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Winter 2014

Do I Really Have To Think? Recently, I had the opportunity to launch into a brief discussion

with a close friend about a particular song we’d chosen to intro-

duce during the service that evening. Upon asking his opinion,

my friend offered a nonchalant shrug and confessed, “I didn’t

really care for that choice.” I was mildly taken aback. Often I

had been teased for being shrewd about my selections and I

hadn’t heard much in the form of this kind of critique.

“Well, what was it about the song you didn’t enjoy?”

“It forced me to think when I really was just trying to worship.”

This resonated with me. My eyebrows must have knotted

enough to distort my hairline. I could feel my face expressing

my general bafflement. It forced him to think through his wor-

ship and this equated to a negative.

I’ve mulled over this conversation repeatedly until I reconciled

in my heart the points about it which stood out to me as trans-

formational. And yes, it was altering – Though not in the way in

which my friend may have expected. In fact, he sealed the pro-

verbial deal on that song, and any other like it, being a regularly

integrated part of our service.

Currently, we are in an intriguing generation that has all but

vanquished the need for curiosity. A simple query on a popular

search engine will yield thousands of results that answer any of

our deepest questions in a matter of seconds. Actual chats

within my hearing have caused me to realize that some peo-

ple under the age of twenty have never handled or even

turned the page of an encyclopedia, dictionary, or thesau-

rus. Take a stab at asking for their reference material on

‘scholarly’ assignments and most would begin with ‘www.’

Stunning, really.

The world has become ever so small.

A few clicks here, a swipe there, and we are communicating

with the other side of the planet. Nothing is hidden. Nothing

is prevented. There is full access to satiate a myriad of de-

sires. We have no need to sit and ponder. In essence, we are

not a culture accustomed with the ‘unsearchable.’

And then our noses run into the wall of God’s mystery and

we step back cradling the sore spot, thoroughly befuddled.

Believe it or not, worship can be built from this vulnerable

position. It is imperative that we come to grips with the fact

that thinking is a pre-requisite for praise and adoration of

Jesus Christ. Unless and until the Christian is defrocked of

the notion that we can blindly toss words skyward and ex-

pect instant satisfaction, we will never exchange much more

than pleasantries with the Master. We have a marvelous

capacity to draw enjoyment from inspirational music. This is

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Do I Really Have To Think?

not unimportant. It can, however, be a landmine when we trade

well-conceived proclamations for emotional highs.

Let’s put legs to the concept in terms we can relate to easily.

A popular song which was written in 2002 by John Mark McMil-

lan and is entitled, “How He Loves,” has a rather interesting

phraseology in the second verse that makes my facial muscles

go a bit slack.

“If grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.

So heaven meets earth like a sloppy, wet kiss

And my heart turns violently inside of my chest

I don’t have time to maintain these regrets

When I think about the way that He loves us.”

While I mean absolutely no disrespect to the author in sharing

my opinion on his work, I feel it is important to expose the ra-

ther large dilemma with this type of song conception. To suggest

that the comforting, salvific, or restorative power of God is akin

to a messy show of affection is exceedingly inappropriate. Per-

haps people are wooed by the dramatic spin on the love of God

displayed in this song, but I have found myself hard-pressed to

see much content beyond the idea of hurricanes, arrhythmia,

and general sloppiness. In an effort to make the unsearchable a

bit more ‘raw,’ we diminish it – The very opposite of the goal for

any worship leader.

Song choice is a delicate trapeze act for me each week. I have to

traverse a world that has simplified language to the point of re-

ducing whole thoughts to one or two letters. Repetition has be-

come an increasingly played hand. Many songs direct the focus

to the creature rather than the Creator. Still more are calls to

worship, but never resolve within the lyrics to actually do so.

Others attempt to portray scripture verses, but do not always

use them within the context by which they were written. And

finally, we have the assortment of choruses that speak of Chris-

tian triumph but are devoid of the Christ who purchased it.

PRAISE AND WORHIP IS NOT EXPLICITLY ‘FEELING’ BASED

I have watched many a service play out in which congregants

have shaken a tail feather, lost a few hair-pins, and in the end

were rather pleased with how they felt about it all. I haven’t the

fingers or toes to count how many times I’ve heard, “Man, I got

a good touch during worship.” Please hear me out when I say

that I earnestly believe God is capable of making His presence

and work known at any point during our gatherings. I do not

dispute the miraculous has occurred in the praise segment of a

church gathering. If these marvelous acts of the Lord present

themselves, it is an outward display of His kindness toward His

people. But the reality of the matter is that this period is de-

signed as the time in which we minister to God. That is the

actual purpose. It is the thoughtful pause in which we reflect on

His nature. It is the public declaration of our blessings and the

acknowledgement of our weakness in the sight of His strength.

Consider it the Old Testament equivalent to the gathering of

stones and preparation of a sacrifice. We take our best and most

lofty conceptions of who He is and present them with the inten-

tion of magnifying His worth and grandeur. Gratitude, broken-

ness, and submission are the fruits of worship – Not chills,

goosebumps, and fancy foot-work.

As a worship leader, you must ensure that your own carnality is

crucified. This will help expunge the need to ‘appear’ spiritual or

connected. There is a temptation to force or manipulate emo-

tions for a demonstrative result. In fact, I have found many peo--

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ple dipping their toes into the realm of berating congregations for being disinterested and dead because they are not dancing in

the aisles or being otherwise frenetic. I fully confess that I tire of the analogies that begin with, “In a stadium nearby there are peo-

ple screaming for their home team. I just wonder if anyone in here is going to let…” – And I am sure you can finish the thought.

Boisterous does not equate to sincere. Neither does solemnity. You would do well to avoid extremes for the sake of appearances.

On a basic level, there will be plenty of times in which you are war-torn from the week and find yourself questioning what God is

attempting to build with your life. This does not preclude you to be less thankful. Feelings alone will never be praise’s choice vehi-

cle. It will be carried on a knowledge, experience, and well-thought out response to the Lord’s consistency, favor, and mercy to-

ward us in our valleys and mountain-tops.

Do I Really Have To Think?

Josie Paolini was originally born and raised in Manhattan,

NYC, before feeling the tug on her heart to Cape Cod, MA.

A recent Leukemia survivor, she is working on several

books, including an autobiographical work on her cancer

journey. She and her husband pastor UCAC in Pocasset.

About The Author