The Deception In Modern Praise and Worship

The Deception in Modern Praise and Worship

"Praise and Worship" has become extremely popular in most streamlined mega churches. You can expect praise and worship teams and their bands in many outreach ministries and evangelistic services throughout the country. It alone, has been the means of drawing large crowds ... especially young people. What is it about this kind of ministry that is making them so extra-ordinary and attractive? Are young people really hungry for the preaching and teaching of the Word of God, which is included in these services? Are hearts and lives really being changed through praise and worship ... making a difference in the high schools and college campuses? Even the smaller denominational churches are now recognizing what it takes to make a church grow, so they too, are willing to drop the traditional hymns, and follow whatever is popular in drawing the "unchurched."

Praise and worship has become the focal point of the service. But is God ...our Lord and Saviour really being lifted up and worshipped for Who He is?" In some services there is no preaching.

Let's take a look and examine what is actually going on during the praise and worship  hour. But first of all, we shall observe the fashions and modes of dress as young people and others come strolling into the sanctuary. It is almost a culture shock to see bermuda shorts, faded blue jeans, knickers, capris, T-shirts, tennis shoes, sandals and flipflops along with mini skirts and everything you might not have thought of. This seems to be a common acceptable practise in these modern times. Years ago, families with teenagers and small children would come in their Sunday best ... treating the house of God and others with respect and dignity. They wouldn't think of coming to church in their washed out blue jeans and T-shirts, which were worn out to the barn to feed their cattle. Churches are now advertising on their signs, "Come as you are"; so they come ... Sunday after Sunday with no sign of change inside or out.

As the worship hour begins, the lights are expelled all over the sanctuary as colorful strobe lights flash on ... highlighting the stage of "worship leaders". They too, are dressed in their less-than-casual garb of acid blue jeans, T-shirts, or untucked shirts, earrings (some with tattoos), gel-spiked hair, "skin head", or long-haired hippie style. The music begins as onlookers stand and progressively raise their hands and lift their heads proudly in a mode of worship. The drummer performs his act,as screaming guitars sound forth through high-tech sound systems creating an atmosphere of worldly secular rock music. Young people are joyfully taking in the "emotional high" they receive from such an atmosphere of worldliness. They are soon getting very much involved by swinging their arms and bodies from side to side or bouncing up and down. They are even boasting, "God's presence is here and He is pleased! I've come to church to worship Him!"

The hymnbooks with all the wonderful sacred hymns of "Amazing Grace", "There's Power in the Blood", "At the Cross", "There is a Fountain Filled with Blood", etc., have all been removed and tossed out as "boring and old-fashioned". These songs with great messages that minister the power of God unto salvation through the blood and the cross, have been replaced with overhead screen projectors spelling out monotonous repetitious lyrics of so-called "praises to God." Everyone joins in with the worship leaders and their band, whose hearts and minds are filled with the lusts and passions of the world. The same phrase is being sung over and over as if to work up a hypnotic spirit of good feelings  "This people draweth nigh unto Me with their mouth,and honoreth Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me. But in vain they do worship Me" (Matthew 15:8-9).

The Scripture that is used to justify the worldliness in praise and worship using loud high-tech music of drums and whiney guitars, etc., is found in the Old Testament in Psalms 150. It says, "Praise God in the sanctuary ... with the sound of a trumpet, psaltery and harp, praise Him with the stringed instruments and organ... Praise Him upon the loud cymbals: praise Him upon the high sounding cymbals." Yes, we should and ought to praise the Lord in everything, but yet God knows the motives and the intents of the heart who are we really praising and what are we really worshipping, if we must have this music in order to praise and worship?

satan has subtly made his appearance in the churches under the disguise of praise and worship... unknown to a people who know not God and His Holiness.

A former praise and worship leaders who recognized the truth, and left the contemporary Christian music movement, shares what he knows about it. He states: "Worship leaders get their musical advice from an industry I call "Worship, Inc." Once they tap into any of the myriad internet feeds for modern worship music, their hearts are drawn to the newest and the "coolest!" He also goes on to say: "You should also remember that most worship leaders are pop/rock musicians who love secular music styles and will bring this into your church, whether you agree or not. before you know it, the music at your church is driven by the fads and fashions of the secular industry. The freedom of choice you thought you were getting has turned into a slavish devotion to the new and modern tastes of a wicked world!"

As Shepherds have carelessly fallen asleep, wolves of modern worldly fads and fashions have quietly slipped into the fold and driven off the older sheep while slowly destroying the young lambs!

