Can we take a free ride in worship?
Many of the most cutting edge churches are incorporating secular music into their presentation on Sunday. I used the word presentation because I'm genuinely worried about calling that worship and I don't want to label what someone else is doing negatively unnecessarily.
But I really, really, really have a hard time with this. Don't get me wrong, I'm not going to trot out the "regulative principle" or any such here, but I thought worship was designed by God to be oriented... toward God.
Am I off base, hopelessly fossilized?
By being "oriented toward God", as you say... does that mean that it has to actually speak of God, or could it simply be a means by which to encourage the listeners/participants to focus/think/ponder/et al... on/about God???
ReplyDeleteJust my $.02... taken from my own experience/belief in planning contemporary worship.
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Andrew, Thanks for your comments. I think we are in agreement that if a piece of music or art or drama causes one to focus/ponder/think etc. of or toward God then yes it can be used.
ReplyDeleteBut I don't see how "Free Ride" fits that, or much of the secular music used by ragged edge seeker churches.
Why is this different to putting in a nice vase of flowers on stage?
ReplyDeleteBoth are works of creation and if done well, bring glory to God.
G'Day Mark.
ReplyDeleteThat just doesn't ring with truth to me. I'm working hard trying to help a group of people be the church wherever they go and also working to make the worship gathering to be a place where they come together to share, celebrate, and focus their energies and attention toward God. We live in such a man-centered time, my thoughts are that it's counterproductive to put anything in that gathering that doesn't lend toward giving glory to God.
I've got nothing against the song, it reminds me of riding in my 75 Trans Am - not about God - no matter how well it's done.
For me, this kind of music is like using a movie clip during the sermon that then becomes what everyone remembers. Kind of defeats the purpose I'm there for.
Hope that makes sense.
Oh and BTW, flowers? That screams of the slippery slope to doilies. :)