This was written a few weeks ago during church. I've hesitated to post it here but a conversation around the dinner table last night made me me decide to go ahead and put it up. I'll expand on what was said after I've transcribed what I wrote in church. Remember that the next paragraph was written in the "heat of the moment" when you read it.
I am sitting in church and am struck by how very much it resembles a theatre. The glaring blue lights, the dramatic white against black, the white fabric draped to resemble shafts of light, very similar to the rotating lights of movie premieres. High contrast black and white, not a single window in the room; and I am struck by the contrast between my church (which I do love) and the churches of my childhood. Classic, small buildings with a center aisle and wooden pews, stained glass windows down both sides and a beautiful baptismal at the front. One of those churches was, and is, particularly special to me. It was built by my Grandfather and when I step into it (and it's been a VERY long time since I did so) it feels sweet and familiar. I think I value natural lighting. I think what is bothering me right now is the theatrical artificiality I see in the atmosphere of my own church. It is at a sharp contrast with the truth of the words Rob is speaking. When I sing during worship I am often distracted by the "lights, camera, action!" atmosphere of my church. When did our focus become theatrics????
Yesterday at church I felt the same way, but interspersed with that feeling were moments when the "theatrics" truly did enhance worship instead of contrast with it. We were singing Amazing Grace (the original!) and when we got to the verse that says "when we've been there, ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun" I realized that the lights in the sanctuary had increased gradually and were now much brighter. It was a subtle bit of theatrics that actually enhanced the worship. For the most part the theatrics aren't that subtle, they're usually just distracting. And I find them distracting from both sides of the "stage". When I am on the worship team singing the bright lights in my eyes make it impossible to look out and focus on the faces of the congregation, they make it hard to make eye contact and connect to the people I am (hopefully) leading in worship. When I'm out in the congregation I find the stage lights distracting and have to say that I sometimes hide in the relative darkness of the "audience" so my lack of involvement isn't as readily apparent.
Last night while talking about our worship service the word 'show' was thrown very casually into the conversation. We were talking about things like smoke machines, haze and lighting and shows where those things were used well and added to the experience. That word 'show' really bugged me. Our worship is not a 'show'. It's not supposed to be a show and it's purpose is not to entertain. Worship within your own church is a corporate experience aimed at God, not at a stage and an audience. I struggle with being too critical and I hesitated several weeks before writing this but I have to say I'm having a real problem finding the balance between worship and theatrics.
