College Avenue Baptist Church (San Diego) is doing something radical this coming spring. It is combining it’s two Sunday morning services into one. No longer will there be a traditional service featuring the pipe organ and Sanctuary choir followed by the contemporary service featuring electric guitars and two complete drum kits. College Avenue Baptist Church currently is a divided church. Old people go to the first service. Young people go to the second service. The pastor preaches the same sermon in each one, but these two worship services clearly serve two separate congregations-one made up of people with grey (or blue)hair who still dress up for church, the other made up made up of people in flip flops, blue jeans and fashionably bald heads (as opposed to unfashionably bald heads like mine).
Everyone agrees that unity is a good thing, that an intergenerational church is desired. But the young people are afraid the worship services are going to turn dull and boring. The old people are afraid of the guitars and the loud volume. I was having a conversation between services last Sunday with one of the older members of the church and he expressed serious doubts that this effort to combine worship service would succeed, mainly because of the music. He likes the idea of bringing generations together but he doesn’t like the idea of having to give up singing hymns and hearing the pipe organ. “Churches are having to sell their pipe organs,” he lamented, “because nobody wants to hear them anymore. That’s a crying shame!”
I suppose he’s right. If you’re in the market for a pipe organ, there are probably some good deals to be had out there. I have no problem with pipe organs. I love to hear them when they are played well, just as I love to hear any kind of music when it is good. But I have never gone to church expecting to hear the style of music that I like best (which of course is bluegrass.) When I hear people complain about the style of music being played in their churches, I can usually relate to their disappointment because I have never yet found a church (in California, anyway) that features the style of music I prefer. But that’s not what I go to church for. I really don’t care whether I hear my favorite kind of music or not.
But I’m in the minority, I think. Most people choose the church they attend based on the music they hear in the worship service. And because music styles change with each generation, churches today are predictably very age-segregated, which is shameful considering that the Lord’s only prayer for the church was that we would have unity (John 17).
While listening to this church elder lament the pending demise of the pipe organ, it occurred to me that maybe our Church of Christ friends had it right all along. The Church of Christ (denomination) has never allowed instruments of any kind in their worship services. They sing all their hymns and worship songs acapella. I’ve never quite understood why they do this (since the Scriptures actually encourage praising God with musical instruments) but I think I’m beginning to see the wisdom in it. My guess is that the worship wars we are all so familiar with are not so common in the Church of Christ.
What do you think?
December 24th, 2009 at 5:48 pm
Music is a gift from God that needs to be shared by all. No matter the age, the color of hair, the personal preference. Together we need to give back to God what he has given to us. Together we need to praise God with a pipe organ and a drum set. When generations worship together why does the pipe organ need to go? Why is the older generation expected to change. Shouldn’t the younger generation make some changes too? Compromise needs to be made by all. After all we are in church to be entertained, but to come together to give back to God. We need to be open to worship in the various styles with a variety of instruments including a pipe organ, banjo, drum set, oboe, saxophone, guitar (both acoustic and electric) etc. We should look forward to hearing something new and not expect the same worship style week after week. I would love to have some bluegrass one week, a Bach cantada, the next, a jazz trio, then a rock band, then a symphony orchestra. It would be so much fun to arrive to church not knowing what style of music to expect with the anticipation to praise God in a new way! I look forward to praising God as a unified congregation!
December 24th, 2009 at 5:59 pm
I forgot a “not.” we are NOT in church to be entertained . . .
December 29th, 2009 at 6:33 pm
Deb,
I agree. But sadly most people today choose churches based on music styles and other personal preferences. All I’m saying is that the Church of Christ may have been wise to keep things simple and focus more on the worship of God than the presentation of music. Music seems to be a big deal these days but really it’s only one of many possible obstacles to true worship. The church’s location, the aesthetics of the room, the demographic profile of the congregation, the quality of the preaching … all these things can be distractions to true worship. So music isn’t the only reason why people jump from one church to another.
Like you, I enjoy variety in music but that’s not why I go to church. I go to hear the gospel proclaimed, to celebrate the sacraments, to grow in faith, to obey God. And I try to do with a grateful heart and a good attitude whether I like it or not.
January 4th, 2010 at 10:09 am
Wayne,
As I read your message about church music, I relate it to my own church and the issues we are having. I belong to a Lutheran Church. We are in the process of moving to a new facility we recently completed in Otay Ranch. For some time now we have had two services very similar to your own. The older, more traditional members who attend the Heritage service don’t seem to like the music played at the Praise service and vice versa. We are scheduled to move to our new site in February. The Pastor has scheduled only one service to open our new church and it will be more along the lines of the Heritage service. It is creating some tension within the congregation, inlcuding my 22 year old daughter. She is considering changing to another church. She was baptised and confirmed in our church and attended all her life. Now, seemingly because of a potential change in music, as well as the way the message will be delivered by the Pastor, she is considering leaving. I’m not sure how to counsel her. She has scheduled a meeting with the Pastor to let him know her concerns. I think its interesting, and possibly tragic, how music can make such a differnce. I agree with you that music should not be the attaction. Somehow we need to make all of our members realize that its our connection to and realtionship to Christ, however that’s made, that should be our focus. Music is simply one of the ways we make it. BTW - love your bluegrass.
January 6th, 2010 at 11:35 am
In the Hebrew language (Old Testament) there are over 50 words that are related to worship and praise and many of them have nothing to do with music. One of my favorite is “zamar” which means literally, to strike the stings with the fingers. As a guitar picker I was happy to discover that one! I also love “tehillah”, to praise in an unrehearsed manner. There are also 4 or 5 different ways to shout in Hebrew. There is also “shiyr”, to sing a hymn or Psalm and “yadah”, to extend your hands (or throw a stone!).
Churches in the west have gotten used to being entertained by either the “praise band” with smoke and bright lights and huge screens or the choir with pontifical robes and a sombre organ and there is often very little real involvement in the congregation.
In reality, there is no congregation - we are all the worship team and there is only one in the audience,Abba Father, but so few places really understand this and develop this. I went to CABC for 25 years and sang under Pastor Robert Dow who did a spectacular job of developing both singers and participants. I am also reminded of Ray Hughes who very successfully leads almost anyone into the presence of God in worship using - bluegrass!