I recently watched a short video titled The Idolatry of Youth Culture in Worship. In this video (produced by The Gospel Coalition), Kevin Twit, Isaac Wardell, and Mike Cosper discuss the influence of youth culture in contemporary church worship services. They identify celebrity worship and artistic performance as some of the manifestations of youth culture’s influence on worship.

This video got me thinking about some of my own worship experiences. I distinctly recall attending conferences and revivals where the “worship leader” was mobbed by fans seeking autographs and pictures with an almost paparazzi style of determination. Even at a smaller event with an unknown worship leader, the adoration of the leader was evident.

The leaders in the video suggest that we must move away from viewing worship as a concert or a lecture and start imagining worship as a great feast. Worship as a feast means that we all partake together. It is communal, encourages participation and interaction, and no individual outshines the whole.

Whether or not you agree with the views presented in the video, it is worth asking ourselves, how do young people perceive worship? What impressions of worship does the church promote? Has the idolatry of youth culture entered your church or youth group’s worship? If so, what are some of your ideas for moving forward toward a better way?