“When worship becomes entertainment, when the songs are designed for performance rather than participation, the congregation ceases to be a part of it. They watch. They sway. They close their eyes and let the show unfold. Worship has been stolen from the people—and ultimately, stolen from God—and handed to the professionals.”
(The Dissenter) The lights dim. A soft purple haze spreads across the stage, a carefully manufactured mist rising from hidden fog machines like some mystical veil between heaven and earth. The lead singer, a guy with the vocal timbre of a teenage boy penning poetry in his journal, breathes into the microphone, eyes closed, hand outstretched in longing. Continue reading