Christian artist Pat Barrett believes formalities have no place in worship.
Worship is bringing yourself — all of yourself, even the unsavory parts — to the altar.
“There’s a version of me that I’ve brought into church rooms before,” he said. “The one that feels safe. The one that’s acceptable. But I’ve also had these moments thinking, ‘Why does it feel inappropriate to bring my actual thoughts and emotions into worship?’”
In Psalms, the feelings are everywhere. They aren’t just joy and confidence. They are rage and sorrow, too. Barrett realizes that most worship services — and even songs — don’t display that spectrum.
“Limiting the full expression of devotion to God to one kind of thing is, at best, unhelpful — and at worst, it encourages hiding,” the “Good Good Father” singer said. “I’ve done that. I’ve walked into a worship set thinking, ‘OK, I guess I’m supposed to feel this way,’ even though I don’t.”
Barrett added it’s actually “weirdly inappropriate” not to include a range of feelings in worship. It’s completely okay to have doubt, anger or overwhelmed feelings in worship
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“We’ve made it so vertical, so tightly defined, that we’ve left out huge parts of the human experience,” he said.
It’s not about being holy or presenting a certain way. Being there, present with God is enough. Worship leaders especially should take this to heart. What happens on stage should be only a small part of their experience with God that week.
“Otherwise, you’ll be standing on a platform sharing 100% of your God moment — and it’s the only one you’ve had all week,” he said.
He has another concern about modern worship — that it’s always camera-ready. The 41-year-old didn’t have the experience with iPhone and social media that younger millennials and Gen Z have today.
“I don’t know if that would have encouraged or discouraged me, to be honest, because so many of those early years of leading worship were about failing,” Barrett told Premier Christianity. “It didn’t sound great, it didn’t look great, but that’s not the point. [I worry when it comes to] formation and discipleship that no one’s allowed to develop anymore – you have to be ready for a camera.”
He admitted there was a time where to him, worship was just singing. Then he realized worship is not something that can be compartmentalized.
“You can pretend it is,” he said, but, “It’s really not. And I think there’s been an openness a lot of times through difficulty that just opens you up in a way that is unexpected and forces you to trust.”
Barrett will embark on his I’ve Got a Fire tour this fall. It will span from Oct. 1 to Nov. 22 at two dozen locations in the US.
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