Am I the Only One to See a Problem With This?

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santuzza

santuzza

Senior Member
#1
Feb 12, 2013
1,609
38
48
#1
I DO NOT understand why churches must split themselves up into two services based on worship style. I think it brings disunity among the brethren. Why can't everyone just get along and have a blended worship service with the best of all styles worked in?

Why should I have to choose between traditional or contemporary? Why can't both elements be incorporated? If I go to a strictly traditional service, I lose out on great modern praise music, and if I attend a contemporary service, I miss out on the great historic hymns of the faith (or worse yet, a praise band will take an old hymn, lower the key, simplify the harmony and play it on guitars!).

What gives? It truly breaks my heart to see the church is such disarray!
 
J

JustAnotherUser

Guest
#2
#2
Like just about everything else, people don't want to offend others based on politically correct terms and wanting minimal confrontation when differences are displayed. I don't know much about the mass services even though I've attended to one that I guess is a bit more modern, but unfortunately it really doesn't make a difference for those wanting their members to stay and provide for the services in church as well so it would have to fit for anyone and everyone who attends. Plus, generation gaps seem to be quite common and the way each view practices are going to be a bit different because of how society has evolved within such time frames.
 
K

kaylagrl

Guest
#3
#3
santuzza said:
I DO NOT understand why churches must split themselves up into two services based on worship style. I think it brings disunity among the brethren. Why can't everyone just get along and have a blended worship service with the best of all styles worked in?

Why should I have to choose between traditional or contemporary? Why can't both elements be incorporated? If I go to a strictly traditional service, I lose out on great modern praise music, and if I attend a contemporary service, I miss out on the great historic hymns of the faith (or worse yet, a praise band will take an old hymn, lower the key, simplify the harmony and play it on guitars!).

What gives? It truly breaks my heart to see the church is such disarray!
Click to expand...

I cannot tell you how many churches Ive seen split over this issue.I mean the church broken and another church started.I have attended churches with this issue.We had a church we attended with a pastor younger than myself.He liked a very contemporary almost rock style of music.He was complaining about the traditional music that the worship group did.I told him that the hymns have our doctrines in them,they are important and should be sung.Also a good worship leader should be talented enough to do both types of music.I think the worse thing happened when the praise and worship fad came through and we needed "worship leaders" and a group to sing on stage.I think it simply brings attention to those on stage.I dont need to be led to worship,I can do that all on my own.And as someone who has traveled to hundreds of churches I can tell you the vast majority of these "worship leaders and groups" cant even sing on tune!! They sound like a bunch on cackling hens! I think we should all just sing the song and worship in our own way in our own hearts.When did we suddenly need leaders for worship? I cannot understand how a Christian cannot worship to "Great is Thy Faithfulness" as much as to "Here I Am to Worship" Love both songs,both have great words,both lead you to worship.Unbelievable how many churches have been destroyed over such a stupid issue.Sorry this is a pet peeve of mine.
 
D

didymos

Guest
#4
#4
santuzza said:
...Why can't everyone just get along and have a blended worship service with the best of all styles worked in?...
Click to expand...
Define 'best of all styles...'

 
santuzza

santuzza

Senior Member
#5
Feb 12, 2013
1,609
38
48
#5
My pet peeve as well, kaylagirl.

What corks me is that most of these so-called "worship leaders" can't even read music! Why are we having untrained people lead a congregation in worship? In the OT temple, there were priests specifically set aside to be worship leaders -- and they were trained! Scripture also exhorts us to "play skillfully." How can one do that without being somewhat trained?! As a professional musician, I can tell you that there are VERY few people who have enough true, raw talent to lead worship without any training.

Although I agree with your premise that worship is in our own hearts, we do need musicians to help us sing together in one accord. Even if it's an a cappella service, there needs to be at least one trained singer leading the singing.
 
santuzza

santuzza

Senior Member
#6
Feb 12, 2013
1,609
38
48
#6
Define 'best of all styles...'
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I agree that it is somewhat subjective, but there are a few criteria that help:

1. The text must be in accord with the Bible.
2. The text must be excellent poetry (artistic, with good prosody)
3. The music must be of a high quality -- beautiful, singable melody with interesting, cordant harmony
4. The text and music must fit like a glove and not work against each other.

I could probably come up with more, but that's a good start. And there are lots of styles that fit this criteria, but many that do not. Rap, for instance, does not meet qualification #3. That does not mean there isn't room for Rap in our Christian culture, but I don't believe it is the best we can do in offering our best worship to an almighty God.
 
