Christmas break was fun. Lots of traveling. Lots of food. Family. Games. Movies. Music. The works...I was at 3 different churches on Sundays. So I wore the same outfit every Sunday...makes packing lighter. The last Sunday on break we spent in an inner-city church in Indianapolis. Let's just say it was a very awesome experience. I saw different methods of worship there that I'd never seen before. There was something called "Expressions of Worship" or something along those lines. It was a dance program. A woman did something like interpretive dance to Selah and Nichole Nordeman's duet, "Glory", and some other song I didn't catch the name of. It was awesome. This woman expressed her worship to God in the form of dance. This is something that a lot of Christians don't think of and consider to be worship. Which is really sad, because David danced before God in an act of worship. Shouldn't we also worship God in this way? I think we get too caught up in the legality of the church and forget what we're really there for. I'm not saying that we should all break out into interpretive dance to "Amazing Grace." That might be a little weird. What I'm saying is that we shouldn't allow the beliefs and preferences of people within the church to stand in the way of our method of worship. Raise your hands toward Heaven. Worship God in this way. Look towards the sky. Close your eyes and belt it out. If we concentrate on looking at the person directing the song, it's almost as though we're singing to them. This should not be the case.
But you may not feel comfortable raising your hands or looking toward the sky. That's fine. But please, PLEASE, don't scorn or frown on those who do. They may view these acts of worship differently than you do. If you don't frown on them, they won't feel like they have to sit in a stiff-back church pew with their hands clasped in their lap and their eyes on the songleader.
For the songleader, don't direct attention to yourself. We're not at church for you. We love you immensely (I hope everyone does), but we're at church to worship our God. Part of your job is that you make sure we direct our attention towards God.
For everyone: I am only addressing this from my own experiences and view on the subject. At this time, I have not reached the point of raising my own hands towards Heaven while singing, but it's not because I don't want to. I grew up differently, and haven't quite left that behind. One day, hopefully soon, I will be raising my hands in song to my God. But I don't look down on those who do. In fact, I applaud their love and worship for their Savior. It helps me to see that there are others who want the same for their church.
This song from Charlie Hall kind of addresses this, only more vaguely.

Give us Clean Hands

We bow our hearts, We bend our knees

O' spirit come make us humble

We turn our eyes, From evil things

O' Lord we cast down our idols.

Give us clean hands, Give us pure hearts

Let us not lift our souls to another

Give us clean hands, Give us pure hearts
Let us not lift our souls to another

O' God let us be, A generation that seeks,

That seeks Your face, O' God of Jacob

O' God let us be, A generation that seeks,
That seeks Your face, O' God of Jacob.