Stuck on New

As the “worship wars” continue in many churches, Bobby Neal Winters reflects on worshiping after the first date.

Those who attend only praise services are like the girl in 50 First Dates. The church for them is continually “now.” While the church should certainly be in conversation with this age, the conversation must take place from the point of view of eternity. The history and the tradition of the church are essential. We are surrounded by a large cloud of witnesses, and we are fools if we don’t heed them.

To read all of Stuck on New, click here. Then, please join the discussion by clicking on the comments link below.

Comments

[Bill R]

Bobby is absolutely right. In my years as an evangelical, I've been rather constantly reminded that many Christians have no sense of history or heritage. This is exceeding sad. Almost every age has something to teach us, to say to us. To act as if the Gospel just dropped out of the sky yesterday is dishonest. It is as if we were to attend a family gathering and there to notice no one who was older or younger than we were.

[Michael D. Harmon]

I certainly don't disagree with the main points of the piece or of the comment above -- the Church has come down to us through the centuries with "all banners flying," as Chesterton put it, and we need to see it that way. Still, as a member of a charismatic, liturgical and evangelical communion that mixes old and new in ways some strict traditionalists might think a bit untoward, I did want to challenge the premise that Christ is not being offered to people in praise services, if I read the last part of the piece correctly to say that. I found Him there, so I know He is present.

I am also troubled a bit by the "de gustibus" question. I, too, love the ancient liturgy and classical music and the great hymns of our tradition. I also think that there was a time when "Amazing Grace" was new and a bit radical, too. I find many comments on the main site to be more than a bit derogatory toward those of us who lift our hands in worship, pray in tongues from time to time, offer words of prophesy before the Kyrie and, while we know that a 2,000-year-old faith has many riches to offer from all the centuries of its existence, it yet has to be a church that can reach the least, lost and lonely of the 21st century. Let us not be too hasty in spitting out the new wine because the old is so familiar and comforting. Rather, why can we not sip from each cup? They all contain His Salvific Blood.

[Michael D. Harmon]

As an addendum to the above, let me also note that the early church lifted its hands in prayer, prayed in tongues and offered prophecies aplenty. We only speak of those things as "new" because they were neglected for so long. Until Azuza Street made what was old new again....

[Clark Coleman]

"Those who attend only praise services ..."

Once, when asked to give a guest sermon, I delivered a message on the word "praise." The gist of the message was (1) the word is so abused today that few know what it actually means, and (2) ironically, for all the talk of praise services led by praise teams singing praise songs, there is actually very little praise of God in the church today. Most uses of the word make me cringe as a result. I hope that Christians can regain both the word and the practice of praise from the fuzzy thinkers of today.

If anyone does not understand this comment, even after looking up the word in the dictionary, please email me and I will explain when I have time.

[William Rush]

An observation of John Updike applies to much of what passes for worship in our churches today - " our brains are no longer conditioned by reverence and awe".

[Brian Crocker]

Three dangers I see in so many of what are called "contemporary" or "praise" services: 1) We become the primary speaker and our praise the center, and 2) the esoteric (and thus exclusive) nature of many practices (i.e., words with no music, unsingable unless you've heard them 20 times; tongues for the sake of the speaker, not anyone who can understand them), and 3) the "product for a consumer" feel of such services.
As one dear old Pastor put it, "The reason those folks are there Sunday morning is to hear good news from God - so hand over the goods!"

[Sujee]

Ashley, Hello - i hope that evrything is going well for you -i know that eretyvhing that you are writing and performing will be top notch -i wiil be praying for you and keep the lord first and there is no way that is will not come out great! Iam very proud of you and Sara both.My hope is that you both will be bleesed as well as others i am sure by the music that you give. You are both so very talented. Keep me posted. Oh, i don't do texting i don't even carry a cell phone the majarity if the time.Call me at home Rando has my home # and you can get it from him call anytime Have a wonderful day your bud c.ray

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