Childish Worshipers
Character is qualities or features that make us all distinct; the outward manifestation of our inward nature, personality and moral compass. It is an attitude that indicates to others who we are and what we stand for. Character is not innate; it must be learned and practiced or it is easily forgotten.
Children could help a worshiping congregation relearn some of those character traits that seem to flow so freely and unashamedly from them. So as congregations consider various options for worship renewal, maybe some of the following childish worship characteristics should be on that list.
Wonder – Worship should cause us to be curious, be fascinated, be surprised and be captivated. Children radiate these characteristics, we seldom do. Wide-eyed spontaneous worship wonder has been replaced by controlled worship golf-claps. We are no longer wowed, amazed or awed. As adults we have transformed the mystery of God into a scheduled event that is explainable and rational.
Cooperation – Children learn early that always expecting to get your way, being a bully, not resolving conflict with kind words, not considering the needs of others and not seeing things from another’s point of view are not an option. Taking turns, playing fair and sharing are often set aside when the worship practices of a congregation begin or don’t begin to move in a new direction.
Tolerance – Children seem to have a higher capacity to accept the differences in others. They learn intolerance from us. Churches need to invert that practice. Worship intolerance is manifested musically and stylistically as well as religiously, racially and culturally. Worship tolerance does not mandate us to compromise biblically, theologically or doctrinally but often asks us to accommodate culturally, contextually and systematically.
Resilience – Resilience is that childhood elasticity allowing them to recover quickly from radical change. It is the willingness to give things a try with an attitude of flexibility. Worship resilience averts relational and theological catastrophe through a culture of pliability. Resilient worshipers don’t get bent out of shape when the worship changes or stays the same.
“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it” (Prov. 22:6).
March 11th, 2015 at 12:32 pm
David,
I agree with and like your post – AFTER I read it. Before I read it I thought it would be about church members who always want things their way or who throw tantrums etc. When I saw that word “Childish” I immediately thought of the 2a listing found below in the online Merriam Webster definition.
Definition of CHILDISH
1
: of, relating to, or befitting a child or childhood
2
a : marked by or suggestive of immaturity and lack of poise
b : lacking complexity : simple
c : deteriorated with age especially in mind : senile
I offer a suggestion – maybe “Childlike” would bring about a better association or word picture.
Childlike
adjective child·like \ˈchī(-ə)l(d)-ˌlīk\
: resembling, suggesting, or appropriate to a child or childhood; marked by innocence, trust, and ingenuousness especially : having or showing the pleasing qualities (such as innocence) that children often have
All of God’s children should strive to be childlike in our lives and our churches.
Matthew 18:3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 19:14 But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.
Ephesians 5:1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
2 Timothy 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
Keep up the good writing.
Bob