Author: Gary Witcher
Company: none

Entertainment in Worship

     One week we received the following letter:
     "I clipped this short article from Ann Landers (Public Opinion Sept 5, 1987) dealing with religion.  I believe the concern the writer expresses is becoming the concern of many today.  I thought perhaps you might like to air your answer to this."
     The letter is signed, "a frequent listener."
     The article reads this way: "Something has happened to Protestant worship services that disturbs me.  Those conducting the services seem to have the attitude that those present are there for entertainment, and if they don't have a good time they won't come back.
     "Announcements about social events, greetings, anniversaries, birthdays and engagements are sandwiched in between prayers.  Applause, special music, standing and facing one another, giving signs of peace, shaking hands and kissing are a part of the service.
     "I would like to see churches get back to religion, meditation and prayer.  Entertainment and social life are out of place in the Lord's house."
     The columnist replies that she has no views on the subject, but that she welcomes discussion.
     It is obvious that the writer touches on not one, but several topics worthy of our consideration.
     One thing that should be pointed out at the beginning involves the writer's statement about these things being out of place in the "Lord's house."  Actually, there is nothing holy about a building.
     "Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" Paul asks in 1 Corinthians 3:16.
     "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own," Paul repeats in verse 19 of chapter six of the same book.
     "Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols?" the apostle asks in 2 Corinthians 6:16.  "For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, 'I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.'"
     "So then you are no longer strangers and aliens," Paul writes to the church in Ephesus in chapter 2 verses 19-22, "but you are fellow-citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together is growing into a holy temple to the Lord; in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit."
     The building is not the house of God.  Christians make up the house of God.     But, while the building is not holy, the meeting of the Christians IS holy.  So whether or not the activities mentioned by the writer are inappropriate depends on whether or not they have a place in the meeting, and not whether or not they occur in a certain building.
     This discussion ties in well with the one we had last week, since we examined the fact that God has prescribed a way to be seen and a way to be worshiped, a place to be seen and a place to be worshiped, and a person or persons through whom He can be seen and be worshiped.  In short, God has established guidelines for acceptable worship.
     A perfect example of a group which did not follow God's pattern is found in the church of Corinth.  Notice in 1 Corinthians chapter 11 that these people had turned the worship service into a social event by dividing into various factions and eating and drinking together.  When this happened, the rich had plenty to eat and the poor had little or none, but no one was willing to share.
     The main problem was their divisive spirit, but this spirit was manifested in their actions.
     "Therefore when you meet together, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper," Paul criticizes in verses 20-22, "for in your eating each one takes his own supper first; and one is hungry and another is drunk.
     "What! Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink?  Or do you despise the church of God, and shame those who have nothing?  What shall I say to you?  Shall I praise you?  In this I will not praise you."
     Further abuses of the church in Corinth are dealt with in chapter 14.  Like some groups today, they did not understand the purpose of speaking in tongues.  As a result, they had turned their service into mass confusion.
     "God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints," Paul reminds them in verse 33.
     "But let all things be done properly and in an orderly manner," he instructs them in verse 40.
     God wants order in the worship service.  Fellowship is an important part of any Christian gathering, including a worship service.  But that does not mean that we have license to conduct ourselves in any way we want.

     What is the cause behind the modern trend that we are discussing?  The writer explains it very well by observing, "Those conducting the services seem to have the attitude that those present are there for entertainment, and if they don't have a good time they won't come back."
     In fact, all too many people determine their religious affiliation based on the social atmosphere of the congregation.  Some groups provide activities for young people.  Some schedule many functions for married couples.  Others arrange gatherings for special groups such as young singles or divorced people.  There is certainly nothing wrong with meeting the needs of all people.  The problem comes when social activities become the deciding factor.
     What, then, would be the correct way to evaluate a religious group?  As all of you who have listened to this program are aware, we are convinced that there is such as thing as "truth."  To find this truth we must examine the pages of God's word.  To practice the truth we must do what is commanded in God's word.
     If we find a group that practices the truth and provides fellowship opportunities for many groups of people, that's great.  If we find a group that practices the truth but does not have organized activities for special groups, we have still found the truth.  But if a group does not follow the truth, they can plan all the social events they want to; as far as God is concerned they are just another social organization.
     We would not pretend to set ourselves up as judges.  Each individual is responsible to arrive at his or her own conclusion, just as he or she is responsible for the consequence of that conclusion.  But the Bible IS quite capable of judging individuals as we read in John 12:48.  And the word of God is equally able to judge the faithfulness of groups, as we learn in Revelation chapters two and three.  Our task, then, is simply to recognize the judgment of the Bible.
     What has led religious bodies away from religion, meditation and prayer to entertainment and social functions?  As we have already seen, it is largely due to an eagerness to compromise in order to make people happy and keep members.  But there are other things involved.
     As we have mentioned before, the early church did not use musical instruments in their worship services.  It has taken most of these 1900 years to introduce instruments into various groups.  And the founders of many protestant movements were opposed to the use of instrumental music in the worship service.  God's instructions are as clear today as they were in the first centuries.
     "Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord," Paul admonishes in Ephesians 5:19.
     "Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you;" Paul says in Colossians 3:16, "with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God."
     Along with the addition of instruments, the musical part of the worship became a spectator event.  And that important aspect of worship evolved into a source of entertainment.
     Why did God specify singing?  Why does He expect order in the worship service?  We could never second-guess His motives.  But it is not hard to see the results of not following His pattern.
     Rejecting the truth in favor of entertainment makes us slaves of our emotions.
     Knowing the truth makes us free.

Unless otherwise noted, "Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE(R), (C) Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977. Used by permission."