Worship and Transitions

[oneup_shroom]

So I have a question for you all!

I am a part of a youth band for my Church and our youth pastor wants us to play secular music during transition/game time after worship. For example he wants us to play Airplanes by B.O.B in a few weeks to kick off this "new" thing. Now he feels it is okay because it will be an instrumental, no vocals.

I personally feel super convicted over this, I feel like it is wrong to usher in God's presence then immediately after worshiping God, we turn and play music that worship's man. It just feels wrong to me... but apparently a lot of churches are doing this kind of thing in youth now a days. Anyway, I have voiced my concerns to him in private and well, I don't know what the final decision will be.

So, what do you all think about this type of thing being in Youth Groups or worship/church in general?

Thanks!!

 

[Thiscrosshurts]

I personally feel super convicted over this

That's enough reason not to participate personally.
However this is surely a test filled with traps,pits and wrought with distractions and opportunities for division and strife.

I suggest fervent prayer and absolute trust in God.

There are a few things to consider.
Jude 1:24 To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy--

He ushers us in,not the other way around.

Psalm 139:7 Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?
Psalm 139:8If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
Acts 17:28For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
Genesis 28:16 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I wasn't even aware of it!"

We are already in his presence.
Conventional praise and worship creates an environment that can help our perception of his presence.
If everyone in the room became fully aware of his abiding presence the schedule would go right out the window.
You could end up causing strife and/or division(which darkness loves) if you approach this without prayer.

Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

I would start by asking for wisdom about how to pray.
James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
James 1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

 

[oneup_shroom]

He ushers us in,not the other way around.

Thanks for clarifying that for me. I sometimes word things weird. Your full description is a much better explanation of what I was "meaning". By usher, I meant usher (lead/escort) the group into a place where they can "perceive" His presence as you put it. But I see where my wording could have sounded the other way... so yeah, Thanks for clearing that all up.

And I've been praying and fasting over this decision, I presented my position after praying about it in a private meeting with the youth pastor. But I think he still wants to do it anyway... By the way he is new (a few weeks as our YP)... so I don't know him very well and we don't have a trust relationship built... I feel like God was speaking to me about letting him have the authority he has been given and let God/the church authority deal with it. Its the YP's responsibility and position to be the spiritual leader of the youth group... etc. But I still feel convicted and I feel like the youth's passion is dying. Its obvious in worship, they used to sing and cry out... now just a few weeks later they just stand there, sometimes even on their phone... its frustrating. There are still the few that cry out... but its nothing like it used to be. He also replaced pre-service prayer with "small groups" which honestly makes me angry...we now talk for the hour before service on pre-determined subjects instead of praying! The Band has made it a priority to leave the small groups at least a half hour before service to have our own pre-service prayer, but its just not the same as when all the leaders prayed together before service.

Its like my youth group has become a show/gimmick instead of a special time with God.... our numbers are dropping like stones too (not that numbers are what we are after... but we are down to like 25-30% of normal attendance.)

Sorry I kinda got a little bit whiny there...but my heart is in this group... so it hurts to see it struggling.

Thanks

 

[Fragrant Grace]

I personally feel super convicted over this, I feel like it is wrong to usher in God's presence then immediately after worshiping God, we turn and play music that worship's man. It just feels wrong to me... but apparently a lot of churches are doing this kind of thing in youth now a days. Anyway, I have voiced my concerns to him in private and well, I don't know what the final decision will be.

Praise the Lord!
If you feel convicted that this is wrong, thank and praise Him for leading you
Keep seeking His will in prayer and trust that He will direct you....he will because His word says so!

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding
In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct Thy paths
Proverbs 3:5-6

 

[Thiscrosshurts]

Its like my youth group has become a show/gimmick instead of a special time with God....

That is a much bigger problem and the frustration only makes your own perception of his presence more difficult to maintain and convey to those you minister to.I think you are seeing a weapon that has been formed against the youth group at work.
In other words an enemy is at work here but it is not a person,it is a spirit(s) that is using a person to generate division and discord.
It seems designed so that anything you to try to do out of logic will only feed that discord(I can't think of anything) and the frustration it causes is meant to hinder your perception of the presence of the answer.

Thanks for clarifying that for me. I sometimes word things weird. Your full description is a much better explanation of what I was "meaning". By usher, I meant usher (lead/escort) the group into a place where they can "perceive" His presence as you put it. But I see where my wording could have sounded the other way... so yeah, Thanks for clearing that all up.

I was just trying to get myself to perceive his presence before commenting.

 

[de1]

first of all is very wrong you cant serve two masters at the same time. i think is best you let him know who u are and who leaves in you

 

[farout]

So I have a question for you all!

I am a part of a youth band for my Church and our youth pastor wants us to play secular music during transition/game time after worship. For example he wants us to play Airplanes by B.O.B in a few weeks to kick off this "new" thing. Now he feels it is okay because it will be an instrumental, no vocals.

I personally feel super convicted over this, I feel like it is wrong to usher in God's presence then immediately after worshiping God, we turn and play music that worship's man. It just feels wrong to me... but apparently a lot of churches are doing this kind of thing in youth now a days. Anyway, I have voiced my concerns to him in private and well, I don't know what the final decision will be.

So, what do you all think about this type of thing being in Youth Groups or worship/church in general?

Thanks!!

I would not wait one day looking for a church that knows what "WORSHIP" is really about. My beliefe is Sunday is a day of rest. Changing our day of Worship from Saturday to sunday, should still make it a day of rest. Family and friends, not football, sports, NASCAR, but our focus should be on the Lord. and doing things that are more church centered, and with family, church and friends. In the "olden days we used to have church services on Sunday evening too. But that was before colored tv came in. So mant disruptons have entered our lives. Maybe 50 years from now sermons will arrive by a insistant message, and it will all be done in 1/4 an hour. Then it's sports and fun, fun all day. I hope I am with the lord by then.