Does a moment like this have to be classified as one or the other?
For those of you who believe that moments like the one depicted above cannot be both worship and entertainment, how do you come to that conclusion if there is even just one person in the audience who is uplifted by it and drawn closer to God?
And if you are not drawn closer to God when a certain thing takes place in a gathered worship, is it not the very spirit of the golden rule to give yourself to it in order to encourage others – as long as it is not something specifically forbidden by God?
If a song of praise does not speak to your heart, should you stop singing it because it does not make you happy – even if it brings someone else joy and closer proximity to the heart of Christ?
If a song of praise makes you happy, should you stop singing it because it is also entertaining you?
Does God forbid joy in the praise of his people? Or desire it?
Just asking.
P.S. I must apologize for the darkness of the video as seen in some browsers. The script responsible for the transparency of the black background is the cause. Some browsers place the video image on top of it, and some beneath. My regrets. If your browser shows it too dark, view it here on YouTube.
Blog In My Own Eye 
I have to ask myself, “Am I so bold as to know the mind of God and believe that he would be angry with me for being entertained?” Why and where did we get the idea that God cannot entertain us, or that spiritual things should not be entertaining? We are entertained everyday by TV, games, almost all we do is entertainment. It reminds of the joke I heard as a kid of the woman in church who tells the kid next to her “to stop smiling, we are in church.” Makes me sad. If anything, we should be dancing in spiritual matters. Oops! I guess that would really be out of the norm?!?
i <><>love<><> that song! i remember seeing that video last week, and it was so cool.i second peg’s comment.i once heard a speaker say his canons of life. they went something like this:1. do not tell God what to do. it annoys Him.2. don’t move a large plant in a room with a ceiling fan.3. don’t play chess with someone from a former soviet country.if 2 and 3 don’t work, remember #1.
WOW! Keith, I love this! Thank you so much for posting it! <>Does God forbid joy in the praise of his people? Or desire it?<>Paul says, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”I don’t think it’s unwarranted to assume that in this passage ‘always’ includes times of worship and praise!
Probably the greatest time of worship I participated in was this past spring at a Chris Tomlin concert. I hesitate to call it a concert – it was worship.There are times when I enjoy being silent, still and reverent and times when I enjoy clapping, jumping, and singing terribly loud (the terribly is the worst part)
But it’s the voice God gave, Terri – don’t you think God hears it as beautiful?And is there some reason that there can’t be such a thing as a worship concert?
Wow. I know that comment was directed at Terri, but I really need to hear that over and over again…I am the strangest combination of someone who LOVES to sing, but am SO INCREDIBLY self-conscious about doing so in front of others. Sometimes in church it’s hard for me to just let go and worship…but I’m working on it!As for ‘worship-concerts’, I am SERIOUSLY considering getting Casting Crowns tickets for next month, they’ll be here on the 12th!
terri, i went to that concert, but the mobile edition, not the birmingham one that you and donna went to. that was an awesome concert/worship service!! chris does an outstanding job. i love his added verse to amazing grace.i always think of the Accapella song that goes:‘i’m gonna sing, sing, sing. you know i’m gonna sing, sing, sing.’i love to sing, but there are those that think my singing voice is not the best, but i think, as keith says, its for our audience of One.i really like reading this blog!and mmlace, go to the concert/service you will love it! the first time i saw casting crowns they were not the headliner, steven curtis chapman was. however, i really like casting crowns songs best. <>and<> chris tomlin was there, too!
It was perfect on my browser. Entertainment ususally just means an exciting time of shared interest (or moving, etc)….why do we not want our worship to be that?