Not Only Our Interests in Worship
Doctrinal Thoughts
I have now entered into my 11th year of pastoral ministry. What has ten years of shepherding the hearts and lives of people taught me? I have seen that at the root of most conflicts in most families, no matter if it is a church family or only a physical family, is the self-centered ego that says it has to be my way. I see that attitude show up in churches in many ways. Since this devotion is on worship I want to apply how self-centeredness looks in worship.
One can visit the bookstore and find all kinds of materials on worship for the church. Sad to say it often does not provide us with any better answers than what is already in the church. By that I mean if a person is within a self-centered church then even if he is a theologian with numerous degrees it will bleed over into the writings that the theologian will produce. Worship is a prime example of this. Some argue that one single style is the only style that God will honor. How sad of a commentary is that on Christianity. Scripture does not give us a precise example of the type of music used for worship. Yet in some churches this issue has become a battleground. Some think we can only have pianos, some think we ought to have drums, guitars, and other modern day musical instruments. Some think all instruments are evil and that we should only worship by song without any accompaniment. People argue over contemporary versus traditional, praise versus hymns, and on and on the list could go. At the root of these arguments is often the self-centered, prideful, unloving, “my way or the highway philosophy.” How sad! Scripture provides no formula for what type of instruments we have to use. Psalms 150 if taken literally, which is the golden rule of all Bible interpretation, tells us to praise God “with a blast of the trumpet; praise him with the lyre and harp! Praise him with the tambourine and dancing; praise him with stringed instruments and flutes! Praise him with a clash of cymbals; praise him with loud clanging cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!” I think it is clear that God honors a variety of styles as we can see from the diversity of instruments listed here. The point to worship is an issue of the heart, not one of style. The Pharisees were a group of religious zealots. I can see modern day Pharisees all over the blanket of Christendom today as they argue for one style above and beyond another style. I suppose that in some cases the words of Christ would apply: “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far away. Their worship is a farce, for they replace God’s commands with their own man-made teachings” (Matt. 15:8). Some argue for this or that style, yet in the whole process the argument is more about getting one’s own way than it is about praising God and giving glory to God in whatever style!
Life Application
I am so thankful to be in the fellowship I am currently within. We do not have the worship wars that go on in some places. Just recently one of the pastors, Pastor Scott, came and mentioned that he thought we would meet the needs better for everyone if we blended the styles of worship for everyone. Do you know what we did? We blended the styles of worship knowing that Scripture teaches us to “look out not only for our own interests but for the interests of others” (Phil. 2:4). We sing some songs that are hymns, we sing some songs that are praise songs, and we sing some songs with no music. Why? Well for one we have the freedom in Scripture to do so. And two we have the obligation of love for our neighbor to do so! Maybe more Christians ought to be more sensitive to the interests of others.
Keith Sherlin
B.A. North Greenville College
M.T.S. Tyndale Theological Seminary
D.A. Cand. Trinity Theological Seminary
Director: Essential Christianity Ministries,
www.essentialchristianity.com (864-978-6401) © Copyright 2005 by Keith Sherlin. These devotions may be used without charge in the exact form as above for the edification of the saints
Doctrinal Thoughts
I have now entered into my 11th year of pastoral ministry. What has ten years of shepherding the hearts and lives of people taught me? I have seen that at the root of most conflicts in most families, no matter if it is a church family or only a physical family, is the self-centered ego that says it has to be my way. I see that attitude show up in churches in many ways. Since this devotion is on worship I want to apply how self-centeredness looks in worship.
One can visit the bookstore and find all kinds of materials on worship for the church. Sad to say it often does not provide us with any better answers than what is already in the church. By that I mean if a person is within a self-centered church then even if he is a theologian with numerous degrees it will bleed over into the writings that the theologian will produce. Worship is a prime example of this. Some argue that one single style is the only style that God will honor. How sad of a commentary is that on Christianity. Scripture does not give us a precise example of the type of music used for worship. Yet in some churches this issue has become a battleground. Some think we can only have pianos, some think we ought to have drums, guitars, and other modern day musical instruments. Some think all instruments are evil and that we should only worship by song without any accompaniment. People argue over contemporary versus traditional, praise versus hymns, and on and on the list could go. At the root of these arguments is often the self-centered, prideful, unloving, “my way or the highway philosophy.” How sad! Scripture provides no formula for what type of instruments we have to use. Psalms 150 if taken literally, which is the golden rule of all Bible interpretation, tells us to praise God “with a blast of the trumpet; praise him with the lyre and harp! Praise him with the tambourine and dancing; praise him with stringed instruments and flutes! Praise him with a clash of cymbals; praise him with loud clanging cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!” I think it is clear that God honors a variety of styles as we can see from the diversity of instruments listed here. The point to worship is an issue of the heart, not one of style. The Pharisees were a group of religious zealots. I can see modern day Pharisees all over the blanket of Christendom today as they argue for one style above and beyond another style. I suppose that in some cases the words of Christ would apply: “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far away. Their worship is a farce, for they replace God’s commands with their own man-made teachings” (Matt. 15:8). Some argue for this or that style, yet in the whole process the argument is more about getting one’s own way than it is about praising God and giving glory to God in whatever style!
Life Application
I am so thankful to be in the fellowship I am currently within. We do not have the worship wars that go on in some places. Just recently one of the pastors, Pastor Scott, came and mentioned that he thought we would meet the needs better for everyone if we blended the styles of worship for everyone. Do you know what we did? We blended the styles of worship knowing that Scripture teaches us to “look out not only for our own interests but for the interests of others” (Phil. 2:4). We sing some songs that are hymns, we sing some songs that are praise songs, and we sing some songs with no music. Why? Well for one we have the freedom in Scripture to do so. And two we have the obligation of love for our neighbor to do so! Maybe more Christians ought to be more sensitive to the interests of others.
Keith Sherlin
B.A. North Greenville College
M.T.S. Tyndale Theological Seminary
D.A. Cand. Trinity Theological Seminary
Director: Essential Christianity Ministries,
www.essentialchristianity.com (864-978-6401) © Copyright 2005 by Keith Sherlin. These devotions may be used without charge in the exact form as above for the edification of the saints
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