Comments on: Q&A Fridays - What About Candles in Worship? http://www.worshipmatters.com/2006/11/qa-fridays-what/ Resources for Leading Worship from Bob Kauflin Thu, 28 Aug 2008 01:32:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Paul M http://www.worshipmatters.com/2006/11/qa-fridays-what/#comment-919 Paul M Tue, 28 Nov 2006 13:25:19 +0000 http://www.worshipmatters.com?p=237#comment-919 Just an obscure reference: During the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church, many churches, in light of those who suffer for the sake of the Gospel, will imitate underground house churches by using one candle as their only light source to read the word as a whole. This isn't to imitate some mystical seance, but is truly their only source of light (as symbolic as it may be!) for sometimes a large crowd of people. And beyond that, they only have one Word to share, if not only a few pages of the Word! I believe it not only creates a deep appreciation and love for those in countries that persecute Christians who need to meet under those circumstances, but it could also bring a sense of intimacy to the local body of Christ. Not that the candle creates intimacy, but I do envy their intimacy that they experience in those house churches. I believe that it is something that Christians in the US have never experienced because there are so many grey areas in "Americanized" Christianity and their faith in Christ is black and white. If they believe in Christ, they are willing to die for the gospel. In America, there are so many "grey" areas that we can tweak it to please everyone. Just a thought on the use of candles... Just an obscure reference: During the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church, many churches, in light of those who suffer for the sake of the Gospel, will imitate underground house churches by using one candle as their only light source to read the word as a whole. This isn’t to imitate some mystical seance, but is truly their only source of light (as symbolic as it may be!) for sometimes a large crowd of people. And beyond that, they only have one Word to share, if not only a few pages of the Word! I believe it not only creates a deep appreciation and love for those in countries that persecute Christians who need to meet under those circumstances, but it could also bring a sense of intimacy to the local body of Christ. Not that the candle creates intimacy, but I do envy their intimacy that they experience in those house churches. I believe that it is something that Christians in the US have never experienced because there are so many grey areas in “Americanized” Christianity and their faith in Christ is black and white. If they believe in Christ, they are willing to die for the gospel. In America, there are so many “grey” areas that we can tweak it to please everyone.

Just a thought on the use of candles…

]]> By: Laurie http://www.worshipmatters.com/2006/11/qa-fridays-what/#comment-918 Laurie Mon, 27 Nov 2006 21:50:38 +0000 http://www.worshipmatters.com?p=237#comment-918 The Candlelight Christmas Service has always been a favorite for us. But, let it be noted, always the emphasis is on the world being in darkness (no candles lit), Jesus being sent into that darkness (one candle lit), and then creative ways of spreading the light until the whole room is alight with a beautiful picture of how the gospel has spread in the last 2000 years. The Candlelight Christmas Service has always been a favorite for us. But, let it be noted, always the emphasis is on the world being in darkness (no candles lit), Jesus being sent into that darkness (one candle lit), and then creative ways of spreading the light until the whole room is alight with a beautiful picture of how the gospel has spread in the last 2000 years.

]]> By: Robin http://www.worshipmatters.com/2006/11/qa-fridays-what/#comment-917 Robin Wed, 22 Nov 2006 14:18:44 +0000 http://www.worshipmatters.com?p=237#comment-917 I think it's a shame that many years of Christian heritage is dismissed as being "New Age". We lost so much - candles, incense, art, dance, meditation along with a reputation for peace, love and community - what were we thinking? It's true there's no theology of candles, and there is no theology of lighting, soft seats or wallpaper. Candles enable us, i believe, to create an environment conducive to prayer - it's pretty and we've enjoyed staring into fire forever. Do we as christians need to stand in a blank, white, unadorned room to worship or can we surround ourselves with the creativity of our God and perhaps help people relax :) God has given us so many senses to experience and to enter into worship with and yet we seem to use only our ears and voices. Can not a cathedral of candles be a joy to our eyes, heat to our skin and pleasure to our nose as the finest melodies may be to our ears? The greatest distraction i have from focusing on God is the noise in my head and the activity in front of my eyes. Closing my eyes leaves me with the noise whereas focusing my sight on a flame soothes both my sight and my mind and helps me draw close to God. I think it’s a shame that many years of Christian heritage is dismissed as being “New Age”. We lost so much - candles, incense, art, dance, meditation along with a reputation for peace, love and community - what were we thinking?

It’s true there’s no theology of candles, and there is no theology of lighting, soft seats or wallpaper. Candles enable us, i believe, to create an environment conducive to prayer - it’s pretty and we’ve enjoyed staring into fire forever. Do we as christians need to stand in a blank, white, unadorned room to worship or can we surround ourselves with the creativity of our God and perhaps help people relax :)
God has given us so many senses to experience and to enter into worship with and yet we seem to use only our ears and voices. Can not a cathedral of candles be a joy to our eyes, heat to our skin and pleasure to our nose as the finest melodies may be to our ears?

The greatest distraction i have from focusing on God is the noise in my head and the activity in front of my eyes. Closing my eyes leaves me with the noise whereas focusing my sight on a flame soothes both my sight and my mind and helps me draw close to God.

