Go to the chamber orchestra event and clap robustly at the end.
Go to a rock concert and chant before the group even comes on stage. Then cheer wildly at the end to bring the group back on stage for an encore (even though they saved a big number for an encore anyway).
Look at art, paintings or photos, from an acclaimed master and comment that they were an amazing artist even before you understand the message they were attempting to communicate. If they are famous they must be great, right?
And so it is at church. It seems too easy to learn to say and do the right things...the expected things. Are we clapping and raising our hands at the right time? Are we responding with the appropriate action? Is our verbal response on point? Are we fooling ourselves by not admitting that many things we have learned to say and do have a lot more to do with the modern church community or expectations and not so much to do with Jesus words, biblical instruction, or the early new testament church? Are we understanding or just acting like we understand?
None of the things above are wrong when the response is authentic and real. I'll submit that many times when truth is revealed in worship, and I include teaching as part of worship, an appropriate response is profound silence. When we fully understand the cross and Christ's sufferings for our benefit it is hard to do anything outside of speechless awe.
We believers tend to call what we do on Sunday "Worship Service" or "Sunday Service". I'm not trying to split hairs, but it is simply "Worship". It is our time to raise & celebrate the name of Jesus Christ through prayer, praise, teaching and singing. It prepares our hearts and minds so that we can go out and live a life of service. The "Service" part comes later when we go out for that life.
I'm OK with the shouting and the amens, but I find the more powerful the message, the quieter I become. There are times after some messages I find myself working it out quietly in prayer and meditation for days. These are the deep teachings that prompt a changed life.
Singing, dancing, shouting, clapping, and cheering are all good as we work at living out the words of Christ. It is simply my prayer that we continually learn to be real and genuine in our worship and our service. And I believe that sometimes calls for silence in our worship. Speechless, awe-filled, humble silence.
