People Spots Online
Produced by James W. Moss, Sr., and Church Consultants
Provided as a service by New Life Ministries

There is much discussion today about worship and worship styles.  This discussion has erupted into conflict that sometimes ends a pastoral ministry or splits a church.  Let me share some thoughts.

Worship is communion with God.  That may occur in a corporate or individual setting.  I believe individual worship will gradually disappear if not fostered by corporate worship.  Many are saying, “I can be Christian and not be in the church.”  I believe the Bible urges Christians to participate in corporate worship.

There’s not a single style of worship that is the only appropriate vehicle to worship God.  One person may prefer one style and not appreciate others.  Others may best commune with God in yet another style.  It is communion with God that is important and not the style.  People are not less spiritual than us if they best commune with God in a style of worship that is different from we appreciate.

There is much discussion about contemporary worship.  Aubrey Malphurs commented, “Yesterday’s contemporary is today’s traditional.”  That statement has been very helpful.  It is important to understand that no one style is the only style by which God may be worshipped. 

Be very cautious about wholesale changes in worship style in an existing church.  There can be some soft blending of styles without tremendous reaction.  The people must be involved with the designing of changes.  Be very careful to include the music people in proposed changes.

Start a new service with a different style

Consider offering two worship services and two styles.  Different styles of worship appeal to different people.  The primary (or existing) service should not be changed.  The new service should take on the new style.  People who appreciate that style will gravitate toward the new service.  It is important that the new service be done in competent fashion.  You may need to explain to the people in the traditional service the need to use different styles to reach different people.  They may need to hear that one style doesn’t reach all.  This explanation will not be satisfactory for some.

The new service provides an opportunity for more persons to serve in the process of worship.  Many congregations have musical talents that could never find use in the traditional service.  They will be able to play the guitar or other instruments and add to the value of the service. 

One word of caution:  Be very careful in selecting a worship team.  Make certain that the people on the worship team are spiritually mature and psychologically stable.  Removing immature and unstable people from a worship team can be extremely disruptive.

Quality music programs assist in promoting an attitude of worship for many.  Guitars and other instruments may be used in addition to or in place of the organ and piano.  Other instruments can be used without much opposition until drums are added.  In many churches the addition of drums dramatically increases opposition to the style of the service.  Recruit soloists and duets to provide special music.  Eventually, the service may grow large enough to have a choir from the people who attend it.  Please don’t move the choir from the primary service to the new one.

The new service must rise above 35 as quickly as possible to develop a critical mass.  If it doesn’t, worship becomes a small group.  It acts like a small group.  Resistance to the arrival of new people is one of the characteristics of small groups.  Many new people who investigate a service with less than 35 will wonder if it is a viable entity.  Growing a service that for more than a year has had fewer than 35 in worship is a chore.  Sufficient numbers of new people will destroy the small-group nature of a small worship service.  Above 35, worship is no longer a small group experience.  The congregation will then have to find small groups for those people for whom worship was their only small group.  Individuals who fail to find new small groups tend to either build walls to screen out other people or leave the church.  Displeased persons usually fire broadside at the church as they leave.  They may participate in another church or drop out of church altogether.

The new service creates two congregations—that is more obvious in some churches more than others.   Fellowship times can be created to bring both groups together.  The people attending one service most likely won’t see those attending the other.  But that is okay.  The goal is to reach more people for Jesus Christ and see Christians mature in the faith.  There is much emphasis across the country on new church planting.  The easiest place to plant a new church is in the building you already own!

Please respect the integrity of the new service sufficiently to have it each Sunday the church is open.  Resist the temptation to cancel that service on special days.  Some churches close the new service on Christmas and Easter.  Those Sundays need the new service the most.  Have the service even if the primary service has a cantata or something special.  I recommend that all special celebrations for the people attending the new service such as receiving new members or baby dedications be done in that service.  A cancellation of the new service communicates that both it and the people who attend that  service are second class citizens. 

In conclusion, please be careful and gentle when attempting to significantly change the worship style of a long term existing church.  This road is filled with potholes.

Also see:

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August 19, 1998. Volume 1, Issue 11.  People Spots Online is prepared by James W. Moss, Sr., and Church Consultants.  It is provided as a service by New Life Ministries, www.NewLifeMinistries-NLM.org.  Articles may be duplicated and reproduced in any way with proper credit. A new article is produced about every two weeks. To be added to a list to receive these messages directly by e-mail, send a request to churchconsultants@yahoo.com.
 

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