When does excellence in church worship serve the body of Christ—and when does it become entertainment?

In this Extra Shot of Grace in the Grind, Cody Hudson examines the tension between excellence, performance, technology, and biblical worship.

Stage lights, sound systems, worship bands, screens, livestreams, and polished production are not inherently worldly. Neither are simplicity, hymnals, acoustic guitars, or traditional settings inherently more spiritual.

The real question is:

What is all of this serving?

In 1 Corinthians 14:26, Paul gives the gathered Church a governing standard: “Let all things be done for building up.”

The Greek word oikodomē points to strengthening and edifying the people of God. That gives churches a better measurement than asking whether a service was impres ...