Bethel: An Experience To Be Had

In all honesty, worshiping with Bethel was a different experience. It was my first time seeing Bethel
live and I didn't know what to expect. Actually, I was hoping to have a very new and spontaneous experience. I had been to a conference where Steffany Frizzel lead worship, and I had been very moved and intrigued by her ability to lead worship by simply being in God's presence and worshiping with no distractions and no agenda--worshiping to only give God glory and praise. Maybe I was semi-critical of the night, or there were quite a few distractions throughout the night, but strangely, I didn't feel as moved as I had hoped I would feel. The new songs from their new Tides album were new and had very good messages behind each and everyone of them and I am constantly amazed at the talent God has given these worship leaders to write these songs of praise and adoration so naturally, but it was a weird feeling not feeling moved. Maybe it was because it was the first night of the tour. Maybe it was because I hadn't come into the night with a heart of pure worship. Maybe it was the distractions of those in the crowd. Maybe it was just so many factors added together. Regardless of all these things, I find that my Bethel experience was one to be had. Coming from FCBC, people tend to think that because I come from a conservative Chinese Southern Baptist church, charisma and spontaneity in worship is strange and weird and not okay. And the fact is, I love charismatic and spontaneous worship just as much as I love contemporary, more conservative worship because I believe that in both, the Holy Spirit works and is alive and moving in us as we worship the Lord. My heart in worship is reflected in my connection with God while I'm worshiping, not the way others around me perceive my actions in worship. And so in that setting of worship that night, I was able to think about my personal worship despite expectations of being moved that night.

I am in love with worship and am completely passionate about worshiping the King. Why? Because God calls us to a life a worship--a life of worship in our actions, our words, our prayers, and everything else in our lives.

"God is spirit and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth." John 4:24


|| joyce ||