Part 11 in the “Why We Do What We Do” series.
When you read the above question, what images come to mind? Hands lifted? Knees bent? Bodies bowed low? Feet dancing? Voices shouting? Scripture includes all of these examples (and more) in its descriptions of worship (Psalm 63:4; Eph. 3:14; I Chron. 29:20; Psalm 149:3; Luke 19:37-40).
The most common Hebrew word for worship means “to bow self down.” The most common Greek word for worship means “to kiss (the hand) toward. Both of these definitions involve not just the mind and heart but also the body. II Cor. 4:7-10 tells us that though our bodies are imperfect vessels, subject to all kinds of limitations, the life of Jesus Himself is shown through our physical bodies.
Worship leader Bob Kauflin points out that “our bodies naturally respond to what affects our souls.” When our children run to us, we open our arms wide to hug them; when our favorite team wins in overtime, we jump up and down; when we hear of heroic acts of selflessness we applaud; when a friend is grieving we cry. He goes on to say that “when we grasp the majesty of God, the mercy of the Savior, and the meaning of our salvation, we’ll be more inclined to respond with physical expressions of worship.”
Physical expression can also help us to internalize the truths we are focusing on in worship. When we sing “Lift high your chains undone,” it can be quite powerful to lift up our hands as if releasing the chains that used to bind us. Or when we sing “Receive our adoration, Jesus Lamb of God,” we can perhaps more easily envision the Lamb of God seated at the right hand of the Father if we turn our faces upward. As the saying goes, “Expression deepens impression.”
So then, why is freedom of expression in worship sometimes a controversial topic in the church? From discussions I’ve observed, it seems that the controversy usually stems from one of three misconceptions:
Misconception #1: We can tell from someone else’s expressiveness (or lack of it) whether they are truly worshiping or not. This argument can go both ways. On the one hand, those of us who are naturally more expressive may be tempted to label someone standing very still, with a stoic expression on their face, as “apathetic and unresponsive to the Lord.” And we might characterize someone whose arms are raised high, with eyes pointed toward heaven, as being “a true worshiper.” On the other hand, those of us who are naturally less expressive may be tempted to elevate the first person as someone who “knows how to show reverence” and the second person as “showy and ruled by their emotions.” What’s wrong with this picture? The Bible makes it clear that while man looks on the outward appearance, only the Lord truly knows what’s in the heart (I Samuel 16:7). So if we’re judging another person’s heart of worship, the only sure thing we can know is that our own heart of worship is not where it should be.
Misconception #2: The way we express ourselves (or don’t) should be the standard for everyone else. There are several things wrong with this statement. First, it assumes that there is only one right way to worship (when in fact the Bible provides example after example of the varieties of ways we can worship). Second, it implies that each person in the body of Christ is created with the same personality (when I Corinthians 12 shows us clearly that God designed the body of Christ to be composed of many types of people). Third, it neglects to take into account that our life experiences, whether in years past or in the previous week, affect the way we each respond in worship (David’s broken spirit in Psalm 51 is a sharp contrast to his victorious joy in Psalm 18). Fourth (and worst of all) it elevates ourselves above those around us.
Misconception #3: It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks about how we express ourselves (or don’t) as long as our heart is right before the Lord and we are following the guidelines of Scripture. This is a tough one. On the surface it sounds very spiritual. After all, who can argue with someone who says they are only trying to please the Lord? But sometimes there is more than one Scriptural principle at stake. In this case there is an even greater principle to consider than the form of our worship, and that principle is the greatest of all: “Love one another.” One big reason why we gather together instead of just staying home and worshiping by ourselves is so that we can encourage one another in the Lord (Hebrews 10:24,25). With this in mind, there are a couple of things we need to consider: First, we need to understand that, like it or not, our body language can be either an encouragement or a discouragement to the person who is next to us in the pew (or across the room, or up on the platform). Second, each local congregation has its own understanding of what’s comfortable and what’s not. It’s not a matter of right or wrong, but simply cultural differences. We need to take into account who we are worshiping with, and discern what is appropriate in each context so that we are not a distraction to those around us.
Ultimately it is the Lord whom we are trying to please in our worship. If we try to please everyone around us, we will be paralyzed with fear and self-consciousness (and we will fail anyway). So the best thing we can do each time we gather to worship is examine our hearts to be sure we are motivated by love and ask the Holy Spirit to guide us into all wisdom. Only then will we who make up the local body of Ustick Baptist Church “in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ” (Eph 4:15).
Worshiping with you (and so thankful for you),
Jeanelle
