Your Thoughts on Worship

[JM]

Just interested being as most church gatherings in cities around the world are not universalists

What are you thoughts on todays worship?
Even though your a universalist are you still part of a regular denomination?
How do you handle singing songs which conflict with your universalist belief?

[imwm]

Just interested being as most church gatherings in cities around the world are not universalists

What are you thoughts on todays worship?
Even though your a universalist are you still part of a regular denomination?
How do you handle singing songs which conflict with your universalist belief?

I don't go to church as much as I used to, but when my family does go to church, sometimes it's to a United Methodist (with a pastor who seems to have fairly traditional beliefs)... although the past 2 times we have gone to a church which is less oriented on politics and money and the building and more on being a true Christian (which I really like). I'm not sure about this, but I think the pastor there may be a universalist, even though he doesn't preach about it. Some time I will have to ask him.  :Sparkletooth:

I personally think even if your opinion is different from those at a church (incl. the pastor), you can still worship God there, which should be the point... but I think there are others on this forum who have felt led to break away from the modern church system completely I guess you really could worship God without a church, or fellowship with other UR believers outside of the church.
:dontknow:

When I sing songs about things I don't agree with, I just don't sing... I don't ever really feel the need to sing out loud, which is rather forced on you by the church...

Just my  :2c:

[SeekerSA]

I suppose if you in a church that sings Bill Gaither's and friends stuff it may be a problem like

"I'll fly away"

Most modern worship songs and even many hymns are about God and not about how good we are.

Things like "My Redeemer lives" has truth in it although "I know He rescued my soul" may not be from a perspective of all.

I have yet to see modern worship that really conflicts with UR beliefs apart from the ol' happy clappy Pentecostal songs of the 70's and 80's when the rapture was all the rave.

I actually believe those in the ministry of P&W, most know Father's Heart and they are the ones who can believe in UR easier than others.

It is interesting that summation is made that most are not UR.  I think most can be UR but most do not really know what we believe.  People are leaving church disillusioned for the one main reason, they find no meat there.

I have over 18.7GB in mp3 format of worship/gospel material, my belief in UR does not negate the hidden truths in many of those songs.

These are the days of Elijah
Declaring the Word of the Lord
And these are the days of Your
Servant Moses
Righteousness being restored
And though these are days of
Great trials
Of famine and darkness and sword
Still we are the voice in the desert crying
Prepare ye the way of the Lord

Behold He comes riding on the clouds  (cloud of witnesses not a cloud surfer)
Shining like the sun at the trumpet call (from a rapture perspective yet we know what it means)
Lift your voice it's the Year of Jubilee (Daniel's missing Jubilee generation?)
Out of Zion's hill salvation comes (what is Zion's hill, most do not know what this refers to)

These are the days of Ezekiel
The dry bones becoming as flesh (people are waking up)
And these are the days of
Your servant David
Rebuilding a temple of praise (giving honor to God, the temple is us)
And these are the days of the harvest
The fields are as white in Your world
And we are the laborers in Your vineyard
Declaring the Word of the the Lord

There's no god like Jehova

Lift your voice it's the year of Jubilee
Out of Zion

Even though there may be a general misunderstanding of intent, the hidden truths still make it OK.  This is anyways a horizontal song and is for peer-peer encouragement.  It is not a worship song in respect of being vertical and giving praise direct to the Father.

Now look at a vertical Worship song, absolutely nothing wrong and/or wrong intent here.

Father in heaven how we love you
We lift your name in all the earth.
May your kingdom be established in our praises,
As Your people declare your mighty works!

      Blessed be the Lord God Almighty
      Who was and is and is to come.
      Blessed be the Lord God Almighty
      Who reigns forevermore.

Oh God most Holy we adore you,
We lay our all before you throne.
May the fragrance of your presence be about us
As we purpose to worship you alone

In Worship lyrics, most of the time, truth prevails in spite of doctrine.

Blessings

[Cardinal]

 :cloud9: Seeker; that is one of my favorite songs; I cried the first time I heard it, it moved me so much.

:cloud9: JM, I think the one's of us that have been "out here" the longest go when and where the Spirit leads, if and when He leads, and so if He's leading you just go and if they play something that grates on you, you just ignore it so as not to be a stumbling block to your brethren.

Add to that, that worship is not just about praising Him in songs with other believers. When you are totally submitted to Him enough to leave "mother" behind, that in itself is a form of worship. Just like everything else, we let them define worship for us. The key to worship God style is this; do EVERYTHING as unto the Lord. Blessings to you in your walk.......

[joian]

Father in heaven how we love you
We lift your name in all the earth.
May your kingdom be established in our praises,
As Your people declare your mighty works!

      Blessed be the Lord God Almighty
      Who was and is and is to come.
      Blessed be the Lord God Almighty
      Who reigns forevermore.

Oh God most Holy we adore you,
We lay our all before you throne.
May the fragrance of your presence be about us
As we purpose to worship you alone

How funny Seeker that you would post this song above............it is written for a young man who was a youth pastor at the first church we joined after leaving the Nazarene church.........His name is Bob Fitts and his father was my bible school teacher.  He was the most beloved young man in our church and my oldest three adored him........I sang duets with him from time to time during those years and we were close friends with his family.........

Two months ago he came back here (Corona) from Hawaii where he was on staff with YWAM..........had been there 20 some years..........He was making a new CD after having left YWAM .............anyway as God would have it one of my daughters ended up doing back up with two others for his CD......I went to the live recording hoping to find life in his worship..........and be able to join into that wonderful worship we all enjoyed years before..........

It was gone..........a couple of times there was a small trickle and if there was a person in the audience that wanted it to happen more than me I would haved doubted it..........It was a sad night for me............and I cannot say more.......

I have times of praise and worship in my own home and you would not believe the secular artists I worship with.....

Micheal Bluble.........I want to Go Home
The Platters............My Prayer
Phantom of the Opera..........Stay With Me
BEEGEES.................How Can You Mend A Broken Heart
...........................Clare de Lune
Bochelli................The Prayer
???........................Bring It On Home To Me

The list goes on, but I am amazed and blessed by the gift of music in all his children........I never knew they were worshiping him.......as they loved each other..... and expressed it through the music they wrote......

[hopeful]

What are you thoughts on todays worship?

Hi, JM

Well, I'm not exactly sure what you mean when you say "today's worship".  Is my worship and your worship included in the category of "today's" worship?  Or are you referring to the church as a whole? 

Corporate worship used to be very important to me.  I would choose a church gathering based on the "quality' of their music team.  But now worship is a personal experience for me.  I go around my house singing and humming all day long. I hardly ever listen to music because of this.  It just doesn't occur to me.  We're all at different places in our walk with the Lord.

Even though your a universalist are you still part of a regular denomination?

No, but the Lord led me out of the denominations before he fully revealed UR to me.

How do you handle singing songs which conflict with your universalist belief?

It's been over a year since I've been in a large gathering of believers and I don't remember any words in the songs that I didn't agree with.  I guess for me, the seeming lack of worshipping in spirit and truth among the worship team (and instead performing) was the conflict I faced.

Richest blessings and cool refreshings as you follow after the Lord, JM!