Let me first say that I believe that worship is defined and displayed in many ways. Of which not one, if done in spirit and in truth, is to be either outlawed or exclusive. Also in regards to worship there is a lifestyle of worship, prayer is worship, and work can be a form of worship. What I’m focusing us in on is cooperate worship in the assembly.

In corporate worship, the focus is on Jesus, God the Father and the leading and listening of the Holy Spirit. It is about expressing our whole being to God in thanksgiving, repentance, consecration and communion. HE IS THE FOCUS. HE GETS ALL THE WORSHIP. HE IS THE OBJECT OF OUR AFFECTION, DEVOTION…OUR WORSHIP.

In the beginning God created man in His own image and told man to worship Him. Man returned the favor and created God in his own image and worshipped the creation rather than the creator.

I enjoy music. Music with a message. Music with passion, prose and pure expression. I like to see people perform in all spectrums of their craft. I love to hear the crowd respond to the performer and their performances with all the atmospheres that technology can produce for us. I ENJOY THIS ONLY WHEN I AM IN A POSITION TO BE ENTERTAINED. When entertained, I become the consumer, the critic, and the object of the performer. This is not a worship service.

Although there are many great worship leaders, teams, and movements in our nation, I wish to comment on a segment that is quickly contaminating a generation with a false subculture of worship. How in the world did we get so off track? When worship begins to elevate man in any way, we’ve now built a golden calf. 

Just look through the world of MySpace and you’ll see “worship” everywhere. Look at the marketing, the promotion, the fan pages and compare them to the secular ones. WHAT KINGDOM ARE WE BUILDING? 

My precious colleagues and dear friends, WHAT ARE WE DOING? We are seeking the approval of man instead of following the direction of God. We have filled our conversations and pursuits with our latest recordings or writing sessions instead of the testaments of the redeemed. We have become so self-absorbed in building our own name instead of THE NAME above all names. Our concerns for fashion, trend, musical style, and progress have clouded the simplicity and wonder of seeing lives transformed in the presence of God.

Our private lives hide the struggles of every man while our tongues eloquently convince others that we are the elite of God’s leaders because of our gift. So we can make ministry work in the church without ever knowing God in a deeper way.

Over the past 15 years, I have succumbed to such a low level. If you are reading this and you’re honest with yourself, you have also fallen prey to pride, accepting its bribes and compromises. Below are some quotes that have been spoken to me over the years that echo this epidemic of pride and selfish ambition:

“I’m only going to be at this church for a year…until my record takes off.”

“What that conference needs to do is let me lead worship…I’ll show ‘em…”

“They have not experienced the depth of worship that our team brings…”

“I was impressed at my ability to hang out at that level with those popular leaders.”

“We are looking for someone with a name to lead our worship services when our worship leader is away.”

Feel like throwing up? I wonder what God thinks about all of this? As I said before, I’m not pointing the finger beyond myself for I know we all wrestle with pride. But the state of contemporary worship in America (at it’s core) is being fed by a system that ruined Contemporary Christian Music.

When it all becomes about:
1. Selling records
2. Writing great songs
3. Filling venues
4. Resourcing
5. Growing your “brand” / “name”
6. The lights
7. The video animations and stage set
8. Endorsements
9. Enlarging your sphere of influence
10. Topping the charts on CCLI or Radio
11. Winning a Dove, Grammy or Worship Leader “Praise Award”

WHAT ARE WE DOING? WHOSE INTERESTS ARE WE PROMOTING? Is it our Heavenly Father’s interests? Do we even remember what His interests are?

I long for the return of God’s glory falling not because of a name, a song, a band, or a man, but because we are hungry to hear from Him. Where man and machine refrain from putting their hands on the Ark of His presence. Where consumerism is no longer satisfied by man-made materials but longs to contribute to the praises of our King.

I believe that a reformation is coming. A worship reformation, forged by the presence of God, preparing the way for our greatest days of His glory and harvest.