by
Ipadeola Isaac Ajibola, Ph.D.Candidate in
Christian Ethics, NBTS Ogbomoso.
+2348032640509. +2349161383707
isaacajibola2275@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
This Paper examines Christian ethics’ response to the Lack of concentration in Christian Worship today and its causes and effects, and it also suggests an ethical response to curbing them. This Paper argues that Christian Worship may not be meaningful and impactful without addressing the Lack of concentration. However, in the contemporary world, several factors are responsible for the Lack of concentration, which affects effective and acceptable Christian Worship. Such factors include fashion, technological gadgets, noise pollution, and inadequate preparation for Worship leaders. The method adopted for this research paper is descriptive because it describes the ethical response to the Lack of concentration in Christian Worship today. Hence, the Paper will elicit information from both primary and secondary sources. The primary sources include Participants’ Observation and Interview Guides administered to Christian leaders and worshipers, while the secondary sources include books, journals, articles, and other vital literature. It has been revealed that Christian Worship may not be impactful or meaningful until the Lack of concentration is seen as an ethical problem and eradicated. The researcher concludes that Worship is significant to Christians and their spiritual growth. This Paper then recommends that Christian Worship be an avenue of fellowshipping together as brethren and relating with the Triune God. Worship requires the utmost reverence and concentration of worshipers to be meaningful and impactful.
Keywords: Concentration, Christian Worship, Christian Ethics
INTRODUCTION
Worship is significant to Christians and their spiritual growth, and it is an avenue of fellowshipping together as brethren and relating with the Triune God. Worship requires the utmost reverence and concentration of worshipers to be meaningful and impactful. However, in the contemporary world, several factors inhibit the possibility of ensuring concentration that can facilitate effective and acceptable Worship. Such factors include fashion, technological gadgets, noise pollution, worshippers engaging in side talk, and the unpreparedness of worship leaders. This Paper examines the causes and effects and suggests possible ethical responses to ensure a good concentration in Worship. This Paper argues that Christian Worship may not be meaningful and impactful without concentration.
The researcher used descriptive research methods to address the issue and elicited information from both primary and secondary sources. Indeed, suppose the Pastor, as the head of worship leaders, could prepare his sermon dramatically and carry people along in worship service by sharing the responsibilities. Lack of concentration in Worship will be minimised, and thorough teachings on correct behaviour in Worship will encourage the worshipers not to use electronics or handsets during service. If at all, they bring the phone to the Church, they should put it in silence. The discipline of any member who violates the ethical rules of moral behavior in the Church should be employed. The weak members and those with family issues should be encouraged and prayed for. Indecent dressing should not be allowed in the Church and should be checked through constant teaching and preaching. If all the above measures are implemented, Lack of concentration will be minimized, and the worship service will be meaningful and impactful.
OVERVIEW OF CHRISTIAN WORSHIP
Worship is noteworthy to Christians and their spiritual development, and it is an opportunity to fellowship together as brethren and connect with the Triune God. According to Franklin M. Segler, “Worship is an end in itself. It is not mean to something else.”[1] Segler further cited Karl Barth’s definition of Worship: “Church’s worship is the Opus Dei, the effort of God, which is conveyed out for its own sake.”[2] Once we try to worship for the sake of sure profits that may be received, the acts cease to be Worship, for then it attempts to use God as a means to something else. “The most crucial commotion any Christian does in this world is to worship the one, trustworthy, and loving Heavenly Father as He is revealed in Christ Jesus through the Power of the Holy Spirit. The Trinitarian God is the Christian’s only Object of Worship.”[3] Thus, Christians are saddled with the responsibility of worshiping God. Worship has many benefits, although God is to be worshipped purely. To worship is to speed up the morality by the holiness of God, to feed the mind with the Truth of God, to clear out the thoughts by the Splendor of God, to expose the heart to the love of God, and to devote the will to the Purpose of God.[4]
Callahan opines, “Worshiping is as natural to us as breathing.”[5] Human beings are drawn to Worship as naturally as we are drawn to our next breath. Just as breathing is central to living, worshiping is paramount to living; hence, there is a need to avoid anything that will distract one’s mind in Worship. He further opines that when one Worships, human lives are better, but when Worship is neglected, human lives are diminished, weakened, and impoverished. Lack of concentration in Worship can make people neglect worship service, which will invariably affect their Spiritual and Physical lives.
A.W Tozer stated, “Christian Churches have come to the dangerous time predicted long ago, and it is a time when people can pat one another on the back, applaud ourselves, and join in the glad renounce, “we are rich, and increased with goods and require nothing!”[6] Nothing is missing in Christian Worship these days except the most important thing. Christians are missing genuine and sacred offerings of themselves, the Worship of God, and the Father of their Lord Jesus Christ. He cited the warning message of Angel in the book of Revelation to the Church in Laodicea as it is written in Rev 3:17-19.
