More than once I’ve heard Christians claim that worship should be fun, or act like they had a responsibility to prove that Christians knew how to “party” in church. I’ve always been uncomfortable with that connection, so I started thinking about the place of “fun” in worship, if one even exists. I’d like to address this question by answering it as I posed it, and then considering two other ways it might be phrased.
Should worship be fun? If we take the exhaustive testimony of Scripture, the answer would have to be a resounding NO. “Fun” doesn’t seem to characterize many of the scenes where people encounter God in the Bible. We’re told to worship God with reverence and awe, for he is a consuming fire ( Heb. 12:28-29Hebrews 12:28-29
[28]Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom
that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God
acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, [29]for our God
is a consuming fire. (ESV)
). To have “fun” should never be our primary motive as we gather. Our goal is to remember God’s greatness, present our petitions before him, and thank him for his abundant mercies in Jesus Christ. Celebration should certainly be included in that, but there are also times when worshipping God can produce awe, tears of repentance, or a profound silence.
But let me rephrase the question. Can worship be fun? It depends on how we define “fun.” I know some of you are incredulous I’m even entertaining this thought. And it’s possible I’ll get some comments to that effect. But believe me, I’m not trying to be flippant. In fact, I’m currently at John Piper’s pastors conference and heard a message last night by R.C. Sproul on the holiness of God from Isaiah 6Isaiah 6
[6:1]In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord
sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of
his robe filled the temple. [2]Above him stood the
seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face,
and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.
[3]And one called to another and said:
"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory!"
[4]And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice
of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke.
[5]And I said: "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of
unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of
unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of
hosts!"
[6]Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his
hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the
altar. [7]And he touched my mouth and said: "Behold, this
has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your
sin atoned for."
[8]And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall
I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here am I!
Send me." [9]And he said, "Go, and say to this people:
"'Keep on hearing, but do not understand;
keep on seeing, but do not perceive.'
[10]Make the heart of this people dull,
and their ears heavy,
and blind their eyes;
lest they see with their eyes,
and hear with their ears,
and understand with their hearts,
and turn and be healed."
[11]Then I said, "How long, O Lord?"
And he said:
"Until cities lie waste
without inhabitant,
and houses without people,
and the land is a desolate waste,
[12]and the LORD removes people far away,
and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the
land.
[13]And though a tenth remain in it,
it will be burned again,
like a terebinth or an oak,
whose stump remains
when it is felled."
The holy seed is its stump.
. It was powerful, convicting, and sobering. We worship a holy God.
If “fun” is defined as a lighthearted activity with no purpose or meaning, strictly meant to amuse, then the answer to “can worship be fun?” must surely be no. When we worship God together, we are not looking to be merely entertained or momentarily distracted from the cares of this world. Diversion is not the same as worship. Our joy and gladness are always grounded in and informed by God’s character, nature, and acts.
However, when I looked up “fun” on my desktop dictionary, the first meaning was “enjoyable.” If we’re asking, “Can worshipping God be enjoyable?” then surely the answer must be yes. Isaiah 6Isaiah 6
[6:1]In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord
sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of
his robe filled the temple. [2]Above him stood the
seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face,
and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.
[3]And one called to another and said:
"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory!"
[4]And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice
of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke.
[5]And I said: "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of
unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of
unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of
hosts!"
[6]Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his
hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the
altar. [7]And he touched my mouth and said: "Behold, this
has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your
sin atoned for."
[8]And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall
I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here am I!
Send me." [9]And he said, "Go, and say to this people:
"'Keep on hearing, but do not understand;
keep on seeing, but do not perceive.'
[10]Make the heart of this people dull,
and their ears heavy,
and blind their eyes;
lest they see with their eyes,
and hear with their ears,
and understand with their hearts,
and turn and be healed."
[11]Then I said, "How long, O Lord?"
And he said:
"Until cities lie waste
without inhabitant,
and houses without people,
and the land is a desolate waste,
[12]and the LORD removes people far away,
and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the
land.
[13]And though a tenth remain in it,
it will be burned again,
like a terebinth or an oak,
whose stump remains
when it is felled."
The holy seed is its stump.
isn’t the only chapter in Scripture that describes how we are to relate to God. There have been countless times that I’ve been leading worship or singing as part of the congregation and thought, “I love doing this!” Joy floods my soul, and I could legitimately say I’m having “fun!”
