II.

THE BIBLICAL AND HISTORICAL RETERATURE VIEW ON AUTHENTIC

WORSHIP

A. Biblical understanding of an authentic worship in both Old and New Testament

Both in the Old Testament and New Testament an authentic worship happens, to worship God

authentically is the result of how much we love God and authentic worship come as an

expression of love. The bible says, “We should love our lord with all our hearts, with all our

souls, with all our minds, and with all our strength” (Deut.6:5; Matt.22:37-39). Let us see how an

authentic worship was applied in the Old Testament;

 Authentic worship in the Old Testament

In this chapter we shall look what the bible describe in the Old Testament on

authentic worship. In discussing Old Testament authentic worship, I shall be brief, for the details

of Israel’s worship are often somewhat difficult to follow and knowledge were applied is not

always important to our decisions about present day Christian worship. Nevertheless, it is

necessary for us to understand the general character and major forms of Israel’s worship.

Often in the Old Testament, we read of meetings between God and different people. God spoke

to Adam and Eve often in the evening, this were happened both before and after the fall of

human being. He appeared to Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Judges, Prophets, and many others.

When God met with men, the things happened immediately was an act of worship. Remember

when God met with Moses at the burning bush, Moses had to remove his shoes for he stood on

holy ground (Exo3:5). After Moses had God’s voice, he hid his face for fear of God (V.6). And

God started to give him to carry out His divine instruction and responsibility (Exo3:7-4:31).
As readers we know the story of prophet Isaiah saw God “seated on a throne, high and exalted,

and the train of his robe filled the temple” (Isa.6:1). He saw God surrounded by angels praises

Him so loud that they shook the building. Isaiah was overpowered, not only with the greatness of

God, but also he knew that he was a sinner because of experiencing God’s glory, but God

cleansed him by putting a coal from altar touched Isaiah’s lips (V.7). Authentic worship was

happened between God and Isaiah, God gave Isaiah to be a prophet and Isaiah accepted His

mission. God met with many different people but there were important similarities between

them. Experiencing His majesty as the lord and worshipers was filled with fear and reverence.

Here the God has appeared as the lord’s control, authority, and presence were real facts. His

mighty and power were overwhelming, and He revealed Himself in His presence of the

worshipers and the worshipers did not remain the same as before. They went forth with a new

commission to serve God in a new way.

Because God had lost the original authentic worship after fall of man, He had chosen

the nation of Israel through Abraham in order to see if authentic worship will be restored. God

met with them on mount of Sinai exactly like when He met with Isaiah, the Mount Sinai

experience was terrifying. But Israel saw an awesome display of God’s power and presence, and

they heard a terrifying word came from God announcing to them who He is and convincing them

of sin. Because the glory of God people started their response to say to Moses that, “speak to us

yourself and we will listen, but do not have God speak to us or we will die” (Exo.20:19). Moses

was representing the nation of Israel before God for interceding on their behalf so that God will

honor their request, but this was the shadow of our lord Jesus Christ who stands before God

intercede us and this is where we meet with God through Jesus Christ. Remember the story of

Prophet Elijah and the prophets of Baal; here there are two different kinds of worship; authentic
worship and false worship. Elijah got a good reward from his worship to God, because he had an

authentic worship, but the prophets of Baal got a bad reward and they were all die because their

worship were an authentic worship (1kings18:22-40).

God had set aside special times for worship, it could take place at any time and at any place.

Scripture speaks of private prayer (Dan.6:10) Daniel prepared the private prayer place to worship

God even in (Matt.6:6). When Moses returned to Egypt after meeting God at the Mount Sinai,

and told Israelites God’s promise to deliver them, “they bowed down and worshiped Him”

(Exo.4:31). In the psalms are full of prayer to God in the midst of difficult situations and praise

to Him in response to deliverance. Worship is something natural to God’s people because God is

lord of all life, every experience of life reveals him in some way. And we recognize God’s

presence in our lives, the natural response is prayer and praise. In the Old Testament God does

organize and schedule the worship of his people in a wide variety of ways, as we shall see in the

following sections.

Covenantal worship

God had chosen the nation of Israel among all nations to be a model of an authentic

worship in the world so that the culture of worship will be established into the whole nations of

the earth. The purpose of God to choose Israel among all the nations to be God’s own people, He

wanted to restore the relationship between God and His people through worship. The nation of

Israel was separated from all other nations, was God’s” holy” people. The root meaning of Holy

is “separate”. But this does not necessarily mean that Israel was more faithful to God than other

nations. Since Israel was God’s holy people, Israel’s very existence was worship. The whole life

of the nation was worship, set a part to God.

 The scripture shows us the Law of Moses directed every area of Israel’s life, and it

contained rules for prayer, sacrifice, Sabbaths, Feasting; it exhorted Israel to hear and obey

God’s word, to sing praises to Him, and to perform various means.

Sacrificial worship

After the fall of human race, people began bringing offerings to the Lord. Cain and Abel

brought offerings to God (Gen.4:2-5). We know that after the flood, Noah built an altar and

sacrificed “clean animals and clean birds” to the lord (Gen.8:20-22). On that important thing

Noah has done, God made a covenant with him. Animals were also sacrificed as God made a

covenant with Abraham (Gen.15) where God had passed between the pieces of cut-up animals,

promising that Abraham’s descendants would possess the land of Canaan. After that God made a

covenant later with the people of Israel under the leadership of Moses. This covenant included a

system of offerings of Animals, grains, wine, oil, and incense. There were offerings for the

whole nation: daily, weekly on the Sabbath, monthly (the new moon), and at the annual feasts

(Num.28:29). There were offerings made by individuals for sin, consecration, and communion

with God (Lev.1-7). The offering for communion the “peace offering” or “fellowship offering”

was moderately eaten by the worshiper and the Priests as a meal of fellowship with God. There

were also other offering which was special sacrifice, the sacrifice of atoning sins of Israel and

dedicating the temple.

