I'm tired of concerts.....
Labels:
blood,
christ,
christianity,
gay,
GLBT,
grace,
lesbian,
prayer,
spirituality

Remember I said I sang with the 'worship team' at church? Well, I am having a push-me-pull-you type of feeling about the whole thing. I love to sing and I love to sing in front of people, but I am getting the distinct impression that it's a concert every week. We all go up there on stage, above the crowd, and sing our little hearts out with our little parts that we sing and the little parts that "they" sing and they clap and we say thank you. We all have our solos that are oh so important and don't you dare sing while I sing my solo attitudes........... You get the picture. I have seen this in many churches. Now my church is great, don't get me wrong, but I can't help but get the feeling that we are missing something...........like worship. If I am singing by myself for you, how do you sing yourself for God? Did that make sense? Music needs to be one of two things. Sung by a person to God. Nope, I was wrong........it's just one thing. I must sing to God for God. You must sing, in your way, for God to God. How can you do that if all you're doing is listening to and watching me? I know I know, music is a gift and we share it with others and blah blah blah....., but enough with the concerts! Let everyone in the congregation get involved if they want. Let's all sing together at one time with one voice singing one song! I've never been in a church where everyone didn't sing every song or at least were welcome to do so. I'm confused.
I know we need leaders, but leaders are not supposed to entertainers. Are we? I'm asking you because I don't know. I think that is what people expect..entertainment. But is God interested in perfomances every week? I don't know. I am asking you what you think.
I think we are supposed to be the best we can be in our worship and in leading people to worship, but I think we have lost focus. We have placed more focus on how good WE are and how WE can get people to worship, when it has nothing to do with us. Only God is good and only God can lead people in to worship. I don't know. I want to bring the music down to the people and I want people to understand the music and sing along. NOW I realize that not all people want to sing along, but what if they want to?
I remember when I first came tot he church I am in now, I was singing my little heart out (while down among the people) and someone told me I wasn't supposed to be singing that part. I was like....are you kidding me? I was singing the solo part that was only reserved for the soloist. Excuse me, isn't this worship time for all of us? I did my best to not sing when I wasn't welcome to sing, but that seems like the wrong approach to leading people into worship. I still feel that way.
And another question: What happens to Jesus in all of this concerting? I know the words are about Jesus, but is the singing and playing about Jesus? Is this concerting we are doing in our entertaining leading people to think of Jesus? I don't know. I can only hope so. Are we creating an environment where people are lead to be grateful and filled with praise to God and not the 'band'. Praise the Gift Giver and not the gift...or gifted.
I am just asking..........

