[traditional/contemporary]

yup. we're talking about worship styles.

this is a topic i could go on and on and on and on and on about...

when discussing worship, one must be very careful when deciding any of the following. note this is not an exclusive list.

• to clap or not to clap?
• to raise hands or not to raise hands?
• organ?
• drums?
• choir or praise team? or both?
• hymnals or projection screens?
• too fast or too slow?
• too loud or too quiet?
• spontaneous or deliberate? or spontaneously deliberate?
• stand up or sit down? kneel? dance?

clearly, this idea of worship style is greater than one church staff meeting. discerning the style of worship appropriate for church takes lots of time, prayer, and thought...the first question being, "what does it mean for this to 'fit' my church"?

is this really "my" church?

does my opinion matter?

should it matter?

why?

as you can see...this question tends to spawn off multiple threads and roots, many of which lead the discussion so far off topic that by the time people are done shouting at each other, we're left a larger mess than the one we started with.

problem.

definitely a problem.

as a worship leader, this is something i have struggled with for a long time. and to be forthright, i don't have the answers. there will always be people who disagree with me, and i, them. i can tell you that God does not like quarreling [titus 3:9-10].

so what am i doing, writing on worship styles, if i'm not trying to explain or understand the various intricacies behind them?

simple.

i want to tell you

its not about you.

the way you worship.....and the way you like to worship....

are two totally separate things.

the way we should worship is laid out for us in [john 4:24]

"God is Spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth"

the way we like to worship....

can vary.

the things that matter are....

1.) are we actually worshiping? because we are commanded to.

2.) is our preference for worship style getting in the way?

...because then that means our preferences are more important than following God.

....whoops.

i once had a worship leader talk to me about styles of worship. she said,

"jonathan, if you are in the congregation and you don't like the song playing, the style, whatever it might be...what should you be doing? it better not be sulking and complaining that you can't 'feel' God enough. God is all around you and you will experience Him whether you want to or not. at the very least, make sure you are praying for the people around you who are experiencing God right now. don't you dare let an opportunity to worship the Almighty God pass you by."

wow.

its less about style...and more about worship.

and if you have the chance to worship the Almighty God, i definitely would take it...would you?

-j