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Besides, the traditions themselves, particularly the Reformed Tradition, are based on taking the world as seriously as possible, using the best of what human beings create and write and sing and build and act and employ in the praise and adoration of God. Marva Dawn writes:
"The Church," she says, "needs preachers and musicians with great faithfulness to give worship participants what they need instead of what they think they need, to offer that which is needful instead of catering to neediness."4 Sherer: Worship should be vital, serious, inspiring, hopeful, not dull or pallid. On any Sunday morning Fourth Presbyterian Church has a lot of competition. There are children's soccer games everywhere throughout Chicago, there is the urge to sleep in, coffee and the newspaper, or a weekend excursion. Worship must be done well for people to feel at ease. Only then can the worshippers go beyond the worship leaders, or prompters, to reach the divine. Robert Hovda writes, "Our limits and sins impose such ugliness upon the world. Public worship should reveal its beauty in every way it can." Here are a few principles that guide me. First, worship should not blindly imitate the past. I often see churches that are stuck in a rut because whatever they are doing is safe. The danger of this is at best a warm feeling of nostalgia, and at worst, idolatry. Also, too many churches are trying to imitate cathedral programs or trying to do music that really isn't possible for them to accomplish well. Holy shoddy is still shoddy. On the other hand, worship should not be entertainment. There is a fine line between entertainment and worship, but if entertainment becomes the chief end of worship, again, we have arrived at idolatry, and we must never succumb to that. I recently attended Willow Creek Community Church in Barrington, Illinois. I was very surprised at how well done their worship service was. I was also surprised at how similar it was to worship in the twelfth century. It was very passive, and there was actually a morality play. The majority of the congregation of nearly five thousand did not actively participate. Almost no one sang. The singing was done by a small group of people who were amplified at an incredibly high decibel level. The whole effect was very entertaining, but for me, not worshipful. Worship should be set apart from our worldly experiences, because worship is about awe and mystery. One of the mysteries that worship can reveal is the two natures of Jesus Christ, divine and human. Too often through our art, architecture, and music, we emphasize the human nature of Christ by stripping away all mystery, all symbolism, and all beauty. That only represents the human side of Jesus. Many praise choruses fall into this category. The divine nature of Jesus Christ can be represented through inspiring architecture or through beautiful music that has inspired people for centuries. As worship leaders we should lift up both natures of Jesus Christ in diverse and creative ways. |
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