Greetings, brother Jim! This is an interesting article. By the way, where is the St. Arnold Community Church? No, we don't want to join them in worship.
That church, apparently, has eight Sunday worship services, from 8 AM to 4 PM, with eight different styles of worship, described as “classic service,” “contemporary,” “mid-century modern,” “post-modern,” “boomer service,” “millenials” [spelled incorrectly, it should be millennials], “blended service,” and “happy hour service.” All that I can say is: “What? It must be a joke, right? What, pray tell, is a happy hour service? I think that they are confused!"
As you stated correctly, “Unfortunately[,] many churches these days get too big for their britches . . . .” My wife and I have visited or attended briefly a few churches that have a contemporary style of worship, as I assume that it is called. The sermons were expository, biblical, sufficiently deep, and relevant. The prayers were genuine and meaningful. Communion remembered the Lord's sacrifice properly. The congregational singing, however, if there was any, was overpowered by the band – with various musical instruments and microphoned singers. For some reason, various stage lights changed, apparently to match the band. Thankfully, we saw no pyrotechnics, but we kept awaiting them. It was like an entertaining rock concert, not congregational worship to God in song. (See Eph. 5:19.)
The secular world divides people into various categories, for its humanistic agenda. One category is by generation, such as the greatest generation, baby boomers, and whatever else, including generation X, millennials (spelled correctly), generation Z, and so forth. This is a humanistic and homocentric focus.
Worship is not homocentric. Worship focuses on God. The church is not divided by race, color, social status, gender, or age. The apostle Paul has told Christians that we are “all one in Christ Jesus.” (See Gal. 3:26-28.) Before His atoning sacrifice, Jesus' prayer to the Father was for all Christians to be united and one, as He and the Father are one, so that the world would believe in Him. (See Jn. 17:20-23.) Worship styles, which divide by generation, are secular and homocentric in focus. They do not focus on God.
What does God want when Christians gather to worship Him? In His conversation with the Samaritan woman, Jesus stated, “. . . the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:23-24, NKJV).
Yes, there are various styles of worship; however, worship must be in spirit (from the heart and soul) and in truth (according to scripture) – focused on God and to uplift, not entertain, one another. Worship in spirit and truth has no generational boundaries – as my wife and I have experienced, during various decades of life, in India, Russia, and America.
Many churches, sadly, have lost that focus in worship – even while they claim to focus on God, during “worship,” when they entertain themselves. God, however, is not pleased, nor is He worshiped.
Our writing styles are different, but your post has the same theme as my latest one. This subject also came up in a recent conversation. When the Lord brings something up more than once, it's pretty certain He's trying to get our attention. Thanks for writing.
Greetings, brother Jim! This is an interesting article. By the way, where is the St. Arnold Community Church? No, we don't want to join them in worship.
That church, apparently, has eight Sunday worship services, from 8 AM to 4 PM, with eight different styles of worship, described as “classic service,” “contemporary,” “mid-century modern,” “post-modern,” “boomer service,” “millenials” [spelled incorrectly, it should be millennials], “blended service,” and “happy hour service.” All that I can say is: “What? It must be a joke, right? What, pray tell, is a happy hour service? I think that they are confused!"
As you stated correctly, “Unfortunately[,] many churches these days get too big for their britches . . . .” My wife and I have visited or attended briefly a few churches that have a contemporary style of worship, as I assume that it is called. The sermons were expository, biblical, sufficiently deep, and relevant. The prayers were genuine and meaningful. Communion remembered the Lord's sacrifice properly. The congregational singing, however, if there was any, was overpowered by the band – with various musical instruments and microphoned singers. For some reason, various stage lights changed, apparently to match the band. Thankfully, we saw no pyrotechnics, but we kept awaiting them. It was like an entertaining rock concert, not congregational worship to God in song. (See Eph. 5:19.)
The secular world divides people into various categories, for its humanistic agenda. One category is by generation, such as the greatest generation, baby boomers, and whatever else, including generation X, millennials (spelled correctly), generation Z, and so forth. This is a humanistic and homocentric focus.
Worship is not homocentric. Worship focuses on God. The church is not divided by race, color, social status, gender, or age. The apostle Paul has told Christians that we are “all one in Christ Jesus.” (See Gal. 3:26-28.) Before His atoning sacrifice, Jesus' prayer to the Father was for all Christians to be united and one, as He and the Father are one, so that the world would believe in Him. (See Jn. 17:20-23.) Worship styles, which divide by generation, are secular and homocentric in focus. They do not focus on God.
What does God want when Christians gather to worship Him? In His conversation with the Samaritan woman, Jesus stated, “. . . the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:23-24, NKJV).
Yes, there are various styles of worship; however, worship must be in spirit (from the heart and soul) and in truth (according to scripture) – focused on God and to uplift, not entertain, one another. Worship in spirit and truth has no generational boundaries – as my wife and I have experienced, during various decades of life, in India, Russia, and America.
Many churches, sadly, have lost that focus in worship – even while they claim to focus on God, during “worship,” when they entertain themselves. God, however, is not pleased, nor is He worshiped.
Our writing styles are different, but your post has the same theme as my latest one. This subject also came up in a recent conversation. When the Lord brings something up more than once, it's pretty certain He's trying to get our attention. Thanks for writing.
American church attendance in drops dramatically after widespread pandemic closures https://thepostmillennial.com/american-church-attendance-in-drops-dramatically-after-widespread-pandemic-closures