A Praise-And-Worship Concern

The worship style known as "praise and worship" may be described as a continuously flowing style in which more upbeat songs of celebration ("praise") are combined with, or lead into, slower songs or choruses of a more devotional nature ("worship"). The focus in praise and worship is on entering into the presence of the Lord and offering personal adoration to Him through corporate musical expression. Because the praise-and-worship movement is a relatively new worship tradition, its staying power and future direction is uncertain. This discussion provides helpful insight into these issues.

Five Current Trends in Praise and Worship Praise and worship are causing a spiritual "explosion" in the hearts of believers around the nation. As I travel the country doing worship seminars, I have witnessed a fresh breath of new life being brought to birth by the Holy Spirit. Many churches are waking up to the power of God's presence through praise. God's people are experiencing individual and corporate growth through a revival of Biblical patterns for worship. The following discussion cites ten current and future trends in praise and worship. It is offered in the conviction that praise and worship must always be more than another item in our order of service. They are vehicles through which God communicates with his people. In listing these trends, I am both describing what may be occurring in your church today, and challenging your church to press on into new areas of worship. 1. Praise and Worship Stimulate New Life and Church Growth. Praise and worship on a consistent basis stimulate enthusiasm and inject new life into our churches. It is an awesome thing when a depressed, discouraged believer is given an overcoming, victorious attitude through glorifying the Lord in song. Each individual believer, as he or she worships, enjoys refreshment and release. It is easy to ignore the obvious and innate power of praise and worship to transform the heart and mind, an effect confirmed in Psalm 43:5: "Why are you so downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God." An unexpected benefit of genuine praise and worship which flow in the Holy Spirit is church growth. Many pastors have found their churches mushrooming as the result of adopting the flowing style of worship, and by integrating Scripture songs into their services. One reason for this is that good music inherently brings with it an uplifting experience. Once people come to a praise gathering, they are drawn back to enjoy it again and again. For church members, the variety of expressions in each service allows ample opportunity for every believer to release the personal outflow of his or her heart to the Lord. This release of the heart generates a spiritual satisfaction that refreshes and strengthens God's people. 2. Praise and Worship Is an Ongoing Educational Tool. The flow of praise and worship can be a major vehicle for educating and reeducating the church. Through the singing of God's Word in Scripture songs and choruses, people learn new passages from the Bible. By the very nature of today's contemporary worship styles, there is continual introduction of new songs. So believers, in a roundabout way, become educated in a variety of scriptural truths. Additionally, when worshipers take these songs home and sing them all week, the Scriptures are driven even deeper into their hearts. As Colossians 3:16 says, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God." We are in the midst of a powerful revival, but most Christians don't even realize it. This revival is that of singing the Word of God using contemporary musical styles. Although the Psalms have been sung throughout Christian history, perhaps the Word of God as a whole has not been so commonly sung since the ancient biblical days when the fathers passed on to the next generation the Scriptures with musical interpretation. 3. Praise and Worship Facilitate Spiritual Growth and Sensitivity. As believers grow in spiritual sensitivity, there is an increase in the flow of spiritual gifts and in hearing God's voice daily. We are the people of God because we know God, primarily because we spend time with him. The more time spent in God's presence, the more sensitivity we have in spiritual things. 1 John 2:20, 27 tells us, "But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.… As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you.… Just as it has taught you, remain in him." The phrase of Hebrews 10:25 (kjv), "not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together.… " takes on new meaning in light of this truth. Consistent attendance at a worshiping church has definite long-term effects. Through continual participation in praise and worship services, a believer's spiritual sensitivity will become more fine-tuned. The result of greater spiritual sensitivity is usually sustained growth for a stronger Christian life. 4. Praise and Worship Develop an Intimate Communion with the Lord. Current worship songs are beginning to move our attention away from the "horizontal" songs of fellowship into the "vertical" aspect of one-on-one fellowship with the Lord. Previously, many of our praise-filled songs were directed to each other. As a church matures, more of its time is spent in ministering to the Lord in worship. People seem to have a greater need today to linger in God's presence rather than to sing songs to one another. Worship services always contain a mixture of songs of fellowship, songs confessing our faith, and songs declaring God's character and deeds. These are combined with the choruses that lead us to a personal fellowship with the Lord, even in corporate settings. The types of songs used in a praise-and-worship service change fairly often as worship leaders look for the song mixture that will fit the spiritual needs of the church for that season. When the newer, free-flowing style of praise and worship becomes integrated into the service, it is important that the worship leader include some of the great traditional hymns also. Our reminder is Psalm 108:1, 3: "My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing and make music with all my soul.