This article is part of our “Is the ‘missing generation’ still missing?” report to find out more click here.
The gathering of God’s people invariably elicits many sounds. There is the laughter of fellowship, the declaration of doxologies, the proclamation of His word, the reciting of prayers, and the testimonies of His blessings. It is precisely this vibrancy of expression in worship that has attracted so many people to the church in recent years, especially those in their 20s and 30s. None of these expressions, however, have been so sorely and widely missed in the last year as the sound of a congregation worshipping together in song. Not only do the melodies, harmonies, and rhythms of a song convey the worship and adoration of our hearts, they also generate a deep sense of unity as we join in a corporate expression of love to our heavenly Father.
In a season when congregational singing is not an option and churches are grappling for ideas on how to worship, could this be the time to rethink the definition and practise of worship? I can almost hear the tired groans of weary leaders across the nations as they read this. After all, innovation is often the first thing to be lost in an exhausting and unsettling season of change such as this.
Arise the creatives! Arise those in this emerging generation, known for their creativity and ability to adapt! Creatives navigate obstacles with innovative solutions and possess an inherent curiosity for that which is new and that which is yet to be explored. Could this be the moment in church history when we see the anointing of our creatives? Is this the time to release the young adult leaders in our churches and fan into flame the creativity God has put in their hearts?
What if our corporate worship involved describing to one another the character and purposes of God through the narrative of a story or the poetic cadences of verse? Which members of our congregations or online viewers might gain a deeper revelation of the love of God through the colours and textures of a painting or a sculpture? What if an instrumentalist could capture the sound of the people of their postcode, the groans, the lament, the joy, the laughter? How might they impact their community and capture the attention of heaven? Could our filmmakers be commissioned to convey hope and inspire awe through their filmmaking? What contribution might our potters, carpenters, metalworkers, and sculptors make? Or perhaps the architects, graphic designers, engineers, bakers, florists?
God demonstrates His own creativity in creation. Light, life, land and oceans were spoken into being. All beauty, landscape, sound and sights were created by Him to bring Him glory. Every colour, shade, shape, and texture were designed by Him; all humans and animals were formed by Him. God engineered the whole cosmos to function in such a way that even if the smallest component were out of sync, we would be in deep trouble.
In Acts 3:21, Peter speaks of a time when God will restore all things to Himself. Could this be the time when creativity is restored in our corporate gatherings and used to point people towards Jesus? How is He using the young adults in your congregation to lead the way in this?
Sound of Wales, a collective of Christian musicians, storytellers, artists, and performers, have recently launched www.creativeexchange.co, a collection of TED-style talks and workshops that aim to stir up creativity and bring glory to our Father. These free sessions seek to extend the boundaries of what creativity might look like in this season, not just within our worship gatherings, but as an integrated part of our lives.
Regardless of the challenges and weariness of the season, a global crisis is not the moment to retreat or shy away from extravagant expressions of worship. Worship must not and cannot be reduced merely to the singing of songs. Paul exhorts us in Romans 12:1, “I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God — this is our true and proper worship”. Now, more than ever, is the time to lean into God and to worship until breakthrough comes. Therefore, arise creatives, that the praises of our saviour might be heard across this land.
