In spirit and truth or genre and tempo

So after the rant in my last entry, I feel that I have had lots of time to mull over what it was that I was ranting about and properly consider just how important my ranting was.

Honestly, probably not that important at all, in-fact possibly a little childish. Each human being has been uniquely created and therefore we are very diverse, with many different things that will float our boats.

Recently I was given the Kings of Leon’s new album ‘Only by the night’ as a birthday prize, and its great. I must say in the beginning I did have a little dilemma with an album that contained a hit single called ‘sex on fire’, but having got over that hurdle the album is musically fantastic. Something tells me though that most Chopin and Tchaikovsky lovers will probably disagree with me on that point, and most likely hate the kings to the core. What is quite interesting is that there is probably Chopin lovers and Kings of Leon lovers alike in many of our churches today. So how then are we meant to come to a compromise regarding the style of music we use in our corporate praise as a congregation, so that we are sympathetic to everyone’s likes and dislikes?

The answer is quite simply this; we don’t compromise in order to keep everyone happy. We can’t compromise to keep everyone happy because quite simply it’s not about us! In critiquing the liturgical model of his national church and indeed many other churches Soren Kierkegaard argued that God is the audience in worship. Fuzz Kitto (http://www.spirited.net.au/) explicates Kirkegaard by saying that the congregation are the performers in worship.

We are not the audience, and worship does not happen for our entertainment. Worship is for God alone!

So is suppose the big question is does God prefer the Kings of Leon or Chopin? Something tells me though there may be bigger issues on God’s agenda, things such as the state of the hearts of his people and the sincerity of their praise! Maybe if we spent more time getting these things right then we could move on to things that are a little less important in due course.

All things bright and beautiful; all instruments great and small - What’s the bible got to do with it?

It really winds me up that some people think certain musical instruments shouldn’t be used in congregational Christian worship today. I could probably cope with constructive criticism and direction from those that attended churches with praise bands made up of harps, flutes and lyres, but in reality there are not too many of said congregations about today.

Don’t get me wrong, this is not an attack on the organ, I really don’t mind the organ, in-fact I have the pleasure of working with, and listening to one of Glasgow’s finest every Sunday morning, but yet I do not think it is the overarching definitive answer to all our needs concerning ecclesiological accompaniment, in the same vain I don’t really think there is any one particular instrument which could hold such esteem.

Some though would have you believe that the group of prophets in 1 Samuel 10:5 were descending from on high with a stringed instrument, a tambourine, a flute, a harp and a mighty large church organ as well, but as we read that is not the case. The prophet Isaiah when writing about the night when a Holy festival is kept tells us that gladness of heart may actually be associated with the flute, don’t think these are my words just because I’m Northern Irish, have a read at Isaiah 30 and see what you make of it.

So what guidance does the bible give regarding the instruments we should use when meeting to worship God. My personal opinion, if you asked me right now to answer such a question would be that I don’t think there is any such definitive list. I would believe that more emphasis should be placed on our spiritual condition when we come to glorify God, and the attitude that we have during our worship, rather than the instruments that are present. I will however attempt to give this a little bit of attention over the next few days and see what the bible tells me. Anyone reading this, if you have any thoughts, and want to drop me an email at beattietim@hotmail.com or leave me a comment on here, I would be very interested in your opinion.

7:36

The truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth
7:36 . Galatians 1 . 23/08/09

So what does the film 'a few good men' have to do with the first chapter of the book of Galatians. This film deals with a group of US Marine attorneys trying to uncover the real reason behind why a code red (this is when a soldier who fails to keep up to standard is "trained" (or rather bullied) by other members of his unit until he is up to it, the correct terminology is called hazing) was ordered on a particular soldier, who died because of his attack. Tom Cruise (in the scene we are using on tuesday night) wants the truth and pushes Jack Nicholson, the high ranking officer, until he eventually gives in and the truth is uncovered.

Galatians chapter 1, indeed the whole book is also directly linked to important truth finding (of a slightly different sort I might add, but truth fighting nevertheless). The truth Paul is concerned with uncovering is the truth regarding the Gospel. A gospel which Paul firmly believes is directly from God, the story of Jesus which brings freedom to all who trust in him.

The new Christians in Galatia where facing a dilemma. They were struggling to understand who was telling them the truth about God? Paul, who had introduced them to the Gospel of Christ, had said that faith in Jesus was the basis for their relationship with God. But he had no sooner left town than and a group within the new church started teaching that faith in Jesus had to be accompanied by circumcision in order for God to accept their worship.

Who was right? Who should the church believe?