It maybe similar to what the Israelites experienced in 2 Chronicles 302 Chronicles 30
[30:1]Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote
letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come
to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem to keep the Passover
to the LORD, the God of Israel. [2]For the king and his
princes and all the assembly in Jerusalem had taken counsel
to keep the Passover in the second month-- [3]for they
could not keep it at that time because the priests had not
consecrated themselves in sufficient number, nor had the
people assembled in Jerusalem-- [4]and the plan seemed
right to the king and all the assembly. [5]So they decreed
to make a proclamation throughout all Israel, from
Beersheba to Dan, that the people should come and keep the
Passover to the LORD, the God of Israel, at Jerusalem, for
they had not kept it as often as prescribed. [6]So couriers
went throughout all Israel and Judah with letters from the
king and his princes, as the king had commanded, saying, "O
people of Israel, return to the LORD, the God of Abraham,
Isaac, and Israel, that he may turn again to the remnant of
you who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria.
[7]Do not be like your fathers and your brothers, who were
faithless to the LORD God of their fathers, so that he made
them a desolation, as you see. [8]Do not now be stiff-
necked as your fathers were, but yield yourselves to the
LORD and come to his sanctuary, which he has consecrated
forever, and serve the LORD your God, that his fierce anger
may turn away from you. [9]For if you return to the LORD,
your brothers and your children will find compassion with
their captors and return to this land. For the LORD your
God is gracious and merciful and will not turn away his
face from you, if you return to him."
[10]So the couriers went from city to city through the
country of Ephraim and Manasseh, and as far as Zebulun, but
they laughed them to scorn and mocked them. [11]However,
some men of Asher, of Manasseh, and of Zebulun humbled
themselves and came to Jerusalem. [12]The hand of God was
also on Judah to give them one heart to do what the king
and the princes commanded by the word of the LORD.
[13]And many people came together in Jerusalem to keep
the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the second month, a very
great assembly. [14]They set to work and removed the altars
that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for burning
incense they took away and threw into the Kidron Valley.
[15]And they slaughtered the Passover lamb on the
fourteenth day of the second month. And the priests and the
Levites were ashamed, so that they consecrated themselves
and brought burnt offerings into the house of the LORD.
[16]They took their accustomed posts according to the Law
of Moses the man of God. The priests threw the blood that
they received from the hand of the Levites. [17]For there
were many in the assembly who had not consecrated
themselves. Therefore the Levites had to slaughter the
Passover lamb for everyone who was not clean, to consecrate
it to the LORD. [18]For a majority of the people, many of
them from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not
cleansed themselves, yet they ate the Passover otherwise
than as prescribed. For Hezekiah had prayed for them,
saying, "May the good LORD pardon everyone [19]who sets his
heart to seek God, the LORD, the God of his fathers, even
though not according to the sanctuary's rules of
cleanness." [20]And the LORD heard Hezekiah and healed the
people. [21]And the people of Israel who were present at
Jerusalem kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days
with great gladness, and the Levites and the priests
praised the LORD day by day, singing with all their might
to the LORD. [22]And Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all
the Levites who showed good skill in the service of the
LORD. So they ate the food of the festival for seven days,
sacrificing peace offerings and giving thanks to the LORD,
the God of their fathers.
[23]Then the whole assembly agreed together to keep the
feast for another seven days. So they kept it for another
seven days with gladness. [24]For Hezekiah king of Judah
gave the assembly 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep for
offerings, and the princes gave the assembly 1,000 bulls
and 10,000 sheep. And the priests consecrated themselves in
great numbers. [25]The whole assembly of Judah, and the
priests and the Levites, and the whole assembly that came
out of Israel, and the sojourners who came out of the land
of Israel, and the sojourners who lived in Judah, rejoiced.
[26]So there was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the time
of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there had been
nothing like this in Jerusalem. [27]Then the priests and
the Levites arose and blessed the people, and their voice
was heard, and their prayer came to his holy habitation in
heaven. (ESV)
. They so enjoyed celebrating the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days that Hezekiah and the people spontaneously decided to keep the feast for another seven days ( 2 Chron. 30:22-232 Chronicles 30:22-23
[22]And Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites
who showed good skill in the service of the LORD. So they
ate the food of the festival for seven days, sacrificing
peace offerings and giving thanks to the LORD, the God of
their fathers.
