Worship Wars, Part 3: Why It Shouldn't Be a War Anyway
(This is Part 3 of a series on my experience with worship wars. To see a little bit of my background, see Part 1, and to read about my experience at Faith Community, see Part 2.)
I’ve spent my time riding the fence, defending both sides, but over the past couple of years I’ve decided something.
In a church, musical style is more like a language than anything else.
If you’re a missionary, and you move into a foreign mission field, discovering how to share truth in that foreign language is vitally important to your success in that field. If you’re already fluent in the language, you have a huge head start. If you’re not fluent, then you’ll spend most of your time, initially, learning the basics of the language.
When people suggest that the music we use in the church should be the same as what they grew up with forty, fifty, or sixty years ago, what they don’t understand is that they’re suggesting we share truth in a language nobody speaks anymore.
If someone suggested to the pastor that he preach his sermon in 50’s slang, would anybody think twice about rejecting such a request? Of if someone suggested to the worship leader that we should use more 70’s disco, would anybody think twice about rejecting such a request? Why, then, do we entertain thoughts about using a musical style that is every bit as irrelevant to our modern culture? It impedes our ability to communicate truth. Why use it?
Simply put, the only reasons churches choose to use traditional music is because that’s the way the people in the church want it and that’s the way it has always been done. Neither of those reasons have anything to do with reaching out to the community, to bringing Christ into the lives of people who have never known Him, and communicating truth in a language (music style) they can understand.
Paul specifically talked about this, in the context of speaking in tongues, when he said:
If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your mind? But if all prophesy, an unbeliever or outsider who enters is reproved by all and called to account by all. After the secrets of the unbeliever’s heart are disclosed, that person will bow down before God and worship him, declaring, “God is really among you.” (1 Corinthians 14:23-25, NRSV)
If I’m speaking in a foreign language, and you’re an outsider and you can’t understand a word I’m saying, you won’t get it. We must be mindful of outsiders when we choose how we communicate truth in our gatherings. What most people don’t understand is that when we choose to use hymns in a style that’s 50 years old, we’re only trying to appease and appeal to those in the church, or those who have grown up in other churches. We are completely ignoring Paul’s direction to be mindful of the outsiders when designing our gatherings.
Some people would certainly choose a more modern style of music out of preference. But I believe that the vision God gave me six years ago, before it was popular to “modernize” hymns, was never about my own personal preference. It was always about relating truth in a way that people today can understand.
Any church that chooses to remain “traditional” is clearly misunderstanding their purpose in their community.
The answer doesn’t have to be a rock band. We need different styles of music in different churches, without a doubt. If we lived about another half-hour further out from Atlanta, I’d suggest country music would be ideal in those areas. Every church does not have to be everything to everyone. But each church should focus on where God has called them, and how God has called them to communicate.
If there’s going to be a war about music styles, it should be between country, rock, folk, jazz, reggae, or rap. Picking a music style that is irrelevant to outsiders should not be a part of the discussion.
I know that my musical talents and vision have a place in this day and age, in this type of a place. If, after six years, I’m still struggling to implement the vision God has given me, then it is time for me to admit that I’m the one who isn’t in the right place.
I wrote a rant about this very subject about a year ago. Different styles are different avenues of creativity. I like how you compared them to a language because that is exactly right. But it is sad that some churches reject the fact that music of certain genres cant glorify Christ if they have an electric guitar or don’t have 4 part block style harmony. I happen to be a fan of a hardcore band named Demon Hunter. As a matter of fact, I blogged about their concert that I went to last weekend. It was amazing! They have one particular song that absolutely floors me. It’s called I Play Dead (google for the lyrics), and moreso than any 7:22 worship song, or any passion chorus that song speaks to the very core of my heart. The message in that song reveals and glorifies Christ in my heart. That is a good thing! That is why I don’t like it when people degrade or demonize things that are very much of God because of musical preference. In the church where I grew up, if it wasn’t Gaithers, it was evil. You know that I am a rock guitarist, so I had a hard time trying to use my talens for Christ in that church. It’s not that I cant conform and play country/southern gospel style hymns, its just that I don’t want to. I don’t think that’s being close minded, I think it’s knowing where I am called to use my talents! Great post Derek!
I can relate to this on so many levels. I’ve experienced being a part of a church that went through major changes in order to reach it’s community. We made a decision to go forward with moving from traditional to rock worship. It’s been an amazing transformation. But as you said in your posts, you can’t be on the fence. Leadership HAS to be solid in the decision and it starts with the lead pastor of the church.
We just moved to a building and have added about 200 regular attendars to the attendance. Had we remained a “traditional” style of church, I don’t think that would have happened. These 200 replaced above and beyond the amount of people who left our church because of the changes we made.
Good post Derek. You’ve got an interesting story to tell in your experience. I wonder how many other churches are out there struggling with the same thing right now.
Interesting. Sorry you gave up the fight. Sounds like your heart is telling you – you had some responsibility. Sharing the gospel in what ever style is never easy. It is the gospel and the enemy is never pleased. Only if he can get ones focued on the church,self or anything else instead of Jesus is he pleased. If the gospel were easy we would not need Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit.
What I have found amoung TRUELY unchurch persons that come to Christ is that they, because being unchurch, don’t have a clue about “rejecting” or “accepting” traditional or comtemporary worship. (Understand my use of comtemporary is not to denote a “style” but to refer to music of the present time). Many don’t really know, get or understand the “singing” thing. It is the ones that are attempting to rechurch (my word) that desire to see a more modern way to engage in the worship of Jesus. Not the unbeliever.
That is worship… often worship is taught. Preaching is cognitive. Very simple, you accept it or reject it. But worship is an attitude of the heart and ,if I may say, very personal and individual. Worship should never be the drawing factor for unsaved. That is something that comes after you have a reason to worship, as in asking Jesus to be you Savior.
The pure unadulterated, unashamed, proclaimation of the gospel of Jesus Christ will be the drawing, saving factor for the truely unchurch. John 12: 32 ..And I, if I am lifted up from the earth (meaning the exaltation of the cross), will draw all men to Myself. And the lost and dieing, isn’t that who we are tryng to reach?
Maybe I am wrong butI would venture to say that people were not coming or not staying more because a personal preference of a way to worship was more important and being LIFTED UP instead of Jesus(whether it be the “traditional camp or the “modern” camp). That is totally “churchy”.
God Bless all your endeavors.
I missed this when you first wrote it but it is brilliant! I can’t believe this is even a subject for serious discussion anymore. If there is an argument it should be over which relevant style of music (rock, country, etc.) to use. A great post!