The Clap Offering.

(It's guest post Friday! Here's one from Ben Cotten. He writes a blog over at bencotten.net. If you want to write a guest post for SCL, here's how!)

The Clap Offering – By Ben Cotten

I grew up in a non-denominational church that did "modern" worship before it was cool. Granted, what we did wasn't exactly Hillsong United, but it did involve an overhead projector and a PA system. It was the 7-11 approach to worship music. 7 words, sung 11 times. Remember "I Exalt Thee"? Ever heard that song done 11 times with a polka beat? You haven't lived.

A lot of things have changed since then, but one thing has not.

The Clap Offering.

When the worship band finishes a song, it never feels like it should end. We never know quite what to do with our hands during that moment. If we were attending a performance, we would clap for the band during that awkward dead air. It's what we do at rock shows. We congratulate the band on a good performance by clapping. Or, alternatively, we clap for the performers to make them feel better about a bad performance, as is the case at your daughter's dance recitals.

But at church, we aren't supposed to be performing. Yet, we feel this compulsion to clap. We can't help it. We find ourselves clapping, then realize we can't clap for the band so someone will shout "Let's give a clap offering to the Lord! Hurray!"

Uhhh… whah? I'm no Jesus, but I don't know how impressed He'll be by my sacrificial slapping of skin together. Or does Jesus really appreciate a good clap? Does it make Him feel better about Himself when I say, "Way to go, Jesus. Nice job"?

And, I'm confused. What makes a good clap offering? What's the difference between one that may be "acceptible to the Lord only because of grace" and one that He really likes? How would the apostle Paul clap? Is there a clap offering technique to be practiced during Sunday School classes? What if I do the cheerleader clap, with both palms cupped and hitting together? Does that count as worship leading?

Do I get extra "points" for the over-the-head, rock-n-roll band front-man clap while bobbing my head? What if I turn to the audience and start waving my hands up and down, palms up like a gangsta chanting, "Give it up! Give it up! A clap offering. Give it up! Give it up!" I may not be clapping myself, but I am releasing others into their clap callings. Disciples make disciples, after all.

What about the solitary and slow, yet building faster and louder clap? You know the one. It's been featured at the climax of all great sports films. One guy takes a stand and begins clapping alone until others join him in a moving display of solidarity with the hero. It's more dramatic than other claps, so does that make it better? You can combine this one with a standing ovation and a knowing nod to your neighbors too. Very versatile.

Or the famous golf clap? It's soft, yet respectful.

What if I lost both my palms in a terrible handball accident and all I can do is snap my fingers? Is the "snap offering" a reasonable, if inferior, substitute for the clap offering? They say that, when you lose one sense, the others intensify. I bet there are some palmless people out there who can really snap like the dickens. Should they be excluded?

Maybe I'm over-thinking this though. Maybe I'm having a hard time taking the truth from my head to my heart and eventually my hands.

Or maybe it's not the clap, but the heart behind the clap that matters.

(Did you give me a clap offering at the end there? That was a pretty dramatic left turn I took. Kind of a sprinkle of Serious Wednesday right there in the last line.)

Question:

Has your church ever done a "clap offering?"

(For more great stuff from Ben Cotten, read his blog or follow him on Twitter.)