Nautilus

Nautilus

Senior Member
#7
Jun 29, 2012
6,488
53
48
#7
yeah some people like the modern style ands dont like traditional or vice versa. It makes a lot more sense to cater to the two differences. My church only has modern music and Im fine with it.
 
Lynx

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
#8
Aug 13, 2014
24,896
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#8
Beats me... my church does some of the old hymns and some modern music. Almost always some of each in a service. In fact I'm going to use a soundtrack I made for Carl Cartee's "Chasing after You" tonight at church. And before that we'll probably have "I am determined to hold out to the end" or whatever other hymn book song the song leader chooses.

In fact this is the first I've heard of churches with modern and old fashioned services.
 
maxwel

maxwel

Senior Member
#9
Apr 18, 2013
9,325
2,416
113
#9
santuzza said:
I DO NOT understand why churches must split themselves up into two services based on worship style. I think it brings disunity among the brethren. Why can't everyone just get along and have a blended worship service with the best of all styles worked in?

Why should I have to choose between traditional or contemporary? Why can't both elements be incorporated? If I go to a strictly traditional service, I lose out on great modern praise music, and if I attend a contemporary service, I miss out on the great historic hymns of the faith (or worse yet, a praise band will take an old hymn, lower the key, simplify the harmony and play it on guitars!).

What gives? It truly breaks my heart to see the church is such disarray!
Click to expand...
There are many issues of "methodology" which just aren't covered in scripture.

There is a reason for this.
God leaves many things loose on purpose, so that we are allowed to do many things in different ways, and thereby accomodate different cultures, and different preferences.

If you visit churches in other countries, you'll find that although they believe the same bible, they do lots of little things in lots of different ways... and that's alright.

The leaders of a church have biblical authority, and biblical latitude, to do these "methodological" things in different ways.

If we don't like certain methodologies, or feel uncomfortable, it is biblical for us to accept it, talk to the pastor about it, or even leave and go somewhere else.

1. It isn't a sin for a church to change some of their methodologies on minor things.
2. Neither is it a sin for you to feel uncomfortable, and either politely voice your opinion, or choose to go elsewhere.

God Bless




 
santuzza

santuzza

Senior Member
#10
Feb 12, 2013
1,609
38
48
#10
I do believe that worship styles need to be culturally relevant, but at what cost? Do we "ditch" the great old hymns because that style of music is no longer relevant in our society? Do we compromise on quality simply to be culturally relevant?

Back to my original question: I do not understand why we can't do it all. There are so many people adamantly opposed on both sides of this debate. I'm a reasonably intelligent person, but I cannot for the life of me understand why Christians cannot be unified on this issue.
 
Lynx

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
#11
Aug 13, 2014
24,896
8,156
113
#11
I invite you to visit my church. We're nicely unified on this subject - we sing them all. :)

I remember one (elderly) pastor who told his congregation from the platform, "I know some of our elders don't like some of the new music the kids are singing, and some of the young people don't like the old hymns. I got news for you, I don't like all the songs we sing either. But some of the songs I don't like touch some people, so I'm going to praise God right along with them. That's okay, I'll get my blessing on the next song."
 
PennEd

PennEd

Senior Member
#12
Apr 22, 2013
12,923
8,654
113
#12
santuzza said:
I DO NOT understand why churches must split themselves up into two services based on worship style. I think it brings disunity among the brethren. Why can't everyone just get along and have a blended worship service with the best of all styles worked in?

Why should I have to choose between traditional or contemporary? Why can't both elements be incorporated? If I go to a strictly traditional service, I lose out on great modern praise music, and if I attend a contemporary service, I miss out on the great historic hymns of the faith (or worse yet, a praise band will take an old hymn, lower the key, simplify the harmony and play it on guitars!).

What gives? It truly breaks my heart to see the church is such disarray![/QUOTE

I don't have a problem with a blended worship, but our Church has both, separately. This is fine too. I can attend 1st service for traditional, listen to the message, then just stay for contemporary at the start of second. I don't understand why anyone would let this issue divide the Church.
Click to expand...
 
santuzza

santuzza

Senior Member
#13
Feb 12, 2013
1,609
38
48
#13
PennEd, your church is a perfect example of what I mean -- why divide the church over this issue? Ultimately, I think this situation is a recipe for a church split.
 
santuzza

santuzza

Senior Member
#14
Feb 12, 2013
1,609
38
48
#14
Lynx, it sounds like I'd love your church. Where is it?!

