Letter to worshippers: Dear Worship leaders

Dear Worship leaders

I hereby write this letter to you all, to bring to light some truths about the Christian worship/singing.

For almost every fellowship of Christian there is time dedicated for worship songs. This form of worship is deeply embedded in Christianity causing Christians to do it without any investigation.

Unfortunately, the implication of this uninvestigated worship falls short of God’s intent on this matter.

With that in mind I would like to share with you why we worship, how to worship and what happens when we worship God as he wills.

Why we worship

The act of Christian worship is a response to God’s nature and character. The adoration and praises from our songs are as a result of who he is: a righteous, holy, just and magnificent God. God in his being, he has called men and creation to worship him.

“Praise the Lord. Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of his faithful people”

Through the Bible we see many forms of worship, some of them don’t cross to the new testament but singing does and I emphatically say this because Jesus himself did after the last supper (Mathew 26:29-30/Mark 14:26), the apostles themselves sung (Acts 16-25) and early believers sung as a form of worship.

Since God calls us to worship, we are to respond to this awesome call but how are we to do it, the Old Testament details this meticulously. We see men chosen for this song (1 chronicles 25:1-31), which instruments they are to use as they sing but this changes in the New Testament.

The New Testament way of worship first and foremost, is done in SPIRIT and in TRUTH just like Christ says (John 4:24), it is to be done with understanding (1 Corinthians 14-15). It’s not just bubbling and humming or singing to songs which carry no message.

We are to sing songs that act as tools to share a Theology about God.

“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.” Colossians 3:16.

Cherry-picked words of poetry, followed by great music falls short of the biblical standard of worship meant for God and our response should be shunning from it since it only blesses us but not God.

We are all to be involved in this ministry, on contrary of what is accepted out there, the New Testament doesn’t designate anyone as a Worshipper but does it for all of us, it’s a shared responsibility.

Although we have you as the leaders, you are not worshippers alone, let me repeat this, you are not worshipers alone, you are to lead us as we worship together.

When we do worship according to the standard God himself has set not for our muse or enjoyment, we teach those who hear our songs about the Christian gospel, we remind of ourselves the teachings and admonishments that pull us to the center of our faith (Jesus Christ) and we are encouraged by the promises he has given us.

Praise the Lord.

How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him! Psalms 147:1

Having given this perspective about worship, brothers and sisters, my prayer for you is that next time you stand before fellow worshipers, you will realise that through your leading people should get to learn who God is and his will for all men. May the grace of our Lord break you and mold you for the service you are called to.

Samuel Kwizera