[23]Then the whole assembly agreed together to keep the
feast for another seven days. So they kept it for another
seven days with gladness. (ESV)
)! That must have been some celebration! On another occasion, Ezra and the priests told the people not to mourn or weep because that day was “holy to the Lord” and that the joy of the Lord was their strength ( Neh. 8:9-10Nehemiah 8:9-10
[9]And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the
priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people
said to all the people, "This day is holy to the LORD your
God; do not mourn or weep." For all the people wept as they
heard the words of the Law. [10]Then he said to them, "Go
your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send
portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is
holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the
LORD is your strength." (ESV)
). Holiness and joy aren’t necessarily exclusive.
When my children were growing up, I wanted them to look forward to singing worship songs, and not see a relationship with God as something that was only serious, sober, and solemn. After all, singing to God is meant to be pleasant ( Ps. 135:3Psalm 135:3
[3]Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good;
sing to his name, for it is pleasant!
; Ps. 147:1Psalm 147:1
[147:1]Praise the LORD!
For it is good to sing praises to our God;
for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.
). David danced before the Lord with all his might as he brought the ark back to Jerusalem ( 2 Sam. 6:12-152 Samuel 6:12-15
[12]And it was told King David, "The LORD has blessed
the household of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him,
because of the ark of God." So David went and brought up
the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the city of
David with rejoicing. [13]And when those who bore the ark
of the LORD had gone six steps, he sacrificed an ox and a
fattened animal. [14]And David danced before the LORD with
all his might. And David was wearing a linen ephod. [15]So
David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the
LORD with shouting and with the sound of the horn. (ESV)
). The Psalmist was glad when they said to him, “Let us go up to the house of the Lord” ( Ps. 122:1Psalm 122:1
[122:1]I was glad when they said to me,
"Let us go to the house of the LORD!"
). So yes, when defined as enjoyment and not seen as the only aspect of worship, worshipping God can be very “fun.” People shouldn’t find our meetings dull or dour. Smiles and even laughter should abound as we consider how kind, merciful, and gracious God has been to us ( Ps. 126:2Psalm 126:2
[2]Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then they said among the nations,
"The LORD has done great things for them."
)!
But let me rephrase the question one more time, to broaden the application. “Should our fun be worship?” Well now the answer must surely be “yes.” We’re told in 1 Cor. 10:311 Corinthians 10:31
[31]So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do
all to the glory of God. (ESV)
that whether we eat or drink, or whatever we do, we’re to do it all for the glory of God. Rather than focusing on making our corporate worship fun, maybe we should spend more time making sure our “fun” is worship.
Here are some questions that can lead us in that direction.
Do I choose a fun activity because there’s nothing else to do, or because I believe it will in some way cause me to grow in my love for God?
When I play games, participate in sports, or pursue a hobby, does my attitude demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit?
When I go out with a group of friends, am I seeking just to have fun, or to glorify God through encouraging them, challenging sin, and serving them?
Do the activities I consider “fun” increase my affections for God or dilute them?
Do I view my free time as belonging to me or to God?
The fun this world offers is unsatisfying, deceptive, and temporary. Let’s not idolize or fall for it. As Christians, we can enjoy fun activities without believing they’re the root of our joy. The fun, joy, pleasure, and celebration we experience when we worship God is greater than the world will ever know, because the root is knowing we are completely forgiven through the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Our joy is in God himself. We’d be fools to look for it anywhere else.
For more on this topic, download the following messages from the Sovereign Grace site:
Worshiping God as the Source of All Secondary Joys by Randy Alcorn
A Biblical Understanding of Leisure by Jeff Purswell
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Bob - I like reading your blog, and usually find it insightful. However, I have to disagree with your assertion that scripture doesn’t support the idea of worship being “fun.” For sure, I doubt in even the most liberal translations the word “fun” would be found. But there are numerous places in the Old Testament that worship includes shouting, joyful singing, tambourines and even dancing (see Jeremiah 31Jeremiah 31This text is from the ESV Bible. Visit www.esv.org to learn about the ESV.
for one such example). Surely that sounds like “fun” even to the most fuddy-duddy amongst us.
[31:1]"At that time, declares the LORD, I will be the
God of all the clans of Israel, and they shall be my
people."
[2]Thus says the LORD:
"The people who survived the sword
found grace in the wilderness;
when Israel sought for rest,
[3]the LORD appeared to him from far away.
I have loved you with an everlasting love;
therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.
[4]Again I will build you, and you shall be built,
O virgin Israel!
Again you shall adorn yourself with tambourines
and shall go forth in the dance of the merrymakers.
[5]Again you shall plant vineyards
on the mountains of Samaria;
the planters shall plant
and shall enjoy the fruit.
[6]For there shall be a day when watchmen will call
in the hill country of Ephraim:
'Arise, and let us go up to Zion,
to the LORD our God.'"
