Take the ties off the men, put the women’s hair up in a bun and give them longer dresses, remove the instruments, stop the clapping, and change the words to the “Restoration Version,” and you would have all the excitement of a shouting, jumping, running, praising Church of God Restoration national campmeeting in Ohio.
Restoration Version (I changed a few of the words)
We’re known to dress straight, and not let the standard down,
We don’t drink to get merry, or roll on the ground.
We don’t crank up the music, and dance all around.
But we do shout hallelujah, until the glory comes down.
We all see eye to eye, and speak the same thing.
We’re the Restoration, in blessed unity
Refrain
We’re the Restoration, we are not ashamed.
Just read the Book of Acts, we are still the same.
We have blessed unity, through Jesus name.
We are the one true church in every way.
Some think we’re crazy, others think we’re strange.
But when we got this Holy Ghost, we cannot contain.
More exciting than a party, higher than a drug.
It’s the greatest feeling, being washed in His blood.
If you’re tired of traditions, Babylon done you wrong.
You’re feeling dry and empty, no longer have a song
Refrain
The story is not over, things for you can change.
You can feel the fire burning, as the Angels fan the flame.
There’s many who have come, and many on the way.
They’re leaving their dead churches, for this Restoration faith.
There’s a hunger in the world, that gets bigger everyday.
They’re crying out for Restoration, that is why I say.
Refrain
Is it just a show? No, in both cases you have sincere people trying to worship the Lord in an emotional style of worship.
The lesson here that people need to learn is that emotional worship is not the glory. In the above video, these Apostalics have “cranked up the music”, they “danced all around”, and in their “shouting hallelujah” they think that the “glory came down”.
The Restoration does the same thing in cranking up the singing with their Southern Gospel style acapella singing group that leads the worship service. The people jump and run all around, and in their shouting hallelujah — combined with them all believing the same doctrine, standards and practices — they think the glory has come down.
The glory of God is not an emotional worship or a forced unity of doctrine, standards, and practices by an authoritarian ministry. The glory of God is the Lord living in us producing holy living.
I don’t have any problems with the Restoration’s worship services or style of singing, other than I disagree with having choirs performing for the congregation in worship services. The congregation should be there to worship the Lord, not to view others worshiping the Lord.
There clearly is a difference between the Restoration’s and the above Apostolic Pentecostal style of singing and worship. Where they are both the same is that they both think their emotional fervor in worship is the glory of God.
The erroneous position that emotion is glory is sold to simple Christians that have never seen a zealous, plain clothes, doctrinal-unified group that is “alive” and has the “glory”.
So don’t be fooled into thinking you have come to the one true visible church when you attend a Restoration meeting. Yes, you have met a people that all believe the same doctrines, standards and practices and think they sing and shout the “glory” down. But in reality you have just met another group that has a emotional style of worship and an authoritarian ministry.
You can only get a true picture of this group by meeting a sample of the numerous “spiritual wrecks” their heavy-handed ministry has turn out of the way, and learning about the unscriptural doctrines this group hides from prospective converts.
Apostolic Version
We’ve been known to get wild, and let our hair hang down
Drink till we get merry, rolling on the ground
We’ve cranked up the music and we’ve danced all around
Shouting hallelujah as His glory came down
It’s just our style, the way we do our thing
We’re the Pentecostals, baptized in Jesus name
Refrain
I’m a Pentecostal, and I am not ashamed.
Just read the Book of Acts, we are still the same.
We worship only One God, Jesus is His name.
We are Apostolic in ever way.
Some think we’re crazy, others think we’re strange.
But when I got this Holy Ghost, I could not contain.
More exciting than a party, higher than a drug.
It’s the greatest feeling, being washed in His blood.
If you’re tired of traditions, religions done you wrong.
You’re feeling dry and empty, no longer have a song.
Refrain
The story is not over, things for you can change.
You can feel the fire burning, as the Spirit fans the flame.
There’s millions who have come, and millions on the way.
They’re leaving their dead churches, for this Pentecostal faith.
There’s a hunger in the world, that gets bigger everyday.
They’re crying out for Pentecost, that is why I say.
