Interview 24: Doug Bachorik - Beauty in Our Worship

Beauty in Our Worship

Twenty-one years ago I was horseback riding in Baguio City, a mile above sea level in the Philippines. The group rode through a rather poor neighborhood, which was a bit shocking to my senses (my family had moved to the country just a couple of months earlier). At that time, most Filipinos lived below the poverty line. People worked daily just to buy their food and other necessities.[1] And yet, outside of many homes that could hardly stand against the frequent typhoons were varieties of potted plants. I saw brightly colored posters advertising Chinese print shops and Tanduay rum. Beauty is important to people, even in difficult circumstances. But what does beauty bring to our worship of God?

New Testament writers present worship as coming from the whole life of each Christian. We are made to worship God; a primary goal of our worship services is to become more like Jesus. Music is a tool to achieve that goal, and beauty in music strengthens the power of music. Beauty in musical worship is a tool for spiritual beauty in our lives. Whoa — how did I get here?