[7]For thus says the LORD:
"Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob,
and raise shouts for the chief of the nations;
proclaim, give praise, and say,
'O LORD, save your people,
the remnant of Israel.'
[8]Behold, I will bring them from the north country
and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth,
among them the blind and the lame,
the pregnant woman and she who is in labor, together;
a great company, they shall return here.
[9]With weeping they shall come,
and with pleas for mercy I will lead them back,
I will make them walk by brooks of water,
in a straight path in which they shall not stumble,
for I am a father to Israel,
and Ephraim is my firstborn.
[10]"Hear the word of the LORD, O nations,
and declare it in the coastlands far away;
say, 'He who scattered Israel will gather him,
and will keep him as a shepherd keeps his flock.'
[11]For the LORD has ransomed Jacob
and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him.
[12]They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion,
and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the LORD,
over the grain, the wine, and the oil,
and over the young of the flock and the herd;
their life shall be like a watered garden,
and they shall languish no more.
[13]Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance,
and the young men and the old shall be merry.
I will turn their mourning into joy;
I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.
[14]I will feast the soul of the priests with abundance,
and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness,
declares the LORD."
[15]Thus says the LORD:
"A voice is heard in Ramah,
lamentation and bitter weeping.
Rachel is weeping for her children;
she refuses to be comforted for her children,
because they are no more."
[16]Thus says the LORD:
"Keep your voice from weeping,
and your eyes from tears,
for there is a reward for your work,
declares the LORD,
and they shall come back from the land of the enemy.
[17]There is hope for your future,
declares the LORD,
and your children shall come back to their own country.
[18]I have heard Ephraim grieving,
'You have disciplined me, and I was disciplined,
like an untrained calf;
bring me back that I may be restored,
for you are the LORD my God.
[19]For after I had turned away, I relented,
and after I was instructed, I struck my thigh;
I was ashamed, and I was confounded,
because I bore the disgrace of my youth.'
[20]Is Ephraim my dear son?
Is he my darling child?
For as often as I speak against him,
I do remember him still.
Therefore my heart yearns for him;
I will surely have mercy on him,
declares the LORD.
[21]"Set up road markers for yourself;
make yourself guideposts;
consider well the highway,
the road by which you went.
Return, O virgin Israel,
return to these your cities.
[22]How long will you waver,
O faithless daughter?
For the LORD has created a new thing on the earth:
a woman encircles a man."
[23]Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel:
"Once more they shall use these words in the land of Judah
and in its cities, when I restore their fortunes:
"'The LORD bless you, O habitation of righteousness,
O holy hill!'
[24]And Judah and all its cities shall dwell there
together, and the farmers and those who wander with their
flocks. [25]For I will satisfy the weary soul, and every
languishing soul I will replenish."
[26]At this I awoke and looked, and my sleep was
pleasant to me.
[27]"Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD,
when I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah
with the seed of man and the seed of beast. [28]And it
shall come to pass that as I have watched over them to
pluck up and break down, to overthrow, destroy, and bring
harm, so I will watch over them to build and to plant,
declares the LORD. [29]In those days they shall no longer
say:
"'The fathers have eaten sour grapes,
and the children's teeth are set on edge.'
[30]But everyone shall die for his own sin. Each man who
eats sour grapes, his teeth shall be set on edge.
[31]"Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD,
when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel
and the house of Judah, [32]not like the covenant that I
made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the
hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant
that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the
LORD. [33]But this is the covenant that I will make with
the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I
will put my law within them, and I will write it on their
hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my
people. [34]And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor
and each his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for they
shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,
declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I
will remember their sin no more."
[35]Thus says the LORD,
who gives the sun for light by day
and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light
by night,
who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar--
the LORD of hosts is his name:
[36]"If this fixed order departs
from before me, declares the LORD,
then shall the offspring of Israel cease
from being a nation before me forever."
[37]Thus says the LORD:
"If the heavens above can be measured,
and the foundations of the earth below can be explored,
then I will cast off all the offspring of Israel
for all that they have done,
declares the LORD."
[38]"Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD,
when the city shall be rebuilt for the LORD from the Tower
of Hananel to the Corner Gate. [39]And the measuring line
shall go out farther, straight to the hill Gareb, and shall
then turn to Goah. [40]The whole valley of the dead bodies
and the ashes, and all the fields as far as the brook
Kidron, to the corner of the Horse Gate toward the east,
shall be sacred to the LORD. It shall not be uprooted or
overthrown anymore forever." (ESV)
So, I would just say, that, not only *can* worship be fun, but the scriptures clearly support the idea that worship *should be* and even *is* fun. We come to God with our whole hearts…
Comment by Brian — February 6, 2007 @ 6:43 am
Great reflections, Bob. Thank you.
