Embracing Emotional Worship: Is It Okay To Cry?

Worship is a highly personal experience, and emotions play a significant role in how we express our devotion. However, the topic of emotional worship is a sensitive one, with some arguing that it can be manipulative or inauthentic. While it's natural to feel a range of emotions when worshipping, the key distinction lies between emotion-driven and spirit-led experiences. Emotional worship can be authentic when it stems from a deep, spiritual connection with God, but it becomes problematic when it turns into emotionalism—chasing feelings for their own sake rather than surrendering to the Saviour. True worship involves both the heart and the mind, with emotions directed towards God and rooted in biblical truth.

Emotional worship is appropriate, but not when it becomes emotional manipulation

Emotional worship is a highly debated topic, with some arguing that it is essential for genuine worship, while others claim it can lead to emotional manipulation. So, what is the difference between appropriate emotional worship and emotional manipulation?

Firstly, it is crucial to understand that emotions are a vital part of what it means to be human. We are emotional creatures by nature, and emotions are a God-given gift that should be embraced in worship. However, this does not mean that emotions are the sole indicator of true worship. Worship is about truth, and we dishonour God if we do not know Him. Thus, emotional worship must be rooted in a genuine relationship with God, based on knowledge of Him and gratitude for His works.

Emotional manipulation in worship, on the other hand, treats emotions as a tool to manipulate people into feeling a certain way. It reduces emotions to a means of turning people into instruments of the worship leader's will, which is dehumanising. This often occurs when worship leaders focus on creating an emotionally charged experience rather than guiding people to encounter God sincerely. Emotional manipulation can lead to a philosophy where having an intense emotional experience is equated with encountering God, which is not always the case.

Additionally, emotional manipulation can lead to judgement and criticism of those who do not feel the same emotions, making them feel like less mature Christians. It can also become an end in itself, where people chase the feeling of emotional worship without any regard for how that feeling is produced or its purpose. This is not true worship, as it becomes more about the individual's experience than about glorifying God.

To avoid emotional manipulation, worship leaders must focus on shepherding rather than manipulating. They should invite people to engage their emotions sincerely and guide them to feel emotions that are appropriate to the narrative of the gospel. Worship leaders must also be mindful of their own motivations and ensure that their goal is to lead people towards Christ, not just to evoke emotions.

In conclusion, emotional worship is appropriate when it is a genuine response to God's revealed truth, rooted in a relationship with Him. However, when emotional worship becomes emotional manipulation, it loses its authenticity and becomes a form of coercion that does not honour God.

Emotional worship is not wrong, but it should not be the only way to worship

Firstly, it is important to distinguish between emotions that stem from true worship and emotionalism. Emotionalism is a reaction based on human sentiment or feeling, devoid of true worship and without any real substance. In contrast, emotions that arise from true worship are a direct response to the cognitive acknowledgment of God and gratitude for His works. They are developed through a genuine relationship with Him, sound doctrinal training, and the study of His Word.

Emotions are a vital, good, and God-given part of being human. God designed us as whole creatures—mind, body, will, and emotions—and pronounced all of this as "very good" (Genesis 1:31). Therefore, we must accept the legitimacy of emotions in worship. Emotions in worship are okay; God created emotion, and He uses emotion in our lives. Worship, stripped of ordinary human emotion, may feel unnatural and strained.

However, worship should not be solely focused on chasing emotional experiences. Worship is about truth—we dishonor God if we do not know Him. It is possible to be overly emotional in worship, drawing more attention to yourself and your emotions than to God. This can lead to emotional manipulation, where worship leaders use affective tools merely to create an emotionally charged experience, equating emotionalism with the genuine work of God and the presence of the Holy Spirit. Emotional manipulation treats emotions with disrespect and dignity, using them as tools to turn people into instruments of their will.

Additionally, worship should not be solely emotional because it is possible to worship without emotional expression. Some people are more reserved and dignified in their worship, and that is okay. Just because one is not outwardly expressive in worship does not mean they are not worshipping in a rightful way. As John Piper notes, even when emotions are absent, the very act of waiting for God and longing to want Him can be considered worship.

In conclusion, while emotional worship is not wrong, it should not be the only way to worship. A holistic view of worship recognizes the importance of both emotions and truth in worshipping God. We must be careful not to fall into the extremes of emotional manipulation or emotional avoidance, but rather strive for emotional shepherding, guiding people to feel the right kinds of emotions at the right times.

