Martin Luther King Jr. famously said that 11 o’clock on Sunday morning is the most segregated hour in America. He meant that white Christians and black Christians often worship in separate churches. Recently I’ve noticed a new kind of Sunday morning segregation. It’s increasingly common for churches to divide according to worship style, holding traditional services for older folks who love organ-powered hymns and contemporary services for younger people who enjoy choruses led by praise bands.
Churches do this because it works. Many grow exponentially as they meet the felt needs of their worshipers. But something about this practice doesn’t feel right. Shouldn’t Spirit-filled Christians be worshiping together? Your style might not be my preference, but why can’t we appreciate our differences and sing each other’s music?
Our problem could simply be old-fashioned selfishness, but I fear it might be worse. Could it be that we have created an idol out of our worship? Are we unwilling to allow Jesus to meet us in fresh ways? We might be like the Israelites who were so impressed by the bronze serpent that had healed their poisonous bites that they began “offering sacrifices to it” (2 Kings 18:4). There was nothing wrong with the bronze serpent—centuries later Jesus used it to refer to Himself (John 3:14)—but it was only a tool.
You may have heard God’s voice while singing “Amazing Grace” or felt particularly alive during the chorus of “As It Is in Heaven.” Thank God for that. But remember that the bronze serpents in your life are never meant to be ends in themselves but to lead you to Jesus. For it is when He is “lifted up” that He “will draw everyone” to Himself (John 12:32).
Real worship focuses on Jesus, not tradition or preference.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Joshua 10:1-15
More:
Read John 9:24-34 to see how glorifying the past can blind us to God’s work in the present. See 1 Corinthians 1:10-17 to learn how bronze serpents can divide the body of Christ.
Next:
How can you tell when your preference for a worship style, a pastor, or an author has turned into idolatry? How will you pursue real worship?
jassy on March 4, 2011 at 2:29 am
to worship is to enjoy God 🙂
Howard on March 4, 2011 at 6:33 am
Sometimes its a matter of pain. With the exception of Southern Gospel, I love all types of worship music. But, in the church I am part of, the acoustics in our metal building and the poor sound system combine to make the worship music so loud that it hurts my ears (and not just mine but also many others). Those in charge do their best, but say that the majority like that noise level. So, rather than having my hearing damaged, I step out of the auditorium until it is over. I do so miss corporate worship, but just cannot physically withstand the decibel level without pain.
So it is not always a matter of selfishness or idolatry, sometimes it is simply a matter of physics.
alegria on March 4, 2011 at 7:02 am
Chileshe – Good for you for trying to be a light within your city – not carrying the light to another place. I think that worship is so much more than the music – it’s the focus on God, and that can happen through a message, through focusing on his Word, through seeking to let his spirit minister through you to others. We do need to be sensitive to the preferences of others. Howard, my husband has the same issue that you have. He has sensitive hearing, and often the acoustics in our worship area hurt his ears. We’ve managed to find a couple places that are less “hot”, and always sit there. My prayers go out to both of you today.
lindagma on March 4, 2011 at 7:37 am
Amen! Our church insists on having an early contemporary service. Consequently,we have a sparse early service and a “less than full” traditional service. It segregates people too…older people from younger people…however we have a mix that I suspect comes from wanting to get church “over-with” early…which says volumes. Contemporary doesn’t have to be loud…I had a Sunday school teacher that explained it to his elderly mother…Traditional music sings ABOUT God while contemporary sings To God. We can do a little of both…how do you suppose Jesus feels about our bickering over the format of our services…not too impressed I’m thinking.
GrowinginChrist on March 4, 2011 at 8:30 am
Music can set the tone for the church service. However, we must still remember who we are setting the tone for. Worship and choir songs are for setting the tone for the holy spirit to come into the church service. I believe that some people attend certain churches to be entertained by the choir or worship team instead of remembering why they are there, to worship the Lord and be in his prescence with other believers. I applaude you Chileshe for staying at your church and letting your light shine just where you are.
mike wittmer on March 4, 2011 at 8:48 am
Howard:
I think that your experience illustrates the possible selfishness of the other worshippers. I wonder if they know that the decibels they prefer make the ears of others physcially hurt. And if they do, do they care or would they rather sing at the loudness they prefer? It seems it would be very hard to praise God while at the same time caring so little for your brothers and sisters.
Clarence Wong on March 7, 2011 at 6:23 am
I myself love both hymns & modern worship songs. Maybe its just that some believers finds it easier to worship in loud music: to cry out your heart contents to God loudly without others round noticing much. And we all know how engross we can get in our worship to God: when all things around us just fade away in His Holy presence. To take that away from them would just hinder them from drawing close to God.
