Other "Thinking Drafts" and writing by Keith Drury --
http://www.indwes.edu/tuesday .
War and worship don't go together. At least they shouldn't. But in many churches today they do! Want to start a firestorm? Changing doctrine won't do it -- changing worship styles will. But "worship wars" aren't new. After all, the first recorded murder was committed over worship styles.
In my life I've come through two worship wars... thus three worship styles. While this is just my own personal experience, I suspect it may reflect others too. And, though there are some churches who, like the Amish, have "frozen in" one particular worship style refusing all change, I suspect many churches have gone through the same two major revolutions I've experienced. The three worship styles in my life have been:
This form of worship dominated the 50's and early 60's in my denominaton. Services were upbeat, singing was robust, (even boisterous at times) and gospel songs prevailed. Choruses were common -- almost every church had yellow "Let's sing" chorus brochures in every pew (millions were given away free by an alcohol-free insurance company). The piano dominated the song service with a style called "evangelistic playing." The "song service" was led by a "song leader" who often sweat profusely as he whipped up the enthusiasm. Actually, he was half song leader-half cheerleader. Sometimes people clapped as they sang, using their "instrument of ten strings." In this style of service the congregation was the choir, and the song leader called for them "sing it again" or even divided the group up into parts. If the song leader had a trombone he often grabbed it mid-song and blared along, revving up the congregation's fervor. It was an electric atmosphere and singing was loud and strong in our churches with flat ceilings.
But everything didn't happen on the "platform" in the camp meeting style of worship. The laity participated too. There was often a "testimony time" where individuals gave a personal reports on their spiritual progress or just gave praise to the Lord for something which had happened to them that week. There were often "prayer requests" with one layperson after another standing to explain a personal prayer need or to request prayer from someone else. When they finally did go to prayer they often knelt at the pews and several people would often pray one after another in a "season of prayer." Sometimes they "lifted" in prayer—which produced a simultaneous chorus of prayer (which probably sounded like tongues-speaking to outsiders.)
Sometimes there was a mass "moving" when people "shouted" or "ran the aisles" as they "got blessed." Sometimes this filled up the entire service so that "the preacher didn't get a chance to preach" (this was considered good). The laymen were highly involved, often punctuating a sermon or song with a hardy "Amen" or "Hallelujah!" to show their support.
The whole atmosphere would be considered quite "charismatic" today. It was exciting. Even the world came to church to watch. And sometimes they "got saved" at an "altar call" after being "under conviction." It worked. People liked it. As for worship, this generation had "got it right"— they knew how to "do" worship the way they liked it. However, a revolution was in the wind.
By the mid 60's and early 70's an increasing number of people in my denomination either already were, or had become middle class professional types. Plus, the holiness movement reacted so strongly against the charismatic movement that we repressed anything "leaning charismatic" even if it was our own past. The boisterous camp meeting style began to embarrass our "pastors" (who had been called "preachers" up to that time). A revolution was in the wind.
Gradually the noisy uncontrolled lay-driven-wildfire camp-meeting-style of worship was displaced by a more respectable style of worship. Organs were installed or made more dominant. Choirs were organized, and robes were purchased. An "order of service" emerged, (against much opposition -- "you are putting constraints on the Spirit"), The "bulletin" emerged with a printed order of worship. The "pastoral prayer" gradually replaced the season of prayer" and testimonies started to fade away. Sure, once in a while there would be an old timer who would shout, or wave a handkerchief, but gradually this too passed... when the old-timer passed away. Hymns became the general fodder for singing and the doxology showed up here and there. The whole revolution created an atmosphere of professional respectability which no longer embarrassed us.
At my denomination's general conference a ministerread a prepared prayer word-for-word and it was greeted as "a beautiful prayer—the kind a general superintendent ought to pray." (He was indeed elected a general.) By the end of the 70's this revolution was over in most places. Worship styles had changed radically. The 1965-75 "Worship wars" were over. Respectable worship had won. The change had been accomplished in spite of the strong resistance of the "traditionalists" who wanted to keep the camp meeting style (which they could sometimes still get a taste of once a year -- at camp meeting, where else?).
As for worship, this now-middle-aged generation figured they had finally "got it right"— they knew how to "do" worship the way they liked it. "Decently and in order." But this "new" worship style would not rule for long. Another revolution was in the wind.
No sooner had "half-main-line worship" of their parents taken hold than a whole crop of baby boomers came along with our own ideas of worship. We called it "contemporary" worship, (with typical conceit we assumed all other styles of worship were now out of date). Out went hymnals and hymns. In came "praise choruses" (not on yellow "Let's sing" sheets this time, but projected on a screen with an overhead or slide projector.) The piano was replaced by a keyboard and if we could we got together a "pit band" (or at least some pit band wannabees) we did.
The song leader (who, by now, was far removed from the camp meeting cheerleader and had become a mere number-caller) was replaced by a "praise team" of good-looking men and women to help us sing. The bulletin was kept, but the real schedule was a minute-by-minute sheet the pastor, worship leader and sound man had to manage "excellence in worship" even right down to "planned spontaneity." Spotlights were fixed to metal bars running across the ceiling, and drama was introduced in place of some of the congregational singing.
The old "cantata" were replaced by souped up "Living Christmas Tree" programs which, in some cases, rivaled any live show in town. We borrowed clapping-while-singing from the charismatics (though we never can do it quite as well).
Then along came a young pastor from Chicago suburbs with the "seeker service" idea which was an adapted version of "contemporary worship" but designed for the unchurched. He was widely half-copied by many full-boomers as we adapted our services more and more to a non-participatory event for watching.
By the early 90's many pastors in their 40's and 30's had fully introduced this new style of worship. The war was winding down. Sure there were a few holdouts in the back country who came swooping down for a night attack once in a while. But "contemporary worship:" held all the cities and main roads. Boomers now had our own "Quality controlled worship experience."
The second revolution in worship was complete -- boomers had overthrown the (boring, dead, dry, we called it) half-main-line worship patterns of the previous generation and installed a new more lively, upbeat, "contemporary" worship experience. Even the unsaved enjoyed this new worship product. As for worship, many pastors in their 40's and 30's now feel "we've finally got it right" -- we know how to "do" worship the way we like it.
HOWEVER, a few months ago I traveled with the youth department guys of our denomination to a series of focus groups among twenty-something ministers. We made no speeches, held no seminars -- we just asked questions and listened. In tossing the subject of "worship" on the table one of these young pastors remarked, "Well, I've been raised on traditional worship -- you know praise choruses, music projected on the wall, drama... that sort of thing."
Whaaaaaaaaat? Traditional? But of course it is true. As soon as one generation thinks it has "got it right" another revolution is due.
So, the question to think about this week is: What will the next revolution bring?
So what do you think?
To contribute to the thinking on this issue e-mail your response to
Tuesday@indwes.eduBy Keith Drury, 1994. You are free to transmit, duplicate or distribute this article for non-profit use without permission.