United Through Worship

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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

If you are considering attending a Presbyterian church, you will probably wonder what to expect from the service. In some ways, the services will contain the same elements of any other church service, but there will be a few differences that have more to do with the order in which the service takes place. All church services start out with a simple opening prayer. Presbyterian Worship services start out with the pastor leading the congregation and then delivering any simple messages about upcoming events or community announcements. The exact nature of this part of the service may vary from congregation to congregation.

Anyone who has been to a church realizes that most Christian denominations include a song or two after the prayer. The official site for the Presbyterian Church in the United States says that praise give the congregation an opportunity to unite in common prayer. Most religions have the preacher launch into a sermon after the second hymn. Presbyterian Worship services differ slightly from this pattern. A scripture is read and a small amount of time is turned over to the congregation so that they can share the workings of God in their current life. When this period ends, the person leading the congregation performs sacraments. These sacraments can be the Lord’s Supper, or communion, or the sacrament of baptism.

Presbyterian preachers, like the other members of their profession, then expound on the topic and try go give general spiritual guidance to all members of the church under his pastoral care. Parishioners can ask for specific guidance or counseling by making an appointment with the minister or pastor later.

During the final part of the service, the time gets turned over to the congregation again so they can bring up concerns about their attempts at conducting their own ministry in the midst of a sinful world, according to the Presbyterian 101 web site. Most Presbyterian worship services, like other churches, conclude with a closing prayer. Some churches may offer a small gathering where refreshments are served after the service. Nearly every community has a Presbyterian Church within the town borders, but if you cannot find one, the phone book can help you locate the nearest Presbyterian congregation.

Just as it is important to build a good solid connection with our pastor, we must also cultivate our relationships with our worship team members. It is vital that we strive build a strong bond of respect and trust with each person involved in our ministry. My mentor taught me this little word equation. No trust plus no respect equals no leadership. In other words it is difficult to follow someone that we don’t value or that we feel doesn’t value us. Nor is it easy to follow someone that we can’t depend on. We are taught in Philippians chapter 2 that we are look not only for our own good, but also to the good of others. And in fact we are to see others as better than ourselves. Now here is another word equation if you will, that my mentor taught me. Time plus love equals trust. In other words the best way to create a bond of trust and of respect is to spend time with the members of your worship team. Not only must you spend time with them as a group, but as individuals a well. Now by individuals I don’t mean just you and someone else by yourselves. If you are married, it is very wise that your spouse be included! Or even better your family. The reason for this is you must go above a beyond to protect yourself from the traps that Satan will try to set in order to destroy your testimony and your ministry. But that is another article for another time. My point is this, protect yourself!

As I stated in an earlier article, the main role of a lead worshiper is to first be a pastor. God has put the members our worship team in our care. As sort of a mini flock if you will. Our role is to serve them, to care for them, and to encourage them. It is in serving them in this way that we can create an atmosphere that will nurture these friendships.

So just what are some ways that we can cultivate these friendships? Here are a few suggestions to get you started:

Invite them out for lunch after church Invite over to your house for pie. Go to a movie or rent a movie Go to a concert Have a cook out or a picnic Have a bon fire and roast marsh mellows

The list is really endless. Just use your imagination. The most important thing to keep in mind is this.Building relationships with your worship team members is vital to the health of your ministry. And, it will also determine the degree of influence and effect that your leadership will have in the church and ministry.