together.

Im not setting the bar too high.

Im not being picky on song choice, singer style, musical instruments, duration, male or female leaders.

All I wanted was to sing to God, focusing on Him in worship and praise with the congregation.

Instead...

praise bands with cool chops...no one singing
praise bands with great lyrics...no one singing
praise bands that were loud, no one could sing in unison.
praise bands that were young, no one could sing together because the leaders where no interested in the congregation joining in with them.
praise bands that run away from the congregation with weird arrangements, songs with non-traditional endings, song with no focus on Jesus.
praise bands that cannot sing in key or in tune or lead anyone in unison.

Now, a single guitar player, playing so-so had more on the ball than all of them put together...go figure.

As I said, all I wanted to do in any of these places was simply to meet and worship Jesus in unison with other believers. I could not, they could not, their faces their voices their desires could never be met...because Jesus was not the focus of the song service, it was the band, or the songs or the singing ability or the guitar player or the drummer or the whole band itself offering itself as an entertainment diversion for 15 minutes before the sermon.

The sooner the Church 86's praise band entertainers the better off we will be.

Is it too much to ask that a place of worship actually include worship in the service?

I agree 100% with your observation.

One thing I might bring up is that the great majority of folks in the seats have no interest in actually worshipping so they are definitely part of the problem.

Only in the more charismatic churches I have attended do the majority of folks appear to be singing or better yet worshipping. In the church I currently attend when I look around it appears maybe 25% of the folks are participating and that’s a crying shame.

Sad but true.
In order to satisfy my hunger for worship through song I watch this video about ones a week. I can not understand the words but through tears my heart unite with these Chinese in worship..

https://youtu.be/xa1saiWejjo

Fifi: I watched the video, I know this sounds extreme, I would have paid 50.00 admission to just get into a worship service like those displayed.

Part of the problem is me.

Some kinds of worship services money can't buy , for every other kind you need skilled worship leaders and loud amplifiers.

But no, I don't think you're part of the problem. I think you're hungry for something real.

They said of the Hebrides revival that the people would walk for miles in harsh winter weather in order to get to the prayer meeting or church service and when they came within about a mile of the church all talk would cease, and a sense of awe and reverence would descend on them. The services often lasted to 3 or 4 in the morning, and still the people did not want to go home. They would walk along the beach and sing the songs of heaven.

Just wondering.

Do you {or anyone else} actually kneel, raise your hands, bow, lay on your face, dance, shout? etc, or do you sing about it while not actually engaging the Lord in expression of your passion.

Actually engaging in biblical expressions of praise and worship by hungry seekers may spark some holy passion in the 'worship' team as well as believers in attendance.

Thanks

Ruaty

Rusty? Ruaty? I wouldn't consider myself the 'frozen chosen', nor do I wave flags or dance in the aisles, but I do raise my hands, clap, shout when it's permissible. I don't have an 'expression' mode that I need to fulfill, I just enjoy the manifest presence of God in worship.

Again, I'm not a feeling-seeker either, the presence of God transcends emotional/physical displays and that is what I desire.

I know the peace of God in prayer and in meditation on the word and in godly fellowship, I also know the difference between a 'worked up' congregation full of expressions but devoid of the presence of God.

Years back it was common place to know and sense the presence of God in worship...for some reason it is conspicuously absent...and as Todd rightly said, not sought or expected in their worship.

Thanks Marvin for the spell check on my name! oops.

I agree there are many 'worship' leaders who are really just musicians who may have never really broken through in praise and in worship. I was only asking because I have been one to observe the lack of praise in the place I attend only to have the Lord challenge me with {what does this have to do with you praising?) My walking in freedom in this area has helped brothers around me and "worship leaders" to break through to the joy of God's presence. As Leonard Ravenhill says " I am neither proud nor ashamed of this."

Perhaps you could cause a contagious outbreak of the joy of the Lord just by enjoying the freedom you have in Him.

I truly share the desire for authentic praise and worship as you have communicated.

Thanks

Rusty

Thanks Rusty I thought the same thing myself, lead by example. I agree.