]]> By: Monte http://www.worshipmatters.com/2006/11/qa-fridays-what/#comment-916 Monte Wed, 22 Nov 2006 05:32:58 +0000 http://www.worshipmatters.com?p=237#comment-916 I wonder if it could be that our world is attracted to New Age religion because western Christian practice has fenced out mystery. Could it be that such symbols are a yearning to break out, not of orthodoxy or Biblicality, but of the post-enlightenment, strictly cognitive approach that most of us have grown up with? I wonder if it could be that our world is attracted to New Age religion because western Christian practice has fenced out mystery.
Could it be that such symbols are a yearning to break out, not of orthodoxy or Biblicality, but of the post-enlightenment, strictly cognitive approach that most of us have grown up with?

]]> By: Charlie http://www.worshipmatters.com/2006/11/qa-fridays-what/#comment-915 Charlie Sun, 19 Nov 2006 01:53:19 +0000 http://www.worshipmatters.com?p=237#comment-915 Thank you for your thoughts on this Bob. I totally agree with you that candles are not, in and of themselves, evil. I believe that your point of candles being used to point to Christ is very helpful. Yet, when I have been apart of the worship services that use candles, no explanation has been given. They are just there. I immediately associate the candles with New Age practices. This is a biasness I have, I guess. I do need to make myself clear on one point though. I have not been troubled by uses of candles in weddings and the likes. The worship services that this has come up are just normal worship services (apart from the candles). In these services, there is no light except for the candles. It is very difficult to describe the exact picture of what it looks like. The candles were not in any holders and scattered around the place we were worshiping. Like I stated earlier, they are just their, with no explanation why. I am just standing there, wondering what the use of the candles are. Maybe you have never been in one of these services and do not understand what I am trying to describe to you? Anyway, I do want to thank you for answering my concern. sorry that it was not expressed the best way. Thank you for pointing out to me that I need to get the info about the intended meaning of the candles from the worship leader. Your last paragraph was great. "We can’t expect candles, banners, music, or any other aesthetic element to produce what only God can do through the Gospel, His Word, and the Holy Spirit. An over-emphasis on means can result in distracting people from the object of our focus – the glory of God in the face of Christ (2 Cor. 4:6), most clearly proclaimed in the glorious Gospel." Amen! Thanks again and God bless! Soli Deo Gloria Charlie Thank you for your thoughts on this Bob. I totally agree with you that candles are not, in and of themselves, evil. I believe that your point of candles being used to point to Christ is very helpful. Yet, when I have been apart of the worship services that use candles, no explanation has been given. They are just there. I immediately associate the candles with New Age practices. This is a biasness I have, I guess.

I do need to make myself clear on one point though. I have not been troubled by uses of candles in weddings and the likes. The worship services that this has come up are just normal worship services (apart from the candles). In these services, there is no light except for the candles. It is very difficult to describe the exact picture of what it looks like. The candles were not in any holders and scattered around the place we were worshiping. Like I stated earlier, they are just their, with no explanation why. I am just standing there, wondering what the use of the candles are. Maybe you have never been in one of these services and do not understand what I am trying to describe to you?

Anyway, I do want to thank you for answering my concern. sorry that it was not expressed the best way. Thank you for pointing out to me that I need to get the info about the intended meaning of the candles from the worship leader.

Your last paragraph was great.
“We can’t expect candles, banners, music, or any other aesthetic element to produce what only God can do through the Gospel, His Word, and the Holy Spirit. An over-emphasis on means can result in distracting people from the object of our focus – the glory of God in the face of Christ ( 2 Cor. 4:6

), most clearly proclaimed in the glorious Gospel.” Amen!

Thanks again and God bless!

Soli Deo Gloria
Charlie

]]> By: Rich http://www.worshipmatters.com/2006/11/qa-fridays-what/#comment-914 Rich Sat, 18 Nov 2006 22:39:46 +0000 http://www.worshipmatters.com?p=237#comment-914 I once heard Louie Giglio give a message that described an early-church practice of keeping a single candle lit in Christ's tomb to represent the light of Christ. We then recited the Phos Hilaron (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phos_Hilaron) as a single candle was carried in and set on the stage... an interesting use of a candle for a specific purpose. The Phos Hilaron was included on the Passion Hyns CD. -Rich I once heard Louie Giglio give a message that described an early-church practice of keeping a single candle lit in Christ’s tomb to represent the light of Christ.
We then recited the Phos Hilaron (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phos_Hilaron) as a single candle was carried in and set on the stage… an interesting use of a candle for a specific purpose.
The Phos Hilaron was included on the Passion Hyns CD.
-Rich

]]> By: Kyle http://www.worshipmatters.com/2006/11/qa-fridays-what/#comment-913 Kyle Sat, 18 Nov 2006 15:15:30 +0000 http://www.worshipmatters.com?p=237#comment-913 Agreed, but I wouldn't exactly call candles an innovation. They've been used for hundreds of years in both Catholic and Orthodox churches, primarily as a symbolic representation of the "prayers of the saints" Scented candles, for instance, can be a good stand-in for the incense mentioned in Revelation 8:4, which are said to accompany "the prayers of the saints." Agreed, but I wouldn’t exactly call candles an innovation. They’ve been used for hundreds of years in both Catholic and Orthodox churches, primarily as a symbolic representation of the “prayers of the saints” Scented candles, for instance, can be a good stand-in for the incense mentioned in Revelation 8:4