At the small Baptist church I grew up in, we sang from a hymnal. Songs like Blessed Assurance and Leaning on the Everlasting Arms were standard.
And only a piano accompanied.
And the guy who led the congregation would rhythmically move his arm in a circular pattern . . . as though that helped us for some reason.
At my church nowadays we sing stuff you hear on the radio. Guitars, drums, and a keyboard lead accompaniment.
And the guy who leads doesn’t do anything circular with his arms.
At one church I went to there were no instruments allowed and it was intermixed with some statement & response times.
At another a choir took over midway through and we all sat down. I never could find the choir. Turns out, they were up in a loft behind all of us.
Corporate worship has looked different for me at different churches over the years.
But let’s take it to a more personal level and look at Personal Worship.
This is not the worship you do at church on Sundays but rather on Mondays, and Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, and every day throughout the week.
Here’s the takeaway on this . . . Don’t underestimate the impact simply listening to worship music throughout your week can have on your walk with God.
How often do you hear a song on the radio & end up humming it throughout the remainder of your day? The same works with simply putting on some worship music. It gets into your mind . . . and we talked about the importance of fixing your mind on the things of God . . . and permeates your thoughts.
Engaging in personal worship, I prefer the seclusion of my car, gives you practice for engaging in corporate worship. It makes you more comfortable to talk to God about who He is to you and what He means.
Last, find something you like and can get into. Just as with churches, how there’s many different styles for people’s many church preferences, there’s many different styles for people’s many musical preferences.
Give it a chance.
Might I recommend the Gaither Vocal Band? Great harmony
Thoughts to Pray/Journal:
- How can you incorporate worship in your daily life? Throughout your day? On your commute? In your routine?
- What style would suit you best?
- What might you currently be taking into your mind which is not helping you focus your thoughts on God? How would worship music change that?
Reading: