Tuesday, November 29, 2005
On Worship
Reformation Theology had a great post on the nature of contemporary worship. It's a little didactic for my tastes, but Marco Gonzalez makes some good points.
The lyrical content of most modern "praise music" is very weak and I find that problematic, though there are exceptions. I never have understood why some of the really great lyrical hymns cannot simply be updated with new music and lyrical adjustments as is necessary to modernize the vocabulary, ala changing "Holy Ghost" to "Holy Spirit" in the Apostles Creed -- a change I understand but will undoubtedly stumble over for the rest of my life.
Of course, the answer to my wonder lies in a different "goal" for the worship service. Says Gonzalez
I truly believe there is a place for the kind of seeker-sensitive meeting that passes for worship in so many places. It is, as I have said before, essentially a Young Life club -- something I know a little bit about. But a Young Life club is not church and it is not worship -- it is an evangelistic meeting, a yuppie tent revival -- but one small corner of the church.
The lyrical content of most modern "praise music" is very weak and I find that problematic, though there are exceptions. I never have understood why some of the really great lyrical hymns cannot simply be updated with new music and lyrical adjustments as is necessary to modernize the vocabulary, ala changing "Holy Ghost" to "Holy Spirit" in the Apostles Creed -- a change I understand but will undoubtedly stumble over for the rest of my life.
Of course, the answer to my wonder lies in a different "goal" for the worship service. Says Gonzalez
Nevertheless, worship characteristically is acquainted with the congregation and their own selfish needs more than extolling the God they serve. Psychology and seeker sensitive ideologies are the primary justification for this outlook.The key to me lies in something else Gonzalez says
Suitable worship is creating a correct response from believers. It is the obligation of the church to allow a proper response from regenerate Christians.Worship, to my mind is not an action -- it is a life. If I say to my wife, "Honey, I love you" and then ignore her the rest of the time, my words are rendered lies. The worship service must be understood in the context of my entire life, and if the worship service is too easy to leave behind me on Sunday morning, then it too is rendered a lie.
I truly believe there is a place for the kind of seeker-sensitive meeting that passes for worship in so many places. It is, as I have said before, essentially a Young Life club -- something I know a little bit about. But a Young Life club is not church and it is not worship -- it is an evangelistic meeting, a yuppie tent revival -- but one small corner of the church.
