This one is particularly irksome. I for one don't much care for the happy-clappy method of worship, though if people enjoy it and feel God's presence there, that's great. I tend to feel God's presence more sombre atmosphere of austere Gregorian chants! (Or better still, alone in nature. ) But each to their own.

The trouble comes when a particular denomination asserts their way of worshipping is correct. For instance, I grew up being told that sombre hymns and the like were "religious" yet I find, for instance, the annual Carols from Kings service at Cambridge on Christmas Eve to carry the power and presence of God in their achingly beautiful music. In the interests of balance, I must add I don't agree with traditional denominations condeming drums and the like either.

One multiple occasions, I have inwardly eye-rolled during evangelical services where the worship leader berated the congregation for not being demonstrative enough. This lack-of-volume-is-a-sin brigade judge outward appearance, whereas for all they know, the person in the back row sitting with their arms folded could be inwardly worshipping in a far more sincere manner than the person waving their arms in the front row, worried about keeping up appearances. Such attempts to manipulate a congregation disgust me, and whilst there is a place for encouraging congregations to participate freely, there is no place for condeming those who don't leap up and down. What these worship leader are really after is affirmation. They want to be rock stars. They want to be worshipped themselves.