At my old church, we did the same thing, and it was wonderful. Unfortunately, I moved 4 hours away, so I'm in the hunt for a new church.
 
K

kaylagrl

Guest
#15
#15
santuzza said:
My pet peeve as well, kaylagirl.

What corks me is that most of these so-called "worship leaders" can't even read music! Why are we having untrained people lead a congregation in worship? In the OT temple, there were priests specifically set aside to be worship leaders -- and they were trained! Scripture also exhorts us to "play skillfully." How can one do that without being somewhat trained?! As a professional musician, I can tell you that there are VERY few people who have enough true, raw talent to lead worship without any training.

Although I agree with your premise that worship is in our own hearts, we do need musicians to help us sing together in one accord. Even if it's an a cappella service, there needs to be at least one trained singer leading the singing.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately very few churches have people capable of leading music and/or reading music. I think one person can lead but I dont know.I see so many fights and fits over people getting the spotlight.I just never see anyone fighting over who is going to clean the bathrooms or the unsung jobs of the church.Seems everybody wants the spotlight.JMO
 
K

kaylagrl

Guest
#16
#16
Lynx said:
I invite you to visit my church. We're nicely unified on this subject - we sing them all. :)

I remember one (elderly) pastor who told his congregation from the platform, "I know some of our elders don't like some of the new music the kids are singing, and some of the young people don't like the old hymns. I got news for you, I don't like all the songs we sing either. But some of the songs I don't like touch some people, so I'm going to praise God right along with them. That's okay, I'll get my blessing on the next song."
Click to expand...

Right on! It all comes down to the leader of the church,the pastor.If he makes no big deal about it, no one else will. No reason both cant be done.
 
SoulWeaver

SoulWeaver

Senior Member
#17
Oct 25, 2014
4,889
2,534
113
#17
The people who want the spotlight are exactly the people who should never lead, because it damages them first, and then the others who are listening to them, because it's not God-centered anymore.
But I've noticed that other believers also put bands and vocalists on a pedestal. It's all damaging. We're all just people. If I sing, another person has some other gift that I'm lacking. We cant all be all. And usually those gifts that dont get the spotlight and exposure are the best stuff that God esteems the most.
 
S

sigh33n

Guest
#18
#18
kaylagrl said:
Unfortunately very few churches have people capable of leading music and/or reading music. I think one person can lead but I dont know.I see so many fights and fits over people getting the spotlight.I just never see anyone fighting over who is going to clean the bathrooms or the unsung jobs of the church.Seems everybody wants the spotlight.JMO
Click to expand...
"Unsung jobs" = 10/10 pun
only in a perfect world, sister
 
PennEd

PennEd

Senior Member
#19
Apr 22, 2013
12,923
8,654
113
#19
santuzza said:
PennEd, your church is a perfect example of what I mean -- why divide the church over this issue? Ultimately, I think this situation is a recipe for a church split.
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You must have missed the point of my post then. No one has a problem in our Church with this worship format. The message is identical and it's merely a preference of worship. This is a problem that doesn't exist, never existed, and would be considered absurd if it was brought up in our Church. We have about 1200-1500 in our Church. It offers something for everybody from birth to death, not just worship, but all sorts of ministries designed to feed the flock and meet them where they are in their walk, yet we ALL agree on the Gospel message as presented by our Pastor.
 
M

MyLighthouse

Guest
#20
#20
santuzza said:
I DO NOT understand why churches must split themselves up into two services based on worship style. I think it brings disunity among the brethren. Why can't everyone just get along and have a blended worship service with the best of all styles worked in?

Why should I have to choose between traditional or contemporary? Why can't both elements be incorporated? If I go to a strictly traditional service, I lose out on great modern praise music, and if I attend a contemporary service, I miss out on the great historic hymns of the faith (or worse yet, a praise band will take an old hymn, lower the key, simplify the harmony and play it on guitars!).

What gives? It truly breaks my heart to see the church is such disarray!
Click to expand...
My church has both in one service. My church has people like me, where it makes no difference, and those who it makes all the difference. Everyone has a preference I suppose.
Really there should be no difference, because all in all it's all about the Lord. And the lyrics to most any Christian song is usually moving.
 
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