Raising Hands in Worship

christianyouth...

With the exception of the "as though God were speaking through a man" comment, I agree with everything you posted.

The point of my post was not to say a pastor is out of line by going in front of everyone and preaching and/or teaching.

My point was just that there are many times when a particular person does something by themself during a christian meeting. And just because they are doing it individually does not automatically mean they are doing anything wrong.

(By the way, my disagreement with the "as though God were speaking through a man" part is because God Himself still speaks to people personally through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes God will do that through the preacher/teacher, but not always)

Mike

 

Man, you have that right... I don't know how many times I have preached something and God has used what I said to say something to someone...and what they heard from God was not the same as what I said!!!!

The preacher can say something, and the Holy Spirit can use it along with the Bible to speak to the individual.

 

Agreed this thread seems to be getting pretty long(errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr). [My bad! lol]

Feelings?
Two things: I don't go to church desiring or expecting to be emotionally 'pumped'. However, worship does tend to produce some sort of feelings.... which I think are part of the worship experience.

We're supposed to honor that all things are done decently and in order: That God is not the author of confusion: That our presentation is that of a sound mind: That the purpose is to glorify God, and we do that by respecting in love, the sensitivities of our brethern with whom we worship: Therefore there is a blend of the corperate and cooperation of the individual in the conduct of worship.

I attend a SBC although raised primarily as IFB. In the IFB, there seemed to be an 'amen' corner, here and there, who would add occasional emphasis endorsing a statement made by the pastor, or saying softly 'Preach it!' . Perhaps some might consider this distracting.... as I do when it seems to be indiscriminate and/or disruptive. But in the IFB I seldom saw anyone raise their hands in praise, though the scripture was not avoided in preaching or lessons regarding worship.
At the SBC where I now attend, and a modestlly large congregation, one hardly ever hears an 'amen' or 'preach it brother!', but there are a few scattered throughout that are comfortable lifting up their hands during the singing. Again, this doesn't seem to follow a pattern of habit or instruction but as seems fitting for that portion of the worship.

I noticed that some seem to think 'what about the limbless brother/sister, or one who is parapeligic, and can't raise hands?' Well, what about those who are deaf? Or those who are blind and unaware of their appearance and grimacing? Or those who are musically challenged needing a bucket to hide their off keys, when singing?

Corporate worship means there is some type of order to which the assembly is accustomed to following in general, typically led and directed by the leadership: It doesn't mean we leave our personalities, humanity, and feelings at home. It doesn't mean we copy each other, nor that we exercise our individual liberty with abandon regardless of appropriateness to the order of worship.

I always wondered why Christians will go to football games or soccer, and clap and exercise all kinds of expression, then we enter the building for collective worship, and clam up with our spirit as starched as the clothes we might wear. Furthermore, why to we clap for the pianist, or the special songs as if those who have ministered in such fashion desserve the praise? When I clap at such times it is only when I feel a particular portion of that worship phase spoke to the heart of my spirit. Sorry, Pastor Larry, but I have no way of telling you how I know a particular portion of worship touched my spirit.... or rather I identified with it: It just happens.

Personally, I'm possibly out of order, sometimes, cause the offeratory music....if its an old hymn I know from memory, I'll sing it very softly......cause it says to bring our offerings with thanksgiving and praise. I write my checks with a praise to God on the 'what for line' as a witness to any others who's hands it passes through. Rarely I am moved to lift my hands in worship during a congregational song. Often I will close my eyes, if someone nearby is a distraction either by dress or movement (seldom happens) or if I find myself otherwise preoccupied.... as worship through singing/praise, praying, offering, and listening I do to focus on HIM, not on others with whom I gather.

(Incidentally, there are a few hymns I will not sing because I do not believe every song in a service is a praise from me to God. I do my best to honor the directions of leadership, i.e. stand when they say stand, sit when others sit, and if asked I would raise my hands. What some may see as a problem in discipline, others may view as the refreshing exercise of spontanity and liberty in worhiping our LORD. Is everything supposed to make sense--humanly (logically/rationally) speaking? Even preaching ..... 'by the foolishness of preaching' yet we know preaching is not foolishness thought the world thinks it so: And many of us are grateful 'cause by that fashion the Holy Spirit move upon our hearts instructing us and revealed to us our need for salvation, to which cause Jesus came and gave his life, a sacrifice for my sins....for our sins. At some point, worship is very much an individual experience within a corporate agreement.)

 

Not at all similar. The pastor better not be calling attention to himself. His job is to be the voice of God through the right handling of the text so that people are confronted with what God says and called on to obey God. There is no similarity to someone just bursting out with something that has nothing to do with the text of Scripture.

