You expect them to do what??

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Permalink Reply by Gav on 3 December 2008 at 7:02pm

hi rob,

interesting topci.

yes listening can be worship if thats what your asking.
can people worship when they listen to a sermon? i think so.

when i see a painting/film/drama etc i am often stirred in my heart about God.
actions can often say far more than words. GOd tells us to love him with all our hearts MINDS and strength, so
i think it comes into the minds thing for me.

God bless,
gav.

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Permalink Reply by Ian McEvansoneya on 3 December 2008 at 7:12pm

I think having the words on the screen while a song is being performed is an effective way of allowing people to focus on worship, rather than focus on trying to decipher what is being sung.

We use a lot of drama at our church and to be honest, a big element of it is entertainment - although I don't believe worship and entertainment are mutually exclusive. However, the purpose of it is always to make people think, and is often used to lead onto something else. I think we can worry too much about what the congregation do - some will have a problem with, or find being a passive observer/listener difficult, but for most it can be a time to think, reflect - or just appreciate a bit of variety.

Seperate issue maybe but I have to say though I am always uneasy when the congregation claps at the end of a song - I wonder exactly why and more importantly who they are clapping.

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Permalink Reply by Gav on 3 December 2008 at 7:52pm

they can be clapping God, thats what im doing when i clap at the end of a song.

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Permalink Reply by Ian McEvansoneya on 3 December 2008 at 8:02pm

I'm sure many of them are, but sometimes it feels obligatory - or because that's what happens at very big worship events. It also seems to occur when the song has been particularly good musically in terms of how well the band have played it.

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Permalink Reply by Julia Chantrell on 3 December 2008 at 8:10pm

Last Christmas [or maybe even the Christmas before] I gave the twins Dance Praise - dance mats using Christian music rather than secular - so at the next all age service we took them into church... Alex actually used the dance mat, but I told everyone else to move until they had some space and try to follow the movements themselves. It was really funny but also very moving watching all these elderly ladies in their smart Sunday shoes stepping in time to a rock song!
[And it took me ages to get away at the end because all sorts of the most unlikely people wanted a go on the dance mat proper...]

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Permalink Reply by Daniel Read on 3 December 2008 at 8:58pm

David

Really sorry. I know it's not your fault. But I really doubt you made excreta availbable to anyone who wanted to "express themselves".

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Permalink Reply by Julia Chantrell on 3 December 2008 at 9:40pm

Mind you, 'availbable' is a beautiful word - I'm just not sure it's in the OED...

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Permalink Reply by David Bull on 3 December 2008 at 9:47pm

This replaces the reply I deleted above.

**&^%$£** Spell checkers!!!

We have an artist in our congregation who paints or draws occasionally as part of the worship. However there have been times when Paper pencils, crayons, paints etcetera have been made available so that anyone who wants to express themselves that way can. It doesn't really grab me but it does seem to work.

David Bull.

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Permalink Reply by Julia Chantrell on 3 December 2008 at 9:52pm

Spoilsport!!

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Permalink Reply by Mark Barlow on 4 December 2008 at 4:22pm

We have often made paint/drawing tools available as part of our corporate worship which helps some. Our aim in corporate worship is not uniform order (I'm not advocating chaos) but rather an environment where people can express their heart and love to Jesus. Innovative and different ways can bring a freshness and involve or integrate some that find music led worship hard to get in to.

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