I saw something new in a worship service (at least it was new to me): worship flags. There were a
couple of young ladies on the stage with the worship leader and they were waving large flags. Picture
the color guard in a high school band. I looked it up online and was surprised to see a lot of companies
selling “worship and praise” flags.
I wondered if there was a Biblical precedent for praising and/or worshiping with flags. I couldn’t find
any. But I did find a couple of websites where this practice was explained. Here is what one such site
said: “In a worship service, flags and banners are used for God’s people as a visual tool on which to
focus. They can declare a time of battle in spiritual warfare, God’s love, His grace, holiness and power.
As the Spirit of God (the watchman) directs, the waving of flags and banners will open the “spiritual
gates” of heaven allowing the Holy Spirit to flow freely among His people with healing, deliverance and
encouragement. Flags and banners are vital to the Body of Christ. They make a statement – a statement
of our worship, our praise, our warfare, and a statement that reflects our work with the Lord. They are
a form of visual worship and they make a powerful statement to the non-believer. They are a silent
witness in ministry but they speak volumes to anyone who looks at them.”
Now, I don’t know about you, but I found that explanation to be lacking in Biblical doctrine. The “waving
of flags will open spiritual gates”. Really? Please understand that waving flags, burning incense, dancing,
and the like will not “open the spiritual gates”. The blood of Christ opens any and every spiritual gate:
the tearing of the temple curtain signified that there was nothing between sinful man and a righteous
God any longer. We have access to God at any time and do not need the trappings of external stimuli to
enter the presence of God.
I understand that a visually stunning worship service with lights and upbeat music can excite a person.
I’m not trying to put people down who are edified in that type of atmosphere. But if a person must have
those sensations in order to feel close to God, something isn’t quite right. Worshipping the one true
God should be a humbling experience, too. Why? Because we are in the very presence of Him who
created us: Our Lord and our God.
Say good things about your Savior and His church.
couple of young ladies on the stage with the worship leader and they were waving large flags. Picture
the color guard in a high school band. I looked it up online and was surprised to see a lot of companies
selling “worship and praise” flags.
I wondered if there was a Biblical precedent for praising and/or worshiping with flags. I couldn’t find
any. But I did find a couple of websites where this practice was explained. Here is what one such site
said: “In a worship service, flags and banners are used for God’s people as a visual tool on which to
focus. They can declare a time of battle in spiritual warfare, God’s love, His grace, holiness and power.
As the Spirit of God (the watchman) directs, the waving of flags and banners will open the “spiritual
gates” of heaven allowing the Holy Spirit to flow freely among His people with healing, deliverance and
encouragement. Flags and banners are vital to the Body of Christ. They make a statement – a statement
of our worship, our praise, our warfare, and a statement that reflects our work with the Lord. They are
a form of visual worship and they make a powerful statement to the non-believer. They are a silent
witness in ministry but they speak volumes to anyone who looks at them.”
Now, I don’t know about you, but I found that explanation to be lacking in Biblical doctrine. The “waving
of flags will open spiritual gates”. Really? Please understand that waving flags, burning incense, dancing,
and the like will not “open the spiritual gates”. The blood of Christ opens any and every spiritual gate:
the tearing of the temple curtain signified that there was nothing between sinful man and a righteous
God any longer. We have access to God at any time and do not need the trappings of external stimuli to
enter the presence of God.
I understand that a visually stunning worship service with lights and upbeat music can excite a person.
I’m not trying to put people down who are edified in that type of atmosphere. But if a person must have
those sensations in order to feel close to God, something isn’t quite right. Worshipping the one true
God should be a humbling experience, too. Why? Because we are in the very presence of Him who
created us: Our Lord and our God.
Say good things about your Savior and His church.