… I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples." 5. Praise and Worship Have Brought a Restoration of Visible Expressions. A rebirth of the use of outward motions in the church has occurred widely. The Bible is full of examples of actions in which the people of God give outward expression to that which is in their hearts. These actions include clapping, bowing and kneeling, dancing to the Lord and the lifting up of hands. In the past, churches have usually been opposed to this kind of activity. For the most part, this opposition has been based on cultural experience or style. Now, praise-and-worship services have returned to a more biblical precedent rather than following cultural orientation. Admittedly, this is difficult for many people and many churches, because our experience says, "We've done it this way for years; why change now?" The answer is this: God deserves our best, and he is worthy of our all. If there are numerous creative ways to worship him, then let us utilize them to glorify his name. This biblical type of praise includes the whole person—spirit, soul, and body. If we can shout and clap and get excited at athletic events, how much more should we be excited about Jesus our Savior, King of kings and Lord of lords? Psalm 47:1 invites us, "Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy." Psalm 81:1–4 also says: "Sing for joy to God our strength Shout aloud to the God of Jacob! Begin the music, strike the tambourine, Play the melodious harp and lyre. Sound the ram's horn at the New Moon, And when the moon is full, on the day of our Feast; This is a decree for Israel, An ordinance of the God of Jacob." Five Future Trends 1. Praise and Worship Will Be Used More for Evangelism and Outreach. The church has not yet fully realized the power of praise and worship to reach the lost. It can restore those Christians who have been hurt, and recover those that have fallen away from the Lord. During a two-year period when I led a street team, we used a variety of tools to witness for Christ. Besides passing out tracts, we used praise and worship to attract and hold people's attention. It is amazing how many people will stop and listen to music, and even more amazing to see how the power of glorifying God can open up complete strangers to hear about Jesus. In many communities, churches are teaming up for community-touching "Jesus parades." This type of parade may include floats, clowns, puppetry, a worship band, and a thematic message. In London, 15,000 people marched in parade-fashion to five different locations to pray for their city. At each location, as they walked from area to area, they would use praise and worship to sound forth their message: "Make way, make way, for the King of kings and Lord of lords." This allowed the focus of the outreach to be on honoring and giving glory to the name of the Lord. Many people, genuinely touched and saved, were added into local churches. Surely we must not miss the opportunities we have. Psalm 57:9 testifies, "I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples." 2. Praise and Worship Will Be Used More as a Vehicle for Prayer, Devotion, Intercession, and Warfare. Praise and worship will increasingly be used on a corporate and individual basis for communing with the Lord and refreshing the awareness of his presence. Such a deeper flow in worship will allow a greater ability to discern God's will, because it will incorporate prayer into a worship setting. Hebrews 10:19–20 reminds us that "we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way.… " Most of our prayer meetings begin with praise and worship. This is because praise and worship create one of the simplest forms of entrance into the presence of God. They combine the anointing of three different vehicles for contact with God: God's Word, God's Spirit, and God's music. Praise and worship are also mighty weapons. Psalm 149:6–9 says: May the praise of God be in their mouths And a double-edged sword in their hands, To inflict vengeance on the nations And punishment on the peoples, To bind their kings with fetters, Their nobles with shackles of iron, To carry out the sentence written against them. This is the glory of all his saints. Praise the Lord. When this passage is set in parallel with Ephesians 6, the message is very clear. The demonic kingdom can do very little to stop worshiping believers when they intercede for others and do warfare against devilish principalities and powers. The power of God's presence used in prayer and praise devastates the ranks of our enemies. It is not important to fully understand every part of this