Bible Question:
My church is a liturgy and ritual one. We hold high value of sound doctrines of orthodoxy. Some years ago, in face of the growth and the influence of the contemporary music on the Sunday service which has been espoused by most young christians, our chuch has made a slight adjustment for fitting the youngsters' need, where 2 Sunday services were arranged. The late morning section remains unchanged with choir serving the music part. An additional early morning section was set up with the contemporary music praise group (a more inter-active way) in place of the choir. The rest of the programmes remain the same. Recently, the leader of the praise group expressed her idea to our elder that she hoped the praise group could take an additional part after the sermon and in doing so, the congregation's emotion could be uplifted to the peak. After hearing that, the elder talked to me about his concern that the leader could have missed the focus. A meeting has been arranged next week for discussing the issue in details with the leader. I was asked (by the elder) to prepare for the meeting that I can step in when there need a proper guidance. I am reading some books. However, I would also like to receive any pertinent thoughts on the issue. Thank you in advance for your input. Shalom Azure |
Bible Answer: Sister- You are already aware that you might receive a wide range of "opinions" regarding this issue so let me offer my own in brief. I do not know the praise group leader and do not pretend to know her motives. With that said, it is my understanding that praise and worship is exactly that. Praising and worshiping our Lord and God. I would not agree that the purpose of praise and worship is, or ever should be, for the purpose of "uplifting" the "emotion" of the congregation to the peak or otherwise. I'm not saying that we should resist enthusiasm during praise and worship. In that case we may actually be resisiting the Spirit's moving in the place. But if our focus and goal is to be uplifted or the uplifting of others, that is better defined as entertainment and not praising and worship (in my opinion). I believe the elder is appropriate in calling for a meeting in order to both assess the motivation for changing something as well as appropriately considering the change if it is decided to be appropriate. It may be that the praise and worship leader is self-centered and somewhat impressed with herself and her singing and/or other musical talents. The grandstanding before the sermon may not be enough to facilitate her need for attention and the spotlight. Before and after? On the other hand, this person may be so in love with God and so inspired to praise Him that she is hardly able to restrain herself. Which ever the case- would adding more time to praise and worship (by way of music and singing) compromise the focus on sound preaching from the Word? In my own Baptist denomination it is the norm to have a song (by the congregation) after the preaching of the word. We call it the "Invitational" and the purpose is to allow anyone convicted by the Spirit through the preaching of the word to go forward in public to make a confession of faith or reconcile with God at the alter figuratively. By figuratively I mean that God is no more at the front of the church near the pulpit than He is at the back near the standing usher. But not to get off track-I have always understood this time after the serman to be a time of personal evaluation and individual responding to the message of God's word and the Spirit's conviction. Not a revved up succession of the prior praise and worship. Of course, this doesn't mean we do it right either. With that said, generally speaking, I would always be cautious to ensure that nothing prevaile over the sound teaching of the Bible. Hope this helps, Jeff |
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