Stuff That Matters In Life

The Christmas Eve Candlelight service at the Crystal Cathedral was executed flawlessly. There were seven services back-to-back, from 3pm to midnight. We were there for the 4:30 service. We arrived an hour in advance to stand in line to make we got a seat. There were more than 100 people in front of us.

Under the direction of a stage director, each performer came on the stage without a second wasted. The program was exactly 60 minutes, packed with beautiful music from the choir, the orchestra, and solo performers. We as part of the congregation only sang 2 Christmas carols. There was Scripture reading throughout, and a short message by Robert Schuller, the founder of the Crystal Cathedral.

Dr. Schuller was right when he said you will not hear better music anywhere else. The 16,000- or 17,000-pipe organ was awesome.

But was it a worship experience? Was it spiritually inspiring? Did it make me look to God?

My focus was more on the performers than on the message they were pointing to. Dr. Schuller did say to give glory to God for the beautiful music. But with people’s flashing cameras as well as sound and camera crew on the stage and up and down the aisle, it was not easy to focus on worshiping God. I felt like I was in a theater.

But my husband rightly corrected me that it can be a worship experience. Just because it was professional doesn’t make it automatically not worshipful.

Aside from my reactions, I wonder how God looks at this beautifully executed program verses our little church’s worship program. There isn’t much at our church you would call professional. Our drummer is a high schooler who sometimes plays it too loud. Our powerpoint doesn’t always show the words on cue. The program is not rehearsed.

I came away from the Crystal Cathedral appreciating God, not for the glory of the performance, but for His grace for our little church. That God would bless our little church in spite of our many imperfections is too amazing.