Worship or Performance? Living in the Tension

Somewhere between performance and tradition, between innovation and inheritance, there is a space where worship remains authentic.

One of the ongoing tensions in the contemporary church is the difference between worship and performance.

This is not a new issue—but the scale and intensity of it have changed.

When I was growing up, worship in black churches was already expressive. We clapped our hands, stomped our feet, played tambourines, and some even shouted or danced in what we cal…