A
SEEMINGLY SLOW DEATH: THE INCREASING NEGLECT OF CONGREGATIONAL PARTICIPATION IN
WORSHIP
In
a consumerist society, the Christian subculture has most certainly been
affected. I confess, as a minister, that it is difficult to keep society from
affecting at least some of the practices of the church, though often, we should
strive for such a goal. One of the effects of consumerism (I think) is the
neglect of congregational participation in worship. Recently, I visited a local
church and noticed not just a few but many people entering the doors late,
texting while entering, drinking coffee, and sitting in a casual position as if
to be entertained. Those actions are not evil in and of themselves.
Nonetheless, they could be indicative of a greater issue: a hedonistic
attitude. John Piper has effectively turned the word, hedonism, into a good
thing for the glory of Christ, i.e. it is okay to be a hedonist if we seek our
pleasure through the satisfaction found only in God. That is not that to which
I am referring here.
Let
us separate the good of political and societal individuality from the negative
impacts of individuality in the church. While God has made us and loved us as
individuals, 1) we are part of a larger body, and 2) we should not seek our own
desires but first and foremost the desires of God and then the desires of
others. The self-seeking attitude to which I refer is largely responsible for a
negation of congregational participation in worship. Rather than seeking what
one can do for the church, often, people seek what the church can do for them,
which has contributed to churches craving entertainment.
Worship,
in its nature, is participatory since the corporate body is involved. Rather
than seeking entertainment and self-satisfaction (except in Christ), we should
strive to participate in the worship of God. It is not as though we have
anything of worth to give God; yet, he gladly accepts our offerings of worship
and works in us to conform us to his image. I intend to provide three
foundations for congregational participation here: a biblical foundation, a
theological foundation, and a historical foundation. My aim is that God’s
people realize the importance of participation found in the fact that the local
church offers worship to God, not just the leaders.
Biblical Foundation
Scripture
is replete with images of the local church worshiping together through
praising, encouraging, admonishing, singing, praying, etc. The idea is that God
gathers his people together to worship him. We are commanded to admonish one
another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (Col 3:16) and not to neglect
meeting together (Heb 10:25). Moreover, we are to devote ourselves to teaching
and fellowship as the early church did (Acts 2:42) and to sing joyfully to the
Lord (Psalm 95). The Psalms are often considered to be the hymnal of Israel,
God’s chosen people who were not to forsake worshiping God together. In these
images, it is apparent that the entire congregation is to participate; no one
is left from these instructions.
The
neglect of congregational participation is obvious in manifold ways, e.g. a
casual attitude among congregants who sit drinking coffee while the leaders try
to lead people in singing to the Lord, those standing with hands in their
pockets and refusing to sing, congregants arriving late while knowing what time
corporate worship in the local church begins. These attitudes are often carried
into other areas as well. Having served in multiple local churches, I
understand the frustrations with complaints the staff receives: complaints
which usually center around dissatisfaction about what the church is doing for
the one complaining. Often, the songs we sing speak solely about what God has
done for me personally. I do not intend to criticize the beauty of expressing
personal gratitude for what God has done for me. In fact, it is right to do so.
I will, however, suggest that the overemphasis of such a theme is perhaps
descended from a self-gratifying society. God is worthy to be worshiped
irrespective of whether he does anything for us at all. Worship declares who
God is and tells his story. Why then do we spend more time telling our story,
i.e. why do we overemphasize what God has done for us over who he is? “Christian
songwriters, let us write songs that glorify what Christ has done and
acknowledge that we receive it, not songs that acknowledge what Christ has done
and glorify our reception of it.”[1]
Seemingly, many
local churches possess an attitude that implies, “God, what have you done for
me lately?” This is a consumerist attitude, which is rampant in modern (and
particularly western) society and has crept into the subculture of the church.
There is a direct link then between consumerism and a lack of participation.
When we consume rather than give, participation lessens. The Psalms present a
beautiful model of worship content. Whether a psalm of thanksgiving, praise, or
even imprecation, God is glorified. The model we see in Psalms is an abundance
of content about the splendor of God and who he is and a smaller fraction of
content about what he has done for his people or the supplications and even
complaints of his people. The entire Bible centers around God as the focal
point of the gospel, not humankind, contrary to what many might suppose. It is,
however, God’s people throughout Scripture who offer him continuous praise.
Jesus makes clear that if people do not cry out in praise to him, the rocks
will (Luke 19:40). We are the adopted people of God. Paul expresses that we
eagerly wait for the redemption of our bodies (Rom 8:23) but that creation also
groans together in the pains of childbirth (Rom 8:22). Nevertheless, the
longing to worship God is not born solely from gratitude but rather from an
understanding of who he is. Consider this: when we preach the gospel as
witnesses of Christ, our primary purpose should not be the salvation of others
except that they see the glory and splendor of God and are changed by him, not
what he has done for them. How then can we, as the redeemed people of God who
have tasted and seen, be silent? Worship is participatory and rightfully so.
Theological Foundation
Furthermore,
supporting my thesis that congregational participation should not be neglected,
there exists a theological foundation, which is manifested in three ways: 1)
the representative body of Christ, 2) the spirituality of a local church, and
3) satisfaction in Christ.
