United Through Worship

Archive for December, 2011

One of the greatest things about freedom of religion in the United States is the ability to choose none of the above, that is to say become an agnostic or even a straight atheist. Of course, due to the public outcast issues in various communities that too can become a problem. If we are to ever have true religious tolerance in the world, it has to come from all directions to the middle. In other words, everyone is allowed to hold onto their belief system, without telling others to change their beliefs or mold themselves to the other.

As we look around the world we see far too much sectarian violence these days, too much animosity, too much fiefdom’ism. And, we see too much religion in politics and government, even in the United States where it really is not suppose to be at all. Worse, I’ve watched friends who are of no religion, even atheists, judged without merit or validity to their honor, or integrity, but rather negatively judged for merely being without a religion.

Consider this statement by an atheist; “Well, just so you know I am an atheist, so I guess I am the infidel from hell to nearly all religions. They all seem to be offended equally by me. I almost find the concept of folks being so offended as sign of their “work in progress” of whatever understanding they seek, meaning they still have a ways to go. But that’s an issue with them not me.”

Indeed, I can understand his ire, and well, I live in America, I am free, and tire of religious demand for obedience by other humans’ standards, which depending on the religion are; all different. So, to my atheist acquaintance, I’d say; you can never be able to please anyone, well, perhaps except me, because I don’t bother to judge anyone based on their religious adherence to ritual, as I judge a human being by their deeds. Interestingly enough, in most religions, isn’t that how you are supposed to judge your fellow man?

I’ve often wondered what the world would be like without religion, and those who have a devout calling to a given line of religious thought will tell me that; things would be terrible. Further, after discussing this, they tell me that everyone should become their religion because supposedly it is the best one.

Fascinating as that is what the other religions say about them. Of course, if you ask an agnostic or atheist what the world would be like without religion, they say it would be wonderful and peaceful, and who knows maybe they are right considering what we’ve been observing around the world and throughout history? Please consider all this.

The history of music in Christian worship is a substantial one which can trace its origins all the way back to pre-Christian times in the Old Testament. In those very early days we read of the Jewish people singing, playing instrumental music and even dancing. Such activity was widely used as a means of expressing faith. Music played an important role in many acts of celebration and worship. It was into that society that Jesus was born.

Over the two thousand years since Christ’s life the use of music in Christian worship has gone through many phases and many musical idioms. It is really over the second of those two thousand years that church music, as we know it today, has developed.

One of the most important events in the whole of the world of music came about through the work of a Benedictine monk, Guido of Arrezzo who lived from about 995 to 1050. He didn’t actually ‘invent’ staff notation but he perfected it, completing the evolution of the earlier neumes into plainsong script, which was the forerunner of what we know today as ‘tonic-solfa’. All music had previously been passed down by aural tradition so the facility to write down music for others to read and perform was a massive step forward. Almost all musical expression since that time has come as a direct result of that development.

From that time on, composers were able to create substantial works for use in worship. This early church music was written to form the framework of an act of worship. The music was performed primarily by professional musicians attached to the church and was not for congregation participation. Composers did eventually begin to incorporate chorales (hymns) into the liturgy which gave the congregation the opportunity to join in at certain points in the service.

Many of the greatest composers over the centuries have added their voices to the ever growing repertoire of great church music. Bach, Handel, Mozart, Beethoven and many others have given us masterpieces adding to the wealth of music in Christian worship. We tend to know many of these works today through concert performances, forgetting that many were originally created as liturgical pieces for use in church services.

At times of spiritual revival (the Protestant Reformation, the missions of Moody & Sankey, the evangelical energy which led to the founding of Methodism and the Salvation Army, etc.) there was a burst of hymn writing surrounding these events. These highly creative times in church music led to the appearance of many of the greatest and most popular congregational hymns of all. The hymns from these eras of church history have stood the test of time and are still to be heard today in even the most contemporary of worship situations.

