A Sad Divide in Worship

A week ago at my college's chapel service, I got the opportunity to hear a speaker I had never heard before. I will keep from mentioning his name, though some of you fellow classmates will know exactly whom I am talking about. The man said many things that I disagreed with, but which I could let go and inwardly say "Well, we all have differences". However, there was one thing he said that I find myself still churning over today. It is this that I want to seek to respond to now.



First, a little background. I currently go to a church that has a praise and worship band, and I prefer that. I grew up in a church with a piano and organ, and, though I enjoyed and worshipped with that type of music, I do enjoy more having the drum set, guitars, and other more contemporary instruments and sounds. I recognize the fact that to many more conservative worshippers this type of praise band can be offensive and carry the wrong connotations. It saddens me that they feel this way. I definitely have basic standards for worship music, such as needing to make sure the words are understood, and that it does not have a rock concert feel. But I feel in no way that these or other standards are automatically compromised by having a contemporary praise and worship band.



You see, music is my strongest way of worship. Everyone has different ways that they feel more easily connected to God in worship, whether it be through prayer, meditation, Bible study, etc. Mine is through music. When I sing, I pray and praise and the truths that I know about God become so much more tangible for me. So it hurts me deeply to see the Body of Christ divided so often over this form of worship. We look at others who raise hands and judge them. We look at different forms of music and judge it. We judge each other for how they worship. Wow. Like I said, I agree that there are definite black and whites. But what I'm saying is that we step out of those bounds and judge the greys just as strongly. We take an understandable reaction of feeling uncomfortable with how someone else worships, and turn it into an inappropriate reaction of feeling offended.



Now, back to the speaker. He discussed the praise and worship band we had at our school. He expressed how great it was, and how we had "men like him to thank for it." How much progress the church has made, he exclaimed as he looked around at our band. Then he said the real clincher. He started discussing churches with pianos and organs and "other such red-neck philosophies". I was appalled.



To this man: It is to you that we indeed owe our "thanks". Not our thanks that we have our band. Not our thanks that we can now praise in a more current way. Our thanks to you is for the dirty looks we get from those who are more conservative. Our thanks to you for the divide between the contemporary and conservative. Our thanks to you for the jaded spirit that exists in our pews and auditoriums that has replaced a spirit of peace and praise. It for all of this that our hats are off to you. For your cutting tongue and insulting labels. For your arrogant show and Pharisaical views. Thank you for the hurt feelings. Thank you that those of us who seek to worship in a contemporary way are viewed as rebels and troublemakers. Because of YOUR lack of acceptance of different worship styles we will not be accepted for ours.



So yes, we indeed can thank you.