Should Worship Be Traditional, Contemporary, or Both?

Depending upon what is meant by the terms traditional and contemporary, the answer might be "neither." Then again, defined another way, the answer might be "both." Regardless, the best answer is not a simple choice based merely on preferred style. A good approach looks at what a worship service should do and then asks how to best do this with a specific group of people in mind. If key actions of worship are accomplished and this worship glorifies God and builds up the church, then what does it matter if the worship is labeled one way or another? Likewise, if worship does not glorify God and result in an abundance of love in a church, what does it matter how it is labeled?

A good guide is not merely what we prefer or what really moves us but understanding some basic ideas about Christian worship. Consider, for example, this definition for worship:

Worship is a corporate (meaning common or shared) act of the church as the Body of Christ, an act that is from God, to God, and done before God.

This definition helps us avoid veering into certain ruts. The idea of worship as a common act directed to God, for instance, calls into question services that make congregations passive audiences. This can be a problem in either so-called traditional or contemporary services.

What are some basic guides for Christian worship that go beyond style? One set is a list of essential actions that worship should do. Worship should:

• praise God,
• thank God,
• confess sin,
• tell the big story about what God has done in Jesus Christ,
• apply this gospel to us here and now,
• give us an opportunity to offer ourselves to God,
• intercede in prayers for others, and
• unify us with one another and with God.

No single service need do all the above in every service. But, over time, does our worship service include a balance of these essential actions? Having a list like this can help a church make decisions about what style of worship is most appropriate. If we want to sing our church's brokenness in sin, then ask what kind of music allows the congregation to truly access their heart before God. It might be one style, it might be another, or it might be a variety of styles. In the latter case, try to go beyond a "quota system" for attempting blended worship. Try to avoid picking so many hymns to satisfy one group and so many choruses for another without looking at what worship actions these songs best do. Even if our service meets a "quota," is it truly blended if it lacks the full range of worship's essential actions?

Another guide for worship is using markers for appropriate breadth beyond style. Worship done in Christ should have, over time, a certain breadth of remembrance. Does our worship fully remember:

• God's person and activity in both the Old and New Testaments?
• the entirety of Jesus Christ's ministry and saving work, in both its personal and cosmic dimensions (for example, Jesus died for you and Jesus' resurrection destroyed the power of death)?
• in both its historic and beyond-history dimensions (for example, Christ lived in a specific time and place and all things are being created through Christ and for Christ)?
• that salvation can be applied to individuals, the whole church, and the entire creation?

There are other markers for breadth in worship. Does our worship cultivate both a sense of God's transcendence-- creating awe and wonder-- and a sense of God's immanence-- creating comfort and loving intimacy? Does our worship allow us to express a full range of emotions and affections over time, a range as broad as the Psalms themselves? Does our worship use a full range of possible "dialogs" in worship: God to us, us to God, us to one another, God to the world, us to the world, and the world to God through us? Does our worship include both a priestly element-- allowing us to offering praise and intercessions to God-- as well as a prophetic element, where we boldly proclaim the Word of God? Does our worship engage a full range of human needs (felt and otherwise) and senses (touch, taste, smelling, hearing, and seeing)?

Many matters of styles (e.g., music, tone of leadership, use of electronic technology) are not nearly as significant as achieving this sort of breadth in worship. Concerns about appropriate style of worship should be dependent upon aiming for this breadth of worship in each situation. The question about having services with a traditional or a contemporary style should be about how to do solid Christian worship in a specific locale with a specific group of people.

In many churches, the push is for adding a second service with a contemporary style, particularly for evangelistic purposes. A previous posting on this site ("Should We Offer More Than One Service") considers this issue.

Finally, it is fair to ask whether "traditional" and "contemporary" are still useful terms. What is traditional worship? What makes worship contemporary? Consider, for example, a church whose piety is charismatic, whose services include weekly Communion following an early church order of worship, whose space uses sophisticated technology, and whose music has a strong rock beat. (See http://www.christredeemer.com.) How should this worship be characterized?

Resources

Authentic Worship in a Changing Culture. Grand Rapids: CRC Publications, 1997.

Webber, Robert E. Planning Blended Worship: The Creative Mixture of Old and New. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1998.

Webber, Robert E. et al. Renew! Songs & Hymns for Blended Worship. Carol Stream: Hope Publishing Co., 1995.

Hoyt Hickman, General Editor.The Faith We Sing. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2000. This volume contains a broad range of music and is printed in various print and electronic editions.

Calvin Institute of Christian Worship

http://www.worshiplinks.com