“Worship” these days is often more pagan than Christian.

It’s no longer about reverent obedience to the Sovereign God of Scripture …

But about the pagan practice of conjuring up some false spirit or man-made diety through intense, manipulated feelings.

It does this by convincing people that the more some song, band, or hip “worship leader” can make us feel intense emotions, the more we’re experiencing God’s “presence.”

Of course, an authentic encounter with God will legitimately invoke intense emotions.

But that is far different than the current practice of invoking intense emotions …

And calling it “God.”

This has become the new idolatry, by equating manipulated feelings with God Himself.

It is an addictive distraction from who God truly is, and how He wants to dwell among us and in us as our Sovereign Lord.

It also is a distortion born of carnal men, and is nowhere found in the New Testament.

Nope, not, nada …

Just ain’t there.

Yet it has become big business, with mega churches and mega recording deals …

While supplanting the simple New Testament commands to congregationally sing God’s praises together for the sole purpose of simply encouraging one another.

Unfortunately, though, it will continue to thrive …

Because just like the pagans, people still want a God who appeals to their carnality and is easy to manipulate.

Don’t be bashful:

We need to publicly ask those who publicly tell everyone how to do or be the church (of whatever stripe) …

If they themselves are part of one – in their own lives and hometowns – like they keep promoting to others.

You may be shocked at how often they aren’t.

But hey, that shouldn’t stop them from peddling their insistent ideas, books, blogs and conferences to unsuspecting audiences.

Right?

That doesn’t mean it’s wrong to study and publicly discuss ideas …

But we should at least have the integrity to disclose when we cross the line and start telling everyone “how to” when we ourselves don’t do.

🤔

Everyone seems to want to do what the Bible says …

Except when it comes to how they do church.

YOU are the church?

Really???

So here’s the test:

Who controls the microphone and the money?

THEY actually are the “church.”

Not you.

You’re just their attentive, paying audience.

Many “churches” seek to thrill and entertain the masses by abandoning New Testament norms …

Not for the ultimate benefit of their members, but their “leaders”.

There are no “worship leaders” in the New Testament.

Nope, not, nada.

In fact, the very concept is utterly missing from “church” and “worship” as actually taught in the New Testament.

Why is that?

Could it be that our notions of “church” and “worship” are more about post-Biblical presumptions …

Than what God actually says in His written Word?

Being willing to acknowledge the many disconnects between church as we’ve come to know it and how the New Testament explicitly defines and commands it …

May get you in trouble, but often is the first step towards finding the latter in lieu of the former.

Yet it is the road less traveled.

“See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.”

• Colossians 2:8