concept. What is important is that we put to use what we do know, allowing us to grow into the rest. 3. Praise and Worship Will Activate More Conviction and Judgment. When the presence of the Lord comes in a strong fashion it causes great searching of heart. It facilitates the application of the move of God, and enacts the judgment of God. I will never forget the time a rather large, intimidating man came forward and stood at the altar in the middle of the worship service. I walked down the stairs to the floor and asked if I could help him. His reply was, "I want what you guys got and I want it now!" I said "Yes sir!" and promptly prayed with him to be born again. Reflecting on the incident, I realized this man didn't really know how to say "I want to be saved" or "born again." But through the power of God's presence in praise and worship, he was drawn to the front for help. As our services increase in praise and worship, it will be a naturally supernatural occurrence that people coming to the altar during worship will be saved and filled with the Holy Spirit. Consistently good worship services will have a similar effect on the church in terms of keeping believers' lives in order before the Lord. Our desire to be sanctified will increase as we deepen our times of worship to a holy God. We will strive more for the glory of his presence, even as the Old Testament saints did when they sanctified their physical temple to the Lord, as described in 2 Chronicles 5:11–14:

The priests then withdrew from the Holy Place. All the priests who were there had consecrated themselves, regardless of their divisions. All the Levites who were musicians … stood on the east side of the altar, dressed in fine linen and playing cymbals, harps and lyres. They were accompanied by 120 priests sounding trumpets. The trumpeters and singers joined in unison, as with one voice, to give praise and thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, they raised their voices in praise to the Lord and sang: "He is good; his love endures forever." Then the temple of the Lord was filled with a cloud, and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the temple of God.

4. Praise and Worship Will Change Nations and Make History. Praise and worship have the power to transform the hearts of men and women on such a large scale that an entire nation may be impacted. It is conceivable that, as more and more people enter into praise and worship and hear the word of prophecy with its note of warning as well as its promise of blessing upon an obedient people, a thrust might develop for change in the political arena. As increasing numbers of people in a nation come to know the Lord and are changed in heart, movements might arise to shift the governmental structure and philosophy from a Marxist or socialistic type to one that acknowledges and exalts the Lord. If we would pray and seek God, I believe he would show us spiritual and social models that could make an impression even on third-world countries and economies. That very thing is recorded in 2 Chronicles 20:21–22, when King Jehoshaphat sent the Levitical singers out before the army of Judah. As they began to sing and to praise and confess the Lord, their enemies were routed. Because the people of God obeyed the word of the Lord, the nation's history and destiny were changed. In place of destruction, there was overwhelming victory. 5. Praise and Worship Will Become a Movement for Unity Within the Body of Christ. Praise and worship are a common ground for fellowship and unity, and will become more so. They are not meant to be a replacement for biblical or doctrinal foundations, but will, in fact, be a stronger gathering force which will cut across church and denominational lines. Many pastors are joining for multichurch gatherings in local civic auditoriums, bringing people together for a special night of worship, prayer, and fellowship. These events have become a major factor in removing walls between local churches, and in reducing the insecurity many Christians have about fellowship with those of other traditions. For instance, in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, seven to ten churches hold a "night of worship" three times a year on the fifth Sunday night of the month. Their pastors rotate in the various functions necessary to facilitate the flow of worship. Attendance varies from 600 to 800 at one of these events. Worshipers from each group have been inspired and renewed in vision for the growth of their home church. The event has also made it possible for the body of Christ to have a larger voice in the cities' political and legislative life; when a consensus is reached on an issue, these worshipers can begin to form a sizeable voting bloc. Few things can equal the one voice, one accord, and one heart such events help to create in witness to the community. We have only seen the "tip of the iceberg" in praise and worship ministry. It is time for Christians prayerfully to consider the vastness of the power of praise and worship and the wonder of God's gift of music to us. If there is a lifestyle of praise and worship somewhere to be lived, let it start at my house with my person, the temple "not built by human hands" (2 Cor. 5:1). As Psalm 50:23 (nasb) puts it, "He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me; and to him who orders his way aright I shall show the salvation of God."