Saving Dmitri: Worshipping in Spirit and In Truth

A common conversation among young Christians focuses on the content of the seemingly false or humanistic undertones in modern worship music (worship music written in the last 10 years). 

Personally, when I walk out of a church here in Lynchburg that uses only modern music for worship, I feel strangely alone in my thought that what we just sang was a collection of words that glorify God only to the extent that we can leave the sanctuary feeling pious.

All the while, many fool themselves into believing that they sang to God simply because they said his name. In reality, they have allowed the music to impact them in powerful and undoubtedly spiritual ways, but I would argue that this spirit is not always a godly one. 

Music has an undefined power that none can rightly claim to grasp. This is why we listen to genres of music like blues, punk and soul, which are built around emotion and attitude. And sometimes, when we listen to modern worship music, we walk away not closer to God, not more deeply devoted to him, but simply feeling good because that’s what music can do. 

This is not to say that God cannot speak to us through music or that modern worship is entirely wrong. 

After all, Psalm 104:33 says, “I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being.” 

However, there are warning signs that we must look out for to identify false or humanistic worship songs so that we can truly give God glory in what we participate in. 

In an article he wrote for G3 Ministries, Scott Aniol calls out the sources of popular modern worship. He argues that theologically corrupt preachers and writers, namely those from “Hillsong, Bethel, Jesus Culture, and Elevation,” host and produce questionable worship music.

While Aniol is correct that the sources of modern worship music should be evaluated, it is also true that some of the most widely sung centuries-old hymns were written by those weak in their faith. For instance, the St. Augustine Record notes that Robert Robinson, writer of “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing,” grew apathetic in his faith on many occasions, even soon after writing his amazing hymn. Additionally, the writer of “O Holy Night,” Placide Cappeau, was not even a believer in the first place.

The second warning sign of a harmful modern worship song is its content itself. Art is up for interpretation; that is true. But worship is not a typical genre of art, nor should it be treated as such. John 4:24 commands, “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

In consideration of this verse, worship music should be viewed as a separate entity of art made for mass participation in the worshipping of Christ. I would argue that since this act is meant for the whole body of believers, then opportunities for misinterpretation of lyrics to occur should be limited by the genre’s songwriters. In other words, Cory Asbury’s “Reckless Love” may have been written with righteous intent, but it has caused unnecessary interpretational division, making it unfit for corporate worship. The gospel was meant for all to believe, not some. And worship music ought to be made with the same intent. 

Finally, Christians should always be wary of modern worship songs and worship leaders who put too great an emphasis on their human role and power as believers. We should never doubt the power of Christ in our lives or assume that anything is out of reach of the Holy Spirit. This only works when we truly give up ourselves and proclaim that the goodness we possess is the product and the work of God through us, and that it is nothing of our own doing.

While we can never erase confusion or humanist bends from all modern worship, we can take steps to ensure none are led astray or “worshipping” Christ with songs more about the created than the creator. We can rely only on Christ’s conviction to truly understand how we are to interact with him.

Kilker is the opinion editor for the Liberty Champion.