This Tuesday night (23rd) we will be taking the first chapter of Galatians apart trying to understand more about what this gospel Paul is talking about is, and what it should mean to us. Feel free to come along every other Tuesday evening (we meet every fortnight) at 7:36pm.

Lack of posts

Ok so since I last posted on my blog I have, moved out of my pad au bachelor, acquired a wife, driven up the California coast in a convertible mustang, moved into my marital abode and taken part in a summer club for P4’s to P7’s. What I haven’t done though is post anything on my blog while all of this was happening. I feel I am guilty of neglect, so I must right something worthwhile soon……but here is a picture for now.

Being consumed with the perpendicular pro-noun.

I was at a Church service in the middle of March. It was at Findlay Memorial. And it really got me thinking. The sermon from Michael made me think about two things. Two things which I have thought about in the past, but when you are involved in leading a congregation in praise, two things which are useful to examine on a regular basis.

• What songs do we use in times of praise? Are the songs that we (the body or congregation) are using, songs that tell us very little about God but lots about ourselves?
  and
• What do we want to achieve during our times of praise, in light of what Praise and worship truly is (the celebration of God, earnest in prayer and intense in song)?

These issues need careful exploration and what I am about to write doesn’t answer them, either directly or sufficiently. I just wanted to put them out there, giving fuel for thought. Thousands of words could be, have been and probably will be written on what corporate praise and worship is all about and I would encourage you to explore as many of these musings as you can, allow them to ruminate in your thought processes, but in all your enquiries look to the bible and follow its example in everything.

I have though, been thinking about the role of the worship leader regarding the personal pro-noun in corporate praise. We need to remember times of praise are not about us. Worship leaders have a responsibility to make worshippers aware of this, and sustain this train of thought with those that come under our ministry and guidance. I also feel that we often need to remind and examine ourselves ‘personally’ regarding this as well. The calling to facilitate others, and lead them in collective praise must be met with a humble heart. It is to the humble that God gives grace; and He will oppose those who are proud (James 4:6). Leading praise in order to achieve self glorification comes from a proud heart, it is about an audience of one, not two, the congregation should never be seen as our audience. We are reminded that being of such heart is not just a matter of concern; it is in direct opposition to God. “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18)

James 4:6 may well have been referring to the rich people caught up with the world that surrounded them in 1st century Jerusalem. Nevertheless it still alludes to the opposition God shows to our human single minded devotion. If pride in general is opposing to God then how much more must it annoy God when a worship leader takes some of the praise that should be exclusively for Him.

First and foremost corporate praise is not for the worship leader. Primarily corporate praise is not for the worshiper. Above all corporate praise is for God alone.

P.S This is a bit random but quite appropriate. As sad as it sounds I often use dictionary.com to find out what some big words mean that I don’t quite understand, in doing this I can sometimes take a mild obsession to their ‘word for the day’. It was very interesting that today’s word for the day was ‘Paean’, pronounced PEE-uhn, and although phonetically sounding like something which someone may do at the side of the road, a paean is actually a joyous song of praise, triumph or thanksgiving. This was very interesting considering the above post, which I was writing at the time. Although I suppose Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Paean’s doesn’t quite have the same ring to it, does it?

The worship of Psalm 50, more than singing songs

Psalm 50
"Hear, O my people, and I will speak, O Israel, and I will testify against you: I am God, your God. I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices or your burnt offerings, which are ever before me. I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens,
for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine. If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it. Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats? Sacrifice thank-offerings to God, fulfil your vows to the Most High, and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honour me."


I believe that Psalm 50 is telling us that higher than our ritual of singing songs is the simple acknowledgement that God is what we need. In Verse 15 the Psalmist urges to call on God when we are in trouble; this is what God wants over our sacrificial ritualistic Sunday morning or big event praise offerings. The Israelites were very quick to offer sacrifice through burnt offerings, but God wanted more than that, he wanted to be present when his people needed help, God wants to be part of everything.
We have a tendency to find comfort in the song and not in the comforter. It is more difficult to find the creator in the mundane things of life than in your favourite songs on Sunday, but when you do, when you begin to find him in all the stuff of life, everything starts to sing. This is living praise.
I hope that my worship becomes more than a song. I pray that my worship is habitual. I pray that my worship becomes the worship found in Psalm 50. Make worship your lifestyle.

Tim Beattie

Living Jesus

I have started reading "Following Jesus - a non-religious guidebook for the spiritually hungry". It is making me re-evaluate how living a Jesus centred life should be more of a danger than we let it be, it prompted me to create the above picture.