Emotions in worship are a vital, good, God-given part of what it means to be human

Emotions are a natural and important part of the human experience. We are "hard-wired to feel"; we are, by nature, "emotional creatures". God designed us as whole beings—mind, body, will, emotions, etc.—and pronounced all of this, in its entirety, as "very good" (Genesis 1:31).

Emotions in worship are a touchy subject. Worship is often intensely emotional, and many people have had unpleasant experiences with leaders who have abused that reality. However, it is important to understand the difference between emotional manipulation and emotional shepherding.

Emotional Manipulation

Emotional manipulation in worship involves using God-given affective tools merely for the sake of creating an emotionally charged experience. The worship leader may try to get the congregation to "feel" something, whether it's the comforting nearness of God's presence or the high energy of "entering his courts with praise." Emotional manipulation often aims for emotional experiences for emotions' sake, boiling down to mere emotionalism. It treats emotions as tools to turn people into instruments of the leader's will, rather than respecting and dignifying them.

Emotional Shepherding

Emotional shepherding, on the other hand, involves inviting people to engage their emotions properly and sincerely in a worship service. It guides people to places where they are allowed to feel the right kinds of emotions at the right times. This can be done through "aesthetic ambiance" (musical settings/arrangements, lighting, sound, architecture), as well as through the leader's own sincere leadership of countenance, rhetoric, and tone.

The Role of Emotions in Worship

Emotions in worship are okay and even vital. God created emotion, and He uses emotion in our lives. Emotions, just like every part of us, can and should be part of our worship of God. Worship stripped of ordinary human emotion may feel unnatural and strained. However, it is important to note that worship does not require emotions; some people are less emotionally expressive or experience worship in a more stoic or mental way, and that does not make them any less worshipful.

True worship is a deeply emotional connection with God that is developed through sound doctrinal training, study of His Word, and a genuine walk with Him. It is a response to our cognitive (intellectually aware) acknowledgment of God and gratefulness for His works. When we are at the place of true worship, we are reacting to the rhythm and beat of God's very heart.

Avoiding Extremes

Both extremes of emotional manipulation and emotional avoidance should be avoided through pastoral wisdom and grace. Emotional manipulation treats emotions with too little respect and dignity, while emotional avoidance casts a negative shadow over emotions, creating a fear of engaging with them in worship. A thoroughly biblical anthropology (a theology of humanity) and doxology (a theology of worship) lead us toward a holistic view of the human being and how we worship God. God demands all of us in worship—mind, body, emotions, and all.

The distinction between emotion and spirit-based worship

Emotional worship is a natural part of meeting with God. It is a key component of the process of worship, which is a way of encountering God. Encountering God involves expressing our hearts to Him and experiencing His presence. Both expression and experience have emotional qualities to them. Emotional worship is not solely emotional, but it does include and rely on emotion.

Spirit-based worship is worship that comes from a knowledge of God and a relationship with Him. It is a deeply emotional connection with God that is developed through sound doctrinal training, study of His Word, and a genuine walk with Him. In spirit-based worship, our emotions are a direct response to our cognitive (intellectually aware) acknowledgment of God and gratefulness for His works. We are reacting to the rhythm and beat of God's heart, not to the beat of the music.

Emotional worship is a natural part of meeting with God, but it can become emotionalism if it is not rooted in true worship. Emotionalism is a reaction based on human sentiment or feeling, devoid of true worship and without any real substance. It is an on-the-surface reaction to a stimulus other than God. Spirit-based worship, on the other hand, is liberating and pleasing to God. It is worship that opens the door for the divine to happen: chains are broken, bodies are healed, people are delivered, and souls are saved.

Emotionalism often aims for emotional experiences for their own sake. It can be equated with the genuine work of God, or the presence of the Holy Spirit. In contrast, spirit-based worship recognises that emotions are a vital, good, God-given part of what it means to be truly human. It sees emotions as something to be shepherded, pastored, guarded, and guided, rather than as tools to manipulate people.

To ensure our worship is spirit-based, we must learn of God by absorbing ourselves in His Holy Word. We must also be doers of the Word, treating others with love, having a healthy prayer life, and constantly seeking to do more for God and live a life that is Christ-centred.

