Some things never change
There are a couple of reoccurring themes in local churches, things that never seem to go away. One centers around Bible versions. (If you'd like a different view on this topic, go to joshgelatt.com.) The other very hot button over the years is worship style. It has become such a hot button that many churches have actually split within themselves, going to multiple services, each with its unique musical style of worship. Many words have been written over the worship wars, and many will be written in years to come.
Some of our favorite hymns refer to worship wars hundreds of years ago. Come, We That Love the Lord (or Marching to Zion), written by Isaac Watts in 1707, is just such a song. The phrase "Let those refuse to sing, Who never knew our God;" was penned in response to those who thought singing had no place in the local church. In 1707!
Another such discourse is in progress on a church music discussion list of which I am a member. One of the better responses I have seen was written by Dan McGowan, who has his own blog (doesn't everybody?).
Here's what Dan had to say. Tell me what you think.
Some of our favorite hymns refer to worship wars hundreds of years ago. Come, We That Love the Lord (or Marching to Zion), written by Isaac Watts in 1707, is just such a song. The phrase "Let those refuse to sing, Who never knew our God;" was penned in response to those who thought singing had no place in the local church. In 1707!
Another such discourse is in progress on a church music discussion list of which I am a member. One of the better responses I have seen was written by Dan McGowan, who has his own blog (doesn't everybody?).
Here's what Dan had to say. Tell me what you think.
Bottom line - ... - it is NOT ABOUT THE MUSIC - not at all.
Yet, many will forever argue that it is about the music and I have completely
given up on ever hoping to change the minds of those who actually believe that
music style is the barometer... it's not.
Honestly - and quite nervously - I will state that THE thing that creates
worship (or dictates or produces or any other word you might want to toss in
there) is simply and absolutely - The Holy Spirit. And, no, I don't think that
the mere fact that the Holy Spirit resides within a believer is "enough" for
actual worship to automatically take place - it is the starting point.
In the end - just like most things in life - it is up to ME, the single,
unique, child of God, to CHOOSE to worship my Creator - REGARDLESS OF THE MUSIC
STYLE. If it's bagpipes, I choose to worship God. If it's HIP HOP, I choose to
worship God. If it's HYMNS I choose to worship God. If it's CCM, I choose to
worship God. The moment I say "I cannot worship God with "X" - then, I am
actually confessing that I cannot worship God - period. More accurately, I
CHOOSE to not worship God which, and this may be a shock to some, is SIN.
Everyone is to blame in this madness - the people who say "hymns are the
only way" are just as self-gratifying as the folks who say "CCM is the only
way."
but here is the part I think we all forget - GOD ACCEPTS ALL OF US
REGARDLESS!!! which mystifies me. He does not love the worship of hymns
MORE or LESS than the worship of choruses. And, a REAL discussion starter, God
does not accept the worship of a well-crafted praise team MORE than the worship
of a guy with a guitar who misses a few notes here and there. It's not about
HOW we do what we do... in fact, that is something I talk a lot about - that
worship is not about HOW, it's about WHO - and the trick to discovering
Worship, is by focusing on the "W" - where do we place it in
those two words?? With "WHO" - the W of worship is at the START, where it
SHOULD be. With "HOW" - the W of worship is at the END... where it will ALWAYS
be when our focus is not correct...
I long, crave and search to find ANY church where the primary
reason people have gathered is to simply choose to worship their
Creator - no clocks, no bulletins, no "crafted worship set", no powerpoint or
mediashout, no smoke machines, no robes, no fancy choral arrangements (and I
compose fancy choral arrangements!), no pre-conceived idea of what worship
SHOULD be, based on the particular human traditions of that particular
denomination... just - WORSHIP - as we see it portrayed in the pages of
scripture...
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