There are 2 articles available to read over at worshipleader.com one entitled Worship: Beyond mere performance and one entitled Are they an audience or a congregation. Really great articles and worth a read. Subscribe to them as they do a magazine version and now even a digital version.

Anyway, A friend of mine asked a really good question after reading the articles from worshipleader, he asked " Am I a worshipper or a Performer? " I think this is a question many people who are involved in leading a church group in worship asks, I think its a healthy question to ask. Many people in the bible examined their motives.. as lets face it were human right! So we might have the right motives this month, but next month we might not.

Its a question that will be answered by different people in different ways. What I mean by that is this..

Lets say.. Joe the Worship Leader is leading worship on Sunday.. and 5 people showed up for church ( lol.. i know thats lots ).. anyway..Now 3 of them might think hey.. this is great, wow that person really looks like hes worshipping god, while the other 2 might have a difference of opinion… 1 might say… woh.. these seems worship yet is it a performance?.. and maybe that person can’t put their finger on it for sure.. then the last person leaves saying.. ah that was all just a performance. and not a good one at that!

Who is right? Also does it matter?

Some will say, well maybe the first 3 really knew the person or persons leading worship and so they know they have a heart for God, vs the other two who might not know the person leading and so they are probably basing their opinions on what they class as worship and what they class as performance.

Now I know a little about my friend only from time spent with him here and there, his wife knows him more, his family knows him more and of course God knows him the best. I see he has a passionate heart for God, and ive stood beside him when he plays and seen that passion..

Have I ever seen the performer in him? Sure… but im sure hes seen it in me. Was it performance before man? or before god?

Ultimately only God knows my friends heart, my heart and everyone elses right?..

Proverbs 21:2 All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the Lord weighs the heart.

Interesting thing in this question though is.. It reminds me of what the late John wimber said something along the lines of " In the coming years it wont be a question of the quality of worship, it will be a question of the heart state of the worshipper "

John wimber knew music and performance would improve but he knew with it would come a greater need to examine our hearts.

Basically in a nutshell…

Worship is our lives before God not a one, two time event or even a 30 minute slot on a sunday. So the question of " Am I worshipper or a performer? " has to relate to every area of our lives and every person Not just my friend or myself up on a platform whacking our guitars or a piano on a sunday.

As we go about our lives are we seeking to glorify ourself or God?, are we willing to let go of opportunities to blow our own horn?, are we willing to let go if needed the very things God placed into our lives?

I guess the million dollars question could be asked,..

Would you be willing to step down from public speaking?, public leading?, and public worship tommorow? Could you let go of it all tommorow? If the answer is No, or I have to think about that.. …then their is a good chance their is a motive which runs deeper.

Gave gave Abraham his son, yet then asked him to take him up and kill him and only at the last moment, did he tell Abraham no need. He wanted to see what was in his heart, he wanted to see if he was willing to let go of the very thing God had placed in his life, he wanted to see who and what was important to him.

I truly believe though today, the way church bodies are structured has created its own set of issues and challenges and thats why we have questions like this being asked…

Imagine for a moment, that church ( people ) never met in a halls or community centers but instead the church body was spread out throughout a city and they met in homes throughout the week a bit like the underground church in china. How would that change the dynamics of worship?

Certainly there would be no more front and stage platform for people to be up on, with people gazing at you.. All these things come into play as to why we have to ask ourselves the question of " Am I worshipper or a Performer " because take away the stages and the large auditoriums and your left with people getting together, standing side by side, its harder to think more of yourself when you are on level ground with others and not heading up anything.

Same with, Why pastors might feel the need to hammer their congregation over tithing, is it because they want them blessed? or is it because they feel the monthly budget pressing down on them?, Take away the building, the need for extensions, the need for the nice walk in, lounges, baby rooms, carpets, chairs, the need to get in the latest speaker or worshipper from out of town.. and what do you have left? a Lot of people and a lot of money that potentially wont need to go to meet a budget and overhead and pay packets, and now you have money for things beyond church…. But would you be willing to give this up tommorow?

Many of the reasons why we are asking questions like these is because of the way the church bodies are structured today

So Performer for God and not for the Church? Only God knows the heart….

We can ask people who we consider close friends and i think it takes a lot of Balls to lay yourself out there…its admirable, but will we get a truthful answer? could we hear a truthful answer?…..would the answer even be true? remember.. what appears to one person one way, wont appear the same to another person… there are too many variables that come into play… such as the way church is structured, not knowing a persons heart, seeing things the wrong way ( that happens a lot in church )

All we can do is ask God, is my Life.. not just my 30 min sunday slot.. is my life, Worship before you?, or is it a performance?

If it is a performance is it one that pleases your heart? or does it grieve you? Does it prevent me from coming closer to you?

God am I willing to Let go of anything that stands between me drawing closer to you?

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