The changing face of worship and another season at an end


DOES HOW WE WORSHIP SAY SOMETHING ABOUT OUR VIEW OF GOD? THE QUESTION IS RHETORICAL. THE ANSWER, I BELIEVE, IS SELF-EVIDENT.

My recollection of worship as a kid is fairly clear, and I would say that how my church worships today is not much different from the way we worshiped back then. That doesn’t mean we have everything just right. But there is something good about consistency and steadfastness. Innovation does not necessarily equate with improvement, but then neither does entrenchment mean orthodoxy.
What has changed leans more toward the cosmetic than substantial. For example, there is more congregational vocal participation in terms of communal recitation of various aspects of the order of worship. At least that is the case in my local congregation. We do sing some contemporary hymns. The Gettys have had a lot to do with that change. Their music and lyrics for the most part are very conducive to worship.

But the centrality of the Word of God preached remains firmly in place. Communion is also more frequent with some churches even going to weekly communion.
While all the elements of worship are still there from the time of my youth, that cannot be said for many other churches that I’ve been to over the last number of years. Praise bands and worship teams have taken a prominent role in many churches. The songs sung are more upbeat but the lyrics can be repetitious and lack depth. There is no doubt that evangelicalism and Pentecostalism have influenced today’s worship in many ways, in Reformed churches as well.
While we might be quick to criticize the worship of other churches, we might also want to take a close look at our own house and our own attitudes to see if what we do is more ritual than heartfelt; more traditional than biblical; more rote than truly a desire to commune with God and give Him our all in worship. Is there something missing? Some food for thought for another time.
On page 5 we report on Christian Renewal’s new charitable status in the U.S. Please read that brief report for more details.
Glenda Mathes reports on a number of synods that have taken place in early summer. Brian Lee encourages families with young children to consider filling their homes with music that is biblically balanced as well as entertainingly written.
A new booklet by Dr. David Engelsma exposes the problem of spousal abuse in the Reformed community and offers some helpful answers to officebearers who may consider themselves inadequate to deal with such an awful situation in their congregations.
This is the last issue in our 36th volume year. We continue to be grateful for the support of our readers and our writers. May God bless our ongoing effort to provide information that is truthful and faithful in a time when both truth and faith are on fragile ground.
John Van Dyk, Editor

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