Corporate worship

I want to respond to one section of the Dec. 15, 2016, article “Why is there Less Congregational Singing.” Under heading No. 4, “The lighting communicates performance rather than participation.” I agree with Thom Rainer when he says bright platform light and low light for the congregation “fail to communicate that worship by singing should include everyone present.” Rainer’s statement should be a given in the matter of corporate worship.

I totally disagree with Michael Adler’s response. He said in the article: “[Millennials] feel that glaring light showing everyone in the room opens the opportunity for posturing and posing in the congregation when they just want to be alone with God. I tend to agree.”

I have been worshipping in auditoriums and sanctuaries and rooms since I was an infant. Never have I ever seen anyone taking advantage of the light as an opportunity to posture or pose. I cannot conceive of what kind of corporate worship behavior Adler is speaking of.

The statement, “They just want to be alone with God,” is severely problematic. By nature, the worship of the church body gathered is corporate worship.

If individual Christians want to be “alone with God,” they should do this during their private, personal quiet time and gain this aloneness in the secret place of their hearts in some place where they can withdraw from everyone else.

There is a place for being “alone with God” but that place is not where the church is gathered for public worship.

In corporate worship we gain strength from being with one another, seeing one another, hearing from one another and sharing through voices united together singing hymns and psalms and spiritual songs about the common faith and doctrine which makes us strong.

Have your “alone” time alone. Publicly worship in full company with your brothers and sisters.

Howell W. Burkhead

Houston, Mo.