Did you know that you're an artist? Think about it. You are gifted in some way, shape or form. You are creative, for you were created by the ultimate Creator. Maybe you have a way with words. Maybe you have a way with numbers (and God knows that all of us out there that don't have a way with numbers need you desperately). Maybe you can sing -- maybe all you can do is make some form of joyful noise. But the fact remains - you were created creative.
Early in the Reformation, the Protestants took up issue with arts in the Church. Far earlier than that, the Roman Catholic and the Eastern Orthodox churches split over a controversy regarding art. In Calvin's Geneva, churches were sparse - whitewashed walls, pews with backs that were straight up, uncomfortable enough to MAKE you listen. Many Reformed churches in Europe remain that way today, actually. They're impressive from the outside. On the inside, however, you don't remember why you brought your camera inside. There's not much to look at. Now, Calvin did NOT believe that the arts were inherently bad. He encouraged study of the arts and the sciences. But stained glass windows were too reminiscent of Catholic churches, where people received the Word by looking at it - and, in some cases, ended up worshiping the pictures. That's what they wanted to avoid - idolatry. (Calvin DID, however, ban anyone from making any images of God, saying it was in direct offense to the second commandment.) Calvin wanted to avoid worshiping created things instead of a Creator God.
That makes sense.
When we walk into the sanctuary every Sunday morning, you may be struck by the visuals. Maybe a particular background to a slideshow fit well. Maybe there is a dancer on stage and you are captured by the beauty of it. Maybe the lighting is just right, someone did an exceptional job on the banners, etc. We don't worship the visuals (or rather, we shouldn't), but we appreciate what they do to the service. A good visual aid will help the worship rather than hinder it. A good visual will help you remember the service long after it's done.
Ultimately, we worship a Triune God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We don't come to worship to "get something" from it, we come to give something TO God. We shouldn't walk in and say, "If the music isn't right this week, I'm really going to have a hard time worshiping." Chances are, something WILL go wrong. Let's face it - we live in a sin filled world where NOTHING goes perfectly. And yet, as worshipers, we always find ways to nitpick - something could ALWAYS be better. It's true. There are always going to be areas of improvement - and I guarantee you that even the "best" churches out there will find ways to improve. If you go into a worship service hoping that it serves you, you will be left dry and empty by the end. If you go into a worship service expecting God to move in big ways, you will leave with a sense that God moved. If you go into a worship service and truly offer to God everything that you have within you, you will NOT leave empty handed.
Worship is not about US. We are called to worship - true. But even if we don't worship, the rest of creation will. The Psalmist talks about the heavens declaring the glory of God, day and night they pour forth speech. Christ said that if we do not praise, the stones will cry out. The STONES. God does not NEED our praise. It wasn't as if God was not fully God when humans weren't there to praise him. God, in the best God-way possible, in and of himself is self-glorifying. He's GOD. And what are we? Who do we think we are that if we stop praising God, He'll get His feelings hurt? Who do we think God is that if we stop praising God, He'll get His feelings hurt? Going into a worship service, wondering what we're going to get from it is just one way that we elevate ourselves to the place of God.
Worship is not FOR us. Worship is FOR God. Worship is a response to the grace of God. On our own, we can't worship God. It is impossible for us to choose to worship God. It is the work of the Spirit within us, pulling us to the call of the Father, covered by the blood of Jesus. It is then and ONLY then that we can worship God. Worship is not to "make me happy." You'll never be happy if you choose to make worship for yourself. Why? Because we cannot fill ourselves. We are lost without God. We like to think we're autonomous, but we're not. Every breath is ordained. Every heartbeat is a work of God. Every morning is the grace of God, once again waking us up to do His will.
Still, we end up worshiping the created things instead of the creator. We worship the music, thinking that our preferences should determine what the church service is like. Rory Noland, in his book The Heart of the Artist puts it this way:
I spent a great deal of time earlier in this book touting the virtues of using your talents in your local church. What if that turns out to be a very disappointing experience also? What should you do if you experience rejection in the church? .... I know that the church doesn't exist solely for the sake of the arts. It has a higher calling, and it is not a performing arts organization. But as a music director at a church, I still agonize over situations like the ones I just described. I've come to realize that every church has a narrow scope of musical style compared with the full range of styles available to us today. In other words, every church can't possibly accommodate all the different styles of music and art that exist. P.217 (Emphasis mine).You may feel this way, even if you're not the music director. You may think that there's too much of one genre of music and not enough of the others. Practically speaking, this is true. But if we were to do every genre of music that every church member wanted, the arts would then be serving the congregation instead of God. The arts exist to serve God, to glorify Him.
We will ALWAYS have preferences. But our preferences should not hinder us from truly worshiping. Now, if you're going to a heavy metal church and you like classical music and string quartets, you can't understand the words that are being screamed over the distorted guitars and the booming bass lines, I might suggest finding another church. But if you think that there are too many hymns, or not enough hymns, etc., to the point where you end up standing with your arms folded every Sunday morning, scowl lines practically painted on your face, might I suggest examining yourself and your own motives for worship? Dig deeper than, "We've always sung hymns." If you want to go that way, then let's go back to using the Mass in worship - for that was around FAR longer than "A Mighty Fortress." Or we could all sing in unison a capella straight from the Genevan Psalter. Do you understand where this is coming from? If we always do what we've "always done," there is no room for change or contextualization. There's no room for creativity. The pastor should only then preach a certain way.
When it comes to art in worship, yes, things could ALWAYS be better. However, we must remember that we have the Holy Spirit on our side, sanctifying our worship through the blood of Christ to bring it to the Father. And THAT is ultimately who our worship should be directed toward. Don't worship the created things - music, visual arts, dances, dramas - but worship the Creator.
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