Can we worship God any way we want?
 

Or to rephrase; Do we or does God decide what kind of worship is acceptable.

Short yes/no answer OK but I would love it if you would take the time to give your thoughts.

First a little background... I have been searching out a new church. I have read internet sites by the scores and I hear phrases like 'contemporary worship', 'lively worship', 'traditional worship'... but it goes even further. Now I find churches that get together for tailgate parties or even to watch the game in place of a service. Women's ministries that resemble psychological counseling more than anything God centered and 12 step AA type recovery meetings not just in church but AS church.

Over the years I have heard things preached about worship. Often centered on what God will not accept and usually leaning to the particular tastes of the pastor. In example tne preacher may believe that any tune set to a southern gospel style is OK while any tune set to a rock beat is not and is of the devil and not acceptable to God as worship. But it goes beyond just music...

So my basic question remains, do you believe that God cares what we do that we call worship or do you believe that anything done unto the Lord is just alright with Him and how do you express that?

Re: Can we worship God any way we want?
 

What stirs the Holy Ghost inside of you ?

Do it.

Re: Can we worship God any way we want?
 

Re: Can we worship God any way we want?
 

Timmy, you so bad! LOL!

Re: Can we worship God any way we want?
 

I don't know, these were just some scriptures that came to mind on the subject.

1 Chronicles 16:29
29Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

John 4:23-24
23But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
24God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Acts 24
14But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:
15And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.
16And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void to offence toward God, and toward men.


Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness, in spirit and in truth, according to his word, and with a pure heart.

Re: Can we worship God any way we want?
 

I believe that we are surely to be circumcised in this regard, as well, and while there will surely be some mis-steps here, what I like about what your post reflects is how these people are apparently at least attempting to bring the church more into their everyday life. Is it worship? Many might say no, but how do you define worship? Why do you define it that way? Are questions a person should reflect on here.
I also see the other side of this coin; you expect God to sanctify watching a competitive human endeavor? etc., which is why I say "some mis-steps," and expect that practitioners of this who truly seek God will circumscribe it, while those who don't, won't?

Re: Can we worship God any way we want?
 

The CoC thinks any musical instruments should not be played in worship would be another example.

David danced before the Lord with all his might girded in a lined ephod. A trumpet was played. Apparently, this was never done before because his wife Michal was mortified and despised her husband when she saw him dance before the Lord. In fact, King David did things that no other person could do, because God said David was a man after His own heart.

JMHO, but it was man who made worship rules.

My husband told me that in our region, people had devotionals at home, read their bibles and once in a while someone would come by with a wagon and people would hop on and he would take them to church "meetings" in a tent or a lean to. There wasn't all this membership stuff, Mission and Vision of organizational corporation church, articles of faith. People just believed God and lived their life according to biblical principles.

Once in a while a preacher would come by the house and get down on his knees and pray for the family in the home. People gave the preacher chickens, vegetables, eggs...whatever they had that they could share of their substance.

A simple life, believing in God and living for Him the best way they knew how.

Re: Can we worship God any way we want?
 

Does anybody think that these people did not make it to heaven because they did not attend a service every time the church opened it's doors?

Re: Can we worship God any way we want?
 

Here are some ways to worship...

I can sort of identify with both of these, though I prefer something in the middle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S30c...&feature=share

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qo0V57INpA

Re: Can we worship God any way we want?
 

"Hey Marge. Remember when we used to make out to this hymn?"

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Head to an UC church and nearly all of them believe you need to be at EVERY SINGLE service.

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Ha, my personal feeling is you should never leave church, it should come with you, but this is not what I am detecting in your post--are you serious, that many in a church believe your characterization here--or are you being even a little facetious? ty

Re: Can we worship God any way we want?
 

I do think some forms of worship are wholly unacceptable - in spite of good intentions.

For example, check this out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J79Th...eature=related

Re: Can we worship God any way we want?
 

I often AM a bit sarcastic here but in this case the idea of always being at church every time the doors are open is only 3rd to uncut hair and dresses on women. When we were in the UPC we went to four normal services a week (three standard and a youth -but since we are ALL "young at heart", nearly everyone was expected to be there) and of course whatever scheduled revival services. All of them. It was like the Greek character who spent all day rolling a large boulder up a hill only to have it go rolling down at night.

Re: Can we worship God any way we want?
 

Unacceptable to God, or to you?

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It is unacceptable worship and based on a false reading of isolated scripture. That does not mean these people are unacceptable to God - I wouldn't know that.

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That is the question...

Re: Can we worship God any way we want?
 

