Come to the Dance

Come to the Dance

Isaiah 6:1-8

Crossing the threshold from our individual paths to a gathering is a huge step. It takes preparation, focus, and a unity of purpose. There are so many gatherings we attend in our lives. There are entertainment experiences, political rallies, community gatherings, sporting events, picnics, weddings, graduations, etc.  When we gather there are three primary roles or functions of the participants. There is the host/facilitator, the audience (usually this is us) and those on stage or the focus of the gathering. All of these parts are played by someone when we gather. In a wedding for instance, a bride most often choreographs the movement of the ceremony; she usually picks the venue, the number in the wedding party, the music, flowers and so forth and therefore assumes the role of facilitator and is also the focus of the gathering.  

Among the myriad of gatherings we attend in life, how are these roles sorted out in worship? I believe the roles I have described above are sometimes confused when we come to worship. Who is the host? Is it God, or the pastor? Is the audience the congregation? For there to be effective, meaningful worship directed toward God, the roles need to be clear.

When you attend worship which role do you assume.  A Danish theologian and philosopher, Soren Kierkegaard, identified three roles in worship that are much like a dramatic presentation. God is the audience, the congregation is on stage and the worship leaders are the directors. Be introspective for a moment and ask yourself a few questions about how you talk or think about worship. Do you have preferences in your worship style? That is, do you prefer a more reverent, structured worship time that is quiet, contemplative, and solemn or do you prefer a more celebrative atmosphere that is marked by shouts of joy, spontaneity and less structure. Are there things you don’t like in worship? Do you have favorite songs? These questions sound like survey questions for an audience, don’t they? Have you assumed the role of audience in your worship gathering? 

As in many of the gatherings of our lives, we are most often the audience. Having participated in each role, I would think the audience has the easiest role. You just show up. Not a lot of preparation is involved and you can just sit back, relax and watch. There is so much in our lives that we “watch”. We watch sports, television, concerts, weddings, graduations and so forth. We watch so much, it makes it difficult to step into different roles.  Taking the stage takes preparation, planning, and focus.

I remember a few small gatherings early in the courtship of my wife that taught me about these roles of worship. For reasons that are too lengthy to explain here, I was not a man of great means when we were dating. I recall coming up short for the fare on some of our dates.  I remember she would roll her beautiful eyes and reach for her purse to cover the tab. These occurrences brought a dramatic paradigm shift. Our roles in this small gathering got all messed up. I was no longer the host, as she became the hostess for the evening. I was thanking her for the ice cream. She had paid the price for the time together.  Soren’s neatly divided roles got all confused. I had been trying to step on to the stage to impress her and win her love, but she stole the spotlight and showed her love.  She was no longer the audience. The dance had begun.  

When we gather to worship, God wants to hear from us. He wants to watch us worship Him. At any moment He may take over and remind us He has already paid the price that makes the gathering possible. Without the sacrifice Jesus made that provided the bridge of forgiveness, our worship of God would go unobserved. We need to be careful what role we assume in worship. He wants our best, which ironically, He has made possible.

the friar

Crossing Over

Crossing Over

Exodus 15

There are several parts of worship that are foundational. The cornerstone of good worship is unity. Unified worship happens when there is common focus of the congregants. It is my contention that unity in corporate worship is a rarity in many churches. There are many reasons why, but I want to mention what seem to be the most common challenges to unity and how we can overcome them.

One of my most difficult moments as a worship leader is at the beginning of a worship time. When I step to the platform and look at the gathering, I don’t see unity.  I am no mind reader, but I have gotten to know my church. I know where they are in life. There are some folks you can read like a book.  The congregation (sometimes including myself) has come to worship with those invisible “backpacks” firmly strapped in place carrying “world” stuff into worship. There are people worried about jobs, spouses, health, finances, children, or pending divorces. Some have recently experienced life changing events that include the death of a loved one, loss of a job, financial ruin and on and on. We all carry baggage of some sort, but sometimes we need to lay it down. It’s hard to look up with a hundred pound knapsack on your back. Try it.

Further, gatherings are innately challenging to our focus. Gatherings give us opportunity to look around.  We see others and our minds drift to and fro in ever shifting thoughts. We are glad we aren’t like those and wish we were more like them. Our sizing up will sometimes include the leaders, musicians, worship content, ceiling tile and temperature.  It’s a minefield of distraction, but it doesn’t have to be.

The beginning of worship is a critical moment, because out of the chaos of our world, we are to cross over to something else; something that unifies rather than divides; something that focuses us rather than turns us all directions. It’s tough. It requires preparation by the leader and the people to reach a oneness that I believe happens very rarely in Christian worship.

Though this blog is primarily for the congregant, I want to share a quick thought for the leader. When planning and leading worship, be aware of the need for unity. The content (liturgy) of the worship time needs focus. If the congregation is going to unify and focus, the content is a huge first step. Plan a worship time that can be summarized in a brief phrase.  As an example, “God is holy” is not only a profound biblical truth, but also an appropriate focus of worship that can unify a congregation.  Try not to “meet” people where they are, rather, give them avenues to see God where He is.

The worshipper should also plan. Crossing over the threshold from world to church/worship is not an easy or automatic transition. If one remains focused on themselves and world values, he/she is undermining worship. Worship is a time to turn our attention another direction. As I mentioned in my first blog, worship preparation and the act of worship are much like an orchestra’s rehearsal and performance. Each member comes anticipating something beyond their own sheet of music.

I am reminded of the Israelites crossing the Red Sea and leaving their enemies and former taskmasters behind. Their trek across a dry sea bed (that may have taken more than a day or two) was a shared experience resulting in a unified chorus in Exodus 15. Congregations should focus on common experience to reach unity in worship. As the Israelites walked the path to salvation and viewed the destruction of their enemy (top concern of the day, I would guess) unity happened. 


Their story recounted their salvation. Unity in worship is possible when we remember who God is and what He can do. Cross over.

the friar