But the sacrifices did not atone for Israel’s sin, as book of Hebrew says, “It is impossible

for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (Heb.10:4). Their purpose was to point ahead

in time to Jesus, the Lamb of God, as the one who would offer himself as the final sacrifice for

sins.
 Sabbaths

The nation of Israel was required to “remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy”

(Exo.20:8). To keep a day holy is in itself an act of worship. God told Moses to tell Israel that

they should do their work on “six days but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy

convocation, you shall do no work on it, and it is the Sabbath of the lord in all dwellings”

(Lev.23:3). Here God wanted to teach them that through worship there is a Sabbath of man, in

other words through worship there is a rest of a man. But this was the picture of Jesus Christ

shows us that whoever will believe Jesus Christ in his/her heart surely there is rest in Him

(Matt.11:28-29). So when we worship God through Jesus, we first find a rest in Jesus because He

is the lord of Sabbath (Mark.2:28). After finding rest in Jesus our lord, we experience His

attributes, His joyful.

Feasting

All Israelites Male were expected to come to a central location (Jerusalem) for divine

appointed feasts. This is when God told Moses to tell His people that, “the feasts of the Lord,

which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are my feasts” (Lev.23:2). They must to

come with double feast of Passover and unleavened bread to celebrate their month of March and

April in order to remember the lord’s deliverance of Israel from Egypt and the covenant God

made with Israel so that they will became God’s people. Another feast was the feast of

tabernacles preceded by two week period that included the feast of trumpets and the Day of

Atonement marked by the completion of the harvest and remembering the commemoration of

Israel’s wandering in the wilderness. The people came in Jerusalem to gathering there in order to
reminding themselves their journey. At the feast of trumpets, the law was read, and on the Day of

Atonement, they confessed their sins which was called public confession, after that the high

Priest entered into the most high place in the tabernacle or temple to the seat of the divine

presence, bearing blood for his own sin, and the sins of the people.

Tabernacle and Temple

We normally know that God commanded Israel to build Him a place in which he would

“dwell among them” (Exo.25:8). In Exodus.25:28 give us the details of how God instructed

Moses and the picture how they will build the structure of tabernacle. The Israel was to make this

tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like what God had shown to Moses to the mount of

Sinai and God told him to chose two people among Israel Bezalel and Oholiab who they were

filled by God the spirit of knowledge to do the special task (Exo.31:1-3). The Tabernacle was

kind of Tent formed in a rectangular courtyard. In the courtyard, 150 by 75 feet, was the altar of

burnt offering and a basin for the Priests’ ceremonial washings. The Tabernacle itself was

divided into two rooms, the Holy place and the Most Holy place, which were separated by a

curtain. In the Holy place was the table for the bread of the presence, a lampstand, and the altar

of incense. In the Most Holy place was the Ark of the Covenant the throne or mercy seat of

divine presence. With the Ark were kept the two stone tablets on which were written the Ten

commandments, a golden pot full of the manna by which God miraculously fed Israel in the

wilderness, and Aaron’s staff that budded miraculously, confirming Aaron and his sons as

Israel’s priests (Num.17:1-13). No one could able enter into the Most high place except the high

priest, and he only once a year on the Day of Atonement. By the time of King David, however,

God expressed the desire of dwelling place. But David himself was not qualified to build the new

structure, for he was the man of war, he had shed much human blood. David’s son Solomon
carried out the task according to plans that the spirit of God had given to David (1Chron.28:2-6).

The plan of the temple was similar to that of the tabernacle, but the temple was much larger and

was constructed with materials. The furniture was the same, but there was more of it; ten golden

lampstands, ten tables for the bread of the presence, and ten basins (2Chron.4).

Priests and Levites

God chosen the tribe of Levi the son of Jacob to do the work of priest, this was the tribe

that which Moses and Aaron belonged among other tribes, the Levites did not receive one of the

twelve divisions of territory in the promised land. God was their inheritance (Num.18:20-24;

Deut. 10:9; 12:12). He gave them special assignment of caring the tabernacle and the altar

(Num.18:5). For this service they received the tithes given by all the other tribes (Num. 18:21).

But at the time of King David also employed Levites as singers and players of instruments for

the worship of the sanctuary (1Chron.15:16-24; 16:4-6, 37-42).

The Levites were also teachers of God’s law and not only at the sanctuary (Deut.33:10;

2Chron.17:7-9).

The Priests were a special group of Levites, descended not only from Levi but also from Moses’

brother Aaron as well. The priest offered sacrifices at the tabernacle and the temple and took

charge of the worship. They served as mediators between God and Israel, representing the people

before God, and God before the people as Moses did in the wilderness.

At the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry, there were synagogues where the Jewish populations

were gathered to worship God but no animals or other offerings were sacrificed at the synagogue

service, the sacrificial worship was restricted to the temple. But the synagogue service was

meeting for prayer and study of the scriptures. Also Jesus attended the synagogue regularly and
taught there (Luke.4:15-16). In the Old Testament worshiped God by using sacrificial offerings

in the tabernacle and the temple but these events did not take place in the synagogue. However,

those who attended the synagogue did pay homage to God, and homage is one defining feature

of worship.