Refrain
Editors Note:
–This video was passed on to me by someone that wanted to know if I felt like it was similar to the Restoration’s style.
–Feel free to check out the comments on this post. There are a number of good points that have been posted concerning this subject.
May 24th, 2009 at 6:44 pm
“Think” the glory came down? Boy do YOU have a wrong number! I KNOW the glory came down and completely transformed my life over thirty five years ago! Delivered me from darkness into his glorious light!
There is not a shred of doubt that what I have not only has drawn me closer to the Jesus of the Bible but has opened to me a relationship with the my creator and redeemer that I never imagined a man could have!
I am sure you have some axe to grind. Is it the line “Millions have come and millions on the way, They’re leaving their DEAD churches for this Pentecostal faith?” I kinda think it is! As for me…. Thank GOD for this wonderful New Testament Salvation!
May 24th, 2009 at 7:26 pm
Hi Joseph,
Yes that is correct, both groups “think” that a shouting, running, jumping, praising, emotional meetings is the “glory came down” and it is with this position I disagree and hence include the word “think”.
My position that shouting, running, jumping, praising, emotional meetings are not the glory of God has no refection or your or any one elses deliverance and transformation. Nor would my position have any refection as to people being drawn closer to the Lord in those types of meetings.
As far has having an axe to grind I would hold that it is uncharitable to accuse someone to “have a grievance, a resentment and you want to get revenge or sort it out” with no reason other than they disagree with you.
I will make allowance that perhaps you don’t know what the idiom “axe to grind” means, or perhaps you are meaning to use it another way. Just so you know, charges like this are not following 1 Corinthians chapter 13 and the charge you appear to be making is not the fruit of the glory of God having come down in a persons life.
While I feel sorry for all those who get caught up in the Pentecostal faith and find it grievous, it causes no resentment or desire to get revenge at all.
While others are having the “glory come down” in their emotional meetings, I have by the grace of God had the glory of God come down into my soul and it not only sets me completely free from resentment and revenge getting but from committing all willful and known sins.
May 25th, 2009 at 9:18 am
As I pondered this, I think the common denominator between this video and a COGR song service is the simple little word “we”.
It seems the worship is more of “we” than of Christ. At some point, this becomes rank idolatry, although I realize that the church of Christ is spoken of in good terms in the Bible, but in a way that glorifies the groom more than the bride. Which is opposite as to what happens in the flesh, as the bride often gets more attention than the groom.
Mike
May 26th, 2009 at 1:30 am
Hi Mike,
I think that is a good point. One of the main problems with groups that think that are the OTVC is they end up pointing people to themselves.
The main point that I was wanting to make in my original post was both the Restoration and the group in the video confuse the glory of God with an emotional style of worship.
Both groups consider congregations that don’t have emotion worship services to be, as the song says, “dead churches”.
While there are a lot of differences between the worship style in the video and the Restoration meeting, they are both the same in the following. They are both highly emotional, both confuse the high emotion to be the glory if God, and they both think if a congregations meeting are not emotional then they are a dead congregation.
Most people that hold the Wesleyan/Holiness view strongly reject the Pentecostal doctrinal position, experience, and that the glory of God is among them. Hence they will write off the video as emotionalism that’s void of the Spirit.
In rejecting the video as emotionalism void of the Spirit (which is the position I take) this should cause them to at least consider that the emotional worship services of the Restoration could emotionalism and not the glory of God.
Danny Layne has said “if you don’t have the glory you don’t have anything”. While they clearly hold that their emotional services are an expression of the glory of God among them, I think it is only fair to note that it is not the emotional services alone that they think is the glory of God among them. They would also include that people are being saved from sin among them, their young people are on fire for God, that they are all in unity, and other evidences that are indicators to them that God is with them.
May 28th, 2009 at 9:30 am
Hello, Bob:
Sorry, I did kind of hijack your thought. It is true that emotionalism is mistaken for spirituality many times, and that was your thought. And both the Pentecostal and Holiness movements have gotten themselves caught up at times in this.
To me, the glory manifests itself in a person who lives like Jesus did: denying self and the flesh to serve others. Now that’s glorious!
