Emotions in worship are a touchy subject. They're touchy because, first, worship is often intensely emotional, and, second, many of us have had unpleasant experiences with leaders who have abused that reality. In my opinion, there are two extremes, neither of which are healthy or biblical, and both of which should be avoided through pastoral wisdom and grace.
Extreme 1: Emotional Manipulation
The first extreme is probably what more of us are familiar with — emotional manipulation. This involves using God-given affective tools merely for the sake of creating an emotionally charged experience in worship. Perhaps we've all experienced those moments when it's obvious that the worship leader is trying to get us all to "feel" something, whether it's the comforting nearness of God's presence, the high energy of "entering his courts with praise," or the conviction of leaving a church deeply moved and ready to engage the world.
Here's an important point not to be missed: emotional manipulation often aims for emotional experiences for emotions' sake. It can be boiled down to mere emotionalism. Likewise, worship leaders who aim for this will often too easily equate emotionalism with the genuine work of God, the presence of the Holy Spirit.
Extreme 2: Emotional Avoidance
This second extreme, avoiding emotional engagement, often comes in reaction to the first. Some churches, and even some entire Christian traditions, mark themselves and their worship particularly by their "stateliness" — their lack of engaging the fleeting, unstable, and ultimately "dangerous" world of the emotions. Worship in these kinds of settings are often identified by varying degrees of austerity, an emphasis on reverence, fear, respect, and spoken or unspoken moratoriums on physical expressiveness or outward displays of intense emotion.
Why Both Extremes Must Be Avoided
A thoroughly biblical anthropology (a theology of humanity) leads us toward a holistic view of the human being. God designed us as whole creatures — mind, body, will, emotions, etc. — and pronounced all of this, in its entirety, as "very good" (Gen 1:31). A thoroughly biblical doxology (a theology of worship) leads us toward a holistic view of how the human being worships God. God demands all of us in worship. The greatest commandment to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength (Deut 6:4-9; Matt 22:36-40) is a commandment about worship. Love is, in fact, the deepest form of worship.
Emotions are a vital, good, God-given part of what it means to be truly human. This is precisely why we call emotionless people "robots." We intuitively understand what God has engineered into our design: we are hard-wired to feel; we are by nature emotional creatures.
The Pastoral Middle: Emotional Shepherding
What if we sought to take a pastoral approach to the issue? What if we saw emotions not as something to manipulate or avoid but to steward?
First, we recognize the difference between manipulation and shepherding. Manipulation is forcing with an iron fist. Shepherding is guiding with an open hand. The former is a demand. The latter is an invitation.
Second, we lead in emotionally faithful ways. Emotional shepherding in worship gatherings looks like encouraging people to feel the heights of jubilation, joy, and thanksgiving (Psalm 100:4). It looks like, during confession, inviting people to feel the pangs of remorse, sadness, and lamentation.
Third, line up the emotional journey of worship with the narrative of the gospel. The gospel tells the story of the glory of God, the gravity of our sin, and the grace of our Savior. Worship should faithfully tell that story in both its content and its structure.