The conclusion

They were many different kinds of worship in the Old Testament period. There were meetings

between God and man, in prayers, prescribed sacrifices, and a calendar of regularly worship

events at different intervals, beautiful buildings for worship, divinely instituted leadership for

sacrificial worship, and the teaching of God’s word.

 Authentic worship in the New Testament

The fact which is the most significant about worship in the New Testament is that its focus

is on Jesus only who fulfills Old Testament worship. Jesus came as the lord of the new covenant.

He displays the control, authority, and presence that Yahweh associated with his own lordship

over Israel. He brings to his people deliverance greater than the Old Testament deliverance from

Egyptian slavery; He delivers His people from their sins. He makes them into new people of

God, “ but you are chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people,

that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous

light”(1Peter2:9), and encircling Jew and Gentile in one body to give Him an authentic worship.

In the Old Testament, we can see all the various elements of worship that pointing on

Jesus. In Him we meet with God “the word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His

glory” (John.1:14). His death for our sins and His glorious resurrection move us to spontaneous

worship and praise.

Jesus is the ultimate sacrifice for sin and He brings an end to the temple offerings of bulls and

goats (Heb10:1-18). In the Old Testament sacrifice had to be made every day, over and over

again, which showed insufficiency to take away sin. But Jesus’ sacrifice of himself on the cross

dealt with sin once for all. His sacrifice suffices to make His people holy, “by that will we have

been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Heb.10:10).

Our lord Jesus is also the one who brings the ultimate sacrifice and He is the ultimate

priest. Being both God and man, He is now acting as mediator between us and God like what

Moses has did in the wilderness. The only mediator between people and God, “for there is one

God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom

for all, to be testified in due time” (1Tim2:5-6). The book of Hebrews calls Jesus a priest, not

after the order of Aaron, but He came as Melchizedek who brought out bread and wine to

Abraham, and to whom Abraham gave to Him tithes (Gen.14:18-20). The bible says that

Melchizedek had not any genealogy and with nothing said of his life before or after his meeting

with Abraham, similarly like Jesus is not connected with the tribe of Levi or the sons of Aaron

because Aaron’s priest was not permanent, but Jesus’ priesthood is permanent because he lives

forever (7:24), He does not lose his office because of death. Therefore, he is able to save

completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them”

(7:25).

Therefore, all the tabernacle and temple speaks of Christ, the altar of burnt offering speaks

of his sacrifice of himself. The basin, like the sacrament of baptism, speaks of Christ as the priest

who is perfectly clean, free from any uncleanness, and who cleanses his people. The lampstand

represents Christ as the light of the world. The bread of the presence and the manna, like the

sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, present Christ as the one who feeds his people. The altar of
incense and Aaron’s rod represent Christ as the priest whose prayers for his people always

ascend to the father’s throne. The Most holy place was opened to us at the death of Christ, when

the veil of the temple was torn in two. That’s why through Christ we enter boldly, “brethren,

having boldness to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus……” (Heb.10:19-25). The ark, God’s

throne in Israel, represents Jesus as “God with us” called Emmanuel. The tablets of the law speak

of Christ as God’s eternal word.

Today worship quite different from Old Testament because all ceremonies of the Old

Testament were happened is now fulfilled in Christ. We too have a new covenant, priesthood,

sacrifices, a tabernacle, circumcision, atonement, and feasts. All of these institutions now exist in

Christ and in him alone. God is no longer requires our participation in those ceremonies we see

above. But what is left when these ceremonies are no longer required? What is left, is worship in

the broad sense; a life of obedience to God’s word will always worship Jesus come. Apostle Paul

tells us that “we should offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, as holy and pleasing to God”

(Rom.12:1). That is worship because today worshipping God is our daily life knowing that our

speaking, our thoughts, our practices, our relationships with others, how we eat the food or

drinking do it for the glory of God, this is worship.

Early Christian meetings

When we see early Christian meetings after Jesus had left to heaven, “He promised His

disciple telling them that, do not leave but wait in Jerusalem for the gift of God had promised

which they have heard Him spoke about” (Acts1:4b). Then after few days something happened

because they gathered together with one heart and obeying Jesus’ command of wait His promise.

From the beginning of the New Testament church, believers delighted in meeting together, and
in those meetings they experienced unique blessings of the Holy Spirit (Acts2:42-47; 1cor.11:18-

34; 14:1-40; 1peter.3:21). They met for prayer, studying the word of God, and sacrament and by

the spirit of God, supernatural events took place because of the presence of God came through

they worship God authentically. The author of the Hebrews book says that, “let us not give up

meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another and all the

more as you see the day approaching” (Heb.10:25).

B. Historical understanding authentic worship in Rwandan church before and after

1994 Genocide.

According to Rev. Kevin have said, the religion of Rwanda has undergone a variety of

changes over her history.  Here we will look at the trends prior1 to colonialism, Christendom,

and the genocide.  To begin, we will discuss the indigenous beliefs.

Indigenous Beliefs

Rwandans traditionally have always believed in one Supreme Being, called Imana. Imana

controls the entire world, but He comes back to Rwanda every night to rest, as Rwanda is His

home.  The name Imana is thought to have magical powers, and is invoked when naming

children and when offering a blessing, comfort, or promise.  Some of the names given to

Rwandan children includes:

Habimana = God is supreme

Habarurema = the Creator is supreme

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Rev. Kevin M. Daniel, 2007
Habiyakare = the One at origin is supreme

Twagirimana = only God can save us.

