Question:
I know the term “Multi Sensory Worship” is kind of becoming cliché, but there is truth in the concept. Like many, I see that the world of communication is changing. This means that we have the challenge and opportunity to explore worship from more angles than just music. I'm curious to know what your ideas are for creative forms of worship expression.
What creative elements have you used?
How was it incorporated into your worship service?
Was it effective?
How did people respond?
Answer:
To change the way we serve communion, we set tables as though guests were coming for dinner. Of course lots of candles. Instead of the pastor walking people through the verses of the last supper he invited them to approach the table on their own. In turn they found the elements in dishes with the words of the verses on the glass. (i.e. This is my blood poured out for you, etc.) People were encouraged to meditate a moment at the table, partake, and return to their seats.
It ended up being very effective, one of the most meaningful services people said they had attended in years. Several told me that it was weird at first, very much outside of ritual and regular tradition. But because of that it had a profound impact on them, giving them a very visual sense of actually coming to the Lords supper.
Answer:
"I know the term “Multi Sensory Worship” is kind of becoming cliché"
It is? It's a new one on me...
Answer:
What about smell,
Maybe burn frankensense and Myhrr. LOL
Honestly
I've been hoping for God to do something supernatural like have actual mist fall down on the congregation. I've heard of gold dust falling I don't know what to make of it.
Answer:
Originally Posted by Jumpinjoegraham Honestly
I've been hoping for God to do something supernatural like have actual mist fall down on the congregation. I've heard of gold dust falling I don't know what to make of it.
This sort of thing happens regularly at a youth camp we attend. It seems whenever the bass guitar hits the particular low note really loudly, the Lord begins raining small pellets of gold-colored dust down on the worshippers...
... turns out that it's nothing but insulation falling off the uncovered roof.
Answer:
Hahaha so true so true !!!
I read alot of the preachers will say they got a gold cap instantly appear then they find out from the dentist he had one ten years ago it was just that probably the plaque came off and they could see the crown again.
But I don't want to breed negativity. It could happen. God can do all things but doesn't mean He will do all things.
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Let's not get this thrown over to Theology...
The latest issue of Worship Leader Magazine had an article on this.
Answer:
Originally Posted by Tony Let's not get this thrown over to Theology...
What... by a joke that missed its target?
Answer:
The phrase "multi-sensory" (or even just "sensory," honestly) kind of makes me cringe a little. Don't get me wrong, I think it's important to use all of our gifts and faculties in our act of worship, but it just seems as though phrases like "multi-sensory" are egging on the "worship experience" movement. Worship is about God and what He experiences, not about us and what we experience. If we experience smells, sights, sounds, surfaces, or salvia-inducing-substances (had to have another "s," forgive me) in the context of our worship services, that's great... but we need to remember that all of those activities (even if it's just playing music) need to be directed toward offering a sacrifice of praise to God, not toward creating a "profoud impact" (sorry to steal your phrase, jaredburns; this isn't directed just at you or anything like that) on the gathered worshippers.
In His love,
Nate
Answer:
Originally Posted by Nate ...salvia-inducing-substances...
Darn it all... I'll just leave the typo, I guess, although I'm not sure how one would induce one of these with any substance:

Answer:
Thanks nate,
It's easy to get distracted from the Focus of our attention. Jesus. It's a very very narrow road.
I've been teaching on the importance of creativity I think this is where Jared's point is comming in to play. It's not about the sensations sizzilng our systems or sites that sit us down in supplication(hee hee). God is a creative God and as we are called as sons and heirs we must be creative ourselves for the glory of our father.
I like the Idea of using drama in worship. Something that points to the "otherness"(matt redmann facedown) of God.
Answer:
There's a great book by Gary Thomas called Sacred Pathways, and it talks about how different people essentially "worship God" in different ways. Family Christian Bookstore actually had a pretty nice tie-in with another book that's coming out based on the Gary Thomas book. Take a look at the .pdf document below and see the different categories of worshipers - obviously not everyone fits any of these categories, and some might fit several - but it has changed the way I view creative arts in the church, and how I plan our services. If I do too many things in a row that appeal to one type of worshiper - for example, the contemplative - then the other worshipers, all though they are still worshiping God, aren't worshiping in the way that they do best. If that makes sense. Just look at the .pdf!