Check out Times Square Church. I watch online (live) and I can feel the presence of God. There is a spirit of freedom and worship there.

And you don't have to pay anything.

Plus, I've been to NYC to visit TSC. It's incredible

by gloryandgrace
All I wanted was to sing to God, focusing on Him in worship and praise with the congregation...

Is it too much to ask that a place of worship actually include worship in the service?

Jesus prayed a prayer, maybe some of you might remember it ;) ;) ..."Father, forgive them, they know not what they do." (There's many who 'know not what they are doing')

Instead of finding fault over it, let's go to church this Sunday all prayed up and let them see how we worship!! :) :) :) There a new worship song out, "This is how I fight my battles." Awesome song!

Someone pointed this out to me that it's a shame when we say, "there was no love at church, well there should have been if we were there!!" If we apply it to worship: If there was no worship at church, well there should have been if we were there!!

Praise God my friends!! Let us start taking 30 min to an hour just worship God in our bedrooms, living rooms and also throw a fast in here and there and suddenly, boom (drop the mic) God shows up! Revival happens! :) :) :)

Jesus is King!
Lisa

UntoBabes!!! I've been looking for those songs!! I heard them years ago. I love them all but that one at 46:27 is exquisite!

Thank you!!

I watched the video about the Canaan song. Some Chinese friends sent us a pack of their CDs. Truly touching and otherworldly, and yet so pure and simple!

We humans were firstly made to worship our Creator, all the rest is secondary if not a result of the fall of man.

My question is, who can be trusted with such a gift of songwriting?

Had it happened in America, chances are that the person would be "discovered" and "promoted" and "marketed". They would clad them in thick makeup, form a music band in cool clothing moving sensually over the stage, arrange concert tours selling lots of tickets, put up a multimedia show, laser cannons, fog dispensers, spark generators, big bucks, stardom and all the rest of it.

I think that is what happened to Satan when he conducted heavenly worship.

May God keep this lady pure and sweet and free from corruption.

Ross King ”“ Clear The Stage Lyrics

Clear the stage and set the sound and lights ablaze
If that's the measure that it takes to crush the idols.
Chuck the pews and all the decorations too
Until the congregations few then have revival.
Tell your friends that this is where the party ends
Until you're broken for your sins you can't be social.
Then seek the Lord and wait for what he has in store
And know that great is your reward and just be hopeful

Cause you can sing all you want to.
Yes you can sing all you want to
You can sing all you want to
And don't get me wrong, worship is more than a song.

Take a break from all the plans that you made
And sit at home alone and wait for God to whisper.
Beg Him please to open up his mouth and speak
And pray for real upon your knees until they blister.
Shine the light on every corner of your life
Until the pride and lust and lies are in the open.
Then read the word and put to test the things you've heard
Until your heart and soul are stirred and rocked and broken.

Cause you can sing all you want to.
Yes you can sing all you want to
You can sing all you want to
And don't get me wrong, worship is more than a song.

Anything I put before my God is an idol.
Anything I want with all my heart is an idol.
Anything I can't stop thinking of is an idol.
Anything that I give all my love is an idol.
We must not worship something that's not even worth it.
Clear the stage and make some space for the one who deserves it.

Cause I can sing all I want to.
Yes I can sing all I want to
I can sing all I want to
And still get it wrong, worship is more than a song.

And you can sing all you want to.
Yes you can sing all you want to
You can sing all you want to
But don't get me wrong, worship is more than a song.

Gloryandgrace-
I could have written your words of sentiment.
I've had the same dry experience with song worship for the most part for the past few years.
I'm so often bewildered that the leadership doesn't see the problems, and I've wrestled with myself to make sure I don't have a critical spirit about me. I do think I am discerning rightly.
Anything that is done outside the Spirit of God will dry up and show itself flavorless...

