A different take on praise and worship.

Next Level Praise and Worship

If we hear the phrase “praise and worship” what comes to mind? We generally think of music, usually a contemporary style of music. We think of contemporary songs sung by a praise band. So much so that in many churches the musical talent is called a “praise band’. If they are really good it will be reminiscent of a soft rock concert, complete with special effects and dramatic lighting. Lesser performances will have the aspirations of frustrated wannabes, who believe they have always had the talent for greatness but never caught their one big break.

But there is a description of giving glory to God and praising Him that is not found in any contemporary worship set. It comes to us in the words of Joshua to a man named Achan. The whole story is found in Joshua 7. (A story worth reading again). Achan had sinned and Jousha confronted him saying “My son I implore you, give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, and give praise to Him…” You would be hard pressed to come up with a better description of worship than to “...give glory to the Lord and give praise to Him.” In fact if you asked most praise band members and worship leaders. “Is this a good description of worship?” they would almost certainly answer “YES”. If you asked them, “How should one give glory to the Lord and give praise to Him?” they would most likely give you a musically inclined answer.

But what does the Bible tell us about giving glory to God and giving Him praise?” On this specific occasion with God’s appointed leader and spokesman directing the conversation, how is Achan to give glory to God, how is he to offer praise? Does Joshua call for a mini concert? A great guitar riff? A dramatic solo with a fog machine pouring out white smoke? Perhaps it is a light show with dramatic effect that fades to darkness? No, the praise and worship that Joshua is calling for is different for anything musical, dramatic or performance driven.

I few weeks ago I attended a service with a large church that had a great praise band. They had nine members in the band, the instrumentalists were excellent, the vocalist were outstanding, the progression and stage management were top flight. They performed a number of contemporary hits to perfection. They transitioned from opening through the service with practiced ease and without so much as a tiny glitch. An excellent performance, but nowhere in the whole service did they mention this: “...tell me what you have done. Do not hide it from me.”

Praise and worship in the case of Achan is case is found to be nothing other than confession and repentance. I understand that our situation is different, we are under grace and not law. Nevertheless, the description of confession as a type of worship is found in scripture. Nothing like what we often see and hear described as ‘worship’ is ever found in the pages of holy writ. I am not saying that we can’t worship with modern instruments or new tech. What I am saying is that if there is no confession and repentance whatever we do, and call it what we will, it is not worship.

The beginning of every worship service needs to be our confession that new are in need of the Savior and His grace, and a turning from sin that befuddles our mind and emotions.

Programming note: 

We will begin daily devotions in the book of Luke beginning June 1.