Worship is a big deal for folks. I suppose it is a big deal for everybody. I suppose we could get into a lengthy chat about how “we all worship something” and how we need to avoid idolatry, but that’s not what I want to talk about. And since this is my blog, I’ll blog about what I want to. So there.
Seriously though, we all know the topic of worship is a sensitive issue. Some folks will almost shoot one another over what is the best way for a worship service to be done in a church setting. The two main groups are formal, conservative worship and contemporary worship. By conservative, I don’t mean in any sort of value sense, just more guarded, liturgical, typically focused on hymns, choirs, or creeds. And by contemporary, I mean any worship service that uses guitars, sound speakers, drums, and other instruments. Such contemporary services sometimes include colored lights and even smoke to further enhance the service. Now I have attended some churches that attempt to blend the two, but for the moment I just want to focus on the two extremes.
Now a disclaimer: I favor the rare blend of the two extremes, contemporary and classic/formal. If you were to put me in a worship service where the leaders played acoustic guitars, a bongo drum and sang classic hymns to contemporary music I would be as happy as a dog in a garbage can. Alas, such a combination is hard to find. However, I share this just to be open about my own preferences. The purpose of this blog is not to support one view over the other, but rather to point out a problem in our view of worship as Christians.
A lot of people don’t care for contemporary worship. The popular and oft repeated theme for that audience is, “if you are really focused on God, it won’t matter what the music or setting is like.” I’m sure you’ve all heard this refrain. Well I think that’s a load of bunk. Look, the fact of the matter is that people are different. Their backgrounds, heritage, culture, and preferences are different. To boil worship down into one flavor that everyone should be able to relate to is foolish and shortsighted at best and selfish and unloving at worst.
Some people grew up in more formal and classical church settings. Because of their history and family culture, they are going to prefer, (for the most part), the same kind of worship setting they grew up in. Some people didn’t grow up in church at all or they came from a more postmodern background. They may prefer a more contemporary worship setting. Each person is going to be familiar with and prefer a different worship style. If you were to put Bob, a formal worship fan, in a contemporary worship setting with loud noises, smoke, and flashing lights, he’s probably going to either a) have a seizure, or b) have a hard time focusing on the Lord. If you put Joe, a contemporary worship fan, in a Episcopal or Lutheran church service, he’s going to either a) fall asleep, or b) not connect with the rhythms and language of that particular service and will have a hard time connecting with the Lord. The point is that different people prefer and relate to different types of worship. Neither person is more or less spiritual than the other. They just connect and relate to the Lord better in different worship service styles.
I have no idea how Christians in China, Africa, or Brazil worship God, but I’m sure each group, (typically), worships the Lord in their own unique way. It seems very foolish to try and boil down the worship of the Lord into a single style and format. (By the way, the folks who typically try to make all worship services into a single format generally favor their style of worship). People are diverse as the colors of the rainbow. Why should worship services have to be black or white?
Look, I don’t like soy milk. I’m told it’s good for me, but I just don’t like it. My parents like and drink soy milk like it was…real milk. This doesn’t mean that they are any better or worse people that me. It’s just something they prefer. Some people really like liturgical worship services. They feel like they can really worship and connect with God in a quiet and formal setting. Some people like loud music and seven different instruments combined to make an awesome, (albeit loud), worship experience. No big deal. To each his own. What I want to warn against is the idea and philosophy, especially for pastors and leaders, is that “we’re going to do worship this way and if you can’t worship God in the style that we do it then you’re not spiritual.” That’s garbage. It’s also hurtful to your congregation and unloving.
A few years back my wife and I attended a church where they had just hired a new, younger pastor. The guy had a lot of energy and ideas on how to revive the church. One of the things he wanted to focus on was changing the worship service from a classic, choir focused, hymn singing, worship service into a contemporary service where a worship leader led the congregation in singing worship choruses. The intentions of the pastor were good I suppose. He wanted to be able to draw in a younger crowd of people who would connect to a more contemporary service. However, the problem was he was changing the worship service into something his congregation didn’t understand or connect with. The only thing they had ever known was hymns and the choir. Contemporary worship was totally alien to them. Unfortunately, the pastor’s philosophy was the same old idea of “you just need to worship God irregardless of the worship style.” As a result of this attitude, some of the pillars of the church, feeling neglected and unconsidered, left the church to find a home where they would be happy.
Worship styles are different and that’s okay. People are different and that’s okay. Yes, we all need to be willing to grow and adapt in our walk with the Lord. No one likes Mr. or Mrs. I Hate Change. However, pastors and leaders need to exercise care not to force people into a black or white choice or style. Recognize the differences in culture, preference, and heritage and be considerate of the differences in your congregation.
