Music and Worship Ideals

We are a people moving toward a glorious goal. Someday we will gather with people from every nation, language, tribe, and culture to endlessly worship the Lord Jesus Christ. In this awesome gathering our praises will retain their cultural and linguistic distinctives – it will not be a gathering of ‘the vanilla.’ We will be ‘perfect’ Africans, Asians, Americans…. We will hear the truly ‘Greatest Hits’ from every nation! Best of all we will understand and appreciate it all. No confusion of tongues, no ‘taste’ differences, and no ‘volume’ wars. There we will be fully redeemed and cleansed from all of our sins, prejudices, and imperfections. Jesus will receive all glory and in that we will find unbounded joy.

Every Sunday morning at BICF ZGC we have a rehearsal for that Grand Day. Our unique and exciting congregation is indeed an International Christian Fellowship. As we journey together we must keep our eyes and hearts fixed on the goal. Everything may not seem just right here, but we are merely passing through. Our best praise still comes from a body of sin. Our sincere worship occurs in a world that is fallen. Yet, the glass is more than half full. Jesus is among us, working in and through each worshiper, enthroned in our praises.

This paper is an attempt to define what is in some ways almost indefinable. We seek to find a common ground of understanding about worship as we gather at ZGC. Opinions are like noses, everyone has one! And most people have quite strong opinions about what is ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ about worship. We set forth these ideas as flexible goals to keep in mind as you prepare to lead worship. Let us all remember that it is not primarily about us. Jesus is Lord. And He has come to redeem and gather us all to praise Him and bless all His people. Meanwhile, our best worship is a ‘work in progress.’

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