The Ball and Worship
Laura and I went to our first official Mardis Gras ball this past weekend, and had a great time dancing the night away with some friends and family. Before the dancing started, there was a "show" where some of the members dressed up in costumes (think normal theatre costumes plus glitter) and performed to a soundtrack of music and a little pre-recorded talking. You could tell most of the people in the show were having a good time, but it all seemed a bit awkard.
That is something I'm always afraid of in worship. Are we just putting glitter on to cover up the drabness of our lives so that people will think it is interesting? Put another way, I am always striving to make sure that our youth worship is real and authentic. I think that sometimes we want to skip being real because it is difficult in favor of doing something that is merely fun and doesn't challenge us. That is the opposite of what Jesus did, and starts to make worship feel more like the Mardis Gras show than a deep encounter with the creator of the universe.
I think God desires an openness in worship that is both revealing and rewarding as we allow him to search the deepest parts of who we are. It's not easy, but it is where we need to be and I hope where we are going.
On a lighter note, Winter retreat was incredible as was the parent service the week after, we are so blessed to be at a church with such great students and volunteers.
On an EVEN lighter note, the funniest thing I saw at the ball was a 75 year old man dancing with his 70 year old wife to "Get Low"... yeah...
That is something I'm always afraid of in worship. Are we just putting glitter on to cover up the drabness of our lives so that people will think it is interesting? Put another way, I am always striving to make sure that our youth worship is real and authentic. I think that sometimes we want to skip being real because it is difficult in favor of doing something that is merely fun and doesn't challenge us. That is the opposite of what Jesus did, and starts to make worship feel more like the Mardis Gras show than a deep encounter with the creator of the universe.
I think God desires an openness in worship that is both revealing and rewarding as we allow him to search the deepest parts of who we are. It's not easy, but it is where we need to be and I hope where we are going.
On a lighter note, Winter retreat was incredible as was the parent service the week after, we are so blessed to be at a church with such great students and volunteers.
On an EVEN lighter note, the funniest thing I saw at the ball was a 75 year old man dancing with his 70 year old wife to "Get Low"... yeah...