Interesting video. It's odd to me, however, that McLaren seems to use a great deal of "propaganda" in his own video (assembly line pictures, digital video aging to appear as though he's being filmed with an 8mm camera, the "manipulative" mother with her ice cream, etc.) to get his point across. Would this video be the same if there was none of this style?
It seems as though McLaren is passing judgement on certain worship leaders, based upon nothing he has knowledge of save for the "style" of the particular worship leader. I don't like listening to Sandy Patti, Steve Green, or the Gaither Band. They often strike me as being hypocritical. It's a "feeling" I get. Perhaps I'm right, perhaps I'm wrong. Regardless, I have no real hard biblical reason to judge them. If I believe them to be "ungenuine", it is only because their style, in my mind, has been associated with a plethora of Christian scandals, that all seem to be coming from people with the same general "feel" to them. Moving away from anyone with that style simply because of a plague of scandals is nothing more than reactionary, and it places our value on the popular gen-X buzzword of "authenticity" and not on God himself.
Worship is supposed to be exciting. It's about God! If we hold back emotions in worship because of some noble idea that we're only doing good for God when we're not enjoying ourselves, that's quite sad, and I don't think it's God-glorifying. Our worship should be filled with the most exuberant and God-glorifying songs known to mankind. Those who come in from the outside should be amazed by the joy we have for our Savior!
I do agree with him on one thing, however, and that is that we too often fall short of pursuing God's glory when we settle for the "feelings" we may get out of worship. It is as if we are in love with the idea of being in love, and not in love with God himself. Being in love with an idea will quickly fade. Being in love with God will not.
After reading the "New Kind of Christian" trilogy, and "A Generous Orthodoxy", I cannot entertain most of McLaren's thoughts as anything other than a rolling vein, a search for, and a reaction against personal feelings and personal styles, completely detached from the anchor of an immoveable, unchanging God.
Nevertheless, the general feeling he is addressing may be better addressed by simply saying "Worship is not about performance or salesmanship, but rather about God. May we be so taken with God, that our hearts are welled up with enthusiasm to overflowing."
2 comments:
I really liked this. Thanks for sharing it.
I posted it on my blog.
God bless.
Interesting video. It's odd to me, however, that McLaren seems to use a great deal of "propaganda" in his own video (assembly line pictures, digital video aging to appear as though he's being filmed with an 8mm camera, the "manipulative" mother with her ice cream, etc.) to get his point across. Would this video be the same if there was none of this style?
It seems as though McLaren is passing judgement on certain worship leaders, based upon nothing he has knowledge of save for the "style" of the particular worship leader. I don't like listening to Sandy Patti, Steve Green, or the Gaither Band. They often strike me as being hypocritical. It's a "feeling" I get. Perhaps I'm right, perhaps I'm wrong. Regardless, I have no real hard biblical reason to judge them. If I believe them to be "ungenuine", it is only because their style, in my mind, has been associated with a plethora of Christian scandals, that all seem to be coming from people with the same general "feel" to them. Moving away from anyone with that style simply because of a plague of scandals is nothing more than reactionary, and it places our value on the popular gen-X buzzword of "authenticity" and not on God himself.
Worship is supposed to be exciting. It's about God! If we hold back emotions in worship because of some noble idea that we're only doing good for God when we're not enjoying ourselves, that's quite sad, and I don't think it's God-glorifying. Our worship should be filled with the most exuberant and God-glorifying songs known to mankind. Those who come in from the outside should be amazed by the joy we have for our Savior!
I do agree with him on one thing, however, and that is that we too often fall short of pursuing God's glory when we settle for the "feelings" we may get out of worship. It is as if we are in love with the idea of being in love, and not in love with God himself. Being in love with an idea will quickly fade. Being in love with God will not.
After reading the "New Kind of Christian" trilogy, and "A Generous Orthodoxy", I cannot entertain most of McLaren's thoughts as anything other than a rolling vein, a search for, and a reaction against personal feelings and personal styles, completely detached from the anchor of an immoveable, unchanging God.
Nevertheless, the general feeling he is addressing may be better addressed by simply saying "Worship is not about performance or salesmanship, but rather about God. May we be so taken with God, that our hearts are welled up with enthusiasm to overflowing."
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