From the evangelical point of view, the author opines that Christians are surging forward, building great churches and large congregations, boasting about high standards, and talking much about revival. Still, the question is, “What has happened to their Worship? The reply of many is that they are rich and require nothing. Doesn’t that say something about God’s blessing? They do quote Jean-Paul Sartre, who describes his turning to Philosophy and hopelessness as a turning away from the secularist church as said by Tozer, “I did not recognize in the fashionable God who was taught me, Him who was waiting for my soul; I needed a creator; I was given a big businessman!”[7] None of the people are as concerned as they should be about the image they project to the community around them. Thus, Lack of concentration will not only affect the worship leaders and the worshipers but also harm the society in which they live. This is because, as human beings worship God, one would expect to encounter God in Worship, but alas, they are not transformed because of such factors that affect their concentration in Worship. True Worship of God demands that People have New Births. People should realize that God’s strongest desire is for His Children to love and adore him continuously in Spirit and Truth.
As Christians, worshiping is a must. Worship is not a human innovation; instead, it is a divine offering. God offered himself in a personal relationship, and People responded. God’s offer of love elicits people’s response to Worship. A vision of God demands Worship, respectively. In describing Worship, Segler opines, “Worship is both revelation and mystery.” Worshipers experience the presence of God in Revelation and stand in amazement of God in the face of the secret. God both reveals and denies at the same time. While People can be conscious of God in their lives, we can never comprehend the ultimate meaning of God.
In Worship, people experience both mysteries: God’s transcendence and Revelation (God’s immanence). God is discovered to the worshiper’s Spirit through the Bible, through persons in the group of believers, through music, across symbols, through human actions, and through God’s Spirit. Human beings respond to God through words, music, acts of merriment, and dedication. Worship is more than discussion; it is also confronting. In this encounter, God confronts and demands the worshipers, and for instance, when the Lord appeared to Jacob in the dream (Gen 28:16-17), he was convinced that God was with him in Worship. For the Apostle Paul, it was significant to know God. Still, it was more important to be known by God (Gal 4:9). Thus, Worship entails the following: Mystery, Communion of God as a miracle, Celebrations of the act of God’s creation, God’s Providence, and God’s Covenant of Redemption, Jesus Christ incarnate, his Resurrection, and worshiping God in appreciation of what he has done for them.
Segler stated, “Genuine worship takes place only when God is worshiped for God’s sake.”[8] With the Holy Spirit in the heart of individuals and the entire body, the Church enables Christians to have a genuine experience of true Worship. Christians must be convinced that the one true and living God has been revealed in the inspired Scripture and the sermon. Since God has revealed to believers in the Bible how they should worship God, it is their responsibility to rightly understand the Bible and know how Christians ought to worship God. Only the God of Scripture is the real God and is commendable of our Worship.”[9] “Evangelical worship must be biblical as God’s revelation is the ultimate guide and norm for true Christian worship, and we should care about properly understanding what God has revealed in His word on this subject.”[10] The Holy Bible is the tool that is employed in the Worship of God. Everything done in Worship should generally center on the Scripture. While reading the Scripture in the Worship today, there is a need for proper concentration so that it can be meaningful and impactful. The person reading the Bible should invite people to pay attention, and the worshipers should listen attentively.
Worship is a principal actor in the lifetime of the Christian Church, and it is the Church’s reaction to God’s ability of Christ. John Calvin’s Philosophy of Worship and music originated from his thoughtful thoughts on the battle cry of the Reformers, sola scriptura. He held that “if the Word of God is the singular basis for faith and practice, then congregational choral should not merely be based on the words of scripture, but it should include the very words of scripture as God gave them to sacred men of old.” As indicated by John Calvin, Worship should be devoid of sensualism and emotionalism. While the importance of music in the life of the individual worshipper is indispensable, the sensual aspects of music should be avoided at all costs.[11] Music in Worship contributes tremendously to the success of worship service. The choir ensemble of the Church should prepare very well, pray for inspiration, and deliver their rendition powerfully so that the worshippers may be blessed. The pianists, the drummers, and the choristers should avoid anything that can cause distraction, and that will eventually lead to a lack of concentration.
In his Theology of Worship, Segler said, “As we believe, so we worship. The doctrines we embrace express the nature of our Worship.”[12] If they view God as only a divine principle, they will seek to confirm the direction. If they view God as an Idea, they aim to know God through intellectual understanding or reasoning. If they view God as a personal Being, they strive to know God in an intimate relationship. If they conceive of God as Spirit, self-revealed in history, they will worship God in “Spirit and Truth.”[13] In John 4:23-24, the Scriptures say, “But the hour comes and now is when the true parishioners will worship the Father in Spirit and Truth, for the Father seeks to be his worshipers. God is Spirit, and those who reverence him must worship in Spirit and Truth”. When worshipping God in Spirit and Truth, there is a need for proper concentration during worship service.