Thanks onemite: I sat down with the elder in charge of music, two of the song leaders and the pastors wife and discussed in length the very things I posted here, they were in full agreement, a little shocked a little taken back because they had not considered what I was telling them. I also mentioned it to the pastor on several occasions. So, as graciously as I could I encouraged them to sing and grow and learn how to bring the congregation into the music/singing they were doing.
After 2 years...nothing changed. So, I realized what they were doing was what they wanted to do...no one else seemed to have an issue with it. Therefore, it was time for me to look elsewhere.

I too, didn't want to have a critical spirit, or dish out some ultimatum...my way or the highway. But in the end, I was grieved in my spirit so I knew something needed to change.

I, too, visited many different churches and found them pretty much the same; Sing 3 or 4 songs to get the people excited; and then 2 or 3 songs to calm them down before the sermon. Pretty scary.

Jesus said that the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshippers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. (John 4:23-24).

Mary

RE-POSTED from Gregs post by Zac Poonen.

This is exactly what I am saying and why there seems to be a real lacking of godly worship.

The Power of Godly Music and Praise by Zac Poonen Reply To This Post |

I want to show you something about prophetic ministry. When Elisha wanted to seek the mind of God so that he could prophesy, he asked for someone to play a harp (2 Kings 3:15). As the musician began to play, the hand of the Lord came upon Elisha and he prophesied powerfully. There we see the value of godly music.

I can think of numerous times in my own life when during a time of worship and praise on Sunday mornings, the hand of the Lord has come upon me and given me a word that I did not have when I came to the meeting. There was a power in that anointed music, that brought the spirit of prophecy upon Elisha.

Even a prophet needs help at times from the musicians. That’s why those who lead the music must be anointed. They must not be just good musicians. They must be anointed, and have a good conscience. David appointed singers and musicians, and they had to be anointed. Some of the music-leaders like Asaph, wrote twelve wonderful psalms (Psalms 50, 73-83). Two of the music-leaders were called seers (prophets) - Heman (1 Chr.25:5) and Jeduthun (2 Chr.35:15).

So God needs anointed musicians to encourage and support anointed prophets. That’s how the church is built. Some of you may not be called to be prophets, you may be called to be musicians. Be anointed musicians. I don’t think Elisha would have been inspired that day, if the harpist had tried to imitate some worldly style of music. No. There was something heavenly about that music.

There is music that is worldly and that is heavenly. You can sense it when music is heavenly, because it will lift your spirit to worship God. Some music only makes you admire the musicians! You are an anointed musician if you can lead people to worship God and can bring the spirit of prophecy into a meeting.

In 2 Chronicles 20, we have one of the most amazing stories in the Old Testament that illustrates the power of praising God. There are many lessons that we can learn here. A great multitude of enemies had gathered together to make war against King Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat having learnt a lesson from his previous compromise with Ahab, now decided to seek the Lord. He prays one of the finest prayers of trust in the Lord ”“ in the same class as the prayer prayed by his father Asa (2 Chronicles 14:11). Notice seven things that Jehoshaphat reminded God and himself and acknowledged in his prayer:

1. The absolute sovereignty of God (2 Chr. 20:6).
2. What God had done for Israel in the past (2 Chr. 20:7).
3. The promises of God (2 Chr. 20:8,9).
4. That Israel was God’s inheritance (2 Chr. 20:11).
5. Their utter weakness (2 Chr. 20:12).
6. Their utter lack of wisdom (2 Chr. 20:12).
7. Their utter dependence on God (2 Chr. 20:12).

God responded to that prayer immediately by sending a message through a prophet saying, "Don’t be afraid. The battle is not yours but God’s. Go and face your enemies. The Lord is with you” (2 Chr. 20:15-17).

So Jehoshaphat sent the singers into battle in front of the soldiers! And as these singers began praising the Lord, the Lord defeated all of Judah’s enemies. Judah also became wealthy through all the wealth they got from their enemies. This story illustrates the way of victory: Through confessing the sovereignty and the promises of God in faith and praising the Lord in advance, even when the enemies (problems) are still there. Our faith is expressed in praise. "They believed His words ”“ they sang His praise” (Psa.106:12). The reverse is also true: When we don’t sing God’s praise, it proves that we don’t believe His words!

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SI Moderator - Greg