These names shows us that the Banyarwanda were worshiped the almighty God who created

everything and they tried to relate with Him by naming their children’s name as we see them

above. They saw God as the one who are not able to reach and see Him face to face but they

had the names of Imana, and they decided to create other gods, we will see them below. But

they lived with each other in peace and love.

Imana is inherently good, needs nothing, and rarely intervenes in people's lives.  He does,

however determine a person's destiny at birth.  If a person becomes ill, acquires great debt, or

has a failed marriage, you can determine that the person was created by Ruremakwaci, the

name of Imana used to describe a time when He sets someone's destiny in a negative

fashion.  There are numerous folk tales which describe Imana giving great gifts and then

taking them away due to greediness or disloyalty.

Other names for Imana include Rugira (the Supreme); Rurema (the Creator); Iyakare (the

One at origin); and Rugaba (the Generous Provider).

Creation

Imana is the creator of all people.  There are several creation myths which each favor

a different ethnic group.  Though the stories about who was created in heaven and on earth

differ, the important thing is that all believe Imana created everything.  

Fertility

when a woman wants to get pregnant, she would often put a few drops of water in a pitcher
each night.  This is so Imana, who is called the Potter, would use the water to mix it with the

clay of a woman's womb to create a baby.

Souls (Abazimus)

The idea of a soul, that part of a person which exists for eternity, has always been present. 

Though animals do not have souls, every person exists after death as an abazimu.  

Abazimus keep the name and personality of the person who has died, and live near where

they lived when they were alive.  Sometimes people would erect special huts for them to live

in.

Abazimus, however, are generally not wanted around.  They can bring illness, poor harvests,

and poverty, because they cannot enjoy the pleasures of life.  They can only wield this power

over family members, therefore family members worship the abazimus in order to please

them.  

Worship of abazimus consists of offering gifts or sacrifices.  These gifts could be small, such

as a few drops of milk, beer, or beans.  For more important times they are more substantial,

such as a goat or a bull.  These larger sacrifices were accompanied with singing because

abazimus can hear but not see.  Sacrifices were made by the head of the family unless the

spirit would not go away.  In those cases a diviner was called.

Diviner (Umupfumu)

A diviner, called umupfumu, was given the power to interpret the will of Imana, and

therefore was called the Son of God.  There are three primary ways diviners are able to

determine the will of Imana.

1. Guhanura, which means to prophesy.  This is a technique that uses intuition and inspiration

from the spiritual world.

2. Kuraguza inzuzi, which means divination using pieces of wood.  In this case the umupfumu

throws small pieces of wood down on a flat surface and reads the message according to how

the wood falls.

3. Kuraguza urugimbu, which means divination using fat.  In this case, the messages are read

from the fat and intestines of animals.  The umupfumu would use chickens, though

sometimes would use the leftover fat from previously slaughtered goats, sheep, or cattle. 

The fat was mixed with herbs and let to dry.  When it was dry, the fat was placed into a pot

which was leaned toward the umupfumu.  Then the fat was lit like a candle.  For several

hours the umupfumu watches the fire and interprets the messages he sees.

Hero Spirits (Imandwa)

In addition to abazimu, there are also spirits of dead heroes called imandwa.  Imandwa are

very powerful and require special worship.  The chief imandwa is Ryangombe.  Ryangombe

was attacked by an unnaturally large buffalo while hunting, and as a result died under a tree. 

Due to the size of the buffalo, people assumed that there was spiritual significance to the

attack.  As Ryangombe lay dying, he declared that all Tutsi, Hutu, and Twa, except the king,

should worship him as the king of imandwa in a special ceremony called Kubandwa.  

Another famous imandwa is Nyabingi.  Nyabingi was an unmarried woman who was

murdered and made immortal by Imana.  She is a rebellious spirit worshiped primarily by

Hutu in the north and northwestern areas of Rwanda and Uganda.  Nyabingi is served by

priests, as opposed to Imana who has not rites performed for Him, who act as intermediaries
between her and her worshipers.  The priest and priestesses receive sacrifices on behalf of

Nyabingi.  

The King (Umwami)

The king of Rwanda was called umwami.  Umwami, who was Tutsi, was the incarnation of

Imana, and thereby was addressed as Nyagasani, which means God or Lord.  Umwami was

the source of the land's prosperity and fertility.  He was the true owner of all of the cows and

women of the land, and the kingdom could not exist without him.  He gave power, wealth,

and privilege to people, but could also take it back.  Umwami was considered immortal by

the fact that people would always remember him for his moral and physical perfection.  It

was a serious religious offense to rebel against Umwami or his kingdom, and doing so would

result in the wrath of Imana.

Before the 1994 when the colonialist were coming in Rwanda, it was the period of

1897 the people of Rwanda did not divide themselves along ethnic lines. In fact, the terms

Hutu, Tutsi, and Twa were social/ economic classifications referring to whether a person was

part of a herding (Tutsi), agricultural (Hutu), hunting (Twa). The people of Rwanda spoke

the same language and organized themselves by clans. As the German colonists and Catholic

missionaries arrived, they needed to use their doctrines systematically that will support their

governance and being superiority over the people of Rwanda. The missionaries propagated

the idea that each of these groups was ethnically distinct, with the smaller Tutsi group being

intellectually and physically superior to the larger Hutu group. When Belgian colonists

established power after World War I, the Catholic Church associated itself with the

government instead of teaching the good news and trying to show the people of Rwanda how
they can worship true God, the God who created heaven and earth but they joined together

with the colonists to change and to destruct the unity of Rwanda. In the 1930’s Catholic

missionaries used their influence and power to help secure the banishment of the king of

