Worship Wars
Hardly a week goes by that I don’t get into a talk with someone about different styles of worship. Like a lot of evangelicals (I may start the new year by eschewing that label altogether) I go to a church that has an alternative service—and I’m beginning to wonder which one is the alternative! In the sanctuary, which is a beautiful building, by the way, we have two morning services that are not entirely traditional, but we do have a choir and sing some traditional songs. In the family life center we have a contemporary service. I do not mind telling people that I don’t like the contemporary service, largely because the congregation sits in the dark and people tend to wander in and out, really not focused on the service. That drives me crazy! And the legitimate reaction to that is. .. .
So what?
If others prefer that kind of a service, it’s not my business to argue against it.
Or is it?
This turn of events leads me to ask some other questions:
1. Why am I the critical person if I don’t like the contemporary service but those who don’t like the traditional service are open-minded?
2. Why can’t people sit still for one hour? Why can’t they do without their coffee for one hour?
3. Are we really helping anybody? Or are we pandering? Does that kind of worship service lead the congregants into a focus on real discipleship?
4. Who is being worshipped? Ourselves and our preferences, or Christ?
5. Am I just too old to get it? (By the way, my problem isn’t the music. I’m good with upbeat, even rock music. It’s the performance orientation of a contemporary service, and the ADHD of the audience, and the reason behind it that bothers me.)
In fact, I’d like to say that I am as greatly moved by new songs of the faith as by the old standards in the hymnal. Some of particular favorites:
Untitled by Chris Rice
Weak and wounded sinner
Lost and left to die
O, raise your head, for love is passing by
Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus and live!
Now your burden's lifted
And carried far away
And precious blood has washed away the stain, so
Sing to Jesus
Sing to Jesus
Sing to Jesus and live!
And like a newborn baby
Don't be afraid to crawl
And remember when you walk
Sometimes we fall...so
Fall on Jesus
Fall on Jesus
Fall on Jesus and live!
Sometimes the way is lonely
And steep and filled with pain
So if your sky is dark and pours the rain, then
Cry to Jesus
Cry to Jesus
Cry to Jesus and live!
O, and when the love spills over
And music fills the night
And when you can't contain your joy inside, then
Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus and live!
And with your final heartbeat
Kiss the world goodbye
Then go in peace, and laugh on Glory's side, and
Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus and live!
“Before the Throne of God Above”
By Charitie L. Bancroft, 1863
Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea.
A great high Priest whose Name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart.
I know that while in Heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart.
When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free.
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me.
Behold Him there the risen Lamb,
My perfect spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM,
The King of glory and of grace,
One in Himself I cannot die.
My soul is purchased by His blood,
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ my Savior and my God!
God and God Alone
God and God alone created all these things we call our own
From the mighty to the small the Glory in them all is God's and God's alone
God and God alone is fit to take the universe's throne
Let everything that lives reserve it's truest praise for God and God alone
God and God alone reveals the truth of all we call unknown
and the best and worst of man wont change the Master's plan it's God's and God's alone
God and God alone will be the joy of our eternal home
He will be our one desire Our hearts will never tire of God's and God's alone
"Strange Way To Save The World"
Sure he must have been surprised
At where this road had taken him
'Cause never in a million lives
Would he had dreamed of Bethlehem
And standing at the manger
He saw with his own eyes
The message from the angel come to life
And Joseph said...
[CHORUS]
Why me, I'm just a simple man of trade
Why Him, with all the rulers in the world
Why here inside a stable filled with hay
Why her, she's just an ordinary girl
Now I'm not one to second guess what angels have to say
But this is such a strange way to save the world
To think of how it could have been
If Jesus had come as He deserved
There would have been no Bethlehem
No lowly shepherds at His birth
But Joseph knew the reason
The love had to reach so far
And as he held the Savior in his arms
He must have thought...
So what?
If others prefer that kind of a service, it’s not my business to argue against it.
Or is it?
This turn of events leads me to ask some other questions:
1. Why am I the critical person if I don’t like the contemporary service but those who don’t like the traditional service are open-minded?
2. Why can’t people sit still for one hour? Why can’t they do without their coffee for one hour?
3. Are we really helping anybody? Or are we pandering? Does that kind of worship service lead the congregants into a focus on real discipleship?
4. Who is being worshipped? Ourselves and our preferences, or Christ?
5. Am I just too old to get it? (By the way, my problem isn’t the music. I’m good with upbeat, even rock music. It’s the performance orientation of a contemporary service, and the ADHD of the audience, and the reason behind it that bothers me.)
In fact, I’d like to say that I am as greatly moved by new songs of the faith as by the old standards in the hymnal. Some of particular favorites:
Untitled by Chris Rice
Weak and wounded sinner
Lost and left to die
O, raise your head, for love is passing by
Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus and live!
Now your burden's lifted
And carried far away
And precious blood has washed away the stain, so
Sing to Jesus
Sing to Jesus
Sing to Jesus and live!
And like a newborn baby
Don't be afraid to crawl
And remember when you walk
Sometimes we fall...so
Fall on Jesus
Fall on Jesus
Fall on Jesus and live!
Sometimes the way is lonely
And steep and filled with pain
So if your sky is dark and pours the rain, then
Cry to Jesus
Cry to Jesus
Cry to Jesus and live!
O, and when the love spills over
And music fills the night
And when you can't contain your joy inside, then
Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus and live!
And with your final heartbeat
Kiss the world goodbye
Then go in peace, and laugh on Glory's side, and
Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus and live!
“Before the Throne of God Above”
By Charitie L. Bancroft, 1863
Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea.
A great high Priest whose Name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart.
I know that while in Heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart.
When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free.
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me.
Behold Him there the risen Lamb,
My perfect spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM,
The King of glory and of grace,
One in Himself I cannot die.
My soul is purchased by His blood,
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ my Savior and my God!
God and God Alone
God and God alone created all these things we call our own
From the mighty to the small the Glory in them all is God's and God's alone
God and God alone is fit to take the universe's throne
Let everything that lives reserve it's truest praise for God and God alone
God and God alone reveals the truth of all we call unknown
and the best and worst of man wont change the Master's plan it's God's and God's alone
God and God alone will be the joy of our eternal home
He will be our one desire Our hearts will never tire of God's and God's alone
"Strange Way To Save The World"
Sure he must have been surprised
At where this road had taken him
'Cause never in a million lives
Would he had dreamed of Bethlehem
And standing at the manger
He saw with his own eyes
The message from the angel come to life
And Joseph said...
[CHORUS]
Why me, I'm just a simple man of trade
Why Him, with all the rulers in the world
Why here inside a stable filled with hay
Why her, she's just an ordinary girl
Now I'm not one to second guess what angels have to say
But this is such a strange way to save the world
To think of how it could have been
If Jesus had come as He deserved
There would have been no Bethlehem
No lowly shepherds at His birth
But Joseph knew the reason
The love had to reach so far
And as he held the Savior in his arms
He must have thought...
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