Atmosphere of Worship...

Last night was the final chapel of this year. I sat on a row with two other staff members and four students. During praise and worship, a few of the students on my row were talking aloud. Because I was getting distracted, and because I'm close friends with these students, I pointed this out to them. I wasn't angry at all, I just wanted to make sure they know how loud they were being. After the service, I went to one in particular, because I wanted to make sure she wasn't upset with me for saying something. She said no, she wasn't upset, but that if she had been one of those "loud worshippers," no one would have said anything. I said, "True, but you weren't worshipping. You were just talking." She said, "Well, if we're Christians, everything we do is worship, so technically I was worshipping." I said, "Do you really feel like you were contributing to an atmosphere of worship?" She said, "Is that even Biblical?" I said yes, knowing it had to be, but not really having a reference at my disposal. So, I called my pastor today and got some notes on the atmosphere of worship.

First, I asked for any Scripture references he might know. He mentioned two. In Exodus 25, God gives Moses the instructions for the tabernacle. If you've ever read this, you know that the instructions were very specific. Everything that was used in the temple was there to create an atmosphere similar to Heaven. That was the only way God's presence could dwell there (remember, this is the Old Testament, so it's before Jesus and before the Holy Spirit). When the people obeyed, the glory of God fell so intensely that the priests couldn't even stand up in His presence. In other words, when the atmosphere was created properly, they could sense the presence of God and bask in it.

He didn't have the reference for the second example he gave, but said he believes it was in 1 or 2 Kings. It was when a king asked Elijah to prophesy for him and Elijah asked for a minstrel and minstrel player. Elijah was requesting some mood music. After Elijah worshipped, the spirit of God rested on him and he was able to prophesy.

There are two distinct atmospheres of worship - there is the corporate atmosphere, and the atmosphere set by the individual worshipper. The atmosphere you set in your own life is made up of how you live out your relationship with God. If you aren't hearing from Him, or feel like He's distant, perhaps you should check out your atmosphere. Are you incorporating regular praise and worship into your life? Are you reading His word? Are you praying? The corporate worship atmosphere can only be created when a group of individual worshippers are all worshipping at once. It's not a matter of who's leading the music or what songs are sung...it's whether or not you have in the group true, honest worshippers who are seeking God in one accord. That is not to say that if there are a few people in the audience who aren't worshipping that the atmosphere will not be created. It will just hinder what might have been done under different circumstances.

Here are a few practical examples: Think about the types of music that are out there that set a certain mood...different music can make you feel excited about a football team entering the field, feel romantic, heighten the suspense in a movie, or let you know when the bride is about to walk down the aisle. Music isn't everything, but it can be a great way to "set the mood" for worship. It keeps you focused on the task at hand, keeps you focused on God.

Another question when talking about an atmosphere of worship is what effect do "distractions" have on the atmosphere. Distractions can include someone talking loudly, getting up to use the restroom, flipping through their Bible, a baby crying, etc. Think about this...how frustrating is it to be watching a movie and it gets to the part where the twist is about to be revealed, a main character is going to say the line that changes everything. Right when he says it, a distraction occurs. Someone on your row gets a phone call, or wants a refill, or has to go to the restroom. You miss the whole thing. Now, you're kind of lost for the rest of the movie. You're trying to ask your friends what was said, but they don't know either because they were distracted just like you. That's how it can be in a service. Whether it's something God Himself is saying or something the speaker is saying, you don't want to miss it. And you don't want to be responsible for someone else missing it!

You can also think about a husband who spends all day planning a romantic evening for his wife. When she comes in, there are flowers everywhere, music playing, candles lit. They spend time building up to the main event, and right when it's about to happen...the telephone rings. A mood that took hours to plan and cultivate is ruined in a moment. You never know when the person beside you is just about to hear from God. You never know what they have gone through to get to this point, or how they are feeling. Do you want to be responsible for ruining that moment for them? For robbing them of hearing from God right then?

As for the "loud worshippers" the student above mentioned, we just have to accept that different people worship in different ways. If the worship is true, it will still contribute to the atmosphere. If you are distracted by them, just move to another part of the building. No service and no church is ever going to be perfect. You'll never find a place where you can't find something to be distracted about. In fact, I believe that's one of the main tools the Devil uses to keep Christians from focusing on God. "I can't believe she's wearing that; why would they pick green carpet and blue pews; I wonder what we'll have for lunch today; oooohhh, she's sitting by him this week, are they dating?; that's the second time he's gotten up to use the bathroom, I wonder if he's sick; man, I do not like that tie the preacher is wearing," and on, and on, and on. The question is, do you want to be what the Devil uses to distract someone else?