Rwanda, Yuhi Musinga for the simple reason that he refused to be converted to Christianity

but for sure their intention were not to see that a king is a Christian, they just wanted to him

so that will be able grasp what they wanted in the country. Because of the Tutsi was the

leader of the country and they refused their teaches of missionaries and colonists how they

wanted to colonize the people of Rwanda but because the unity of Rwandan people was

strong, then they started to cause disunity between Tutsi and Hutu telling the Hutu how

Tutsi’s are very bad. Then Catholic Church was integral in shaping Hutu centric curriculum

in the schools and forming people’s beliefs about ethnic identity from the pulpit. Religious

language and teaches was used to spread hatred between Hutu and Tutsi. These missionaries

came with the word of God but they used the word of God as a tool so that they will able to

manipulate and causing conflicts in Banyarwanda in order they will get their interest from

Rwanda easily. They did not stop to spread the hatred in the people then after seeing that

they wanted were accomplished, they left and that hatred brought Genocide and Rwandan

people started to kill among them in 1994.

C. The history of true worship in Rwandan society

1.2. CHAPTER III. CONTEMPRORAY CHALLENGES AUTHENTIC WORSHIP IN
MODERN CHURCHES

A. LACK OF AUTHENTIC WORSHIP IN KIGALI CHURCHES

As we commonly knowing what authentic worship is in the context of the bible and how

the nation of Israel applied it in their lives, they were always fighting with God because they

didn’t worship God with trustily/ authentically. Both Moses and Isaiah2 were fully condemning

the worship of Israel. Moses speaking the words of God declares that, “I hate, I reject your

festival, and solemn assemblies I will not even listen to the sound of your harps. Isaiah similarly

proclaimed that, as they worshiped God, their heart was far from God. They were going through

the emotions of honoring God, but they were willfully living in evil and sins. The authentic

worship of modern churches of today are just driving with their emotions, but the life of

worshippers of today are living with their sins and looking some interests not looking God’s

interests, they worship with their lips and that is why you cannot differentiate the authentic

worshippers and secular worshippers in Kigali churches because worldly spirit has entered in the

church. That is why even today God rejects purposeful sin as He did with Israel.

There is no heart of worship, no passion, no desire of seeking God in worship because the

worldly spirit is influencing the worshippers of God. Authentic worship is a matter of the heart

our actions ought to reveal what is within the heart. Jesus in similar way condemned the

Pharisees how they worshiped God He twice instructs them to go learn what this means; “I desire

compassion than sacrifice.” They were seeking their own glory instead of seeking to glorify God

in their assemblies were just glorify themselves. There is story in the Bible tells us how the

authentic worship was acted with Ali’s children in the book of first Samuel; “his sons were
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ministered before the lord receiving the offerings of Israel and sacrifice them on the altar of God

but they did it without respect and dishonoring God how has instructed them and God did not

look them with favor but He decided to destroy them. As early as Genesis.4, we learn that God

“did not look with favor on Cain and his offering” (vs.5). In Leviticus.10:1-3, God destroys

Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu because they “offered unauthorized fire before the lord, contrary

to his command.” See! Many worshippers even today they worship God like the Aaron’s sons,

there is no desire for God’s presence and worship service is routine and lacking spiritual power.

According to Lamar, he said that; the worshippers are singing3 five songs in service and

preaching one hour message but you still feel insufficient because God’s presence is not evident

in the midst. In a worship service that is routine and mechanical having correct form but lacking

divine power. The lord does not speak. He is not revealed or experienced by the worshippers.

They go through emotions but do not touch the supernatural. But when the presence of God is

experienced and encountered, then we can discern what the lord wants to do in the service. The

worshipers of today do not have desire, or no passion of seeking God’s presence, they spend

more time to the things which are perished and they give Him a few time of worship that why the

sons of Aaron died because they did the work of God unconcern.

The hearts of worshipers are very busy to the other things instead of creating an

opportunity to invite God’s power and presence to move in their lives by reading God’s word

and finding time of fellowshipping with God through prayer because in His presence we hear the

voice of the lord, and lives are being changed. Lacking of authentic worship in our churches

today is caused by there is no love of God in the Christians heart, the love that they love God are

not real/ authentic love because they lost the joyful love of God in their heart simply because not

35.
Lamar Boschman, a heart of worship, printed USA, 1971, pg.108
time with God. They just enjoying their feelings and emotions but there is no intimate love and

life in their expressions it’s pretending life before God. Some of them are still worshipping God

not only are still authentic worshipers but they do not have any other option to quite or they have

fear of the eyes of people who know them in the church worshipping God because they know

that people will come to ask them why or social media will come to interviewing them why they

gave up.

Because without intimate love of God, there is no passion, no godly life in their lives it’s

just living with a life of hypocrisy worship and starting pretending in the house of God but

authentic life are gone. But we normally knew that an authentic worshiper of the lord is one who

can trust in Him even when things aren’t the way he/she wanted them to be. The challenge is

because the worshipers do not have time with the word of God meditating His word no, they

spend their time to other things which are not pleasing God.

B. THE CHALLENGE OF MODERN WORSHIP

Modern worship is going nowhere. There is a problem in modern worship that needs to

be addressed, contemporary worship songs, but this does not mean that every modern worship

song is about as deep as a poorly often the most popular songs chosen lack the spiritual depth

that I believe is desired by our lord. It is leading the congregation on an emotional path toward

mediocrity. The modern worship is being led by emotion instead of being led by the Holy Spirit.

