Comments on: Singing with our hands raised. http://www.jonacuff.com/stuffchristianslike/2008/02/33-singing-with-our-hands-raised/ Musings by Jon Acuff Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:38:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Luke http://www.jonacuff.com/stuffchristianslike/2008/02/33-singing-with-our-hands-raised/comment-page-1/#comment-188152 Luke Thu, 12 May 2011 07:46:07 +0000 http://www.jonacuff.com/stuffchristianslike/2008/02/33-singing-with-our-hands-raised/#comment-188152 Essentially, raising my hands is an automatic reaction during worship because my heart is shouting for joy with thanksgiving to the Lord because He is so loving and merciful. God's kingdom draws near a broken and contrite heart, and He loves heartfelt worship! Essentially, raising my hands is an automatic reaction during worship because my heart is shouting for joy with thanksgiving to the Lord because He is so loving and merciful. God’s kingdom draws near a broken and contrite heart, and He loves heartfelt worship!

]]> By: Luke http://www.jonacuff.com/stuffchristianslike/2008/02/33-singing-with-our-hands-raised/comment-page-1/#comment-188151 Luke Thu, 12 May 2011 07:42:22 +0000 http://www.jonacuff.com/stuffchristianslike/2008/02/33-singing-with-our-hands-raised/#comment-188151 Not sure if anyone has noticed this, but the Hebrew word for thanksgiving is todah, which is from the root word yadah. Yadah literally means "properly, an extension of the hand, i.e. (by implication) avowal, or (usually) adoration; specifically, a choir of worshippers -- confession, (sacrifice of) praise, thanks(-giving, offering)." See for yourself: http://strongsnumbers.com/hebrew/8426.htm Not sure if anyone has noticed this, but the Hebrew word for thanksgiving is todah, which is from the root word yadah. Yadah literally means “properly, an extension of the hand, i.e. (by implication) avowal, or (usually) adoration; specifically, a choir of worshippers — confession, (sacrifice of) praise, thanks(-giving, offering).”

See for yourself: http://strongsnumbers.com/hebrew/8426.htm

]]> By: Newlywed http://www.jonacuff.com/stuffchristianslike/2008/02/33-singing-with-our-hands-raised/comment-page-1/#comment-183697 Newlywed Tue, 19 Apr 2011 04:54:22 +0000 http://www.jonacuff.com/stuffchristianslike/2008/02/33-singing-with-our-hands-raised/#comment-183697 How about when the worship leader commands everyone to raise their hands? Ooh, please don't. Is it heartfelt worship or a Simon says game? How about when the worship leader commands everyone to raise their hands? Ooh, please don’t. Is it heartfelt worship or a Simon says game?

]]> By: Jennifer http://www.jonacuff.com/stuffchristianslike/2008/02/33-singing-with-our-hands-raised/comment-page-1/#comment-175884 Jennifer Sat, 12 Mar 2011 15:14:21 +0000 http://www.jonacuff.com/stuffchristianslike/2008/02/33-singing-with-our-hands-raised/#comment-175884 Lutheran here, weighing in = Here is my crazy feeling. Divine worship, which is high church, jut none of that dancing, swaying hands up-nes going on. But then, cut us loose at a concert, or (forbid!) visiting another church, or at a bonfire!!! We are free to get our worship on. We like to have Traditional service at 8 and Contemporary at 11, so the confused can do both, and the offended can stay late/come early and talk about the other service going on while they are at "Coffee Hour". We are a confused people. Uptight at 8, No Holds Barred at 11. We are the mullet of Christianity. Business in the front, party in the back. Lutheran here, weighing in = Here is my crazy feeling. Divine worship, which is high church, jut none of that dancing, swaying hands up-nes going on. But then, cut us loose at a concert, or (forbid!) visiting another church, or at a bonfire!!! We are free to get our worship on. We like to have Traditional service at 8 and Contemporary at 11, so the confused can do both, and the offended can stay late/come early and talk about the other service going on while they are at “Coffee Hour”. We are a confused people. Uptight at 8, No Holds Barred at 11. We are the mullet of Christianity. Business in the front, party in the back.

]]> By: Lori http://www.jonacuff.com/stuffchristianslike/2008/02/33-singing-with-our-hands-raised/comment-page-1/#comment-173586 Lori Mon, 28 Feb 2011 16:08:22 +0000 http://www.jonacuff.com/stuffchristianslike/2008/02/33-singing-with-our-hands-raised/#comment-173586 LOL! I totally understand where you're coming from. I once saw a woman stand in the aisle right next to a new visitor and began to do weird yoga-like poses and Tai-Chi moves during worship. Needless to say the visitor grabbed his kid and left quickly, obviously offended. I also had a guy stand right behind me and shout out his praise prayer so loudly that it made me and the lady next to me flinch from the bellowing noise aimed at the back of my head. Don't even get me started on the flag worship people who wield those flag poles wildly with all the finesse of a Kung Fu numchuck master risking life and limb of anyone within arms reach and block the words on the overhead. I sum it up to this. If your unique contemporary worship style in any way draws attention to you and away from the Lord, then you need to reel it in and get back into the real flow of the service. You wild worshipers are not envying a greater presence of God. You are making a spectacle of yourselves and turning corporate worship into some kind of twisted performance grandstand opportunity for your own spotlight. LOL! I totally understand where you’re coming from. I once saw a woman stand in the aisle right next to a new visitor and began to do weird yoga-like poses and Tai-Chi moves during worship. Needless to say the visitor grabbed his kid and left quickly, obviously offended. I also had a guy stand right behind me and shout out his praise prayer so loudly that it made me and the lady next to me flinch from the bellowing noise aimed at the back of my head. Don’t even get me started on the flag worship people who wield those flag poles wildly with all the finesse of a Kung Fu numchuck master risking life and limb of anyone within arms reach and block the words on the overhead.
I sum it up to this. If your unique contemporary worship style in any way draws attention to you and away from the Lord, then you need to reel it in and get back into the real flow of the service. You wild worshipers are not envying a greater presence of God. You are making a spectacle of yourselves and turning corporate worship into some kind of twisted performance grandstand opportunity for your own spotlight.