Comment by Paul Martin — February 6, 2007 @ 7:14 am
Hey Bob,
When I started reading your post all I could think of was the ‘Happy Song’. We haven’t done this song in a long time but every time we do we are shouting, jumping, clapping, laughing, crying, you name it. We are very silly dancing around. It’s neat to see old men dance for joy like in their youth. I guess that’s the only time I see us having “fun” in the literal sense but still worshipping because “I can sing unending songs of how [God] saved my soul!” I love it!
Thanks for the reflection though Bob. I will evaluate my “fun” activities to see if they are to the glory of God. I have been convicted about one TV show I like to watch on Monday nights and have asked my husband to keep me accountable. This post is just another reminder for me and God’s kindness to me. Thanks! -Trillia
p.s. I didn’t watch it last night! Praise God!
Comment by Trillia — February 6, 2007 @ 8:06 am
One of your best posts ever. Thank you so much. It seems once again it is all about our hearts, isn’t it? If my GOAL in worship is fun I am serving and pursuing something other than God. If my GOAL in fun is worship I am serving God in everything. If my GOAL in Worship is…Worship how can I not be impacted in every part of my being from tears of deep brokeness to the highest gaity. So I have experienced it in my own church, often in the same service. No wonder it is the dearest place on earth!
Comment by Allan — February 6, 2007 @ 8:45 am
Bob, I appreciate your thoughts on this. Too often in America, where we have such a pampered church experience (compared to other parts of the world), Christians have the tendency to assume that God always wants us to be happy, carefree, and comfortable. This is one reason so many churches, even in our conservative circles, want to de-emphasis negative topics like sin, wrath, judgment, etc., in favor of feel-good topics like God’s love. Of course we want to emphasize the love of God, but it is meaningless without the doctrines of man’s sinfulness and God’s justice.
I think we could fairly ask a few questions to diagnose what lies at the root of this desire for “fun” worship services: Does spending time in our services considering and meditating upon objective truth about God bore us? If so, is that because we (in leadership) are not presenting that truth in a clear and compelling way? Are we afraid of being impacted by that truth as a congregation in ways other than being excited, entertained, or inspired?
Comment by Wes Crawford — February 6, 2007 @ 11:50 am
Bob,
Thank you for this carefully nuanced discussion of the terms. This was not only helpful for this discussion, but your example of thoughtfulness serves us well.
Brian,
Did you get to the bottom of Bob’s article? It seems he addresses your points quite comprehensively. He wrote: “So yes, when defined as enjoyment and not seen as the only aspect of worship, worshipping God can be very ‘fun.’”
Comment by Matthew Westerholm — February 6, 2007 @ 11:54 am
Bob, thanks for tackling the tough topic of fun (read “finding enjoyment in”) the worship of God. If we view worship as something that can’t be fun, then in what should we find enjoyment? Thanks for helping answer that question.
Brian, I would like to humbly suggest that you have missed the distinction that Bob is highlighting in his post. The distinction comes in the definition of fun being used. If, as Bob begins with, we view fun as an “activity with no purpose or meaning, strictly meant to amuse,” then worship should not be viewed that way. But if we view fun as “enjoyable,” then worship can definitely be enjoyable. This is the very point that Bob makes. But, the fact is, worship is not always enjoyable (nor should it be). For instance, I don’t think Isaiah’s experience in Isaiah 6Isaiah 6This text is from the ESV Bible. Visit www.esv.org to learn about the ESV.
was “enjoyable” or “fun,” but it was certainly good and brought God glory. I don’t always find the exposure of my sinfulness “fun,” but it is always good. And it will always cause me to rejoice more deeply in God–but probably not immediately. Perhaps it would be helpful to say that worship can bring godly joy or godly sorrow, but both are for the good of our souls.
[6:1]In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord
sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of
his robe filled the temple. [2]Above him stood the
seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face,
and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.
[3]And one called to another and said:
"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory!"
[4]And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice
of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke.
[5]And I said: "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of
unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of
unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of
hosts!"
[6]Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his
hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the
altar. [7]And he touched my mouth and said: "Behold, this
has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your
sin atoned for."
[8]And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall
I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here am I!
