Where's the fire?

A friend of mine, who happens to make his living leading worship in a church, recently received a compliment on his energetic style of reading the prayers in an ordination service. The woman who complimented him sought him out after the service- a grand affair, full of pomp, circumstance, and clergy all over the place- to tell him how wonderful it was to hear someone pray with some energy and enthusiasm. Which is, at the same time, a wonderful compliment to my friend and a tremendous slap in the face of the church I love.

After hearing this story, my buddy and I began to wonder... Where is the fire that is supposed to drive our experience in worshiping the creator of Heaven and Earth? Where's the excitement that we get from being a part of a gathering that comes together, sets aside differences (sort of) and prays with one voice? According to his version, my friend simply "read in a voice that conveyed some actual belief in what he was reading." Have we gotten so complacent in our own lives that we have forgotten to speak in voices that convey the realities of what we are reading and praying? Where's the fire? Where's the passion? Where's the heart in our experience as the Body of Christ?

Trust me, I know that there isn't a place for monstrous personalities in the Episcopal style of worship. I know we don't need (or want) slick-haired televangelist-style praying that reeks of desperation and phoniness. I know that leaders in the church have to get out of the way and let God work through the tradition that has been handed down for centuries, but what does it say when the people of God seek out the priests of God to say thank you for having enthusiasm and spirit?

I'm not naive in this game, either. I know that zealous personalities can be entirely distracting in liturgical worship. I know that someone who "acts out" the praying can be as ridiculous as someone who deadpans the whole thing, but I'm sure that my friend's encounter is not all that unique in the church these days.

Riding in our personalities isn't always the best vehicle for transporting the love of Christ, but for Pete's sake, can't we at least move into a time and place where people aren't shocked that we believe the prayers we speak?

In my own spiritual reflection, I am challenged and convicted to speak in an authentic voice... I want to preach and read on Sundays in a way that not only shows my love for what I'm saying, but also the love of God for the people who are hearing. So why is it that churchy forms of public speaking, the kind that many of us stake our lives on, has lost the expectation for fieriness? Why aren't more people asking about fiery speech in their preachers, pray-ers, and folks who are generally expected to like their role in the worship of God?

For the most part, I don't have an answer to this... I'm pretty sure that we've lulled ourselves into submission to mediocre expectations and lack-luster performance. We've almost come to expect our preachers and pray-ers to be so devoid of emotion that we simply shift in the sinking sand of boring Sunday mornings whenever we walk into our churches. The reality is, we all have a part in this stuff whether we are listening from the pews or learning to pray for the friendless and the needy. We need people to speak, and we need people to listen, and we certainly need people to step up and say to our speakers- "thanks for speaking in a voice that offers some enthusiasm."

Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of people out there who are energized and enthused by the life and ministry outside of Sunday morning, and thanks be to God for their energy! But many of us are seeking that authentic voice in our prayers that speaks the word of God for the people of God. Many of us are looking to hear the fire that ignites the spirit and warms the heart. We are looking to lift up our hearts to the flame of God's love and find ourselves fired up in the process.
"I baptize you with water... He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." Luke 3:16