worship dialogue

the other day I was able to listen as several visitors sat around my dining room table having lunch. These were for gentlemen that attend college with my oldest son. They'd come down to visit for a weekend and were able to participate and two of our church services. At both these services worship was engaged in several ways but the dialogue seem to center around the idea of behavior during the musical portion.

Seems most were observing such freedom during worship for the first time. One of them from a more charismatic church enjoyed the freedom, because it reminded him of home. The other three had a varying opinion as to what they should do with what they saw and experienced.
One of them found it interesting to see people so comfortable to move as individuals in a corporate setting. One of the three admitted he did not see anything wrong but was uncomfortable just because he wasn't used to it. He also acknowledged that because he was unfamiliar, he was distracted by hand raising,swaying, and flag-waving by some.
the third one brought up an interesting point. This point lead to a fun dialogue around the table, and is why I am mentioning it in a blog.
His point was that he thought about 98% of those who worship with such passion are only that way on Sunday and they do not worship the rest of the week. His point was that if you saw these people at a local store they would not be raising their hands or waving flags and singing songs that Jesus, so these people are being inconsistent in their worship of God. He believes that we should always be in a state of worship of God and his worship should be consistent.
I have admit I wanted to get crazy all up in his face, the logic of the statement was so flawed but God gave me grace and I sat and listened. I listened as his friends tried to understand what point he was trying to make. they could not understand why he thought the way he did. In the name of consistency he refused to act any different in a corporate body worshiping God that he would walking down the aisles of Wal-Mart.
As I listened I heard many a flawed logical statement and yet I also heard my own voice using the same logic years ago. I smiled as I thought of the journey that God has allowed me to walk in the area of worship. I appreciated his grace and mercy in allowing me to have opportunity to grow in freedom both for myself and the grace to allow others to grow as well.
Before we were wonderfully interrupted by more visitors, and homemade apple pie I think the young man was beginning to see that it is possible to expand his definition of being consistent in worship. I believe he began to understand that a gathering of believers celebrating and honoring a God that they love can look different then that same believer honoring and celebrating a God that they love as they walk down the aisle of Wal-Mart.

It was fun, and I hope they come again if not for the conversation at least for the apple pie. :-)