This has been a discussion that I have had several times with my Grandpa.
He has straight up told me that he thinks drums are unbiblical and cannot be used for worship through song. That is a problem for me, because I give 2 weeks out of every month to serve at our church playing drums.

We talked about different styles and how he prefers one thing and I prefer another and if we could bring those styles together would it work? We both realized that it cannot work, someone is left unhappy. But what i realized in the conversation was that everything was about us and not about God. It was all about making us happy and what we wanted and not what God wanted.

I think that is what everyone has to look at. I can be pretty opinionated about style and types of music. To the point of getting pretty frustrated when someone does not play a song the right way (the cd way I guess is the right way). I have had to let that go and realize that everyone has their own style of doing things and it doesn’t have to follow exactly how i want it (sounds stupid, but I did struggle with that).

The problem for me with multiple different services with different styles is that it seems to create two different churches. The old group that goes in at 8am to have their traditional church and then the 10am crowd that gets the contemporary service.

I guess I wonder who gives in?
Or is it possible to blend the two?

If you ask me, I think the older generation has to be willing to give up more in order to reach the younger generation.

I served a church for about 10 years as the “Minister of Celebration” (Worship, Music, and Arts). It was a 50+ year-old church with a fairly equal distribution of babies and gray hair. It was a great church.

We had two distinct service styles: Traditional and Contemporary. We had NO PROBLEM with people expressing their personal preferences. I have ‘em. We all do. The traditional service, with hymns led by organ, was more effective for many in our church in helping them respond to God in worship. Likewise, for many others, the contemporary instrumentation and modern media elements were more effective in helping them respond to God in worship.

We were very intentional about ongoing teaching that a person’s preference is just that. A preference. Not a sacred cow.

We were intentional about including a more “traditional” element in our contemporary service from time to time, and we tried to include a more “contemporary” element in the traditional service on occasion, as well. Christmas services and Easter morning contained elements of both styles. Because we wanted to continually reenforce the idea that our worship was our response to GOD – not the medium, but the message. Not the style, but the substance. Not the form, but the essence. And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is FREEDOM!

The Bible says to us, “As long as it depends on you…” strive for mutual edification and peace in the Body. I see that as support for differing styles to serve differing people with differing preferences. But the Bible also says (Romans 14?) not to let what is not evil be spoken of as evil. In other words, have your preferences… but don’t insist on claiming your preferences are the gold standard for eveyone else… unless Scripture is on your side. And most often in these types of discussion, what the Bible says is not the issue at all.

Thanks for the interesting post. God bless!

Totally agree, they would not probably though.
But I have to often remind my Grandpa that generations change that people change and that technology changes and therefore things have to adapt, they cannot just stay the same. It seems that everyone is willing to change except for church services.

I don’t think that having multiple services like this is a major deal. But, I do believe the issue is a symptom of a root illness…

The fact is that we live in a society that is all about “having it your way.” Personal preferences change the very landscape of our culture on what seems like a daily basis. Church services are no different…especially here in America.

Although I don’t feel that personal preferences like music style is a very big deal on the surface, the issue of needing to feel catered to is. Music, although an enormous vehicle to stir the soul (IMO) does not bring me to Christ- the Holy Spirit does. I want to know Him because of a desire for relationship. Worshiping through music, of course, is not the only way. So, I’ve decided (after a season of bitterness/pride towards the church due to being wounded) to just let it be that….preference. We all have them. That’s one of the reasons why there are a gazillion churches out there. If the music style is a deal-breaker, find another place to get connected that’s more along the lines of what you like. I just have a hard time believing that once you find a place with the right style of music, everything is ok.

Colossians 2:16 (The Message) says this, and I love it:
“So don’t put up with anyone pressuring you in details of diet, worship services, or holy days. All those things are mere shadows cast before what was to come; the substance is Christ.”

If that is the aim of any church service, then you can literally play a kazoo or juice harp if you’d like. I may not like the music, but I sure am interested in who the music’s referring to.

I’ve attended a lot of churches — with hubs being the worship leader at a few of them. I don’t hold a strong opinion, but looking back over the past 15+ years I’d say that having separate services with distinct music styles brings out a lot of judgmental attitudes from both sides. It creates a division between “them” and “us” and makes the focus of church more about “what’s in it for me” versus “what’s in it for Him” (Jesus) or “what’s in it for them” (others).

well, tyler, my friend, i think you know what i’ll say here: the church “service” is not biblical, it’s not unbiblical either. but ultimately, the service is not the church. my most intimate moments and experiences of God’s presence weren’t in services, but in the coffee shops, restaurants, and even my home. God is everywhere. yes, certainly the model of the temple and the tabernacle in the old testament provide “service” examples~ and those have amazing symbolic things for us all, but also remember how jesus revolutionized the gather together in Him w/ 12 scraggly young men who traveled w/ him, ate with him and slept in the dirt w/ him. even following that, people’s homes were a place to worship, namely, our life of living church should be in every thing we do and wherever we go. the “routine” is not ever necessary. “when 2,3 or more gather” in His name, he will hear their prayer. as long as your heart is right before God and your intentions are toward his heart and your life & community give glory to him, the “format” is meaningless.

I’m in a tough place with this issue, because I’m really opinionated about music, yet I feel strongly about worship bringing together people who differ, not just people who are alike. In the end, even though I sacrifice my own music preferences, I would never want to go to a church with multiple service formats. Too much diversity (both in terms of music and people) gets lost along the way.

When it gets down to it, I realize I can almost always find something to be frustrated about when it comes to worship music (from the music chosen to the tempo to the distracting way someone plays the tambourine). Which brings me to the point Tyler made: It’s not supposed to be about us. It’s certainly not supposed to be about me.

The better model for church, it seems, is to come together in love, agreeing to disagree about things. We need to stop debating and trying to prove that one way is right and another is wrong. We need to stop feeling entitled to our high standards, and stop being critical when a worship service or a song or teaching falls short (in our opinion). We’re real, broken people of God, coming together in grace to show our gratitude to him. That’s all.

What about the 3rd service?