Worshiping with Style

Pastors love to talk about their congregations. We usually lie through our teeth, but we still love it when you ask us a question that opens the door for us to tell you all about the wonderful things we are up to. But I seriously threw off a fellow pastor the other day when he asked me a very common question. "What style of worship does your church use?"

Now I know exactly what he was asking. The normal answers are "traditional," "contemporary" or "blended." And how one answers the question determines if their congregation is made up of old farts (traditional), emergent 20/30-somethings (contemporary) or a congregation of old farts trying desperately to attract emergent 20/30-somethings (blended).

I understood the question, but my answer was not what my fellow man-of-the-cloth was looking for. Without missing a beat, I answered "We have two styles of worship...we worship in both spirit AND in truth."

Now my new-found friend understood the reference. Jesus tells a Samaritan woman "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." (John 4:23-24). But what he really wanted to know was...do we use drums and guitar, or just piano and organ?

But the problem I have is that if one more person tells me that the only way to attract young worshipers is to mirror the contemporary styles of music, they will run the risk of me sending them to worship Jesus face to face. For while I totally agree that contemporary styles of music are the inevitable outcome of a worship lifestyle that is Spirit lead and truthful, it is almost NEVER the other way around.

Music and lyrics can go a long way as a teaching tool for believers...perhaps even a better tool than the sermon. And music that is familiar and enjoyable is far more likely to attract a new believer than a Gregorian Chant. But if the "church experience" isn't firmly rooted in the teaching of the inclusive, unconditional love of God, and the need to live that love out loud in community, then the music is nothing more than that...music.

And as for the notion that young adults will only worship if the music sounds like a U-2 concert (I wish), all one need do is look at the thousands of teens and young adults that are drawn to worship settings like Imago Dei, or Taize in France. Settings where the worship occurs in ancient hymns, chants and long periods of total silence. Young, emergent, post-modern worshipers who are attracted to the opportunity to become those worshipers Jesus told the Samaritan woman the Father seeks.

The truth be told (did I mention pastors often lie), the musical style used for worship in my congregations is mostly contemporary, with an occasional old hymn thrown in as a peace offering to the senior members of the community. Do we worship in Spirit and in Truth? Yes...no...sometimes...maybe...not often enough. As a pastor and a musician, am I happy with our weekly worship experience? See previous answer.

But I am confident that the worship wars are long over, and we are slowly coming to see that worship is not a musical style, but a lifestyle. And the more the Spirit leads us to the Truth that can only be found in relationship with Jesus (to a Christian, ANYTHING else would be a lie)...the less we will care about how awesome the music was, and the more we will care about how awesome God is. And as the words of an OLD hymn put it..."How can I keep from singing." Drums are optional.

R E S P E C T

MSNBC: President Barack Obama placed a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery

FOX News: Suspected Muslim places suspicious device on government property.


This comparison may be a bit extreme, but considering some of the recent emails I've received, or worse, some of the comments I've read on major news sites, there is a large segment of society that would relate to the fictitious FOX News heading. The over-the-top hatred for the current president is only slightly greater than the hatred and contempt for the previous president.

Now let's get a couple of things straight. First, I don't care who you voted for or what political party you belong to. Someone voted for the current president, and if it wasn't you...GET OVER IT. Nobody is telling you to agree with him. But I am reminding you that that no matter how many rants you forward on the internet, he is still going to be the president tomorrow.

Second, let's weed a couple of folk out of this discussion who aren't going to understand it anyway.

If you are still a birther...you are too stupid to vote or contribute to intelligent conversation. Go away!

If you still believe the current president is a Muslim...ditto.

There...with all that said (and hopefully the wackos have left the site in a huff), let's talk about the utter lack of respect that permeates the internet when the name of Barack Obama is mentioned. The level of juvenile, crass, and otherwise mindless comments that Christians post on blogs, emails and facebook, shocks and offends even a cranky old curmudgeon like myself. My father's words regarding the president still ring in my ears years after I made an inappropriate comment regarding a former president. "You don't have to like the man, but you damn well better respect the office!"

I believe that, as a Christian, I need to do more than just "respect" the highest office in the land. I have a responsibility to the man himself. The Apostle Paul sets the tone when he writes in Romans 13:1-2 "Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves."

Paul later will write to Timothy (1 Timothy 2:1-3) "I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior..."

So, with Paul's words in mind, let me ask this question. If you are praying, making intercession for, and giving thanks for the president of the United States (as Paul commands)...how likely are you to forward me a picture of a monkey with Barrack Obama's face photoshopped in? Or the photo of him wearing devil horns? Or a Nazi uniform? Bottom line...how easy is it to hate someone you are routinely praying for?

And BTW, if you are NOT routinely praying and giving thanks for Barrack Obama, what part of "This is good, and pleases God our Savior..." did you not understand?