According the theologian J. sidlew Baxter said, “You emotions are the shallowest part of your
nature. Salvation is the deepest work of God. Some modern Christian worship songs are now appealing
to emotions as opposed to telling the Holy Spirit lead.
The modern worship in their hearts doesn’t know their need for Christ their hearts are not separate
from secular singers and their hearts are not broken for Christ. They don’t approach Sunday with
expectant, faith filled, repentant hearts and aren’t hungry for Jesus”.
They just want to please people instead of pleasing God and that is why worship leaders of today

are not influencing the world because their motive is to be popular with the world’s leaders. The

spirit of King Saul drives worship leaders, King Saul commended by God to go and destroy the

nation of Amalek, destroying every people old and young one, every animals cow, goats, sheep,

but King Saul did not obey His instructions because his heart was driven by material instead of

driving by God who gave him to be a King of Israel. “But Saul chose to deliver King Agag, and

the best of the sheep, the oxen, and that was good, but the unwilling to utterly destroy them, then

God said to him through Samuel His prophet that God has rejected him from being King over

Israel” (1Sam15:9-26).

According to Warren W said that, the modern worship leaders of today are just performing4

worship songs for their own glory and they cause the church member to worship the savior with

their lips. Modern worship leaders are just spending their whole time in the technology searching

something which is temporary thing instead of spending their time in the presence of God and

seeking His face in order to cause transformation of the church. Authentic worship brings

transformation and the power of the Holy Spirit in the life of church member, but modern

worship of today brings conformation. Someone said that, an authentic worship

transformer lives by power from within, but the modern worship conformer, lives

by pressure from without. Here, I want to say that, when a Christian worship leader

conforms to this world and fashions his life after the pattern of unbelievers will affect his/her life

because this will bring change outside and losing authentic worship because change is not

coming from the inside. There is Greek word “metamorphoumai” means to be changed into

another form, but this change comes from within not without. There is another Greek word that

describes changes on the outside that do not come from within, it is “metaschematizomai” and it
4
Warren W. Wiersbe, real worship “it will transform your life”, USA, 1986, pg29-31
is usually translated “fashioned or conformed.” There is illustration of this difference given by

Paul where said, “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into

apostles of Christ” (2Cor.11:13). Because of the power of technology used in our generation are

now influencing our own authentic worship in the body of Christ and worship leaders are very

interesting with technology and keeping them busy to conform others how they do their

conferences and festivals where they sell CDs and DVDs of worship songs in order to earning

money and their hearts are not focusing to God’s glory but to their interests instead of

conforming our lord Jesus Christ as our model. And now worship has become a privatized

experience that does not lead into care and concern for others, but our own personal edification,

and that is not Christian worship. For sure the problem with modern worship is not songs, but the

fact that they have moved from worship into entertainment.

According to the message of Baxter have said that, there are some reasons that the modern

worship industry is killing authentic worship;

1. Its sole purpose is to make us feel something.

The industry, as with the mainstream music industry5, must engage us on a purely sensory level

to find widespread appeal in an entertainment. It must make us feel something on a purely

emotional level. It strikes a match for the initial excitement of the spark. It must hook us in to be

profitable. And they do to trade the beauty of God’s glory for the initial excitement of sensory

stimulation. Singing love songs to Jesus is not the point of gathered worship.

2. The modern worship industry hijacks an authentic worship.

5
Theodysseyonline.com
 When the mind is disengaged and worship is reduced to an emotional experience, worship

descends into vain and self-referential meaninglessness. How many times have we heard people

say, “I can’t worship with that kind of music” or “I really felt like I could worship today”.

Authentic Christian worship happens when we engage with the Christian story through word and

sacrament. Some modern worship leaders use music in worship as to be a vehicle for emotional

manipulation, sensory gratification, or hooking an audience in order getting some interests from

them but not focus to what God seeks to them. Because industry music tried to put on a skin of

holy to hijack the authentic worship music by seeing how they do it in an authentic way so that

they will able to pull out the hearts of those who really worship God in truth and spirit.

3. It says that music is worship.

“For the modern worship industry, the worship is the music part of the service 6. It uses the old revival
meeting order, with a long singing block followed by a long preaching block. In most instances, the
invitation is replaced by another singing block. The singing is the “worship”, the preaching is well, we are
not sure. It’s not really worship. No corporate prayer, no creeds, no confession. No more gathering,
proclaiming, thanksgiving, and the industry’s “worship” music, “worship” albums, and “worship” leaders
have helped solidify the contemporary church’s departure from historic liturgy.”

And that is not true that music is worship, worship is beyond music. Worship is our daily

life we live, the bible says that, “love the lord with all your heart, with all soul, with all mind,

and with all your strength” (Mark12:30). You cannot love and you do not worship those who you

love, but in the modern church worship leaders worship God with their mouth without their heart

because their hearts are so busy in the social media to conform to the modern world generation

singers.

4. It creates worship superstars.

6
Theodysseyonline.com
 Let me say like this, I know that all artists and worship leaders are purely not just seeking

fame and manipulating an authentic worship in our churches but we see in many churches of

today some worship leaders fail into becoming famous not by their intention but because of

conforming or want to look like others how they do it by using social media in their own world

and as worship leaders they forget to use social media as an opportunity of spreading an

authentic worship in own world so that they will come out with power of transforming

unbelievers. So, because of modernity spirit affects now modern worshiper to be sound the part,

they look the part, they dress the part and they end up to be a worship superstars.

