Not that long ago, I was sitting in this church service and it so happens that the topic the speaker chooses is on Spontaneity.
He gave a really good description of what it is to be spontaneous and it had something to do with almost acting on an impulse without great thought and with little care for the reactions you can expect. What else was revealing about the talk was the level of candour with which he was graciously able to talk to a church whose style was not really predisposed to spontaneity. He was even honest in sharing how he himself was hardly going to be the prime candidate for spontaneous expressions of praise in the church. He then went about going through some scriptures which showed elements of worship that were considered to be spontaneous.
As I heard the presentation and noted the scriptures used to support the case for spontaneous expressions of praise for the raising of hands to bowing down to shouting and all that kind of stuff, it got me thinking. (I know that’s unusual, but stretch your imagination with me on this one.)
I come from a church background that was very much about spontaneity in praise to that extent. It was not unusual to see hands up-raised, voices shouting in acclamation and praise and the occasional jumping up and down or running up and down the aisle in rapturous wonder of the Almighty. At first that was a bit scary for me as a boy not really used to such expressions of exuberance and excitement in such ecstasy. Especially people ‘in the spirit’ knocking over chairs or bouncing around uncontrollably and falling all over the place. They would not be the only person in tears as I would often cry out of fear for these strange goings on. I would have cried to my Mum, but she would undoubtedly be one of those jumping, bouncing, shouting, etc.
As the years rolled by, I kinda got used to it – well at least I wasn’t so prone to burst into tears upset at what I’m seeing. (Funnily enough, now, when my daughter Deborah sees me burst into tears and uttering all kinds of stuff in excited praise to God, she gets upset as well. Having said that, it doesn’t take much to get her upset, but in any case. As for Abigail, she doesn’t cry … she just finds somewhere else to be until I get over it.)
That also informs you that after I joined the Christian club in baptism, it wasn’t long before I likewise had occasion to be rather exuberant in my expression of praise spontaneously. It would literally be a case of something bubbling up inside of me that needed release and however it could – shouting, crying (and that’s a common one), fist-pumping (as in the common celebration of footballers on scoring an astonishing/winning goal), etc.
Funnily enough, despite the kind of background I came from I sometimes wouldn’t feel at liberty to fully express myself there either. I remember on more than one occasion so overcome that I ran outside and somehow illogically thought it would be better to crack off in the open air with complete strangers than in the confines of a place and environment designed to allow such expressions.
So having all that in me, it was almost amusing hearing the speaker share about the importance of such things as saying ‘amen’ or ‘praise the Lord’ in response to what God has said during the service whether in song or spoken. That is standard stuff from where I’m coming from.
There is always more to it, however, than meets the eye. That expression of praise and worship, celebrating God for past, present and future blessings and for His presence and the inevitability of His coming Kingdom is not just something that should pervade a church meeting. Herein is the disconnect. I understand the protocol needed to engage responsibly in public and I am not for one moment suggesting we become brazen and do our thing wherever we like, whatever people may think. I am saying that the corporate gathering is a time to actually flow with what’s been going through us all week.
Praise through the week understandably expresses itself in praise in the corporate gathering. Spontaneous praise, indeed spontaneity in any area of the Christian walk can inform our steps when it comes to the nature of behaviour in the corporate gathering. This gives all the more reason for shaping the settings towards multi-participatory expressions than the monologue-centred one. It’s not just about saying hallelujah because Jesus spoke through ‘the preacher’ it’s recognising when Jesus gives you more words to share than ‘the preacher’ has, so in actual fact God speaks through the many and not just the one.
That’s not the recipe for a free-for-all and the platform for the ego-centric extrovert chatter-box to take centre stage at every gathering. In line with a spirit of giving and sharing among each other, it is hopefully the recipe for a flexible format of giving and sharing that promotes that spontaneity.
I don’t condone spontaneity on its own merits and one of the sad things of the background was seeing someone ‘in the spirit’ one minute when the chorus is being sung for the 13th time only later on to speak such words of negativity and bile that you have to wonder if the spirit is schizophrenic.
My understanding of spontaneity and spirituality is that as with everything else God provides in the journey, it is there for our edification. My life and the lives of others should be built up to become more like Christ’s as a result of that expression. Remember just because it’s spontaneous, doesn’t mean it’s not planned. I may not have planned it, but it was planned. It will also fulfil the plan it was set out to achieve as we remain ever vigilant and discerning to what the Spirit is saying to the church.
Oh by the way if you don’t believe in it – as in spirituality and spontaneity, just watch an episode of Family Fortunes. Seriously some of the families on there, I’m sure would be nice and calm in a service, reserved, serious and circumspect. See how they go crazy when they are going for the top prize and win. They go absolutely barmy – don’t tell me people don’t know about spontaneous praise! Poor Les.
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
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