I recently went to the Hillsong United concert, by the way it was ah-mazing!, but as I was sitting there before the concert I was pondering why we have to pay for worship? Now I know that the money that they make goes to sharing the gospel with people in Australia but what I am talking about is the issue about paying to be "unashamed" in worship in a setting that provides a great opportunity to worship with thousands of people. But when we come to our churches on Sunday mornings, Wednesday nights, we can't even express ourselves in the same way we expressed ourselves in a worship concert. Did our image or passion for God change in a weeks time? Why do we have to go to a concert or huge worship service to worship the Father? Are our churches not a place where we can do that unashamedly (i think that is a word)?
As I was worshipping and seeing thousands of people lift up the name of Jesus, I was also sad at the same time. Many people strive for big services and think that God is pleased by our worship, I don't doubt that, but I think that God is also a personal God that loves our personal worship of Him. In fact He loves it! I think that many people can get lost in a huge service. It's easy to say that God was there but was worshipping God your primary focus?
Sorry, you may think I am a hypocrite for saying all of this or a loony but I struggled with the same issue when I was a teenager. My thinking was that I had to be at the best worship, best church, best student ministry, etc. While all along God was wanting me to worship Him in the here and now. Wherever I go, whatever I do, wherever I serve, let me be main reason why you are here Aaron!.
But the flip-side of it is this: we don't know how to truly worship because we are ashamed to do so. In our minds we have to follow a certain schematic or list of rules. Maybe that is why people feel more comfortable to do it in a huge setting? I dunno, just something to think about...would love your thoughts!
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