Warren said in his book that, Christians should think the way God thinks and not the way

the world thinks. The believer’s mind ought to be so saturated with divine truth that it can

determine the divine perspective on every question, issue, or decision. He said that, a Christian

worship leaders who are renewed in mind is a mind alert to the world’s false philosophies and

Satan’s subtle strategy. An authentic worship leader who renewed mind directs the believer to

offer intelligent worship to the lord.

C. SPIRIT OF MATERIALISM AND FAME DRIVING MODERN

WORSHIPPERS

I would like to start off by saying everyone has material things. When the need for

possessions becomes fanatical it is not only sinful, it is dangerous. Materialism and fame is

idolatry and it never leads to godliness. Things or materialism are only obstacles that get not the

way of an eternal perspective. The Devil tried to mislead our lord Jesus using materials, to be

famous, and glory when our lord was in the wilderness to pray, “Satan came to Him, and said if

you’re the son of God turn this stone into bread and eat, but Jesus answered to Devil god forbid,
a man cannot live by bread only, but on the every word comes from the mouth of God”

(Matt.4:3-4).

a) How should a Christian view materialism?

According to some views from scholars, they say that materialism is defined as the

preoccupation with material things rather than intellectual or spiritual things. If an authentic

worship leader is preoccupied with material things, it is definitely wrong. But that is not to say

we cannot have material things, but the obsession with acquiring and caring for possessions is a

dangerous thing for the an authentic worship leader. As authentic worship leader started to be

preoccupation with anything other than God is sinful and is displeasing to God. We are to “love

the lord, your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with your entire mind”

(Deut.6:5), according to Jesus’ message, He commanded us to obey the greatest commandment

(Matt.22:37-38). Therefore, God is the only thing we can and should occupy ourselves with

habitually. He alone is worth of our complete attention, love and service. To offer these things to

anything, or anyone, else is idolatry.

When we concern ourselves with the material world, we are easily drawn in by the “deceitfulness

of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful”

(Mark.4:19). God Himself tells us we “cannot serve both God and money” (Luke16:13). We

must seek to be content with what we have, and materialism is the opposite of what God wants

us to do.

If materialism was ever to satisfy anyone, it would have been Solomon, the richest king the

world has ever known. He had absolutely everything and had more of it than anyone, and yet he

found it was all worthless and useless. Solomon declared that, “whoever loves money never has
enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income, because it is meaningless”

(Eccl.5:10). Solomon concluded that we are to “fear God, and keep His commandments. For this

is the whole duty of man” (Eccl.12:13).

b) Why is the love of money the root of all kinds of evil?

The Apostle Paul, in his first letter wrote to his young disciple Timothy, “For the love of

money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith

and pierced themselves with many grieves” (1Tim.6:10). But money itself is not evil, this is

clearly false. The bible makes it clear that sin is the root of all evil in the world.

“For out of the heart comes evil thoughts; murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false

testimony, slander” (Matt.15:19). There is nothing wrong with money in itself, or the possession

of money. But when money begins to control us that are when trouble starts.

Christian worship leader who worship authentically should avoid being materialistic because

life is not sustained by possessions, money. As Christian worship leaders ask yourself; what is

the treasure of your hearts? Is it Christ or things? This world filled with materialism and envy

because are killing us. As Christian worship leaders, when you seek joy in things you will feel

low and dry.

According to Leonard Ravenhill has said to Christian worship leaders, sometimes we ask

God, oh lord why do I feel so weary and the answer is our mind is not being filled with Christ.

It’s being filled with things of the world and it’s wearing you out. It’s all going to burn very

soon.
 There is no competition in an authentic Christian worship but today Christians are

supposed to be set apart from the world and be content in life we should stop having competition

with the world. Because material products do not bring happiness and contentment, but

happiness and contentment is found in Christ. Our God is a consuming fire. He consumes pride,

lust, materialism, and other sin. The grace that has freed us from bondage to sin is desperately

needed to free us from our bondage to materialism. The best things in life are not all things. The

things caused King Solomon to disobey the instructions that God had commanded him to follow

as his father did. “As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart

was not fully devoted to the lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been. So Solomon

did evil in the eyes of the lord; he did not follow the lord completely” (1Kings.11:4-6c).

 What does the Bible say about materialism?

It tells the people, “Be careful to guard yourselves from every kind of greed. Life does not

consist in an abundance of possessions” (Luke.12:15).

The bible says, “For everything that is in the world, the desire for fleshly gratification, the desire

for possessions, and worldly arrogance is not from the father but is from the world. And the

world and its desires are fading away, but the person who does God’s will remains forever”

(John2:16-17). And also Apostle Paul said that, “but people who long to be rich fall into ruin and

destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving

money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows”

(1Tim.6:9-10).

Apostle James said, “You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are

jealous of what others have, but you cannot get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away
from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask well. And even when you

ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong, you want only what will give you

pleasure. You adulterers don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of

God? I say it again; if you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God”

(James.4:2-4).

King Solomon said that everything is vanity, “Better what the eye sees than the roving of the

appetite, this too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind”, “those who love money will never

have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness! The more you have,

the more people come to help you spend it” (Eccl.6:9; Eccl.5:10-11).

a) Loving money

The writer of the book of Hebrew said that, “don’t love money; be satisfied with what you

have. For God has said, I will never fail you. I will never abandon you” (Heb.13:5).

The author who wrote the book Mark called Mark has said that, “but the worries of this life, the

deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it

unfruitful” (Mark.4:19).

