WORSHIP LEADERS
SUNG WORSHIP & THE PRESENCE OF GOD ( PART 4 ) DOES GOD INHABIT THE PRAISES OF HIS PEOPLE ? | Grant Norsworthy
“ God inhabits the praises of his people !”
Have you heard that phrase before ? Ever used it when you ’ ve been leading sung worship ?
I ’ ve heard it numerous times , especially from more Pentecostal / Charismatic “ worship leaders ”. Its use is intended ( I ’ m sure ) to encourage a congregation to participate more fully . To sing and get involved with more passion , volume , and fervor as we worship God through the songs .
Having our “ worship leader ” use some wellchosen words to encourage our congregation to higher levels of engagement is certainly helpful - even required . We highly value the Church singing together to show the worth of Almighty God , and some of our people need that extra nudge .
Many of us long to experience a deeper sense of God ’ s presence and we know that - in this gathered , musical context - experiences of God ’ s presence are more likely if we are all singing together worshipfully with some
abandon and passion . That ’ s generally how it is for me anyway .
But does the statement , “ God inhabits the praises of his people !” really communicate what we want and mean to communicate ? Do we mean to say that , if we sing these songs of praise , God will show up - will be inside our singing ? Or , by inference if we don ’ t sing these songs of praises , God won ’ t show up ?
Or is it a sentence that ’ s often used by “ worship leaders ” because we ’ ve heard it used by other “ worship leaders ” whom we admire and respect , and because we believe it ’ s a relevant and important quotation from The Bible ? More on this towards the end of this article . Read on !
Over the course of my last few articles , I ’ ve been trying to bring unity - searching for common ground - between , what I see as two waring teams within the one Christian church . To a large degree , the battle lines between these two teams are over our differing experiences and understanding of God ’ s presence and how that relates to a Church congregation singing together as an expression of worship .
On one side there ’ s the team that I call the “ sing it till you feel it ” team . This tends to be the more Pentecostal or Charismatic amongst us where worship through songs ought to - or , at least , it is hoped will - provide the congregation with experiences and tangible evidence of God ’ s manifest presence and supernatural power . It can be expected that the “ worship leader ” will usher people into God ’ s presence and the experiences that come with this time of intimacy with God . ( A tough ask IMO ).
It ’ s people in this first team who are most likely to say things like , “ God inhabits the praises of his people !” that suggest that God will ( or at least should ) manifest His presence if we sing worshipfully .
On the other side there ’ s what I call the “ sing correct theology ” team . This would include ( but is not limited to ) the more theologically Reformed Believers amongst us . While many in this team will be deeply moved and have a strong sense of connection with God through
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