Minister of Idols?

"Do not make idols or make metal images of gods for yourselves." - Leviticus 19:4

That same instruction appears dozens of times in scripture. 

In fact, it has been said that the Bible is the story of the idolatry of humans and God’s desire to purge those idols and replace them with Himself. The more I read through our sacred texts, the more I agree.

But somebody has let the idols in. My fear? That's I've been the one to bring them in.

I fear I have been, not a minister of music but a minster of idols.

So let's ask ourselves what idols have made their way into our lives. And as a leader in worship (pastor, worship leader, platform and booth folks, committee leaders, etc) we should be intentional about asking what idols we have brought—or allowed—into our gatherings.

What is an idol? Anything that becomes more important than, or gets in the way of, our relationship with God.

I’d like to share just five that I’ve observed repeatedly and increasingly across 35 years of leading worship. And in order to be able to talk about all of them responsibly, this will be a series. I’ll introduce all five here, and then be you to explore them with me more thoroughly before determining that you and I aren’t idol-worshipers. Or idol pastors.

One more word: I offer these confessionally, not judgmentally. I have been an idol worshiper, an idol pusher. I am as guilty as anyone. But I don’t know about you. I don’t know if you’ve been as fallen and broken as I have or not. I simply invite you to look into the mirror of scripture and see what God shows you.

Speaking of scripture, remember that our enemy, when tempting Jesus, used scripture. You may find yourself doing what I’ve done—using the Bible to defend our idols. This is one of the reasons we need spiritual community. We can, full of grace and truth, point out the errors in one another. I offer these five under the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and with grace.

1. Fashion — some say "if the leaders are in coat & tie or long skirts and blouses, I feel distant from God." Others will say, "blue jeans and flip-flops are disrespectful and I just can’t worship like that." My brothers and sisters, anything that keeps you from worshiping is an idol. It has taken the place reserved for God.
2. Space — I hear people talk about how contemporary worship spaces (chairs, black background, lights, and haze) are obstacles to worship. Others will describe stained glass, wooden pews, and formal architecture as cold and distant. If the place you’re in keeps you from encountering the sacred, the space has become more important to you than the sacred. 
3. Music — Not style, just music. Some can’t wait for the music to end so they can get to the preaching. Others wish the music would have a bigger place. Music isn’t that important. While it is commanded by God in scripture to sing, music is only a medium and never an object. If music matters that much to you, it has become and idol.
4. People — I just can’t listen to that preacher. I just can’t worship under that worship leader. I just can’t pay attention when that person is on stage. Oh how this must grieve the heart of God! If God can talk through a donkey, he can talk through the person you don’t want to listen to. If you aren't able to listen, then that person is getting in the way of you hearing God. That’s what idols do.
5. Style — Yep. This is perhaps satan’s favorite tool of the last 50 years. "Old hymns leave me feeling disconnected." "New songs make me feel empty." Here’s the good news of scripture: you don’t have to depend on a style of music to encounter and experience God. Instead, be filled with the Spirit and you will find that the style music becomes largely irrelevant.

One of the reasons I want you to stay with me for a further, deeper dive, is that the Bible actually talks about every one of these five things. They aren’t un-important. They are just easily made into idols. And while I’ve been quiet about these issues for decades, I hope I’ve finally gotten to the place personally, in my own soul, that I can talk about them as a servant, not as an expert. I want to serve you—the reader—with the ways God has delivered me from my own sins of idolatry in hopes that he may deliver you too.

Next week: does it really matter if my preacher wears socks or not? (Because to many, it does.)