Loving God with All We Are - Alternative Worship
Mark 12:30 offers profound guidance for believers: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind and with all your strength.” This scripture encourages us to love God with every part of our being.
What does this mean? By telling us the worship with our heart, soul and strength, God is including our will, our emotions and our intellect all in the context of our physical bodies. To love God with all our strength means to allow our bodies to give expression to the thoughts, feelings and decisions that reflect the response of the whole person to God.
Historical Lens: Worship Through the Ages
Over the centuries, various Christian movements have interpreted and prioritized different elements of this worship:
- Methodists and Baptists stress volition. Their services often conclude with altar calls, urging attendees to make a decision. It's all about a deliberate choice. They call for a response of the will.
- Pentecostals and Charismatics are hot for emotional experiences and powerful feelings. Their services are full of emotion, dynamic, and very openly expressive.
- Lutherans and Presbyterians prioritize understanding, valuing the intellectual element of worship.
- Catholics underscore the physical dimension. Acts like communion, making the sign of the cross, kneeling, and various rituals embody their mode of worship.
In essence, each denomination or movement echoes a different facet of Mark 12:30. Achieving a blend of these would mean experiencing worship in its fullest biblical sense, covering the spectrum of volition, emotion, intellect, and physical response.
However, our backgrounds often dictate our perception of worship. While we may not verbalize it, biases can sometimes limit us from embracing the richness of varied worship traditions.
Moses: A Multidimensional Worshipper
Take, for instance, Moses's pivotal moment in the desert. Encountering a bush ablaze, yet unscorched, Moses was then addressed by God Himself. This experience was:
- Physical: Moses felt the desert heat, removed his sandals, and witnessed miracles firsthand.
- Intellectual: God communicated a divine plan and gave Moses a roadmap.
- Emotional: Moses grappled with fear and self-doubt, yet God's promises instilled hope.
- Volitional: Moses was presented with choices and actions.
Despite his reservations, Moses acted, leading the Israelites to freedom. His all-encompassing encounter with God empowered him to act wholeheartedly.
The Modern Worship Revolution
Today, there’s a pressing need for holistic worship. Our rapidly evolving world necessitates a reimagined approach. For many, especially the younger generation, multisensory experiences reign supreme.
Jesus Himself was a master at engaging senses. In Matthew 6, He pointed to the birds and lilies, making His teachings palpable. The Last Supper, too, was a multisensory affair, involving touch, taste, and aroma.
To truly connect in today's media-saturated world, our worship must adapt. Though reading and choral singing dominated past centuries, many today lean toward visuals, short video clips, and diverse music genres.
Alternative worship offers a bridge, integrating Biblical truths with modern mediums. This doesn't undermine traditional worship but complements it. By leveraging all our senses, we can foster deeper connections with God and deliver transformative worship experiences.
Want to see some alternative worship stations? Go here.