Interactive Church

I like music, regardless of what you think after reading my blog. I'll say it again, I LIKE MUSIC, A LOT!!

So I am not against music in the church. I think there is a precedent back to the Old Testament of people making songs in worship to God. Music is something that has a place, in corporate worship. HOWEVER…

I was having a discussion one day with a good friend of mine about whether or not musician solos (like a crazy guitar riff) have a place in corporate worship. I was leaning on the side of no but he countered by quoting the Bible: "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord." I give him credit for a good argument, indeed I had no rebuttal to that. A guitar or drum solo, was indeed a joyful noise and I agree that the guitar player or drummer can indeed worship in that way.

But then I thought about it for a few days. I agree that making a joyful noise is good, but then why is it so unsettling on Sunday morning when the worship songs are filled with all kinds of craziness? I think, maybe, has nothing to do with the musician at that point, but with everyone else. Although it says "Make a joyful noise" I don't see anywhere that it says "Stand around and listen to someone else making a joyful noise"

One my issues with worship on Sunday morning these days is that it has lost its corporate-ness. Worship gatherings are not longer interactive. Sure, you can say that we can sing along, yaddah, yaddah. But does simply singing along constitute interaction? I can do that with my iPOD so why would I drive downtown to my church to sing along, when I can do that at home?

So I belong to a church that encourages times of interaction during our Sunday worship gathering. We have some discussions before or after the sermon, etc. But that always stops when it is "time to worship." People all face the band and sing along. Some close their eyes and tune everyone out (why come together to tune everyone out?). Most of the time we can't even hear each other singing.

I'd like us to figure how we can (either through music or, heaven forbid, with forms of worship that don't involve music) make worship interactive again. Move from a bunch of people watching a show to a bunch of people putting on a show, together, for God.

Mike
PS--I have to credit my pastor friend, Tim, with the idea of how silly it is to come to worship corporately, but tune everyone out.