I’ve been so humbled by so many comments from Sunday’s worship services. People have gone out of their way to say how impacting the time was, how we should have just kept singing for a few more hours, how tears of joy were flooding their eyes as we sang to our King. Most of people commented, “that was ‘good’ worship.”
I’m not gonna lie. I thought we were about to sing the roof off that place all 3 times Sunday morning. I personally almost sang myself back into tonsillectomy rehab cause I just couldn’t hold it back. But was it really “good” worship?
Sure, I loved the song selections. The band was smoking and played the dynamics just right. The singers nailed their parts. The choir sounded like an angelic force to be reckoned with. The congregation was outsinging all the microphones on stage. It was loud. It was engaging. It was powerful.
But was it really “good” worship?
I guess the only person who knows that is Jesus himself. While our group on stage was extremely tight, I’m sure the heavenly musicians can play circles around us. While the congregation was singing louder than I’ve ever heard them, I imagine the pipes on the crew in heaven puts us to shame. While our experience truly was powerful, it is nothing compared to being face to face with Jesus literally.
I’m honored that so many of you had a good experience. I was way humbled to be a part of it. But the person I am most concerned with is Jesus Christ. Did he get anything out of it? Did he leave that time pleased? Because he knows if we left anything on the table. He is aware if we held anything back. And if we did, then it wasn’t “good” worship. It might have been good music, but it wasn’t good worship.
Please don’t misunderstand me: I’m grateful for all the encouraging comments, ministers love to get encouraging comments about how they are leading, but I want to make sure we don’t confuse our experience with Jesus’ experience. If you or I had more than a musical experience, Jesus is pleased and thinks that is good worship. If we have walked away worshiping him all week long, that is good worship. If you didn’t feel a single emotional tingle in your body during that time but worshiped your heart out in spirit and truth, that is good worship.
After all, we are all going for good worship, we just really want Jesus to be the qualifier of that and not our feelings.
“Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual services of worship.” -Romans 12:1
Travis Agnew serves as the Lead Pastor of Rocky Creek Church in Greenville, SC. His most recent book is Just (About) Married.
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