Does the Volume and Style of Music Matter in Worship?
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I was listening to a pastor on the radio recently, and he made a comment about worship. His refrain was that worship in many churches today has become like a rock concert, with the lights and loud music. He said people are responding more to the beat of the music and were not engaging in true worship. His belief was you can’t worship in that environment.
In both instances, the worshippers were crying out in a loud voice. Clearly, volume was not a concern. If the worship is loud in heaven, then it is okay for it to be loud on earth. However, this volume should be from the voices of the people, not from cranking up the music in the sound system. If those worshipping get loud as they lift their voices to God, that is perfectly okay and we should embrace it. After all, it reflects the worship in heaven.
Let’s face it, we all have our own ideas of what we like in a worship service. We should recognize these are preferences, not dogmatic positions. We must be careful not to label something we are not used to as being sinful or not being conducive to worship. Just because it may not be what you like does not mean it is wrong. It may not work for you, but that is not what determines if it is appropriate.
In any worship service, you can have a diversity of ages and you may also have a diversity of cultures. That’s why in a church service, the music should appeal to everyone in the congregation.
I would also add, if you have never experienced worship with people from other cultures, then you are missing out. By doing so, you can appreciate the different expressions of worship and you will also realize no one has a monopoly on the way worship is supposed to be done. People from other cultures may worship in a manner that does not fit with what you are accustomed to. They may dance, sing, shout, clap, lift hands, and have many expressions of worship. It’s possible this may not appeal to you and fit your picture of worship. However, let’s not make the mistake of judging what is different as being wrong.
When we think of worship in the Bible, we don’t have guidelines on the style of music that we are supposed to play. That’s why if your complaint about the music is the style, you must recognize that is a matter of preference. As much as possible, we should avoid putting worship or worship music in a box. When you do, that is a box that you have built based on your ideas of what worship is supposed to be. That might work for you, but not for everyone else.
Yes, it is okay to like what you like and even to have a style of music you prefer. Just be certain to focus on substance over style because it is the truth of the music that will minister to your heart. As I have experienced in my life, worship can happen with many different styles of music. Let’s not assume the music we prefer is the only kind that will inspire worship.
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