Send me." [9]And he said, "Go, and say to this people:
"'Keep on hearing, but do not understand;
keep on seeing, but do not perceive.'
[10]Make the heart of this people dull,
and their ears heavy,
and blind their eyes;
lest they see with their eyes,
and hear with their ears,
and understand with their hearts,
and turn and be healed."
[11]Then I said, "How long, O Lord?"
And he said:
"Until cities lie waste
without inhabitant,
and houses without people,
and the land is a desolate waste,
[12]and the LORD removes people far away,
and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the
land.
[13]And though a tenth remain in it,
it will be burned again,
like a terebinth or an oak,
whose stump remains
when it is felled."
The holy seed is its stump.
At the risk of rambling, I have one last thought. I think it is C. S. Lewis that draws attention to the fact (though I don’t have access to any books right now) which Piper emphasizes in “Desiring God.” That truth is that we are called to desire God, to “enjoy Him.” Enjoying God is inherently enjoyable, but to center on that enjoyment spoils the entire experience because we lose sight of the (infinitely worthy) object of enjoyment by focusing on the feeling of enjoyment instead. We are called to delight in God, not delight in delighting in God. The former is righteous and proper, the second is idolatry. And I think that is a helpful word to keep in mind when discussing this topic.
Comment by Bill Bell — February 6, 2007 @ 2:51 pm
Should every worship service be fun? No, but there should be appropriate responses to appropriate situations and it should run the gamut of our emotions, since God created them. “Appropriate”, to me, is the key. Some try to artificially lighten a mood, others try to control spontaneity. They seem to worry about things getting out of control. We can and should have “fun” in the sense of enjoyment, encouragement, and awe in our worship–at the church, home, business, commute, etc.!
“You can be my brother without being my twin.”
Comment by gordon larson — February 7, 2007 @ 11:06 am
Dig the blog!
For me as a worship leader, and even as a member of the congregation, I don’t think of worship in terms of fun, but in terms of Joy. When I serve with a team of people, and am an integral part of ushering in the Holy Spirit, it brings me GREAT joy. Even when I’m convicted, or experiencing struggles or hardship, I experience joy on some level, because I know the Spirit is working in me.
Comment by doug — February 7, 2007 @ 12:21 pm
Bob,
It was a unique joy to sit immediately behind you and CJ throughout the DG Conf. for Pastors and notice you delighting in God with 1200 others…oftentimes through the lyrics of songs you’ve written. I couldn’t help but notice you bury your hands in your face the first time we erupted in a song you composed, and another time when CJ happily shoulder-slapped you when another one was keyed up (so as to say, “That’s my boy”). Later, I happened to be talking to C. Steddom when you passed by and thanked he and Carol for their “great job” in the sessions. Thank you for serving us through writing/composing God-honoring songs. Thank you especially for living what you lead.
Amazed that we’re loved by the thrice Holy God,
Jordan Thomas
Comment by Jordan Thomas — February 7, 2007 @ 11:50 pm
Jordan,
Thank you for your kind and meaningful encouragement. I was surprised and blessed that Chuck Steddom, who led the singing at the conference, did a number of Sovereign Grace songs. I had my face in my hands numerous times, but not because we were singing one of my songs! I was deeply affected by R.C. Sproul’s preaching on God’s holiness and his ability to communicate God’s Word so powerfully. I became freshly aware of my sinfulness and freshly grateful for the substitutionary sacrifice of my Savior.
As for the interaction with CJ, I think that was as we started the song “Receive the Glory.” He thanked me for writing the song, and I told him again that I wouldn’t have written it if it weren’t for his effect on my life. I wrote it for the weekend he handed the leadership of Covenant Life Church over to Joshua Harris. In the song, I tried to express some of the main things that CJ had built into the church while he was the senior pastor. “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to Your name alone be the glory…all that we’ve accomplished You have done for us…so we’ll glory in the cross of Christ.”
Thanks again for your kind words.
Comment by Bob Kauflin — February 8, 2007 @ 8:56 am
Dear Mr. Kauflin,
Praise God for this topic He has laid upon your heart. I am a college student, and just last night at Crosswalk (our christian fellowship), the songs we sang were played so loud I couldn’t even hear the voices of God’s saints around me. The lyrics were great, and my heart longed to express them in song, but after a while, I opened my eyes and saw more of an adrenaline rush than a heartfelt response of worship to God, after a serious and challenging message.
Why do christian concerts feel the need to look like rock concerts? There is great power in music - it can stir a great emotion within people. And this is a beautiful thing, but also something to be wary of.
