Well, should we raise our hands during musical worship, or should we keep them safely in

our pockets?

It's the question from a listener named Jeff.

Pastor John, when you are singing at your local church, do you raise your hands?

Is this something we should do when singing at church on Sunday when I read verses like

1 Chronicles 16 verses 23 to 31 and Psalm 95 verses 1 and 2?

It makes me wonder why not everyone lifts their hands when we sing together as a church.

If only 5% of the congregation in my local church is raising their hands during the worship

time, but all are singing out loudly with a joyful noise, is this something we should

teach on in order to encourage the raising up of holy hands, or should I just be thankful

that we are all singing together?

As the worship leader in my local church, I want to be maximalist in my thinking and

always find ways to encourage myself in our congregation to be more fully devoted and

fully delighted in Jesus as we sing songs which are soaked in rich gospel lyrics, Pastor

John.

What would you say to Jeff?

I can remember in the late 70s, when I was a college teacher, a specific chapel service

in which I was sitting beside a fellow faculty member who during a prayer simply laid his

hands palms up on his lap and the almost disgust that I felt seeing him do that.

And I don't remember what was going on in my soul at that time, but what I feel now

is nothing but shame and remorse at such an arrogant and judgmental attitude.

And then about five years later, I had encouraged Bethlehem, so I moved from faculties to pastoring

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