I drew this picture a while back when you couldn’t go to an evangelical church service without hearing someone trying to cover Matt Redman or Delirious. Come to think of it, maybe you still can’t. Now I like that stuff just fine, but I couldn’t help but think about how it’s just a drop in an ocean of music. I’ve spoken with young Christians who have actually had no exposure to any other kind of worship service. Whoa. When I look at the patterns of worship in the Old Testament, I don’t even see a whole lot of music. Worship must be much larger than that!

On the other hand, you can’t make worship TOO large or it loses all of its meaning. I’ve heard some people say that our whole lives should be a worship unto the Lord. Well, sure, I agree with that, but the word is now of no use anymore. Standing and singing a hymn of adoration to Jesus has GOT to be more worshipful than eating my breakfast cereal in the morning or the word has no potency.

So how large is the box above? What about the relative size of the music circle? This is one angle I hope to explore. I think I’m safe in saying that the little blue blip is the right size though! Now crank up that Vineyard-covering-Redman-covering-Martin Smith on “Did you feel the mountains tremble?” and get back to work!

Possibly Related posts:

  1. Defining Worship (Part 5): Returning to “biblical” worship
  2. Defining Worship (Part 2): Dictionaries, love, and action.
  3. Defining Worship (Part 4): When the scripture is vague
  4. Defining Worship (Part 3): Bowing to the Greek and Hebrew

One Response to “Defining Worship (Part 1): How large is the box?”

  1. Music is not worship | Carpe Cakem! says:

    [...] Michael Spencer called out EXACTLY what I’ve been thinking (and writing about) for a couple years. Does anyone- I mean, really, seriously- have any idea what is actually [...]

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