Ashton
From p.68: “To concentrate on getting so absorbed with God that we cease to notice those around us during a church service is not perhaps as spiritual as it might seem . . . The more truly they focused on God, the more aware they would actually become of one another.”
I heartily concur. It really does seem like the ideal of personal communion with God is upheld these days, where the worshipper zeroes his/her focus on God and mentally shuts out all other participants as distractions. I am not angry with people who think like this, because it seems to make sense, but I would just put out there that it is good to be aware and even interacting with those around us when we are worshiping corporately, instead of getting “in the zone.” A good example of this is when a little excited cheer ripples through the congregation at the words “all the powers of darkness tremble at what they’ve just heard, ’cause all the powers of darkness can’t drown out a single word!” What do you all think? Am I confused about what it means for us to worship together?
Christopher, you speak to my little Presbybapterian heart. I cringe when I start to raise my hands because we are at the part of the song where we all raise our hands. But I am brought into fellowship when it comes from the Spirit and I open my eyes and see a sea of hands raised around me. Or when we sing of Christ’s victory and we get stronger and louder and victorious as one body. I hope I can find a balance in my worship to be open to all God wants me to experience.
yeah i think i see what your saying… a few weeks ago when the gospel choir sung it was my first time in along time leading worship with the choir in front of chapel. When i usually lead worship i sometimes do as you say… get in the zone” because i want to make sure that everyone is looking towards God and not towards me and i also want to keep in mind that its not about me when im leading worship its all for God….so anyways the day the gospel choir sung i really tried to interact with them in my worship and it was so cool because looking out from the stage i saw everyone just pouring out there hearts to God as i was doing myself. I felt like i was in fellowship with my brothers and sisters in christ that day. It was such an awesome thing to see! SO does it sound like i agree with you because i think my point was is that i do:)
I don’t think you are wrong at all Chris. Many times I have been “in the zone” and afterwards I realized that I was just being emotional and that I wasn’t focused on God at all. I was focused on focusing on God. Other times I have been in true worship (and I’m certain about that) and my automatic response was to turn to the person beside me, during the music, and let them know how great the song was or just laugh with them. I believe that when that happens it is an overflow of joy that has come from God.