Mike
May 28th, 2009 at 12:52 pm
Hi Mike,
I took your last comment and turned it into a question and did a post called Emotions In Private And Public Worship that is a copy of my following post.
I would agree with you that the glory of God is holy, selfless, sanctified living that has victory over known or willful sin, self, and the devil. But at the same time I feel like we need to make room for expressions of emotions in private and public worship.
We are emotional beings, some of us are more so and some of us less. When God touches us we respond with our will, our mind, our spirit, and our emotions.
The man that got healed in the temple leaped and praised God and I believe that was in order. As long as people are not operating in the flesh and seeking attention I have no problem with outward manifestations of praise to God or emotions in a meeting.
I do have problems with people being emotional in meeting and then living a fleshy, selfish, unsanctified life, but that is part of having emotional meetings. Quite often the unspiritual will get caught up in all the emotion. For them it will be a “spiritual high” that products no change.
Some of the most emotional times I have had with the Lord have not been in meetings but alone with God in prayer, praise, singing, and reading the word. I have shouted and wept and run through my home praising God and have even jump over the coffee table from.
The things that have lead to these emotional expressions have been things like a deeper revelation of the mercy God has had on me, a deeper godly sorrow for the ungodly life that I have once lived, strong conviction of the lacks in my spiritual live, or a deeper revelation of the love of God for my soul.
I think that people that only get emotional in meeting and not in their private devotions need to examine themselves as to where they are doing it for show or perhaps just getting caught up in an emotional high. The Christians greatest times of amens, shouts, jumps, runs, and weeping should be alone with God.
Personally I love it when God blesses me in my soul to the degree where I respond emotionally, but I never seek emotions and I don’t confuse them and think emotions are the glory of God.
The emotions pass away and are forgotten. The dealings of the Lord and changes that result from these dealings need to be lasting changes. The glory of God is the deeper revelation which brought a lasting change in my spiritual life. The emotions were just part of my response to the blessings of God.
When God comes down in a meeting and people get victory of sin, self, and the flesh those that have prayed for them will rejoice also. This is all biblical.
The issue I have with emotionalism is when people start seeking emotionalism instead of God. Something has really gone wrong when leader employ tactics to stir up the people in their emotions instead of leading people to a deeper walk with God.
They know when God has come down in the past and touched and changed people the emotions of the people were stirred. But instead of preaching, exhorting, and singing designed to help people changes in their life which will product an emotional response, they go directly for the emotional response.
Hence you can have an emotional form but the people in the congregation are selfish, carnal, and fleshing and in some cases living in known sin. All this while they run the aisles and think they shout the glory of God down.
When people personally start seeking emotions instead of God or when leader start trying to stir up an emotional meeting things are on the downward road.
October 28th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
To Bob Munch,
I just was shaking my head when i read all the comments I could stomach. I found your view on worshipping our same God very unsettling. I understand that some people listen to music differently. While some just listen quietly & appreciate it, others sing quietly, but most people that i know when they hear music that they really love: dance & sing it as loud as possible unashamed in their home, car or shower when they are fully abandoned with no one around. Why can’t someone love praise and worship just as much & show it in the same way! Why is that disrespectful in your eyes? Do you think God is looking down shaking his head at them? NO WAY! How could God be ashamed of a people who are so in love with him that they cannot shout loud enough about him with no reservation that they might be judged on the right or left of them. I have been to many denominations through choir tours and switching churches when moving around but I grew up in a Pentecostal church and whenever I am there, it is an unforgettable filling of the holy ghost throughout my entire body that I have not felt in any other denomination [except in my current non denominational home church where the worship is very similar to Pentecostal worship]. There is no question that it is the Holy Ghost, it feels like a fire you can’t contain burning inside of you, giving you chills to your bone. I wonder if you personally have ever felt this indescribable feeling. I feel if you had, you would fully understand that it leaves you without the choice of dancing, it puts the step in your foot. I don’t judge anyone else’s style of worship because God is the only judge. I just know what suits my taste and my beliefs about the Bible’s example of praise! I believe that the Pentecostal church fits Psalm’s description of praise the closest. May God Bless you for your dedication to his word and your personal faith. I believe that is inspiring to others but be careful that you not make what is a life giving principle to you, a burden to others. Have a good day. :)
October 29th, 2009 at 1:02 am
Hi Lauren,
I grew up in a UPC congregation and when I got converted at the age of 22 I attended a PAOC congregation. I have spoken in “modern tongues”, “danced in the spirit”, and been “slayen in the spirit”. So the Pentecostal meeting and ways are not new to me.
