OK, I don't usually use this space to speak out against false worship, but from time to time I feel compelled to speak.  From time to time I feel the need to proclaim the essential truths of God's Word wherein we find our roots.  From time to time we need to reinforce in our own minds what we're doing and why we're doing it.  Sometimes it is easier to explain the truth when we hold it up against the lie.

I Have on My desk a brochure entitled Seminars 4 Worship.  It touts itself as providing "essential tools for worshiping churches."  First of all, I didn't think that there were any "non-worshiping" churches.  Well, setting all of that aside, let me list some of the classes offered to develop the essential tools. 

1.  Developing and Rehearsing a Worship Band
2.  Drumming Essentials for the Worship Drummer
3.  Songshow Plus 3.0 (worship software)
4.  MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) in Worship
5.  Keyboards in Worship
6.  "Creative" Kid's Worship

I included the last one because it all sounds creative to me.  I guess that this is the point.  I don't believe in being "creative" with the worship that God (The Creator) created.

Jesus said "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." (John 4:24)  Three essentials to biblical worship are listed.

1.  Worshippers
2.  Spirit
3.  Truth

The very reason that we've chosen not to have the seminar's version of essential tools is that they are not essential.  We can have a worship pleasing to God without those things. Whenever these new "essential tools" have been added to worship, church splits have been the result.  If we dig down to the heart of the matter, there's a problem taking place in a congregation even before the introduction of these non-essentials.  I can see no other reason for adding these non-essentials than to create a worship that is more pleasing to the worshipper.  This shows an unbiblical approach to worship.  Worshippers are to be edified by worship (1 Cor 14: 26).  To edify is to build up and strengthen, not to entertain and please.  It is God who is to be pleased by worship.

Allow me to close this piece with a misquote from the old spiritual song.  "Give me that old time religion, it's good enough for God."  If it's good enough for God, why would I want to change it?