 

I totally agree with everything Ann said. Someone told me one time that we raise our hands in school when we know the answer; we know the answer the world needs why not raise our hands and tell them that answer is God.
:godisgood:

 

1. The verses I have read about "lifting up hands" seem to indicate doing so in prayer. (I suppose you could say that 'praise and worship' songs are prayer but it is a big stretch)
2. If you are going to do it you had better be certain that they are "HOLY HANDS" and not just because you "feel" like doing it. (In other words have you cleansed your hands before you brought your worship and praise to God by repentance and petition?)

Just a couple thoughts.

 

Do you honestly believe is someone lifts their hands and praises God that there is something wrong with it. God forbid,

 

Is the psalmist of any help at this point? When I read Psalm 149 and 150, I notice the "lifting up of hands" and even "dancing" in praise to the Lord."

Is it that we have blinded by traditions?

 

Yep. Its there. And the "dancing" part will probably open a whole new can of worms, as they say. I'll go ahead and comment that I have been in many services where spontanious free form "dancing unto the Lord" has been going on by some attenders and it was a very beautiful and biblical thing. It added greatly to the praise and worship experience.

I certainly believe so.

God bless,

Mike

 

Introduce and support that and you will see the "new wave" come blowing through your congregation, they might even consider themselves "drunk" in the spirit and holy laughter might be given by this same spirit that causes members to dance.

Just saying.....

 

Where do you see anything about lifting up hands in Psalm 149 and 150? I see the dance, and I have no issues with that so long as you dance like Psalm 150 describes. I have no real issue with raising hands, but I don't see it in those psalms (so far). Perhaps I am misreading something.

Perhaps. I wonder if the tradition we are blinded by is the tradition of individualism. Have you noticed how often someone in this thread has invoked their own personal feelings? Since when has corporate worship become about "me"? It has happened in the last 30-50 years.

And I think that is the danger. I am unconvinced on raising of hands individually. My inclination is that it ought to be a corporate practice, not an individual one. But I am unconvinced.

The red flag that this thread has raised in my minds does not really have to do with hands, but with individualism.

 

Pastor Larry;
We are saved individual. It is a personal thing between you and God.

Mat 6:6But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

 

Psalms 149 and 150 were for dancing. Psalm 28:2; 134:2 and 141:2 are about the lifting up of hands in praise to God.

Psalm 141: "May my prayer be set before you like incense;
may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacfrifice."

Psalm 134:2: "Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the Lord."

Please, don't tell me when I lift up my hands in praise to God, it is wrong or signal of danger to come. I am praising my God. May be you should learn to do the same.

 

If this is true, why raise your hands publicly? Wouldn't your use of this verse lead to the conclusion that we should only raise hands privately? (BTW, that's not my use of the verse). I think that we should have a deep and abiding relationship with God. I am not sure that means we should practice individual acts of worship in a corporate worship service.

 

So, if all but one person in the congregation decides to lift their hands in praise to God, they are all wrong?

Come on Larry, surely you don't believe this.

Psalms 134:2 declares that we areto lift up our hands in the sanctuary and bless the Lord. Maybe we are wrong if we do not lift our hands rather than when we do lift our hands.

That is, unless we are lifting our hands just to be seen of man rather than to honor God in praise.

 

Okay. I was just going from your original post and wondering what I was missing.

I haven't said that, to my knowledge.

Okay.

How do you know I don't praise God? Aren't you assuming a lot with this? Assuming that I have not learned to praise God?

Let me ask another question here: Why (apparently) are some of you taking this so personally?

 

Of course, I don't. Why would you think I would believe that they are all wrong?

Perhaps.

Do you recall any place here where I have said that raising hands is wrong? If you do, please point it out to me. I don't recall saying that. I think I have targeted my questions fairly specifically. It seems that you are misreading, and taking it too personally.

Which goes with what I just said above. It seems for some of you that when something you like is challenged on biblical grounds simply by asking a question, you get upset and take it personally. If you go back and read what I said, I have said that I do not believe raising hands is wrong; I do it myself. I do not believe that raising hands in worship is wrong; I do it myself at times in a very inconspicuous way as I did last night. My question (and it was a question) was about individualism in corporate worship.

 

[QUOTE-PastorLarry]I am unconvinced on raising of hands individually. My inclination is that it ought to be a corporate practice, not an individual one. But I am unconvinced.[/QUOTE]

In that statement, you are saying that it is wrong for individuals to lift their hands. That it must be a corporate thing.

 

At my first reading, I got the impression that you were against the "lifting of hands." Clearly, I was wrong. I apologize, and no, I do not take it personally when someone dissents with my position.