Fair enough. But what you call "false reading", I'd call "different from your reading." Their reading is more literal than yours. Your reading of some scriptures is certainly more literal than some other believers' readings. Of course, they would probably call your reading "false", too. ;)

They have results, too. They don't die! Not always, at least. Sometimes, there's a bite, and sometimes it's a fatal bite. Likewise for drinking poison. But isn't that how Christian life is, for every believer? You pray for healing and sometimes it happens. Sometimes it doesn't. Some believers have peace, some don't. People believe they are saved, and sometimes they are. Sometimes they're not. Why should the snake handling be any different?

Re: Can we worship God any way we want?
 

http://www.ch310.com/wp-content/uplo...458740_BG1.gif

You are correct. The Bible isn't clear enough to know whether anyone or any thing is acceptable to God or not. Interpretations galore!

Re: Can we worship God any way we want?
 

Timmy,

It's not really about how "literal" the reading is. We can see what the Apostles preached, and how they carried out the teachings of Jesus. Never did they seek out venomous snakes or jars of poison.

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That's why JMHO is that man is who made the rules....always trying to be top dog over another. Jesus said this is not to be among the believers.

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Never did they have pianos in church, either. :winkgrin

Of course it is about how literal the reading is! They see "They shall take up serpents" and they take up serpents! Why wouldn't they, if they read it as literally as they can? You don't do that, because you don't read it that literally. Some think it means encountering unbelievers and their arguments (ahem ;)) and not letting it hurt their faith.

What do you think it means?

Re: Can we worship God any way we want?
 

Context matters, no matter how literal a reading is taken.

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And Hoovie punts! :toofunny

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:thumbsup

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OK, I personally can see what you are saying... but here is another example... we live next door to a 'cowboy church'. For those of you not familiar these are ministries directed toward those in the rodeo lifestyle. These people participate in VERY dangerous activities including bull riding where life and limb is at stake in a very real way and they believe that they do this for the glory of God and that He will protect them. Of course many of them still get seriously hurt... Or those who believe that God sanctions them playing football (like the praying player that was being discussed here) and helps them win. And those things are not even mentioned in the bible (as are taking up serpents and drinking poison).

So if someone is offering up these activities to the glory of God are they acceptable to Him? And if not then is there (as you pointed out) a spectrum of what is acceptable? I mean I see your comfort zone is L to P (Lutheran to Potter's House) but what about the rest of A-Z?

Re: Can we worship God any way we want?
 

I think there is a distinct difference between offering snake handling worship and a cowboy asking for protection. Chimney sweeping is my occupation and I do that to the glory of God and ask for his protection ...

Personally I see no virtue in gathering together to watch football, handle snakes, or play bingo.... May not be wrong but they are not "worship". Snake handlers should save up a few bucks, buy some teeth, and get a gig at the circus.

Re: Can we worship God any way we want?
 

Ha, never heard that, nice interpretation...and a possibly timely bump?

Re: Can we worship God any way we want?
 

I personally could clean for God, but not compete for money, and the Bible seems clear to me here. Wouldn't participate in a tailgate/church thing, or talk bad about it--but can I poke fun at it? : )

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Not that anyone disagrees, but at this point I think it's beneficial to remind ourselves that, ultimately, we don't believe in a service so much as being a service to those that need Jesus. Sometimes God can and does use unconventional means to save the lost.

Re: Can we worship God any way we want?
 

Good point.

If worship lifts up the Lord Jesus only, and HIM ONLY then it is true worship... anything else is not pleasing to God. Not only that, but the Bible speaks of worshiping the created and not the Creator. That could go for anything man-made, or part of nature.

Romans 1:25 "Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped, and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever, Amen."

Anything created .... that is worshipped .... is idolatory in God's eyes.

Anything created means... animals, people, buildings, sports, money... (the list goes on) but anything created.... and worshipping any of these things is idolatry...

So again, if you want true worship, however, wherever you can worship, whether in a building, in your home, outside .... wherever, if it is truly worshipping the King of Kings - that is worship that is pleasing to God!

Re: Can we worship God any way we want?
 

ROFL!

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I like THIS ONE :)

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I do believe that there are right and wrong ways to worship God. Remember what happened to the sons of Aaron when they made an offering that God had not ordained. Remember what happened when David attempted to bring the Ark of God to Jerusalem in a method that was not permitted by the Law. Remember also all of the people who claimed to worship God by worshipping idols. All of these ended in one way. They always ended with the judgment of God being poured out.

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David is my favorite Biblical person to study, after Jesus of course. There are a lot of lessons in what pleases God by reading about David's life.

I think we should do all things to the glory of God. Jesus can be magnified at a tailgate party or among saints gathered to watch a game. Those can be good times of fellowship too.

But...

Paul sometimes explained what our gatherings should be like in I Corinthians 14 with regards to body ministry.

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I agree, but note these examples were all in the time of Law, a different dispensation? How is this different under Grace? I am led to say that the demonstration of "Life, more abundantly" should...outgrow? if you will, everything else, all those...fringe explosions of life due to it's stifling from a death-centric church...would moderate.