I was singing as loud as I could but was unable to hear my own voice. there were almost 50 000 others singing with me in that great choir. Several had their hands in the air as we sang the wonderful hymns of the faithfulness of God and the work of the cross and tears flowed freely down many a face.
It was a most moving experience! The enemy would surely be put in disarray by this demonstration of our unity! Then the referee blew his whistle and the rugby game got under way.
I was at Cardiff Arms park, home of Welsh rugby and the singing was part of the tradition for which the Welsh are known. Many a visiting rugby team player has commented that the hymn singing before the game was worth five points to the home team as the visitors felt the awe of that moment.
But was it worship? I think not!
It was certainly the fruit of community and identity as Welshmen; it certainly was birthed in the deep passions of the heart and was certainly a tonic to the soul - but it was the carnal, human spirit that was the source, not the quickened spirits of redeemed men.
How often we too are guilty of mistaking singing, however passionate, with true worship. Feeling good about our singing doesn't make it worship! In true worship, there may be times of no singing - just a silence as we are "lost in wonder, love and praise".
It was A W Tozer who said that "we have lost the art of ineffable worship. Whenever, there is a time of meditative silence in our services, we feel we must fill it with singing!" I'm a Welshman and I love singing, but Oh, for times of awesome silence in His presence!
I have had my fill of hearing people say that they had had a wonderful Praise & Worship time when what they really mean is that the music team were great and the singing wonderful - just like a secular pop concert.
I'm not against Christian concerts or music groups - my concern is that we may substitute the emotions of those moments with true worship.
The Father is still seeking those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth!
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Gareth Evans ( - )
Gareth Evans is an itinerant pastor/teacher with a burden to minister to the hurting church his ministry website is Gareth Evans Ministries. Formerly a Physics teacher in the UK and Canada, he became a pastor with the Christian & Missionary Alliance in Canada in 1979. In 1991, he was invited to serve as pastor on board the M/V Anastasis, a medical, missionary ship operated by Youth With A Mission (YWAM). Since leaving that ministry four years later, Gareth has traveled to many countries, encouraging pastors and missionaries.He is married to Anne and they have three married daughters, nine grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Gareth and Anne live in Victoria, in beautiful British Columbia, Canada. Some of his main burdens is to mentor young men to see them walk in the anointing of God and soar on wings as eagles. He has also prayed for revival and moderated many revival conferences across the world.