>>>Why can’t someone love praise and worship just as much & show it in the same way!
I think people can, and I have done it in meeting and in the private of my home and I noted that in the comments.
>>>Why is that disrespectful in your eyes? Do you think God is looking down shaking his head at them?
My point was to address mixing up emotionalism with the glory of God. Getting all worked up in your emotions doesn’t mean the glory of God has come down.
So I have no problem with people jumping and shouting, running the isles and waving their hankies, or weeping and laughing — as long as when all is done and said they live a life free from willful and known sin, have these kinds of emotions in their private devotions, and are not seeking emotions but seeking God.
I do know what it is like to get so blessed that I can’t do any thing but cry, but I don’t seek those kinds of emotions. I seek God and when God blesses me some times the emotions come. Yes I like emotions too but I never seek them.
As far as a life giving principle — I hold that the grace and power of God is the life giving principle. I don’t see how the grace and power of God could be a burden to a Christian.
March 3rd, 2011 at 10:44 am
I seriously doubt my post will be read since the above are 2 years old. I have been attending an Apostolic Faith Church and like it but for the emotional outbursts and method of praise and worship and speaking in tongues. I am not an outwardly demonstrative person other than hugs and hand shaking but to raise my hands up, shout hallelujah, praise Jesus over and over and fall face down on the floor, sob loud tears is craziness to me. I want to run from the building screaming. The group is always called to receive the Holy Ghost; I was baptized but have not shown proof of receiving the HG because I’ve not spoken in tongues. And frankly, I don’t want to. If the LORD God decides to fill me with His spirit I pray it happens when I am alone; or perhaps with one close friend. I find this type of worship by some, not all, self serving and very showy in nature. We don’t have to shout and repeat His name over and over; He heard it the first time. This is just my personal feelings on the matter.
March 3rd, 2011 at 1:14 pm
Hi Karen,
I read almost all the comments and when other people access this post they will read your comment. So no comments are in vain.
Thanks for your take on the issue.
Bob.
March 6th, 2011 at 7:23 pm
Karen, good thoughts.
Different conservative Christian groups (Holiness, Pentecostal, Anabaptist, etc) have differing opinions of what the Bible says in regard to “tongues”.
I do not want to start an argument here, but, these are a few things about tongues that you may want to consider.
#1, Read Acts 2 and notice that when these tongues were spoken, *all*, speakers of many different “tongues” (languages) understood.
#2, In 1 Corinthians 12:8-11, tongues are *one* of *several* Gifts of the Spirit.
#3, Not every Spirit filled Christian in the Church is expected to have the “Gift of Tongues”, just as not all are expected to have the “Gift of Healing”, in the *same* *exact* *way* that not all are expected to be Prophets. (1 Corinthians 12:27-30)
I hope that, in reading 1 Corinthians, you can realize that the Apostolic Pentecostal’s are mistaken, according to the Bible, in their teaching that all must speak in “tongues” as *evidence* of God’s Spirit.
Jesus said many times that the evidence is THEIR FRUIT!
Jesus said “By their *fruit* You shall know them”.
He *never* said that tongues was *evidence*.
What is the *evidence*, or fruit, of the Spirit? (Galatians 5:22-24)
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
The *evidence/manifestation/fruit/works* of the flesh are listed just before the above passage.
I hope this helps you to see the distinction between the “Fruits of the Spirit” that all Spirit filled Christians have, versus the “Gifts of the Spirit” that are only given to certain ones by the Holy Ghost.
Consider these questions:
Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 1 Cor. 12:29-30.
May God bless you as you study His Word.