A church may have different style of worship, but the purpose of which we do that must be to praise God. In cases where ppl with different style of worship prevents each other from worshiping wholeheartedly, I guess the solution should be majority wins. All of use should find a place where we can worship without being distracted for at the end of the day, our sole purpose is to Glorify His name. We should understand that we r not in a church because it is convenient (the nearest), plays the nicest music or that our frens are there (yes fellowship is important too), but we r there for God & that praising God comes 1st & foremost.
We may worship The Lord at different places & in different style, but the point is we still worship this same Awesome God. Hence I dun see it as segregation.
eppistle on March 4, 2011 at 10:01 am
We are commanded ” to offer to God a sacrifice of praise–the fruit of lips that confess his name.” A sacrifice can require sacrifice. That sentence may sound redundant in itself, but it’s to say that my time of worship may not always be as enjoyable as I would like it to be. Sometimes it can be difficult.
I’m fortunate to be old enough to enjoy the old hymns sung in four part harmony, but young enough to enjoy the contemporary songs. But there are some songs in both styles that are theologically accurate, but seem mindlessly shallow. There can be times when the music is led in a key that is too high for my baritone voice and I need to strain my vocal chords to sing it and I don’t like to strain my voice. These are just a couple of times when I would prefer not to sing, but that’s when I pray to God, “I don’t personally enjoy this song, but I love You. So I’m going to offer this song as a sacrifice of praise to You”…at least that’s what I do in my more spiritually mature days.
Clarence Wong on March 7, 2011 at 6:26 am
Amen =)
cocosmommie on March 4, 2011 at 9:29 pm
I think that is absolutely OUTRAGEOUS!!! God created us as individuals not clones. The house of GOD is EVERYWHERE and ANYWHERE… HIS CHILDREN GATHER TOGETHER TO WORSHIP… IN HIS NAME… GIVING HIM THANKS, PRAISE AND GLORY.
I believe… no… I KNOW… the only reason churches have changed and become more modern is to reach those who refuse to be subjected to condemnation of the older traditions… pointing fingers and telling everyone they are going to hell for one reason or another while the preachers, priest, pastors, etc are out having affairs or molesting children. The “holier than thou” types, run the younger generations out of the church and away from God, causing them to question the God’s love and nature.
Just speaking from experience… as I grew up with a mother in sateria, went to a Catholic military school, public school and Southern Baptist private school… which is where I drew the line at borderline cult religion. I understand, now, why parents would want to raise their children in such environment but… as a kid… It drove me mad and I became agnostic and fought everyone who wanted to speak of religion. Many years later I moved from Miami, FL to NC… the BIBLE BELT….
I refused to go to church no matter who asked… which seemed like EVERYONE, UNTIL… One day I asked someone what’s in the sweet tea up here? All everyone talked about was church. Did I have a big neon sign above my head that flashed… BAD SEED? I must say… I did give in and go to one church out of curiosity because I kept hearing their name and seeing bumper stickers… THE COVE in Mooresville, NC.
They were my kind of people… down to earth, laid back, nonjudgemental, dressed in jeans, shorts, dresses, suits, etc… NO ORGANS, CHOIR, PEWS or 20 year old HYMNALS… Just a large group of BELIEVERS IN CHRIST… SHARING GODS LOVE AND GODS WORD IN A POSITIVE, UPLIFTING WAY THAT DOESN’T MAKE ANYONE FEEL INFERIOR OR SUPERIOR TO THE OTHER.
You catch more flies with honey than vinegar… GOD LOVES EVERY ONE OF US AND SPEAKS TO US ALL IN OUR OWN LANGUAGE… Do you think a biker or a gang member would feel comfortable walking into a church full of suits? NOW… the churches you claim to be ”SEGREGATED”, are reaching the hearts of those the old traditional churches would look down upon.
I’ve seen it all… and GOD SPOKE TO ME… IN A LANGUAGE I UNDERSTOOD THROUGH PEOPLE MUCH LIKE MYSELF. WE ARE ALL SINNERS AND NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO PASS JUDGEMENT ON ANYONE, BUT GOD.
So… you should lift up your brothers and sisters in Christ that have given their hearts and lives to him as it makes no difference where and how… only that they ARE SAVED!!!
GOD BLESS US ALL… NO MATTER WHERE, WHEN, WHAT KIND OF MUSIC OR SONGS WE SING, AS LONG AS, IT IS IN THE NAME OF JESUS THAT WE GIVE PRAISE, HONOR AND GLORIFY OUR FATHER.