Saint Matthew Building Blog

A "Saint Matthew Building Project" blog has been created so y'all can get the latest news and information about the progress of our new buildings at Saint Matthew. You can check it out at http://saintmatthewbuilding.wordpress.com/

The Real Worship War

Mark Labberton is a pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Berkeley, CA. He's recenlty written a book called The Dangerous Act of Worship: Living God's Call to Justice (Zondervan). I heard Mark speak at the National Pastor's Convention in San Diego last February and I was deeply moved by what he had to say.
If you'd like to hear his message from the event, you can download it from the Zondervan podcast here (using iTunes).

Here's an excerpt from his book published in Christianity Today:

The Real Worship War
Forget about choruses versus hymns—what about justice?
by Mark Labberton

At a worship service I attended, my attention was drawn to the enthusiastic worship leader. He opened our time with prayer, asking God to meet us and draw us into the Lord's presence. Then he stood with eyes closed and the band playing. He lifted his hands and offered his joyful praise to God.
That's when I really took notice, for as he sang so rapturously, he kept stepping on the feet of the people behind him. Not just once or twice but repeatedly throughout the singing. No apology. No acknowledgment of his "tromping in the spirit." He was just praising God while oblivious to his neighbor. More