Unity in Diversity - Worship

Having come from a "shh...we're in church" background, being introduced to the "born again" version of Christianity in a charismatic Oneness Pentecostal church in the heart of the inner city in Youngstown was a swing to other end of the pendulum. However, because of this I was able to discern the cultural elements in this church.

There is a tendency to take the cultural elements and impose them as if they are part of the necessary truth of the faith. So if you aren't doing "X" enough or doing "Y" enough you aren't "saved" enough or "Christian" enough. It's a subtle form of enslavement. This imposition of the cultural elements is a potential in any faith tradition.

When we left there (due, in large part, to the overemphasis on the emotionalism and the cult of celebrity), we found a church with an upbeat style of worship but much more subdued (i.e. white). We thoroughly enjoy the worship even though I miss the style of worship at the church we left.

Anyhow, over the years I've realized that it's really all beautiful. The fact that grown people have found something that inspires them to praise in such a dynamic fashion in whatever form it is expressed is a powerful thing. Sometimes, however, it is easy to look at "other" religious traditions and admire their praise and their forms of worship. For some reason I found the worship within the tradition I found myself in to be strange, weird, overdone.

So at church this morning I noticed the people at the altar and their various forms of expression. At times there is a critical spirit that comes over me and I judge what they are doing. I have to stop myself and realize that it's easy to sit on my a** and be a critic. Instead of lifting my spirit up to God I am playing judge and jury on earth.

I realized this morning that I have no idea what the two men who were laid out on the floor have been going through. I have no idea what the woman jumping and bouncing has been going through. I don't know what is in their hearts. The point is I don't know. So who am I to sit back and criticize? It's a really disgusting feeling.

So with all the diversity within the Christian church, there is a unity in the diversity. It's just easier to notice the division. Embrace the diversity. We're all on the same team.

There is a series of videos circulating on the Web that are brilliantly done and highlight this quite well. For the cynic, it's obviously a slam. The video is pretty funny (and well edited).

But if you just stop for a moment and see the beauty in it the joy will become infectious. It really is pretty cool. Just different.

Enjoy:



Still haven't found any rave videos set to worship music. I think the contrast would point out that music is a form of or means toward expanding the mind toward something "higher". There are many parallels between the "trance" effect of both techno music and worship music.

So for the religious folk who think raves and techno music are somehow evil or some such thing, keep in mind that what people seek at raves are the same things people seek in church: community, relationship, connection, even spirituality.

So we come to where cultures and faith collide: check this video out (sorry if you aren't a techno fan...give it a chance anyhow, it's brief...):



This video is a snippet from a "Club Worship" in Reading PA featuring Andy Hunter, a Christian DJ though if you look at his website and such you may have to search a little to find this fact. His music appeared in The Matrix Reloaded so he has respect as a musician. Here's an interview with him.

So what do you think? Is this "true" worship music? Compromise? Sell out? Something to ponder.

I find it interesting but I'm not sure giving something a "Christian" stamp means a whole lot, kind of like Christian yoga and the Christian martial arts center down the street from my home (now for sale). Can't yoga just be yoga, martial arts just be martial arts, a DJ be a DJ and techno be techno?