Confession of a worship snob.

I love worship.

And that’s a problem.

I should love God through worship, but at times my love stops at the music. From time to time I stray over the line of loving God, and I begin to love worship. A worship worshipper, a snob of worship that is not m`y style.

I am wired experientially, and I love all kinds of music. It is a powerful language for my soul to express itself to God. It is a potent therapy that lifts me through times of depression. God created music, and gifted it to us from the beginning. I assume that God enjoys music.

But it’s amazing how music, especially in worship, is so often a spiritual battlefield. Churches fight over styles of music, like the worship wars I remember from the 70s and 80s. Once Christians stop fighting about the style of music suitable in the church, it seems Satan’s next weapon is to focus the whole congregation on the worship experience, instead of the Object of worship. A subtle shift, but Satan is wise in his use of music – consider his original job description! He tricks us into loving the concert, instead of the Creator.

Changing churches in the last few months has thrown some different music styles at my family. We were used to worshipping through a band, with loud celebration, through modern rock, the songs of Passion, Third Day, and Hillsong United. Steve Veale shepherded our church maturely into God’s presence each week, Stephen Parris’ artistic genius helped us see God, gifted guitarists like Brad Avery and Jake Collier pointed us to God.

Now we worship through choirs, vocals, and a variety of styles. Charles Billingsley’s vocals lift our people to the heights; Adam Lancaster lays down the B3 sound with a love for God. Yesterday was a powerful experience of worship – a gospel choir sound that made me want to jump on stage!

And yet here, like in my last church, I hear Christ-followers assessing the music according to their appetites. “I don’t like the music, its not my style, I can only worship if the music is…

• Loud
• Contemplative
• Modern rock
• Southern gospel
• Keyboard driven
• Guitar driven
• In the hymnbook
• On the screen
• Written yesterday
• Written 200 years ago

I’m being reminded that I am to love God, and enjoy the music, not the other way around. Yes, I have a style, culture, personality that will shape my worship experience. But music is not to become my god.

Daniel 3 told in reverse is the lesson. When the world’s music plays Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego are not to bow down before Nebuchadnezzar’s god, right? Yes, but the church must guard itself against the opposite temptation. For me the lesson is this:

Too often the worship for the True God starts, but I don’t bow because I am waiting for the music that I like. Meanwhile, the True God stands there, towering over me in splendor, waiting for me to bend the knee.

I am learning, WHENEVER the music for the True God strikes up – WHATEVER style it may be – if it is purely pointed at Him – I must bow down.

Matt Redman has penned it best:

When the music fades
All is stripped away
And I simply come
Longing just to bring
Something that’s of worth
That will bless your heart

I’ll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You’re looking into my heart

I’m coming back to the heart of worhip
And it’s all about You
It’s all about You, Jesus
I’m sorry, Lord, for the thing I’ve made it
When it’s all about You
It’s all about You, Jesus