Over the last 50 years worship music has gone through a whole new phase of development. Since the early 1960′s composers of church music have gained much inspiration from the popular music of their day. We now regularly encounter worship bands accompanying church singing rather than the traditional organ. More and more, we hear the term “worship song” rather than the word “hymn” and congregations are becoming much more attuned to worship music in a popular contemporary idiom. This can be a contentious issue at times but it is important that all Christians have the right to express their faith in a manner which suits them. Many churches are coping with this by having both traditional worship and contemporary worship on a Sunday.

So, music in Christian worship continues to develop and change. We now have a massive repertoire of music in many, many different styles and idioms to choose from. At all costs, we must avoid the blinkered view of focusing on music of one idiom and ignoring the rest. Every generation adds to the rich tapestry of worship music we have available to us.

Copyright (c) 2010 Robert Hinchliffe

Modern is not a word often used to describe the Methodist church. The very name of the denomination is a synonym for tradition. We have a certain way of doing things here – a method.

The name adopted by the Methodist Church originated as a slight by the clergy of the Church of England. A group of students at Oxford had formed habits of bible study, prayer, and fasting that others were quick to identify as a formula. The group agreed that it was a formula, and thought it was such a good one that they adopted the name “Methodist” for the societies they established as a badge of honor.

There is certainly nothing wrong with positive habits. We are often told that the best way to get rid of bad habits is to replace them with good ones. Smokers replace cigarettes with sunflower seeds, dieters replace cupcakes with carrot sticks. It’s a good idea that works.

The Methodist church has been around for a long time now. What began as a radical rebellion against the complacency of the Church of England has settled into a comfortable groove. Society has changed a great deal since the Methodist Church adopted it’s current practices – a lot more than the institution has. How much should we allow these changes to affect our praise and worship?

The traditionalist camp would say that change isn’t necessary, or should be very limited and gradual. Those hymns have meant so much to people for generations. Why fix it if it isn’t broken? Our praise and worship traditions may be well-worn, but they are comforting. If upcoming generations don’t appreciate them the fault lies with them, not with the quality of our time-tested methods.

Most recognize the danger in this kind of thinking. The institution is made up of people from today’s culture, and we are charged with reaching them with the good news of the gospel. But we have to reach them where they are, not where we wish they were. The truth is that many of them don’t connect with the form of worship that we have grown to know and love.

I wish they loved organ music. I wish they loved (and could sing) beautiful hymns in four part harmony. I wish that they had the attention span to appreciate traditional sermons the way I do (most of the time.) But they don’t, and if they haven’t grown up in the church, it isn’t very likely that they are going to learn.

For many in our culture, the traditions that we find so comforting are totally foreign to them. Could you imagine attending a mosque in Iran? That’s how many of them feel when they walk into your church – like a fish out of water. They feel as if everyone is watching and judging them, and if we were honest, we would admit that some members of our congregation are doing just that.

Many Methodist churches are starting new worship services to meet the needs of the unchurched in their communities. They are intentionally targeting a younger generation who is unfamiliar with the traditions that they love and value, and branching out into uncharted territory. It isn’t easy. It isn’t always pretty. But it’s the right thing to do.

Drum sets are appearing in sanctuaries. Acoustic guitars that are usually used only at camp or in the fellowship hall have started turning up in Sunday morning services. Props are being used during sermons for the adults, not just the kids. Drama is being used to reinforce the theme of the service. In short, some very un-Methodist things are happening.

Reluctant though many of us are, we are beginning to modernize for the sake of reaching the lost. It is ruffling feathers, dragging people out of comfort zones, and hurting feelings. It causes disagreements, inconveniences, and arguments. It isn’t easy, but it is worthwhile.

The apostle Paul wanted to be all things to all people in order to share the gospel. He discussed philosophy with the philosophers, Judaism with the Jews, and Pantheism with the Pantheists. In the same way, we must speak the language of our culture to win the hearts of our culture for Jesus Christ. If speaking that language includes using a different group of musical instruments, visual aids, and some attention-grabbing techniques, then so be it.

Methodists understand that the sacrifice Jesus performed for our salvation is a gift beyond measure. We are learning to understand that the way that gift is packaged is not nearly as important as the gift itself. If a change in the packaging will lead to a greater number of people receiving that gift, we should be willing to change the packaging. It’s time for the Methodists to try new methods.

Rob Pearce

http://www.worshipbasics.com