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Worship and Entertainment

There is actually a big difference between worship and Christian entertainment. Both are good and praising our God. But there is a difference in it. We can't turn Christian entertainment into worship. Especially in these times, we notice that Christian entertainment had slowly creeping into the church and taking over worship. Worship had become entertainment to the believers. How can we stop this from happening? How can we make people realize about the true worship.

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Permalink Reply by Stevo on September 7, 2011 at 1:11am

That's what I'm starting to imply. I don't think it's about anything other than that. I don't even think we really need the word "entertainment" because it's not really the issue.

Permalink Reply by Brandon Wong on September 7, 2011 at 7:50am

Maybe its not issue in your area, but it is in our place. People tend to seek for entertainment more than worship. They just wanna have fun and great time. When you start to go into the word, people seem to lost interest in it. And even worshipping in tithes and offering, people are reluctant.

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Permalink Reply by Brandon Wong on September 7, 2011 at 7:52am

Stevo, I dont think you get what I'm talking about. I know where you are going and talking, but that is just not what I meant. I guess it's just hard to explain it in words.

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Permalink Reply by Brandon Wong on September 7, 2011 at 7:56am

I think you are just speaking in a different contextualization. Hard for me to explain here in an asian contextualization. And our church service is actually quite different to western, thats what I heard from western missionaries that comes here.

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Permalink Reply by Stevo on September 7, 2011 at 12:24pm

Having fun and a great time is a spiritual goal. God's holiness is associated with joy and a good time! So don't assume this is a bad thing.

And I'm addressing you directly. Don't presume that scripture can't answer your issues. And don't focus on the external aspect and assume it's a problem of entertainment. Entertainment is only a symptom. Having fun is a good thing, but when it's coupled with lack of interest in the Word, something else is going on.

Look deeper at the spiritual condition. In Israel's case, they were focused on iniquity and injustice etc. Their hearts weren't with God. In your case, it sounds like your people aren't very mature yet, so their hearts aren't tuned in to what matters to God the most. This is a common complaint I hear for Asian and African churches although I've not spent a lot of time studying this.

I won't presume your people are full of iniquity or idolatry as in Isaiah because I don't know them. But the passage is still very applicable. Their hearts don't seem to be with God. You need to look at what's going on inside, not the outside.

This is not a western vs. eastern thing - it's universal. Here in the states, people are more than willing to come to a big worship service and enjoy the music on Sunday morning, but they can have very little interest in anything else. This is very common.

You won't be able to correct this by training your people on the difference between entertainment and true worship because that's merely a symptom! Even worse, if you can't define it, you'll never be able to correct it! Period. And don't presume that Asian churches are "different" from Western ones. Once you get down to hearts, the Word is always applicable.

Ask Cory - he has an answer...

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Permalink Reply by Brandon Wong on September 8, 2011 at 2:48am

I get what you mean. And again I am not assuming. It is happening.

And between eastern and western, I am not really comparing or differenciating it. Because my pastor is an american, so as my previous pastors. And He notice it too. We seek entertainment rather than worship. It might be as you said, it might be a symptom. And I also don't dare to say that I am right because no one is perfect.

Thanks for sharing

Permalink Reply by Brandon Wong on September 8, 2011 at 3:43am

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cncEhCvrVgQ&feature=player_embedded
He preached this message after the previous night youth concert. The people turn the concert into entertainment like instead of worship.And that is why he came out with that message.

And I did not really presume that Asian churches are 'different' from western, I gone to both chuches before, I know the differences. If you study more about Asian cultural and tradition, you might understand it. But again,like you said, the word of God is applicable to all no matter what race or cultural.

But do not presume that it is a symptom too. Cause it might be a distraction or problem.

Permalink Reply by Stevo on September 9, 2011 at 3:22am

Watch this without sound. Entertainment? Worship?

http://www.worshiptherock.com/video/citipointe-live-you-reign-2008

Then listen to it without watching it. Entertainment? Worship?

I'm just asking...