Comments on: Q&A Friday - To Clap or Not to Clap? http://www.worshipmatters.com/2006/05/qa-friday-to-cl/ Resources for Leading Worship from Bob Kauflin Wed, 19 Nov 2008 12:50:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Fred Freed http://www.worshipmatters.com/2006/05/qa-friday-to-cl/#comment-453 Fred Freed Thu, 11 May 2006 18:54:54 +0000 http://www.worshipmatters.com?p=143#comment-453 Bob; Thanks so much for your write up of clapping or not clapping. We have come to understand also that there are many physical expressions for what is stirring in our hearts or what are hearts long to express. I think there are many instances - many congregations - where the only physical respnse they know/understand or are accustomed to is clapping. Often times in their particular church they are not accustomed to bowing, laying prostrate, kneeling, or awe-filled silence, and the only expression they may be familiar with is clapping, even though just to sit in awe and silence for even 2-3 minutes might be more appropriate. In cases like these, it is the responsibility of the pastor(s) and/or worship leaders to teach the congragation some different forms of expression that we find in scripture. Lead them in - and teach them about - what it means to sit in silent reverence before the Lord of glory. Teach them that sometimes at the end of a song, scripture passage, or truth set forth in preaching, it is more appropriate to get on our knees before the Lord and ask Him to burn this into our hearts so we might live it out. In all of this, it is imperative that we teach our people to be sensitive to the Spirit of the Lord as He moves through our services and our congregations. As we all are in one accord, we all can follow the leading of the Spirit in our responses, and no one has to say anything (i.e. "let's all kneel") but it will be a natural and corporate response. It is a beautiful thing when at the end of a song like "I Love You Lord" or "If You Say Go" when an entire congregation senses that God is moving and speaking and we just need to be still for a few moments and let Him speak to hearts, or let us worship Him in stillness. Thanks again, Fred Freed Bob;
Thanks so much for your write up of clapping or not clapping. We have come to understand also that there are many physical expressions for what is stirring in our hearts or what are hearts long to express. I think there are many instances - many congregations - where the only physical respnse they know/understand or are accustomed to is clapping. Often times in their particular church they are not accustomed to bowing, laying prostrate, kneeling, or awe-filled silence, and the only expression they may be familiar with is clapping, even though just to sit in awe and silence for even 2-3 minutes might be more appropriate.
In cases like these, it is the responsibility of the pastor(s) and/or worship leaders to teach the congragation some different forms of expression that we find in scripture. Lead them in - and teach them about - what it means to sit in silent reverence before the Lord of glory. Teach them that sometimes at the end of a song, scripture passage, or truth set forth in preaching, it is more appropriate to get on our knees before the Lord and ask Him to burn this into our hearts so we might live it out.
In all of this, it is imperative that we teach our people to be sensitive to the Spirit of the Lord as He moves through our services and our congregations. As we all are in one accord, we all can follow the leading of the Spirit in our responses, and no one has to say anything (i.e. “let’s all kneel”) but it will be a natural and corporate response. It is a beautiful thing when at the end of a song like “I Love You Lord” or “If You Say Go” when an entire congregation senses that God is moving and speaking and we just need to be still for a few moments and let Him speak to hearts, or let us worship Him in stillness.
Thanks again,
Fred Freed

]]> By: Steve Sensenig http://www.worshipmatters.com/2006/05/qa-friday-to-cl/#comment-452 Steve Sensenig Wed, 10 May 2006 01:50:24 +0000 http://www.worshipmatters.com?p=143#comment-452 Bob, I'm a little behind on my blog reading, so I apologize for not commenting sooner, but thanks for dealing with my question here. I appreciate the balance in your answer. God bless, steve :) Bob, I’m a little behind on my blog reading, so I apologize for not commenting sooner, but thanks for dealing with my question here. I appreciate the balance in your answer.

God bless,
steve :)

]]> By: jon http://www.worshipmatters.com/2006/05/qa-friday-to-cl/#comment-451 jon Sat, 06 May 2006 18:45:20 +0000 http://www.worshipmatters.com?p=143#comment-451 Very helpful. Thanks for dealing with this question. Perhaps a follow up for a later time....this came up during a discussion with a person in my church: how do we consider the psalms' expressions of physical worship effected by Christ's work? Are they fulfilled in the same way that animal sacrifices were...and therefore are no longer binding on us in any specific way, or is there another way of thinking about them in light of the gospel? Very helpful. Thanks for dealing with this question. Perhaps a follow up for a later time….this came up during a discussion with a person in my church: how do we consider the psalms’ expressions of physical worship effected by Christ’s work? Are they fulfilled in the same way that animal sacrifices were…and therefore are no longer binding on us in any specific way, or is there another way of thinking about them in light of the gospel?

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