Where is the watchman ... a praying man who seeks after God, willing to sacrifice his time in prayer and fasting for a people that would honor God, and obey Him? Where is one to discern between that which is Holy and that which is profane? Most shepherds focus on numbers and money rather than purity and "...holiness,without which no man shall see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:14).

Let us consider what Jesus taught about worshipping. In John 4:23-24, Jesus said "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship Him. God is Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth."

The meaning of the word "worship" has been greatly expanded by Christians to include many different things. Such diversity of meaning is the root of many problems. When we do not know what the word "worship" means, or when we change its meaning to suit the fashions or felt needs of our modern times, it can leadus to add worship practises that can offend or even divide the body of Christ. Worse, we risk offending the Holy Name of God! There are certain kinds of worship that God will NOT accept; though they may be directed toward Him and meant to be given to Him. Jesus referred to a certain group of religious people in His own day with the comment: "Ye worship ye know not what..." (John 4:22).

A question was asked to one involved in the modern praise and worship movement: "If your pastor made a decision to do away with the drums, guitars, worship leaders, special lighting and sound effects, and said, 'We're just going to come together from now on, and humble ourselves, get on our faces, kneel, or whatever, and pray and seek God and just wait on Him ... maybe sing some old-fashioned hymns like 'Nothing but the Blood,' 'At the Cross,' 'The Old Rugged Cross', etc., how long would you be attending there?"  The reaction??? This person said, "We would leave the church because that wouldn't be a message from God. That totally goes against Scripture."

It is pretty obvious that this person, along with a host of others come blindly deceived, to worship for the fleshly emotional thrill they get from the worldly atmosphere and secular spirit of the music itself. This is no different than the secular rock concerts, which even the words are often difficult to understand ... and this is idolatry!

Many admit they have this music "pumped up" in their cars,  their homes, and their I-Pods - like an addiction to drugs, alcohol, food, etc. They must have it to worship. Something is desperately wrong here! Isn't this an ABOMINATION?

The majority of people who come to worship do not have a clue what real worship means, nor do they actually know what it means to "feel the presence of God!" They worship the music!

As we look at Scriptures in the Bible from cover to cover, holy men of God fell down in such awesome fear and reverence of a Holy God,  that they couldn't stand. There wasn't any mention of any kind of music going on as they came into His presence. God appeared because He had a message for them. If they were living in sin, they were dramatically changed. They became a new creation. They were cleansed, purified, and made holy  so God could use them to warn, or minister to others. Saul is a good example as he traveled on the road to Damascus. A light shone round about him and he fell to the ground because of God's awesome presence. Isaiah 6:1-8 When Isaiah saw the Lord he confessed he was undone;" ... because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the Lord." Immediately an angel came unto him with a live coal in his hand, touched him on his lips, and was cleansed and purged. In Revelation 1:17, John, on the isle of Patmos was in  the Spirit on the Lord's day when he heard a voice, turned, and looked and saw one like unto the Son of Man "And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet..." 

There should be a time of getting quiet before the Lord for heart examination, in all humility, allowing a time for people to repent of sin before even thinking of praising and worshipping. Psalms 66:18 states that "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me."

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, worship means: "The feeling or expression of reverence and adoration for a deity; great admiration or devotion." In the original languages of the Hebrew and Greek, the word "worship, worshipping, worshipper,and worshippers" appear in approximately 110 verses. In 99% of those verses in Hebrew, the word "shachah" which means to "depress" to "prostrate" (especially in homage to royalty or God); to bow oneself down, to crouch, to fall down flat, to humbly beseech."  As you read verse after verse, it becomes clear that the worship acts of Old Testament believers were performed with great respect, fear, and reverence towards God, demonstrated by falling down before Him. When the Lord appeared to holy men of God, they bowed down flat on the ground in fear, knowing God was so holy that their lives were threathened. In Revelation 4:10-11, it says, "...The four and twenty elders fall down before Him that sat on the throne, and worship Him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power..."

God is pleased only when He sees a humble heart in total submission of our minds, our hearts and our flesh to HIM. This is the heart of worship. True worship is that which is not planned, programmed or practiced at church. True worship is an everyday relationship with Jesus Christ, which is demonstrated, in one's pure and holy character.

The Bible clearly predicts a great falling away in the last days (2 Timothy 3:1-5). This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers,... heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: for such turn away."

Jesus plainly stated in Matthew 7:13, "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and MANY there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and FEW there be that find it."

~John Blanchard~