I'm beginning to finally realize that Christians don't really like one another. I used to think it was a people problem. Humans being imperfect and all. But there's been a running theme lately in the blogosphere and millennial Christian media that would suggest it's more than humans being humans.
Let me first start by admitting my own guilt in this matter. I blogged several weeks back on my own failings to stick up for members of my congregation, my church too. When I first became a Christian, I mocked Catholics. I backed off after realizing it wasn't that funny, and that Cathiolicism laid the foundation for my future. There were moments during my Emmaus walk, that reminded me that God had always been there even when my heart was absent. Most recently I was guilty of thumbing my nose at those who prefer the traditional form of worship.
I still view things in my life through fragmented lenses. My sarcasm and humor was typically to avoid sensitive subjects, or it was a way for me to understand something that was presented anew. I also cling to my old experiences. I hear the sound of an organ during a hymn and I want to sleep. I hear the all-call of choral response and I think back to my days in a Catholic church, kneeling uncomfortably and wondering why we kept saying the same phrase over and over. When I think traditional service I think mothballs, old white men in suits, old biddies in fancy hats.
Which brings me to my first article I wanted to share with you. I agree with the author of, "11 Reasons to Stop Offering Different Worship Styles," in there is too much division in today's church. Denominationally and racially, we sure know how to reinstate the veil that God worked so hard to tear down. My own church offers two forms of worship, and under some major grumbling, moved the traditional worshippers into their own sanctuary by remodeling an older section of our church. While the differences in service are easy to see on paper (choir v praise band, hymns v contemporary music, pastor in a suit v pastor in jeans). the real division comes perhaps in the ages and ideas of the congregants.
For someone who did not grow up in the traditional Methodist church, I do have some background in styles. Catholic mass was the same no matter the church. I find this ironic because this is what education with the common core feels like. Any kid in America should be able to go to any school nationwide and learn the same way and in the same style. Obviously in education, this is inherently impossible, but for Sunday mass is was pretty much the same.
The pastor enters in a procession of brass candles and altar boys. There's some kneeling, a meet and greet and it's on to some readings from the Bible. The Deacon does his thing, we take communion, exit procession of altar boys. When my wife and I were church hopping before we were Christians, I found the traditional style of worship old, stale and confining. But one thing was certain was that my heart was not circumcised enough to fully grasp what God was doing behind the scenes. Later when church became something of a priority, contemporary service was where I at least found that worshipping was cool, that it could be more than sitting in a pew and drifting away.
The article suggests that fear drives today's churches (I'm excluding the megachurch and non-denominational churches here, since most of them are unmistakably contemporary) to change their worship style, or like mine, offer two separate services. Much of the debate then swings to how the use of music is responsible for how we learn, what we are taught and how we worship.
The author of this article also believes that today's worship music has much to be desired. While I do agree that the hymns sung by the "giants of faith" that came before us are and should be influential towards new Christians today, I think that by saying today's music is just emotional downplays its importance, and it takes some power from the artists who created them. You're going to tell me that the song, "How He Loves Us" by the David Crowder Band only twists our emotions with these lines:
And we are His portion and He is our prize
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes
If His grace is an ocean, we're all sinking
Or what about the countless songs that slip in lines from Psalms. How about, "Blessed Be Your Name," "Your Grace is Enough," "How Great is Our God," and "Mighty to Save"? While there are some Christian contemporary songs today that are bland, and perhaps they don't even have the word Jesus or God in them (I'm looking at you Super Chick) but does every hymn created by John Wesley (and from a great editor friend of mine, that's Charles Wesley!--thanks, Rocky!) equivalent to "Amazing Grace"? And you're not going to then tell me that when I sing "That Old Rugged Cross" that it doesn't elicit an emotional response. Isn't that what music is for? Are we not allowed to grow artistically from the giants of faith? I sometimes feel that because I listen to Christian music, it isn't "traditional" enough to be considered worthy.
I do see the age discrepancies and attitudes from service to service. Traditional worshippers are our grandparents, the retirees. They attend the board meetings and speak out when non-essential aspects of the church become changed (anyone in my church can attest to this when the choir director resigned unexpectedly). On the surface, they may tithe better than the new Christians coming in to listen to the band and read the words from the jumbotron. But will that always be the case?
Just how should a church change with its congregants? A friend told me that the churches that survive over time are the ones that will be truly diverse. When we quibble over the different types of services, are we really just saying that one is better than the other? A proactive church changes with the audience. Just because I prefer not to kneel, bow and sleep through service does not mean that my need for entertainment overrides my need for strong Biblical teaching. What we should all be worried about is why churches still have openings to volunteer within its walls. There should be waiting lists at every church, where its members cannot wait to serve one another and their communities. Let's be the church on other days than Sunday.
I want to get into so much more. I'm going to try and tackle the "relationship v religion" topic next week. I'm thankful for the wealth of articles and topics that come across my way. I'm thankful too to have a forum for my thoughts. I pray that my own hang-ups and differences will not cause my brother to pause and wonder why they don't see Jesus in me.
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