The problem with emotional worship comes when leaders of worship services make a concerted effort to change people's emotions in an attempt to coerce certain behaviour. This is known as "emotional manipulation" and can hijack true worship. Emotional manipulation can lead to uncomfortable experiences for those being manipulated, such as feeling cajoled into feeling a certain way or feeling like a less mature Christian for not sharing the emotions of those around them.

Spirit-based worship can sometimes become too stoic or dignified, with an emphasis on reverence, fear, and respect, and a lack of physical expressiveness or outward displays of intense emotion. This can create a fear of engaging with emotions and teach people that emotions have little or no place in their relationship with God.

A thoroughly biblical anthropology (a theology of humanity) leads us towards a holistic view of the human being. God designed us as whole creatures—mind, body, will, emotions, etc.—and pronounced all of this, in its entirety, as "very good" (Genesis 1:31). A thoroughly biblical doxology (a theology of worship) leads us towards a holistic view of how the human being worships God. God demands all of us in worship.

Emotions in worship are okay. God created emotion and He uses emotion in our lives. Emotions, just like every bit of us, can and should be part of our worship of God. Worship, stripped of ordinary human emotion, may be unnatural and strained. On the other hand, worship that is crammed with emotionally manipulative tricks is artificial and disingenuous.

Emotions are not required for worship, but they may be included. There are people who are less emotional and find it weird or awkward to express or feel much emotion in worship, but that doesn't make them any less worshipful.

We should recognise the difference between manipulation and shepherding. Manipulation is forcing with an iron fist, while shepherding is guiding with an open hand. The former is a demand, while the latter is an invitation. As worship leaders, we have the opportunity to invite people to engage their emotions properly and sincerely. We can create contexts for the engagement of what New Testament scholar Matthew Elliot calls "faithful feelings".

The dangers of equating emotional experiences with the presence of the Holy Spirit

It is important to acknowledge that emotions play a significant role in worship, and they can be a powerful force in shaping our spiritual experiences. However, equating emotional experiences with the presence of the Holy Spirit can lead to several dangers and pitfalls that Christians should be cautious of. Here are some of the dangers of such equating:

Emotional Manipulation:

Some worship leaders or pastors might intentionally or unintentionally manipulate the emotions of the congregation to create an intense or charged atmosphere. This can be done through music, lighting, rhetoric, or other aesthetic tools. While emotional engagement in worship is not inherently wrong, manipulation treats emotions as a means to an end, rather than something to be respected and guided. This can leave congregants feeling uneasy, pressured, or even abused.

Spiritual Burnout:

When intense emotional experiences are seen as the primary indicator of God's presence, it can lead to a relentless pursuit of spiritual highs. Believers may start to depend on these emotional highs for spiritual validation, and when such experiences are absent, they may feel that God is distant or displeased. This constant striving for emotional highs can lead to spiritual exhaustion and burnout, which is contrary to the rest that Christ offers (Matthew 11:28-30).

Measuring Spiritual Maturity:

In some circles, emotional experiences are used as a yardstick for measuring one's relationship with God and spiritual maturity. This mindset is problematic because emotions are fickle and easily influenced by various factors. Basing our spiritual health solely on emotions contradicts biblical teachings, which focus on faith, obedience, and character development as indicators of spiritual maturity (Hebrews 11:1, John 14:15, Galatians 5:22-23).

Anti-intellectualism:

An overemphasis on emotional experiences can lead to a neglect of critical thinking and doctrinal study. In the pursuit of emotional highs, some believers may abandon reason and biblical literacy, making them vulnerable to deception and false teachings. This anti-intellectualism contradicts the biblical admonition to love God with our minds as well as our hearts (Matthew 22:37) and can open the door to mysticism.

Influencing Worship Music:

The belief that God's presence must be constantly invoked has influenced contemporary Christian worship music. Many modern worship songs focus on inviting the Holy Spirit to manifest in an emotionally satisfying way, rather than on proclaiming the truth of God's Word. This can shift the focus of worship from God to ourselves and our feelings, leading to emotional manipulation and an unsustainable expectation of constant emotional highs.

In conclusion, while emotions are an important part of worship, equating emotional experiences with the presence of the Holy Spirit can lead to spiritual burnout, manipulation, anti-intellectualism, and an unhealthy focus on emotional highs. A more balanced approach to worship recognizes the importance of both truth and emotion, always grounded in the Word of God.

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