We’ve started singing more hymns at my church, and I’ve come to stop sounding and start singing the solid truths of our most Holy Lord Jesus that come to life through the lyrics. I highly recommend “Be Thou My Vision,” “Fairest Lord Jesus,” “On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand,” “Jesus Paid it All”, “Oh Worship the King,” and “How Firm a Foundation.” It’s not about us - it’s about Jesus.
Thank you for sharing this post, my Koinonia leader sent it to us, and it couldn’t have been a more opportune time.
Comment by Sarah — February 8, 2007 @ 12:09 pm
Interesting post. However, I must say that I think we should be careful in how we use the OT to support our actions in worship.
To say that David danced before the Lord, does not necessarily mean that it is something God delights in us doing now.
Comment by Armen — February 15, 2007 @ 9:07 pm
Greetings again,
Am indeed grateful that such a topic came up, that many dread to venture into…
Gathering up the further insights on the topic brought up by Wes Crawford, Bill Bell and Sarah, in their replies, I am apprehended by the thought of caution that we may all have to adopt - that while we already can see the general consensus among the brethren who have been in this discussion, is of the view that the ‘fun’ in worship should always be regarded as a purposeful glorification of God and not to subscribe man’s preference for selfish enjoyment.
Along this path, however, it is also prudent that the brethren be alert to those among us who may harbour continual selfish, individualistic, man-centred motives of generating an environment of fun, yet in public consideration of the endorsed view of worship, play upon the expectations of that crowd, with the natural soulish mindset of wanting to be liked by others.
All this will require a depth of relationship with the Spirit so real, that there can be a clear discernment of the spirits at play among others, especially those who lead the congregation in singing as well as the musicians themselves.
Comment by Gur Yur — February 16, 2007 @ 4:01 am
Armen,
Do I detect that you may not be comfortable with dancing? I think it’s very important for us to examine our relationship with the Lord and our approach to ministry by taking into account how much our culture influences our opinions about things. Oftentimes we become skeptical about a particular concept (i.e. dancing or meditation) because we have seen the abuse of it by the ungodly.
There is also the role that our church traditions play in our attitudes. Is the church tradition that tells us to throw out everything that is an example to us in the Old Testament (because we are now under a new covenant) valid?
When doing a theological study of worship, our number one resource is the Psalms, is it not? How many songs do we sing today that come directly from the Psalms? We are clearly instructed to dance in many places in the Psalter. I think it is folly, therefore to be selective as to what we should include and exclude from the Psalms, or any scripture for that matter, based upon our personal feelings or biases. Also, Jesus came to fulfill the Old Testament, not abolish it.
That said, I’m not one who encourages a lot of dancing when I lead worship. But if someone is moved to dance with joy before the Lord, let them dance. Let them express their heart in a very physical manner. If they are moved to kneel, let them kneel.
Now - I will draw the line when it comes to any form of worship that cannot be substantiated by scripture. Period.
Finally, I think that it is high time that we really examine traditions that we have been taught in light of scripture. Some of them are simply wrong.
Comment by Gary H — February 18, 2007 @ 8:43 am
Bob,
I would like to say that this is a very interesting topic. Being in youth ministry I often hear the word fun used to describe a worship service. I always want to ask the question “Why was worship fun?” Maybe, because that during worship we enter into the act of celebration or that we are in the presence of God, that makes it fun. I had a college professor once say that,”worship, in fact will never be about us. It will always be about God.” I appreciate your concluding comments about making our “fun” worshipful. It’s something that I think we all really need to think about.
Comment by Kasey G. — November 13, 2007 @ 5:40 pm
Bob,
I really like your view on how worship should not always be a solemn experience. I do think that there is a time and place to reflect on the power and awe that is God. However, when we worship, we should enjoy the fact that we are able to come into God’s presence. After all, how can we not enjoy ourselves knowing that we are singing in the presence of the Almighty?
Comment by Randy S — November 14, 2007 @ 2:09 pm
Bob,
I really appreciate your outlook on this subject. Finding enjoyment in worship is something I think God enjoys himself. When we enjoy his creation and hike the mountains, I would like to think that smiles down on us for enjoying what he made! Worship is much the same, he sent his son for us to die for our sins, and on that note, it is sad, but beause of his resurrection we have been reconciled! That is awesome and because of that he gets our all. (most of the time)
Comment by Scott Coleman — November 14, 2007 @ 2:52 pm
Very balanced perspective on worship Bob. I enjoy reading this blog and while I understand that it is not the be all and end all of worship education, it is a valued resource. Thanks for staying grounded in scripture!
