The Image of Protestant Evangelical Worship, pt 3

...And for still others,  the picture above is the epitome of Protestant Evangelical worship.

Thoughts?

Comments

[Brian Baute]

My initial thought: Maybe Zondervan is now using crack in their gilding, and this guy needs another hit.

[charlie]

No crack needed! It's just that "new Bible" smell...kind of like your baseball glove. Or the mimeograph fluid a la Fast Times at Ridgemeont High. Something like that...

[michael lee]

What are you reacting to? That he's in prayer? That's he's meditating on the word?

Or the fact that he's 40 and wearing a tie. Not all followers of Christ are 22 year old indie-boys from the UK, and that doesn't make them any less authentic.

[Pastor Art]

Who can be offended with this. This person represents the dominant culture. His dress says conservative, conformed, and correct. A sentence like the last one screams for a BUT like a dissonant cord in a cadence expecting a tonic.

This image illustrates the deep calling of “our - selves” in the whirlwind exchange screaming throughout our culture, even engulfing the Church.

Scripture instructs us about the still quite voice, however not just on Mt. Horeb. We are very familiar with what I call the “Christian Mantra” “If my people…” the context is quite interesting. All of Israel is gathered together because a Solemn Assembly had been called. Levitical singers and musicians , “…make themselves heard with one voice to praise and to glorify Yahweh, and when they lifted up their voice accompanied by trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and when they praised Yahweh saying, ‘He indeed is good for His lovingkindness is everlasting,’ then the house, the house of Yahweh, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not stand to minister because the glory of Yahweh filled the house of God” 2nd Chron.5:13-14. Later after Solomon declares this is the way Yahweh would show Himself and he, Solomon prays a prayer of agreement with the eternal covenant transcribed by Moses - Chapter 6 this sign is repeated, fire comes down everyone is on their face, reading and meditating on this could transform us.
This type of response will be seen in eternity Rev.7:9-8:5. David the King also known for the many expressions of praise and worship recorded in Psalms gets overlooked as being a shepherd in the desert while growing.

The wilderness can be frightening. The first thing one notices once they cannot control the environment is the deep deafening silence. We in the past have taken visitors coming from urban settings out on the less inhabited places of the Rez and got out of the car and challenge them to listen to the ‘nothingness’ for the short span of 3 min. most only make it just about 30 seconds before they are overwhelmed and have to speak giggle or something.

We live in the din of confusion daily. Even in the short span of an elevator ride, or on hold there must be music.

Do we know the difference between praise and worship, between sound and awe. Do we know the fear of Yahweh -His awe. Can silence engulf us as we fall on our faces and just be enfolded within our God’s cloud and fire? This silence seeking I learned as a pagan worshiper except at that time the object of worship was some form of creation (Rom.1).

Today along with the Praise - the shouting, the drums, the guitars, (both of which I play as well as learning Native flute) the trumpets, and the dancing , I seek the silence of the wilderness/ awe deep in His presence worship. Pictures, pictures, pictures offer silence and the visual causes verbal response. The whirlwind where are the silences?

“For thus says Yahweh Adonai, the Holy One of Israel, has said, ‘In repentance and rest you shall be saved, In quietness and trust is your strength ,’ But you were not willing” Isaiah 30:15
Pastor Art

[Karl Thienes]

He's venerating the Bible the way the Orthodox venerate icons.... and ya'll think the Orthodox are idoltars?!?!

*grin*

[Maryellen]

Even businessmen types...even men, and not just hysterical women, can be moved, touched, absorbed in the presence of YHWH. Be still and know...

[Chris]

Fascinating feedback thus far, everyone.

Karl -- venerating the Bible, huh? I've heard that before.

In some respects, I guess I was thinking of how Protestant Evangelical worship has been 'bibliocentric'. Some might applaud this, while others wouldn't.

[Chris(tine)]

Maybe his nose itched?

Though he does look the most real and sincere, somehow, of all your pictures - and that is much more compelling.

The possibility that this picture might represent a 'bibliocentric' slant in Protestant Evengelical Worship only hits me secondarily, and that is then not so appealing...

I just hope he didn't have a runny nose...

[Fajita]

This guy looks sincere. At the same time, I don't think he needs to be a poster boy for evangelical worship. Even if he is a type of "Saddleback Sam," it's too reductionistic to say that he could represent more than himself.

I hope that evangelical worship does or will come to encompass many things. Homogenized worship is the result of something none too Godly.

[ron]

" O smell and see that the Lord is good " Hmmm, I think that's how it goes.

[tammy]

he looks so intense. i wish he would relax. i bet he works too hard too. :D