A little blog from an upstart theologian that will do its best to exemplify Christ while sharing a thing or two along the way.
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| Preachin's Blog A little blog from an upstart theologian that will do its best to exemplify Christ while sharing a thing or two along the way. |
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Tuesday, October 05, 2004 on obsolete schools of thoughtWell its Tuesday morning and I am happy to be comfortably ensconced in my corner cubicle. I must wonder about a conversation I recently had with someone about traditional versus contemporary worship styles. (As a point of reference: I realize the idiocy of calling this movement "contemporary" since that is a wholly subjective term, therefore from hereafter I shall call this progressive...since that is certainly more linguistically coherent...yes I am being ironic) This person suggested that traditional worship was the best way to go about the business of the church because it was rooted in a rich heritage and had theological significance. Besides, the person commented, there was more of an ability to perform music  properly when doing traditional worship. Now lest I be considered a dissenter by way of youthful precocity, I grew up in a church firmly planted in the traditional approach to worship styles. This person (who attends an unnamed school) said that the churches in my home denomination are overwhelming traditional in their focus and therefore we should see that this is simply the way things are going to be. As we had this discussion, and it was a good discussion to have, I sat in my wooden desk chair, circa 1940, I realized I was talking to someone who has failed to realize the significance and legitimacy of the contemporary worship movement. He made bold claims against progressive worship, calling it a crass example of satisfaction of worldly desires for men and women going into their mid-life crises. How unfortunate.
Well, I must disagree. Outside of my experience with some of the more seedy sides of the Contemporary Christian music industry, most all of my interactions in churches that have progressive worship styles has been satisfying and heartwarming. I must wonder aloud how a group of hard-nosed traditionalists can miss the prevailing winds within the denomination's churches. How many churches have moved from the traditional organ/piano, hymn structure to a more progressive worship team blending both progressive choruses and standard hymn literature? I can't think of a church plant that is out hunting for new organs or grand pianos. Its just not practical to spend $100k plus on a limited pipe organ when you can drop $5k and get a phenomenal keyboard capable of pipe organ and 1,000 other sounds. Why do we have ensconced traditionalists still stuck in dry, chafed liturgy devoid of expressive and progressive worship blends which the vast majority of our evangelicals flock to and participate in on Sunday mornings? One of the most hurtful things about this debate is the matter that these hard-core traditionalists will end up saying quite mean things about people within the progressive worship movement and belittle them spiritually for their positions. They will say its a matter of the heart and if your heart was right you would have no trouble using a 16th century style liturgical hymn to praise God with. Well what if the heart isn't the issue, and its more sublime than that? I maintain, what I believe to be, a vibrant Christian walk and I don't particularly enjoy dry, traditional services. I prefer the progressive styles more. Yet they say I am drowning in sin or something. Well I must digress... It is my suggestion that for all of their good intentions and musical credibility, these traditionalist are quickly moving the way of the betamax tape machine...a unique antiquity for sure but unembracable by the culture as a whole. While I champion their call for excellence in musical proficiency, I question their calling for return to the relics of out-dated, frontier Baptist life. posted by Preachin Jesus | 9:37 AM | |
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