Comment by Ryan — November 27, 2007 @ 3:48 pm
I was struck the wrong way when I first began to read the essay, but after more explanation, I too, agree. When I think of fun worship, I think of David but he was still very exalting in the times of “fun” worship. He just truly enjoyed being in the presence of God and he is the first person in the Bible I think of when I think of a worshiping heart.
Comment by Amber — December 13, 2007 @ 8:58 pm
Bob,
Ryan puts it very well, you provide a “balanced” perspective, and that is much appreciated! If worship is just a means to a desired end (that end being “fu”), we are in the wrong place. If the Lord fills our hearts with joy as we are praising him, and we have “fun,” that’s all the more reason to praise the Lord! I have listened to one of your sermons, “Healthy Tensions in Corporate Worship,” and I so I appreciate your continued “balanced” perspective. I also appreciate the way people on this blog are so respectful. It’s refreshing!
Comment by Amber Ziegler — January 16, 2008 @ 10:13 am
I appreciate you discussing this topic. When I read the question, ‘Should worship be fun?’ it got me reeling on my own worship life. I think that being a Christian and experiencing life in the presence of God, presents so many different emotions. Sometimes I’m up and sometimes I’m humbled, and other times I’m face down crying my soul out to Him. So I definitely agree that worship can be fun. Because we as humans experience so many different emotions in our life, and I think it is important to experience different emotions in our walk with Christ.
Also, if the life of a Christian is always the same thing and ho-hum and sort of depressing, what non-Christian will want to come in and experience the same thing we are!
Thank you for the insight and I do like the way you rephrased the question!
Comment by Lauren — February 7, 2008 @ 3:03 pm
I totally agree with your statements regarding fun towards worship and worship in general. For me I know at least at times I forget that whatever I do, in word and deed is worship. Being on a worship team i’ve kind of trained myself to think that this event and holy time only happens on stage, during a service to a congregation,etc. This shouldn’t be so at all. I don’t think God intended worship to be excluded at all to just the church. If we’re out running, doing work, enjoying ourselves with friends, whatever, it should all be in a worshipful mindset for God. This article has in a way brought me back and let me know that God wants to be a part of EVERYTHING in my life, everything I do from the time I wake until I rest at night should reflect His light. WORSHIP INDEED CAN BE FUN
Comment by Michael Otto — March 6, 2008 @ 12:32 pm
If fun is the focus then we’re definitely off track. But if by worshiping God (in any way or form)we “have fun” then I say, more power to you.
Comment by Adam K. — May 3, 2008 @ 4:00 pm
Bob,
I agree that there is definitely a difference between whether something is fun or whether it should be. But like Brian said in the first post, many times through out the OT (the whole Bible for that matter), God is worshipped not by bowed heads, but by lifted hands and loud voices. Hillsong United is one of my favorite bands because they know when to jump (Salvation is Here) and they know when to think (There Is Nothing Like). The beautiful thing about jumping is that it moves us, musically. I can experience God with one beautiful chord on the guitar…it is music. The beauty about thinking is that it gives us time away from jumping and lets us dwell on the lyrics…thinking.
All in all, I agree with Brian…”So, I would just say, that, not only *can* worship be fun, but the scriptures clearly support the idea that worship *should be* and even *is* fun. We come to God with our whole hearts…”
Comment by Jordan Roberts — May 3, 2008 @ 7:58 pm
When I think of this aspect of fun in worship I think of fun as a byproduct. I think “joy” is a more adequate word to be found in worship. I appreciated how the questions were rephrased. With any given question there are always questions about the specifics of the question. The balance is necessary in most any given part of worship. We must realize that worship will not always be fun and also that fun is not excluded from worship. God will not spite us for finding enjoyment from worship, neither will He if we display sadness and reverence in our worship. Since God is so diverse in His being we may need to worship God in different attitudes to fully worship him.
Comment by Allyssa Kaufmann — May 4, 2008 @ 5:56 pm
I think worship should and can be fun. We were created to worship Him, and when you’re doing what you were created to do, that is SO much fun. Sure there are convicting times and times of reverence, awe, and even sadness when worshipping God, but most of the time my heart reflects joy and happiness and FUN whenever I celebrate who Christ is in my life. God knows my heart, and I know He loves it when I bask in His glory while singing abundant praises that glorify His name and what He has done for me. To me, that’s a lot of fun.
Comment by Jessa Gray — May 7, 2008 @ 8:16 pm