Worship Together

What do you want from your people?

Colossians 2:1–3 ESV

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Are you a song leader or a worship pastor?

?

What do you want from your people in a worship experience?

I want people to see the Glory of God and consider the wonder Gospel.

Colossians 2:1–3 CSB

For I want you to know how greatly I am struggling for you, for those in Laodicea, and for all who have not seen me in person. I want their hearts to be encouraged and joined together in love, so that they may have all the riches of complete understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery—Christ. In him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

I’m not convinced that many people

Stay on Target

Colossians 2:4–7 CSB

I am saying this so that no one will deceive you with arguments that sound reasonable. For I may be absent in body, but I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see how well ordered you are and the strength of your faith in Christ. So then, just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, being rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, and overflowing with gratitude.

Don’t be thrown off course.

What are some arguments that seem reasonable that you get that stress you out as a worship leader?

Colossians 2:8 CSB

Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition, based on the elements of the world, rather than Christ.

2:8

Read 9-17 to talk about what Christ has done.

Colossians 2:18–19 CSB

Let no one condemn you by delighting in ascetic practices and the worship of angels, claiming access to a visionary realm. Such people are inflated by empty notions of their unspiritual mind. He doesn’t hold on to the head, from whom the whole body, nourished and held together by its ligaments and tendons, grows with growth from God.

Colossians 2:20–23 CSB

If you died with Christ to the elements of this world, why do you live as if you still belonged to the world? Why do you submit to regulations: “Don’t handle, don’t taste, don’t touch”? All these regulations refer to what is destined to perish by being used up; they are human commands and doctrines. Although these have a reputation for wisdom by promoting self-made religion, false humility, and severe treatment of the body, they are not of any value in curbing self-indulgence.

2:16-19

Common Objections

I’ve found that most people’s criticism doesn’t come from biblical fidelity or gospel centeredness, but rather veiled selfishness.

Paul S. Jones says concerning criticism of Hymnody:

...Under closer examination one finds that our value system, musical and otherwise, reflects society’s primary philosophy (pragmatism), object of attention (ourselves), and occupation (our own amusement). In this system, psalms and doctrinal poems set to music in the traditional form of Reformation congregational singing do not appear relevant.

Psalm 136 CSB

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His faithful love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods. His faithful love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords. His faithful love endures forever. He alone does great wonders. His faithful love endures forever. He made the heavens skillfully. His faithful love endures forever. He spread the land on the waters. His faithful love endures forever. He made the great lights: His faithful love endures forever. the sun to rule by day, His faithful love endures forever. the moon and stars to rule by night. His faithful love endures forever. He struck the firstborn of the Egyptians His faithful love endures forever. and brought Israel out from among them His faithful love endures forever. with a strong hand and outstretched arm. His faithful love endures forever. He divided the Red Sea His faithful love endures forever. and led Israel through, His faithful love endures forever. but hurled Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea. His faithful love endures forever. He led his people in the wilderness. His faithful love endures forever. He struck down great kings His faithful love endures forever. and slaughtered famous kings— His faithful love endures forever. Sihon king of the Amorites His faithful love endures forever. and Og king of Bashan— His faithful love endures forever. and gave their land as an inheritance, His faithful love endures forever. an inheritance to Israel his servant. His faithful love endures forever. He remembered us in our humiliation His faithful love endures forever. and rescued us from our foes. His faithful love endures forever. He gives food to every creature. His faithful love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of heaven! His faithful love endures forever.

People hate repetition?

I think today in our unique context, this criticism can be levied against people on both sides of the debate.

People hate new songs?

Psalm 149:1–5 CSB

Hallelujah! Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of the faithful. Let Israel celebrate its Maker; let the children of Zion rejoice in their King. Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with tambourine and lyre. For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with salvation. Let the faithful celebrate in triumphal glory; let them shout for joy on their beds.

I recently heard a preacher say, “We can stop writing new songs when we run out of things to say about God.”

People hate old songs?

Jeremiah 6:16 CSB

This is what the Lord says: Stand by the roadways and look. Ask about the ancient paths, “Which is the way to what is good?” Then take it and find rest for yourselves. But they protested, “We won’t!”

People hate old songs?

I think there is a place for God-honoring pragmatism in music planning but it has to ride the back of Gospel-wrought humility.

Imagine Heaven for a moment. Imagine being in the throne room of Christ. The Creator and ruling sustainer of the entire universe and of all of the recorded history of human kind. What are they singing? What is worship like?

We need to train our people not to come to worship looking for nostalgia, innovation, or entertainment. We need to be laser focused on showing the glory of God.

...Under closer examination one finds that our value system, musical and otherwise, reflects society’s primary philosophy (pragmatism), object of attention (ourselves), and occupation (our own amusement). In this system, psalms and doctrinal poems set to music in the traditional form of Reformation congregational singing do not appear relevant.