Expressions Of Worship Series

Tod Williams of Times Square Church and John Oldfield tells me it takes a mature worship leader, who is sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s moving on the congregation to bring them into a time of intimacy during the song service. The worship leader simply introduces this time to the congregation during the song service and allows them to worship Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit.

It takes a complete trust of the Holy Spirit’s working and a complete surrender on the worship leader’s part in surrendering the congregation into the hands of an all loving God, Who is fully able to move His people to express themselves as He so desires. The question is, “Will the worship leaders and the congregation allow the Holy Spirit freedom to move in the body of Christ?” Fear, unbelief and a lack of spontaneity have robbed most congregations out of this special part of the song service.

God’s people have every reason to rejoice and sing and make music in their hearts unto the Lord, singing with their voice from the heart with various forms, styles and mixture of music.

Transitional Sentence: We are to speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. And we are to be expressive in our worship unto the Lord.

There seems to be little concern about worshiping God on His terms and through His instructions. Traditionalism and sensationalism has replaced worship in spirit and truth. The guide that the Holy Spirit is going to use to instruct the Body of Christ in regards to expression of worship is the Word of God. All forms of worship are to find their place within the guidelines of the written Word. According to the Word of God we can be and should be expressive in our worship to the Lord, however, not through theatrics that draw attention to one’s self.

We are never to use bodily expressions to work up the congregation. Our expressions are to be shown forth through heartfelt affections. When this is done under the moving of the Holy Spirit, God is blessed, Jesus is glorified and the church of Jesus is edified.

Did you know you can dance before the Lord? Psalms 149:3 says; “Let them praise His Name with dancing and make music to Him with tambourine and dancing, praise Him with the strings and flute.” Matthew Henry wrote: “Dance includes moving of the feet.” There is an Irish pastor at Times Square Church, he is quite reserved. They were kidding him at one service, someone actually thought they saw a foot come off the ground. Yes, in church, we can get all excited and dance. The Bible says let them praise His Name with dancing!

King David knew how to have expressive worship. In 2 Samuel chapter six we read, “Now King David was told, “The LORD has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God.” So David went down and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing. When those who were carrying the ark of the LORD had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the LORD with all his might, while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouts and the sound of trumpets. As the ark of the LORD was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And she saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD,” (2 Samuel 6:12-16)