Learning to Worship Boldly

I was talking with a friend the other day about worship--in the Church and in personal arenas. We talked about how sometimes we hold back in worship services: we are afraid of being emotionally affected by a sermon or a song; we are scared to kneel down or raise our arms during worship. I don't think this experience is something that just my friend and I experience. I think that many Western Christians resist being vulnerable in settings of corporate worship. I am not judging people who don't ever raise their hands, or who never allow themselves to be moved to tears, or who don't close their eyes when they sing, or who never kneel down in church, because I have been that person. I am merely wondering if there are other people out there who feel drawn to their knees, or who want to dance before God, but, like me, are fighting against taking that step of vulnerability.

One of the rare settings in which I have felt most free to worship in any way that God was drawing me into was with a group called RAW--Real, Authentic Worship. Usually it was about 10 of us who met in a little prayer chapel every week to worship God. You could show up in your pajamas if you wanted to. You could lay down on the pews. You could bring a Scripture verse to share, or a poem, or a song. There was no right way to do things. I felt like it embodied the "come as you are" mantra that so many churches claim to express, but fail so miserably to act out. I miss that kind of worship community.

I think that the church needs a revival of sorts that propels us into the kind of worship where different expressions of devotion are not only allowed, but are welcomed. I think we need to explore more diverse possibilities for worship.

I took a Spiritual Formations class at the Seminary this year where I was challenged to step outside of my comfort zone by trying new ways of worship. I was actually surprised to find that I experienced God more deeply through some means of worship that had intimidated me before. As the Body of Christ we need to be willing to try different things like meditating on God's Word, dancing before the Lord, expressing worship through art, through nature, through stillness, or whatever means the Lord is drawing us into.

I am still working on developing the boldness to worship in the freedom of the Spirit as He leads me. It's definitely a challenge for me. But I don't think I am alone in this yearning for the awakening of new possibilities in worship. I think that's the main point: as the Church we all need to wake up to all that God has for us when we seek authentic worship, expecting God to change us. In any case, the following are some lyrics that I know I need to live into--in worship and in daily life. I think they speak loudly into this desire for an awakened, and soulful worship:

"Christ is risen from the dead, 

trampling over death by death, 

come awake, come awake, 

come and rise up from the grave.

Christ is risen from the dead, 

we are one with Him again, 

come awake, come awake, 

come and rise up from the grave. 

Oh death where is your sting?

Oh hell where is your victory?

Oh church come stand in the light, 

the glory of God has defeated the night. 

Oh death where is your sting?

Oh hell where is your victory?

Oh church come stand in the light, 

our God is not dead, He's alive He's alive!" 

--Matt Maher, "Christ Is Risen" 

"Wake up, wake up, wake up all you sleepers,

stand up, stand up, stand up all you dreamers,

hands up, hands up, hands up all believers

take up your cross

carry it all.

Here we stand our hearts are Yours.

Not our will, but Yours be done" 

 --All Sons and Daughters, "Wake Up"