Dr. James Spencer, President of D. L. Moody Center, Examines the Influence of Worship Music

Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) has become one of the fastest-growing genres in the United States, with Millennials and younger comprising almost half of the form's listeners. Once considered a subgenre of CCM, modern worship has quickly developed a distinct, recognizable sound of its own and has become an influential powerhouse in both the local church and on the charts, where Christian music's top five acts year-to-date are worship artists.

Amidst contemporary worship's rise in popularity, renowned theologian and author and the President of D. L. Moody Center (moodycenter.org), Dr. James Spencer, is posing some provocative questions:

• How might the style of worship and the ways we have arranged our churches distract us from paying attention to God?
• Have we become more obsessed with creating a particular experience than with experiencing God?
• And perhaps most vital, while we may be singing, are we worshiping?

In a recent article for Christianity.com, Spencer examines the influence and implications of contemporary worship music in the church. Spencer first addresses a foundational question: What is worship?

Spencer said, "Worship is our right response to the Lord. It is our way of giving God the glory due to Him. First, worship requires attention; specifically, it requires us to pay attention to God. Second, because worship is a response, particularly a response to God, when we aren't attending to God or if God sits in the background instead of the foreground, it is less likely (if not impossible)."

Spencer points out that context is key to any form of worship, including corporate singing.

Spencer shared, "We need to approach God with a posture of worship regardless of the context, because no worship experience is sufficient to ensure that our hearts are prepared to worship the Lord. Still, it is interesting to consider how the context of a non-denominational church might influence those who are worshipping. First, by positioning the band up front with lights, smoke machines and other concert-like elements, there could be a tendency to get caught up in the experience and lose sight of God. We need to make sure that we aren't just singing, but worshiping. There is a difference, and it is largely internal; it is a matter of the heart."

Complicating matters, Spencer says, is the aura of celebrity status that is often conferred on those leading worship from the stage.

"Unlike an organist or singers in a choir, those leading worship today can become quasi-celebrities," Spencer noted. "Again, we need to acknowledge that this is not a problem unique to modern worship. Our propensity to create celebrities or 'sages on stages' is not new. The question, however, is whether and how our modern worship accentuates that propensity. While we should not deny people the opportunity to display their God-given talents, the production of many worship services creates something of a spectacle that focuses our attention on the stage and those on it rather than on God."

Ultimately, Spencer says, it's crucial that Christians focus on Who, not how they're worshipping.

Spencer said, "We need to be aware that we may find ourselves more enamored with the worship music, the worship leaders, or the production than we are with God. Our desire should not be to see a good show on Sunday morning, but to praise the Triune God. To praise the Triune God, we need to be aware of the ways the environment in which we sing may draw our attention away from God instead of directing it toward Him."

For more from Dr. James Spencer, click here to read his article on Christianity.com.

Dr. James Spencer is a theologian and Christian leader who seeks to help believers think Christianly about the social, cultural, and political assumptions of today's modern world. Tune in to James Spencer's daily podcast "Thinking Christian" for daily conversations with guests for calm, thoughtful, theological discussions about a variety of topics Christians face every day. He also co-hosts a weekly radio program "Useful to God." 

James Spencer currently serves as President of the D. L. Moody Center, an independent non-profit organization dedicated to introducing people to the life and faith of Dwight Moody. He also has several courses and other resources available at Useful to God. He earned his Ph.D. in Theological Studies from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. 

Spencer is a regular contributor to christianity.com and washingtontimes.com. He has published multiple works, including his newest book titled "Serpents and Doves: Christian, Politics, and the Art of Bearing Witness" available on amazon.com, "Christian Resistance: Learning to Defy the World and Follow Christ," "Useful to God: Eight Lessons from the Life of D. L. Moody," "Thinking Christian: Essays on Testimony, Accountability, and the Christian Mind," and "Trajectories: A Gospel-Centered Introduction to Old Testament Theology."

Spencer's desire is to see Christians test God by trusting God so that they conform ever more closely to the image of Christ. He believes discipleship will open up opportunities beyond anything God's people could accomplish through their own wit and wisdom.

 

 

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