Answer:
Jumpinjoegraham and Psalm63adam, thank you for commenting because I was sad to see that others had missed the point. Yes, I am interested about creative and personal expression for a creative and personal God.
However, in response to what others said, “Worship is about God and what He experiences, not about us and what we experience”; I think we can all basically agree that worship is for God and not for our own “warm fuzzies.” With that said, the important point to be understood is that you as a worship leader have a God ordained responsibility of communicating spiritual truth in worship. Now how are you going to do that? Will you use communications methods that worked 10, 5 or x number years ago or will you be culturally relevant in the present? This is what I was taking about. If you are going to communicate and guide people of today, then do we not have to accept that this is a “Multimedia Generation?” Today’s knowledge doesn’t just come from texts, teaching, and music, but they/you/I learn new things through almost limitless forms of media.
Absolutely it is about a “Sacrifice of Praise” and yes you can always get carried away chasing emotions, but setting that aside, don’t we still want to help create and environment were worshipers come and feel comfortable expressing personal, meaningful worship to God? As Psalm63adam noted above, “people essentially ‘worship God’ in different ways.” I, for one, would like to be more sensitive to that. Also, if the “profound impact” is a new revelation of God’s character…isn’t that what we want?
The term used today is generally “Multi Sensory Worship” and it's not my favorite label either. Still, it is not a new concept. We see it throughout almost every period of church development in the forms of art (Leonardo), architecture (Iona), traditions (Tenebre), teaching (Luther), writings (CS Lewis), music (Bach), and so on. So the arguments against it are as old as the ideas themselves.
If I were to become culturally “Irrelevant,” then am I allowing myself to be a tool God can use? No. So the heart of the question I posed is…how are we going to reach a multimedia generation? How will you be sensitive to different types of worshippers? Hopefully through multiple creative forms of media, and if so what are your ideas, what has been effective??
Great pdf Psalm63adam!
Answer:
Originally Posted by jaredburns Also, if the “profound impact” is a new revelation of God’s character…isn’t that what we want?
Personally, I don't believe that there have been any "new revelations of God's character" since the coming of the Christ and the closure of the canon. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, and we have all that God saw fit to tell us about Him revealed to us in the canon of Scripture (obviously, you can use new ways to explicate that revelation to people... but that's not a "new revelation").
The term used today is generally “Multi Sensory Worship” and it's not my favorite label either. Still, it is not a new concept. We see it throughout almost every period of church development in the forms of art (Leonardo), architecture (Iona), traditions (Tenebre), teaching (Luther), writings (CS Lewis), music (Bach), and so on. So the arguments against it are as old as the ideas themselves.
If I were to become culturally “Irrelevant,” then am I allowing myself to be a tool God can use? No. So the heart of the question I posed is…how are we going to reach a multimedia generation? How will you be sensitive to different types of worshippers? Hopefully through multiple creative forms of media, and if so what are your ideas, what has been effective??
I don't have anything at all against the use of various media of expression in personal and / or corporate worship. I'm just too much of a language whore to use it carelessly, and I think that the phrase "multi-sensory worship" (as well as the phrase "new revelation" from earlier) is a prime example of the careless use of language.

In His love,
Nate
Answer:
What worked for me
Idea:
I gave out a bunch of culligan water bottles to use as drums to the congregation. I spent about 10 mins teaching them a basic rythem. Once service started I had them spread out through the sanctuary and we sang the first song "come now is the time to worship" accappella with the drums.
Result:
- The drummers felt a part of the music that they haven't felt before
- People got into the worship alot faster than usual
- I got a vision of 40 drummers for a 24 hour worship we're doing next may
Most importantly
- I'm sure God liked seeing us explore new ways to worship him.
I'll take it as a win.