Defending My Beef - Pt. 2

So, in the last post, I responded to the issues circling around pacifism and Christianity and war. In this post, I'm going to respond to being called "old" and "crotchety" by Benson for my views on worship, or at least the certain style of worship.

First off, I played bass and my wife sang (and we loved it) on a contemporary worship team while I was in seminary. It was fantastic, we had a great leader who was lovely (yes, I said lovely) and it was fantastic. In fact, I found much of the music we sang better than some of the hymns even theologically (some hymns, like some contemporary songs have incredible lyrics and some are terrible, also like hymns). So, I have little initial beef with the contemporary worship movement.

However, I did have beef with a service I sat in a few weeks ago.

The first beef I had was that it was loud. Now, in high school, I played in a couple of punk rock bands. I have seen over a hundred bands in concert (mostly punk bands in small venues) and generally do not mind loud music. But this was church. And it did not sound good loud. It was loud for the sake of being loud and not for the sake of the worship service, the people, the glory of God, etc. And, acoustically, the sanctuary we were in was terrible. So, when it gets loud with terrible acoustics, sound echoes and bounces and it sounds like a muffled mess.

Second, songs were generally terrible. I mean, they were not very meditative, contemplative, or even spiritual. There was little to nothing to distinguish these songs lyrically from anything I hear on secular radio at work. There was little mention of God, no mention of Jesus. However, there was a lot of mention of mountains and trees and whatever else, which seemed to be pretty terrible metaphors as we were in Indiana, far away from mountains.

And then, the preaching was terrible. In fact, it was not preaching but a self-help talk about how people need to get along. No mention of Jesus or God or the Spirit (no, not kidding). I've read better theology in Nietzsche!

So, what do I want in a worship service. Well, I want thoughtful music that is theologically meaningful. I understand that the metaphors must change in Christianity and that we talk and use different language today. That is fine. But, I just wish people were more thoughtful with the music - allowing it to be worshipful and lead people into meditation upon God - and with the lyrics - again, theologically correct while also leading people to better understanding of God and an experience of God.

I also want preaching that is based upon a biblical text and that leads people into deeper relationship with God through the loving of God and the loving of neighbor (I'm so Augustinian and Wesleyan). But really, I think the goal of preaching should be to push people, in every sermon, to a greater love of God and of neighbor simultaneously. One cannot really be done without the other. And this preaching should actually be challenging and gripping and bring people deeper.

I'd also love to participate in the sacraments every week, but I know this will not happen in my churches, so I just feel greedy asking.

Anyway, there is my last defense of my beef.