]]> By: Jaymie http://www.jonacuff.com/stuffchristianslike/2008/02/33-singing-with-our-hands-raised/comment-page-1/#comment-171889 Jaymie Sun, 20 Feb 2011 23:22:04 +0000 http://www.jonacuff.com/stuffchristianslike/2008/02/33-singing-with-our-hands-raised/#comment-171889 ahhahahhahahahhahahahaahahhahaha. yeah, i felt uncomfortable at chapel the other day when a girl in front of me was dancing. it wasn't normal. she had her shoulders extremely tense and squared and up as she jumped up and down but she had bent legs with her butt sticking out the whole time and it looked SO weird. i HAD to sing with my eyes closed jon, i just had to. ahhahahhahahahhahahahaahahhahaha. yeah, i felt uncomfortable at chapel the other day when a girl in front of me was dancing. it wasn’t normal. she had her shoulders extremely tense and squared and up as she jumped up and down but she had bent legs with her butt sticking out the whole time and it looked SO weird. i HAD to sing with my eyes closed jon, i just had to.

]]> By: Jamie http://www.jonacuff.com/stuffchristianslike/2008/02/33-singing-with-our-hands-raised/comment-page-1/#comment-164936 Jamie Tue, 18 Jan 2011 02:28:54 +0000 http://www.jonacuff.com/stuffchristianslike/2008/02/33-singing-with-our-hands-raised/#comment-164936 I'm sorry, but I LOVE to dance while worshipping. I get so into it. I may look insane, but it is a great way to worship and connect! I’m sorry, but I LOVE to dance while worshipping. I get so into it. I may look insane, but it is a great way to worship and connect!

]]> By: Ryan http://www.jonacuff.com/stuffchristianslike/2008/02/33-singing-with-our-hands-raised/comment-page-1/#comment-161412 Ryan Tue, 04 Jan 2011 15:55:54 +0000 http://www.jonacuff.com/stuffchristianslike/2008/02/33-singing-with-our-hands-raised/#comment-161412 If people can raise their hands for worship, then I feel someone can dance too. Worship is about feeling the Holy Spirit flowing through you, and if It's telling you to dance, then you darn well better get dancing. No matter what the person next to you is thinking! If people can raise their hands for worship, then I feel someone can dance too. Worship is about feeling the Holy Spirit flowing through you, and if It’s telling you to dance, then you darn well better get dancing. No matter what the person next to you is thinking!

]]> By: Erin http://www.jonacuff.com/stuffchristianslike/2008/02/33-singing-with-our-hands-raised/comment-page-1/#comment-141354 Erin Sun, 24 Oct 2010 00:04:21 +0000 http://www.jonacuff.com/stuffchristianslike/2008/02/33-singing-with-our-hands-raised/#comment-141354 I have to disagree with you, Jon. When you are in that place with God during worship, you have every right to dance like no ones watching, sing loud (and sometimes off key), anything to show God the love you have for Him. So let that soccer mom groove it out. I have to disagree with you, Jon. When you are in that place with God during worship, you have every right to dance like no ones watching, sing loud (and sometimes off key), anything to show God the love you have for Him. So let that soccer mom groove it out.

]]> By: Candace http://www.jonacuff.com/stuffchristianslike/2008/02/33-singing-with-our-hands-raised/comment-page-1/#comment-134938 Candace Tue, 05 Oct 2010 06:29:05 +0000 http://www.jonacuff.com/stuffchristianslike/2008/02/33-singing-with-our-hands-raised/#comment-134938 A few people in my church raise their hands and, knowing them, I know it is pure joy in the Lord and totally heartfelt. But for the most part our congregation is pretty sedate. Our Pastor teases us (with a gentle smile) about being "God's frozen people". He is from the south and rather misses demonstrative worship. We are Wisconsinites. We INVENTED "There's no call for that. Please stop." A few people in my church raise their hands and, knowing them, I know it is pure joy in the Lord and totally heartfelt. But for the most part our congregation is pretty sedate. Our Pastor teases us (with a gentle smile) about being "God's frozen people". He is from the south and rather misses demonstrative worship. We are Wisconsinites. We INVENTED "There's no call for that. Please stop."

]]>