Nobody likes being held hostage. This is so obvious it shouldn't even need to be stated. However, there is a psychological phenomenon called Stockholm Syndrome, which is when a hostage falls in love, or at least identifies, with his or her captor. In fact, in severe cases, the hostage can even think that their bondage is for the best. After all, the captor must have a reason for holding you hostage.
But of course, this is called a syndrome because it is a malady. It is a perversion of what is actually happening. So why are we letting the church do that to us? Why have we developed a Stockholm Syndrome with contemporary Church worship? In fact, I would say we have gone so far as to begin thinking contemporary worship is the only, or best, form of worship in the church.
Poppycock, I say. When the worship leader, which is a subject for another time, begins strumming chords while the pastor is praying, I find myself held emotionally hostage. It's as if saying, "Oh, you aren't feeling emotionally connected to God enough, so I'll help you with some soft chords." It is the worship leader directing your emotions to a state of "appreciation" of God. But last time I checked, I was praying just fine without it, and if anyone begins to tell you how you should feel during worship, you need to find a new place to worship.
Why? Because last I checked, I don't always "feel" God. In fact, sometimes I feel very little during worship/sermon. Does this make me a bad Christian? Does this make you a bad Christian? Of course it doesn't. If our ability to love God as a Christian were tied to our emotional state at the time of worship, then we would never ever be able to love God at all. There have only been three times I have been moved to tears during worship, and for good reason. But most of the time, I am singing and praising God without care.
So why am I bashing worship leaders for strumming a little during prayer? Why call contemporary Christian worship emotional bondage? Simply because the majority, not all but the majority, of songs played are songs of emotion. The writer wrote the songs to express emotions he or she felt. Often this comes across in songs that repeat themselves a lot. For someone in emotional turmoil, the best way to express that is repetition of phrases like, "God, You alone", or "Hallelujah." And please do not think I hate songs like this. They are beautiful and written out of love for God, but I don't always feel the emotion the song is trying to get me to feel. This results in me questioning if I truly love God.
There are great songs out there, but instead of singing with gusto, I can end up bored with contemporary songs that repeat the same chords and words over and over. In fact, the best worship I have ever participated in was with an RP church singing psalms a capella. And this leads me to my final point. Contemporary worship does not focus on God. It contains all the words that Sunday school taught us to say, but I end up focusing on myself while singing those songs, because the song writers typically are expressing themselves. We forget worship is not about what we feel, but about giving praise and glory to God. That's why I hate when the worship leader strums his guitar along with the prayer; because it distracts me from focusing on praying to God. Yeah, perhaps it makes you feel more connected to God, but since when is worship about you?
That being said, there are wonderful songs that do in fact focus on God, and I am so excited when I get to sing them; but, to those songs that hold me emotionally hostage, please remember that performing and worshiping God in church belong in two different spheres of life. So check yourself when you next sing in Church and ask yourself these questions:
1. Can I hear myself/others in the congregation while I sing?
If no, you are in a performance.
2. Am I expected to feel a certain emotion while singing this song?
If yes, you are in a performance.
3. Is God truly being worshiped?
If no, you are in a performance.
4. Are you singing to the glory of God?
If yes, then never ever stop. Do it for the rest of your life, because nothing is more important than God. Not how you feel during worship, not whether you pray correctly, not whether you raise your hands during worship or not. All that matters is that He is given the glory.
