What is worship? Louie Giglio says it’s a response of the heart to something or someone.
I’m a die hard football fan. I love football. Ever since I was a kid I played junior football, supported Arsenal and Northern Ireland. For the first time in a long time I watched a live match at Windsor Park. A friendly against Israel. Northern Ireland fans have been awarded the best fans in Europe, so what a perfect example to use. At this match I witnessed many things.
I seen a stadium of people wearing the same clothes. Green and White. Now in any other circumstance that could be seen as a fashion nightmare. But nobody cared. It wasn’t about what they looked like, because this was their response in support of their team.
I seen grown men clap, sing put their hands in the air throughout the game. Now in any other circumstance this could be a bit weird to see. But nobody cared. It wasn’t about what they looked like or how ‘embarrassing’ it could be, because this was their response in support of their team.
I seen people from different ages, gender, races, backgrounds, classes. All together as one voice in support of their team.
I seen people stand in awe of the display. Hands by their side with no expression. Just in awe of what they saw on the pitch.
It was beautiful.
Now what would happen if our worship to God was similar to this? We go to gigs, football matches, rugby matches, and we shout. We wave flags. We sing. We put our hands in the air. We stand i awe. We dance. But then we go to Church or Youth Events and, for many of us, slip into the shoes of another person. We don’t shout. We don’t sing from our hearts. We don’t stand in awe. We don’t laugh or cry.
I know that this isn’t always this case with every time we meet in corporate worship, but speaking from experience and looking in the mirror, I can’t always honestly say that our (and my) worship to God is as lively, exciting, heartfelt as my support of Arsenal or Northern Ireland or a band or a singer.
But what if? That’s probably the vision of Something Like Jericho… What if? We don’t sit in an idealic posture where every time we play we play with everything we’ve got, and our focus isn’t always on God at all times, we don’t always create an amazing sound. But that’s the ‘what if’? That’s the dream and vision. God takes our worship in whatever way. He takes our response to him, battered and bruised, small and unmeaningful. But yet, he still takes it. We try our hardest to worship through whatever season, whatever reason.
Our aim is to create something similar to that of Jericho in their generation, but also what I seen at that match in our generation. And what if everybody did that every where they went? Whatever they did? In every Church and setting?
A group of people who didn’t care what they wore or what they looked like. A group of people who sometimes sang at the top of their lungs, or smiled quietly but joining in with the pleasing sound of cheering and singing. A group of people who would fall silent in awe, but in the second after erupt in celebration. A group of people who waved banners of hope and love. A group of people who were one, regardless of denomination, class, background, location or status. One voice and sound which was a pleasing response from our heart, to our Dad and what he has done.
What if?
Ben