First,
the church is a singular body comprised of many members (1 Cor 12). Thus,
corporate worship should not be carried out only by individuals but rather by
an entire local church, i.e. if there subsists a lack of participation, it
could be indicative of a deeper issue such as a hindrance to the
exemplification of unity, an entertainment mentality, or a consumerist culture
(perhaps even perpetuated by the local church herself).[2] If a congregation lacks
participation, there is not an accurate representation of the body of Christ
where each person plays a role.
We should
understand, nevertheless, that the obligation of participation is distributed
among two parties: leaders and congregants. Leaders should strive to cultivate
pragmatic avenues for congregational participation, i.e. if a leader does not
allow opportunities for the congregation to be involved in all facets, e.g. Scripture
readings, prayers, etc., he or she contributes to the cultural lack of
participation. Concert-like atmospheres in local churches might be an example
of such a situation. Congregants also possess a responsibility. Irrespective of
the quality of leadership or comfort of the worship space, congregants should
realize their own responsibility to participate in giving worship to God, not
to sit, listen, and be entertained. The local church is comprised of many
members; each member plays a vital role in corporate worship. Realizing this
crucial aspect should cause us to willingly participate in worship no matter
the external circumstances.
Secondly, I
suggest that there is a direct tie to a local church’s spirituality and their
participation (or lack thereof). If you would like to know a church’s spiritual
maturity, observe their worship practices. Even beyond participation, how
important is the Lord’s Supper, baptism, and the full counsel of God? These can
be indicative of a church’s spiritual maturity. Yet, a lack of participation
might signify a church that consumes rather than one that contributes. As
individuals and as churches, you either consume or contribute. God is worthy of
more than what we can contribute. Nonetheless, he accepts our offerings of worship
as pleasing to him. Let us be participating worshipers.
Lastly, a
church’s level of participation reveals their satisfaction in Christ. Those who
are satisfied in Christ seemingly have no option but to worship in a
participatory manner, for as David cries, they yearn for the living God (Ps
63:1). There is no consumerist mindset for one satisfied in Christ, for such a
person seeks pleasure by pleasing God, i.e. worship is not about how God can
bless us but how we can bless him. It would be a lie to claim that he has not
already blessed us or that he will not continue to bless us; yet, our call, in
worship, is to bless him by declaring him. Worship is not about or for
humankind but about and for triune God. If we are satisfied in Christ, his
glory and his renown are manifested in our very lives and in our worship
participation because of a natural desire to please him. The theological
foundation here is that participation in corporate worship is linked stalwartly
to spiritual depth. For that reason then, we should be people who participate
in worship rather than people who consume entertainment.
Historical Foundation
Martin
Luther espoused worship and teaching in the vernacular language. He expressed:
One may not ask the Latin language how to speak
German…one must ask mothers in the home, children on the street, the common man
at the market, and watch carefully how they speak. After that one may
translate. Then those who read will understand you and know that you are
speaking German with them.[3]
For Luther, the
issue of vernacular language, however, reached beyond understanding and into
participation. Christian worship prior to the Reformation involved little to no
congregational participation. Not only was the Mass employed in Latin, only
clergy was permitted to speak or sing. Luther and other reformers changed this
from a firm belief in the participation of the entire local church in worship.
Even the early
and Patristic church leaves little room for doubt that Christians were
fervently participatory in worship. No aspect of corporate worship was taken
for granted, e.g. the kiss of peace was a vital part of worship, as was the
weekly celebration of the Eucharist. These elements of worship were not to be
observed but rather there in which to be participated. Note that music is not
the sole form of participation. Worship leaders often fail their local churches
by only allowing participation in music rather than other elements. Seeking
creative ways to employ sacred acts aids in a corporate offering of worship to
God. History supports corporate participation in worship; we should then be
faithful worshipers and leaders in a participatory manner.
Consumerism: The Antithesis of Worship
Consumerism
is not only creeping into the life of the church; it is, in fact, alive and
well in the Christian subculture. Consumerism is, however, the opposite of what
God has designed and what he desires. God is worthy of worship in a corporate
fashion. If we consume and seek entertainment value or continuously consider
what the church has done for us lately, we fall into the dangerous trap of
human-driven worship, which is not worship at all. In our corporate worship
experiences, there is but one consumer: God himself. Surely, he works in our
midst as we worship. Yet, he is the one who receives worship; he is both the
object and subject; and he is the one to whom we give worship. For proper
worship to occur, the mentality of many local churches must shift. Where
progressive music, technology, and techniques have been employed to relate to a
culture and create and atmosphere which yields participation, the opposite
effect has occurred; congregational participation is dying a slow death. We now
must strive to change not the method but the heart. People should realize their
call and obligation to give to God, not only receive from him, for worship is
about him, not us.
[1] Social media quote by Josh Lavender.
[2] There certainly could be pragmatic issues in a local
church such as music which is too loud or a lack of quality among leaders; I
suggest, however, that there is more than likely a spiritual issue at the core
of what is happening when there is lack of participation.
[3] WA 30, II, 637.
