Comments on Church Soundguy: Traditional or Contemporary?

I love these discussions because the temptation is...

2009-07-09T08:04:01.343-07:00

I love these discussions because the temptation is always to look at other churches "style" and distract ourselves from the mission at hand...reaching people.

This video had the same effect on me as it had on the unchurched radio folks...it gave me enthusiasm. The Gospel is intoxicating and irresistible.

Although the hosts dogged the Catholic church for being boring, the Catholic Church still reaches people who connect with that style, a more traditional service.

As vast as personalities types, equally as vast should our presentation styles become.

I choose to invest my efforts in a very modern church in Atlanta. Not because I think it's right, but because I can help recreate that style, authentically. I don't have to try to "be" anything. It fits me. And...we are effective at reaching the lost in our community, the real measurement tool for any church.

Sometimes style is confused with doctrine. Let our styles be vast, and our doctrine be one.

1 Cor. 9:19-23 (This answers our questions explicitly)

19Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. 22To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. 23I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

blSister Cin: I think it is important to keep in m...

2009-07-08T01:40:49.544-07:00

blSister Cin: I think it is important to keep in mind that our mission at the moment is reaching people.. i think pleasing God is non-debatable and at the same time we cannot ignore the unchurched we're trying to reach. thus i think it is worthwhile to find out why they may find church "unattractive" and unappealing

one of the things they actually DO mention is presentation; that it is not dreary and someone does make a comment something along the lines of, "like a gig i wouldn't mind going to"...

the presentation of the church they spoke about actually led them to start talking about deeper things like baptism... they did the best they could to talk about it... thus presentation made church more appealing and talking about the "deeper things" somewhat less intimidating...

we need more and more perceptions of the unchurched changed & my take is we need to be as creative as possible, and obviously in line with not violating scripture...

Since worship is supposed to be for God, why don&#...

2009-07-07T15:50:35.689-07:00

Since worship is supposed to be for God, why don't we ask HIM? Isaiah 1:10-20

IMHO I think a better title for your topic might b...

2009-07-06T15:28:37.047-07:00

IMHO
I think a better title for your topic might be religion versus relational. The radio hosts aren't talking about the worship as much as they are talking about the genuine enthusiasm, or lack therof, that the people have.

There are no doubt all around the globe traditional and contemporary worship services pulsating with passion and enthusiasm for Jesus. Likewise you can find plenty of "worship services" where people's only reason for being there is strictly out of religous duty and not because of a ralational heart with the lover of their soul.

The guy who did most of the talking on the radio program was drawn to the contemporary service primarily because the love of God was drawing him. If he didn't turn on the tv that Sunday but instead took a walk and observed a young woman playing her guitar under a tree singing passionately to Jesus - he probably would have had a very similar reaction.

There's my 2 cent comment.