Hungry For Worship

I could be paranoid or self-righteous or just plain crazy, but something concerns me. There seems to be some sort of revival or an awakening going on across America today. From a distance, it looks like a nation turning to God. But here's where my paranoia kicks in.

A motto on a record label for a CD I have says..."Coming of Age, Hungry for Worship". That sounds cool. You picture young people especially and a whole new generation of people with what seems to be a desire to worship God. Because of this, the Christian music industry has been booming for several years now.

"Hungry for Worship". You may picture, as I do, a large crowd in a large arena raising their hands singing praise songs. That's cool. But is it possible that many are hungry for the worship instead of the intended object of worship? I do not doubt the sincerity and faith of every person that attends a Christian concert or event, but could it be that, for many, the focus is not really Jesus Christ? Music is a powerful thing. It can alter emotions as good as any source of entertainment we have. But we are to have no other gods other than God, the Lord, Jesus Christ, our Savior.

There also seems to be a belief that to have a good 'worship service', the music needs to be extravagant. The performance needs to be magnificent. The atmosphere needs to be perfect. Have we somehow turned the focus toward ourselves, like I don't know, the Pharisees?

I am throwing no stones here. And there are several Christian artists that get it. I just wonder if in some cases, some of us have missed it. A local church has a sign that says..."Christ Centered Contemporary Worship". Be honest, what word stands out in that sentence. Christ? Or Contemporary? Nothing against the church,but what message is being sent? Does our worship need to be Christ centered or contemporary?

Colossians 1:28
28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.

HIM we proclaim!

that in everything he might be preeminent. (Colossians 1:18)

For Christ and His Preeminence

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