Worship in an African setting
Worship in an African perspective is one activity that is basically self-driven. Right from my childhood, I have seen people worship God spontaneously. There is never a team of worshipers who lead the rest of the congregation in worship and Praise services. Rather one person led the whole Church and these people are never elected specifically for that purpose but rather such people always come from the congregation and started singing a song and once it is realized that they are doing well such a person would normally go on and on. Obviously there would come a time when such a person could cease, there would always be some other person who would take over that responsibility because worship songs where sang by everyone and everyone knew the words of the songs by heart. This would make leading very easy and there used to be quite few songs that would be easy to remember.
One specific vivid experience I used to witness was during prayer sessions where people would weep during praying sessions, as a child this used not to make sense to me at all. But as time went on, I realized that actually somewhere filled with the Holy Spirit or convicted about a certain situation that persisted in the community or in the Church and they would weep to God on behalf of that community.
When I was in Primary three, my father was sent to start a Church in Koboko and he decided to take me there and study from that part of the country. Being that people from that end of the country spoke a very different language than our language, I found real hard time to cope. One thing that I sometimes even up till now wonder and marvel about my father is the courage and determination to take me on a 45 mile journey on foot ant the age of around 6 or 7 years. Right now very few people if any would even accept to go on such a journey to preach the gospel every Sunday. But one thing i also realized in this new community is the extra zeal to worship God more vigorously. As these people sang their songs, when I look back i can now see that they worship God from within themselves not just to have fun with the singing, but really communicating with the creator. And I remember one of my father’s most favorite song.
Talungaseri meteta yesu lepe atoruzo x2
Tumalu na nyona
Pureni I toto
Kapo lungase kolorokita naga namudde lepe be’di nyona x2
One specific vivid experience I used to witness was during prayer sessions where people would weep during praying sessions, as a child this used not to make sense to me at all. But as time went on, I realized that actually somewhere filled with the Holy Spirit or convicted about a certain situation that persisted in the community or in the Church and they would weep to God on behalf of that community.
When I was in Primary three, my father was sent to start a Church in Koboko and he decided to take me there and study from that part of the country. Being that people from that end of the country spoke a very different language than our language, I found real hard time to cope. One thing that I sometimes even up till now wonder and marvel about my father is the courage and determination to take me on a 45 mile journey on foot ant the age of around 6 or 7 years. Right now very few people if any would even accept to go on such a journey to preach the gospel every Sunday. But one thing i also realized in this new community is the extra zeal to worship God more vigorously. As these people sang their songs, when I look back i can now see that they worship God from within themselves not just to have fun with the singing, but really communicating with the creator. And I remember one of my father’s most favorite song.
Talungaseri meteta yesu lepe atoruzo x2
Tumalu na nyona
Pureni I toto
Kapo lungase kolorokita naga namudde lepe be’di nyona x2
Which translated to English would mean
Oh Brethren look unto Jesus he is live
Morning is nearby
Wake up from your sleep
Please brethren, leave everything that is of darkness for he is nearby (he is coming soon)
And as the congregation sang this song people would sweat while singing because they would sing loudly and vigorously as though they are telling a person of authority who is seated next to them and they can only receive what they are in need of from him if their music is acceptable to him.
And for the next one year that was the spirit that kept burning week in week out, month in month out for the whole two years I spent with them. Worshiping and praising God was at the peak of everything to them.
Oh Brethren look unto Jesus he is live
Morning is nearby
Wake up from your sleep
Please brethren, leave everything that is of darkness for he is nearby (he is coming soon)
And as the congregation sang this song people would sweat while singing because they would sing loudly and vigorously as though they are telling a person of authority who is seated next to them and they can only receive what they are in need of from him if their music is acceptable to him.
And for the next one year that was the spirit that kept burning week in week out, month in month out for the whole two years I spent with them. Worshiping and praising God was at the peak of everything to them.
Its from this background that when I see what worship is in some Churches, I realize there is a big difference. People no longer sing from their hearts but with their lips. That is why God has placed a burden in my heart to bring Worshipers in the modern setting in my country to come to that place where worship should come from the heart.
I therefore appeal to all to keep us in prayer as we embark on this adventure in the Lord I believe it is going to be a very steep hill to climb but its worth climbing. That is what the father requires, “To worship him in truth and in spirit” not lips.
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