Worship as entertainment

Worship as entertainment
The crucial question is: what is worship? How should it be understood? It is for most of us something that happens together with other people, of the same faith and the focus is on God. Apart from that, however, how the worship of God together should be done is a very open question.
Worship is taking place in a world where media plays an increasing role and where media not least serves us entertainment. Again, this term could be defined differently but instead of trying to define I will give an example where entertainment featured prominently.
In the Stockholm daily, Svenska Dagbladet, the editor in chief in all earnestness suggested that the section up till then called ‘culture’ (including book reviews of fiction and non-fiction, film, theatre, the fine arts etc) should be called ‘entertainment’. It was felt that this label simply would be more attractive and also truly reflect what people wanted. The editor of this section Carl Otto Werkelid however was adamant. He said either it remains ‘culture’ or I will resign; which he did. Not very much later the editor in chief or the board changed their mind and this section returned to the label culture and the head of that section also returned. And he proved frequently that he was right. However before the end of 2008 he has resigned and the section is now called ‘Culture and Entertainment’ (Kultur & Nöje).
In a country, like Sweden, where people are not exactly flocking to church, it is very tempting to start work according to the entertainment model. A local congregation may start a gospel choir for example with the aim of attracting people. it may be good for those who join the choir. They will have an enriching experience, but the rest of the congregation may well end up a mere listeners and spectators.
Due to financial constraints, some parishes in the Church of Sweden would merge into one much larger parish and the number of services may also be cut down drastically. Some church buildings would stand empty half of the Sundays. As an encouragement however it may well be that the responsible clergy will focus on a few important events, when choirs come together in order to perform a particular mass (there are many to choose from, from various parts of the world) and a good preacher. Again, the net result could very well be a high entertainment value, it may indeed be a Sunday service not easily forgotten. My question however is, is this what worship is meant to be?
In South Africa, the newer Pentecostal and Charismatic churches are making headway to an extent that the traditional, mainline churches are losing their breath. A very important part of the service in these churches is the music presented. Modern instruments like keyboards, electric guitars and drums are used and people gladly participate in singing praises to the Lord. In many of these churches there is also an element of testimony that should not be ignored. People are given space to share their own life experiences. But this is done with an aim, probably in order to warn and/or edify the congregation so there is planning behind it.
There is no denying that these newer churches in many ways manage to engage the members in numerous and meaningful ways. People meet in small prayer groups (cells) during the week; there are Bible study groups, etc. but my impression is that the entertainment element in these churches has become a very important part of their ordinary life. I have vivid memories of this from a student service at Baxter Theatre at the University of Cape Town a couple of years ago. It was a campus church called ‘His People’, the largest Christian body on campus no doubt. They don’t bother with own church buildings as they use any hall or theatre available and people don’t go to theatre on a Sunday morning. But I must say, even though the main venue in Baxter was packed with mostly black students, my impression was one of vast passivity and some sadness. At the same time the performance, including the sermon, was excellent, the entertainment value was high. On a personal note: before walking out I saw a pile of forms available for those who wanted to join as members. On top it read: for those who are born again Christians. I felt a bit challenged as I am not a born again Christian. I have to struggle with my faith every day, and start from scratch every morning, but thankfully, by the Grace of God.
I am mentioning these examples with a purpose. My absolute conviction is that worship could never in its core understanding be seen as entertainment. It is an encounter between the human and God, and this is a daunting thing. If anything, I have to give my life into such an exercise. In other words, my participation, in various ways, must always be utterly crucial. I must be a part and I must take part; that what it is.
As I will have a postgraduate course at our university next semester (1st semester of 2009) in Liturgics, I will have to grapple with some of these issues, and even more so my students. It may also give me reason to come back to the whole question of why we worship and how we should worship. Ideally, my participation in any liturgical worship should lead to a new creation, a recreation of spirit, soul and body, yes of the whole world; but more about this in the New Year.