I have not written in this space for a while because I have been mulling over a question that re-emerges for me, from time to time. I have been reading the latest expert advice regarding worship styles, what can cause a church to grow, how to change everything to appeal to those with short attention spans, etc. I do this every now and then to perform a kind of gut-check on my own theology and worship practices. I read an article this week, written by a seminary professor, extolling the virtues of contemporary worship, and recalling the times that he "sat through church, never participating." I assume that he blamed his lack of participation on the style of worship, and not on his own unwillingness to be involved. I once heard a pastor comment that someone had told him that he had not gotten anything out of worship. The pastor then asked him, "Well, what did you put into it?"
Having attended college at the end of the "Jesus Movement", I was quite active in worship groups and lamented the fact that I had never learned to play the guitar. Aside from enabling me to be a part of worship musical leadership, guitars also seemed to be babe magnets. In a line from a famous film, "I couldda been a contendah!" My involvement in the worship and praise music of that time gives me the right to say that I don't think the direction of current worship trends is a good one. Churches are buying in to the belief that they have to give the consumer what he or she wants, at any cost. Truth is, for many churches, that's the reality. Churches are closing and people are giving up on organized religion as they have known it. Having spent nearly a lifetime on college and university campuses, I have heard all of the reasons for abandoning the tradition. I have heard the laments from students and faculty alike. I understand the frustration and the desire for something tangible to grasp on to, something better than "faith," whatever that is. However, at some point we have to stop and ask ourselves what kind of Jesus we think we follow. The vapid narcissism of some of today's praise music can lead one to believe that Jesus cares about only me, because I sing about just him and me. Jesus shares my political beliefs, likes my friends and approves of the causes which I support. Many contemporary worship services use no forms of the ancient creeds of the church, and song lyrics are projected on screens, because we don't want to confuse anyone by making him/her read hymns with musical notes. The church is very close to becoming a flavor of the month, which may help increase attendance for the short term. But what is happening to the church, and its vision of its founders, over the long term? What kind of Jesus do we want to follow? We want a Jesus who looks, walks, sings, parties and believes as we do. It's not a new phenomenon for the church. Turn on the TV and listen, if you can, to the hot evangelists who pontificate and ask for lots of money. Aside from asking us to part with our cash, they call for no sacrifices, but instead try to convince us that, by selling out to them, we will become a part of the elect. And who does not want to feel special and a part of the in-crowd? If I had learned to play a guitar, I could have been cool. Or not. The churches that are growing the fastest do some things very well, including making people feel welcome and comfortable. I have asked students which church they think Jesus would choose, if indeed he would even choose a church. After all, he was Jewish and would probably prefer to attend Temple. But, for the sake of argument, would he attend a mega-church or a little storefront or rickety country church that was barely hanging on. I will let you guess what their answer has most often been.