Here sometimes people become materialistic trying to compete with others and by envying

the lifestyle of other materialistic people. Prophet Isaiah said, “Why do you spend money on

what cannot nourish you and your wages on what does not satisfy you? Listen carefully to me;

eat what is good, and enjoy the best foods” (Isa.55:2).

And also our lord Jesus cautioned us in His conversation with a Samaritan woman, “He

replied her, anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirst again. It becomes a fresh,
bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life” (John.4:13-14). In other words material

thing is perishable thing and as an authentic worship leader should focus to eternal life, instead

of focusing to the world things. Even Apostle Paul said that, “I know how to live on almost

nothing or with everything. I have learned to secret of living in every situation, whether it is with

a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives

me strength” (Phil.4:12-13). Paul also instructed Timothy to “teach those who are rich in the

world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should

be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do

well with also good motive. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need,

always being ready to share with others” (1Tim.6:17-18).

b) Be content, trust God and love Him with all your heart

Apostle Paul instructed to be watchful with those false teachers and the love of money,

“but godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can

take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that” (1Tim.6:6-

7). Also King David said in psalms, “trust in the lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy

safe pasture. Delight yourself in the lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart and

commit your way to the lord; trust in him, and he will act” (Psa.37:3-5).

Material wealth is not a sure indication of God’s blessing, and being poor is not necessarily a

sign of God’s disapproval. In fact, it is possible to be poor in material things but rich in spiritual

things.

As authentic worship leaders, they need to pray for help and be content, King David said

that in his prayer, “turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes
away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word” (Psa.119:36-37). And

trust in the lord, and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe faithfulness” (Psa.37:3). Paul told

to Timothy, “but godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world

and we can take nothing out of it; but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that”

(1Tim.6:6-8). Therefore, God is the one who is seeking our worship. Jesus was talking to the

Samaritan woman and tells us some important things about worship that “the hour is coming, and

now is here, when the authentic worshipers will worship the father in spirit and truth, for the

father is seeking such people to worship him. Because God is spirit, and those who worship him

must worship in spirit and truth” (John.4:23-24). God is seeking worshipers who will worship

him truly from their hearts.

D. TALENT VS CHARACTER

Our awesome God created everyone with unique abilities and talents to serve our

brothers and sisters in Christ. Sometimes we are not even aware of the talents that we are given

by God until they run into different struggles in life by using His gifts in their own glory instead

of using what they have in order to glorify God. But today some singers say that they build their

talents so that they will reach to the standard of being a famous person in the world by the way

some of them started from the church worshipping God then after seeing that many people

pleases him because he has a trained voice, then he starts to see many people outside waiting

him. But God gave us a talent to use it for His glory and He shows you how to use it without just

showing people that you’re able but showing people that through us God is able to wonders. Our

lord Jesus had spoke with His disciples telling them a parable of talent that there is “one man

gave his good things to his servant, one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one,

to each according to his own ability; the one who he gave five talents traded it, and made another
five talents, and the one who he gave two did it also and he gained two, but those who have

given one, he dug and hide it in the soil. But Jesus said that those who use the talent very well,

were rewarded by their master but those who hid his talent were punished” (Matt.25:15-30).

These two servants did use their talents according what their master had commanded them but

one of them disobeyed because he used it according to his interest and his master punished him.

And that’s why to have talent without character, you cannot please God or to serve God

effectively. Because today a talented people are sometimes tempted to take shortcut because

he/she sees that God’s will is so bitter, but character prevents those shortcuts in the life of an

authentic worship leader. This laze servant thought that to use the talent had given by his master,

he will not gain the interest but God’s interest and he decided to hide it in the sandy.

Abraham Lincoln said,

“Reputation is the shadow. But Character is the tree”.

Our character is much more than just our reputation, what we try to display for others to see.  

It is who we are even when no one is watching. Having a Good Character means doing the right
thing just because it is right to do what is right.

Our Character Is What Determines How We Respond to the Situations and

Circumstances of  Life.

A leadership expert John Maxwell noted that;

 Talented people may feel superior and expect special privileges. Character helps them

know better.

 Talented people are praised for what others see them build. Character builds what's inside

them.
  Talented people have the potential to be difference makers. Character makes the

difference in them.

 Talented people are a gift to the world. Character protects that gift.

In other words, a talent can lift up and put you at higher level where everyone will see

you and give you glory because the talent or gift you have, but only character will sustain you

there forever. Your character will protect the gift of God has given you and serve Him

effectively and that why Jesus did not say that you will recognize them by their talent or gifts,

but Jesus said that “you will recognize them by their fruits” (Matt.7:20). If you want to know

authentic worship leaders today who worship God truly, don’t see and recognize them because of

their talents or gifts they have and how are very famous in the country, and gives you to know

that these are worshippers that God seeks today but see how they proclaim Jesus through their

behaviors among society and you will know them because of their fruits.

If you want to be a true worship, you first deal with your character before you develop

and discover your talent let Jesus transform your character so that you will use the talents you

have through worship effectively. Prophet Elisha cursed his servant because his servant had the

eyes of talented people who use talents in terms of earning money (2Kings.5:21-26). Today we

have many worshippers, many pastors, many Bishops fighting with their members because of

money some uses their talents or gift just to see many members joining them so that they will get

money from church members easier and they forget that the talents they have is like a gold that

master has entrusted his servants to use it effectively knowing that their master will come

numbering with them. The bible says, “It will be good for that servant whose master finds him

doing so when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all His possessions. But
suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, my master is staying away a long time. Then

the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not aware of. He will cut him to

pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of

teeth” (Matt.24:45-51).