A few members have commented about the contemporary service being a “Performance” or “Production” rather than “real” worship. If you visit an auditorium style church, you’ll see a true performance, with great production values. They have concert hall seating, refreshments, huge projection screens, slick production values by video crews, pyrotechnics, dancers, and professional musicians with sophisticated rock concert sound equipment. Many even have synchronized ‘click’ tones in earpieces for perfect timing for playing and singing of songs. And they may have a service leader who’s part game show host, part evangelist and perhaps even part faith healer.
If you go to their you tube channel, you’ll see slickly made videos every bit as good as those made by rock stars. To those churches, it is indeed a performance and production—they believe it’s the best way to reach those that attend their services. There are young church goers who are eager to be entertained in that manner. It’s what they are used to seeing on their phones and tablets—and at the concerts they attend.
The performance style is the extreme opposite of a traditional service. So where does that place our contemporary worship service? Almost in between, but much closer to traditional than performance. Our contemporary worship keeps the best of Lutheran worship and theology while providing current and relevant worship music for those seeking an alternative to the traditional worship styles. Martin Luther took tunes from “Ye Old Tavern” (Bar tunes) and replaced the words with Lutheran theological worship lyrics. Thus, he created new contemporary style of songs, for the times.
While our contemporary service has more songs and they are not from the green hymnal, it’s not performance art. Our singers and musicians have a passion for Lutheran worship—and contemporary Christian music. Our service still has readings, it still has communion, the same prayers, sermon, etc. We keep a confession, prayer of the day, offering prayer, Apostles’ creed but in song format and we even sing the Lord’s prayer. It’s just presented in a different way—an upbeat way that some seek—than a traditional service. It’s done that way to help attract younger people and families to church. Did you know that when Beethoven was playing music in the churches, he attracted people to the church to hear his music? His music was contemporary then but today it is not, and not even traditional. It could be more considered at this time, classical. The age of the music and those who listen to it, helps determine, contemporary, traditional or classical.
I’ve also heard, “we’re Lutherans and we just don’t do worship that way.” The reality is, Lutheran churches are offering contemporary services, in ever growing numbers. And some newer ELCA churches do not have any fully traditional service at all. They offer a ‘classic’ service (blended service leaning towards contemporary), and a full contemporary service.
It’s not only our church wrestling with change—just about every denomination that has long been traditionally based is facing the same issue. Many are meeting the challenge of change and being VERY successful. We can endure our sufferings as we change. “For we, through this severe suffering and endurance, shall have the prize of virtue and shall be with God, on whose account we suffer” (4 Mac 9:8 NRSV) But it takes time, perseverance and faith. “… we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” (Ro 5:3–5 NIV) It is not easy to change but we can do it!
Like many churches, First Lutheran depends on its older members for so much. We (hey, I’m 65, after all, so I count myself in the ‘We’ group) volunteer for more things and attend church regularly. We tend to give more of our time, donations and more.
But we ARE getting older. And for our church to survive after we leave, perhaps in retirement or eventually to meet our friends in heaven we need to reach out to surrounding communities, our friends and neighbors and be the best disciples and ministers we can be. And embrace change. Right now! We cannot keep doing what we have always done but we must do something different. We must do something that encourages others to be part of God’s kingdom. We need to provide something that meets people where they are at, so they can hear the gospel, now, rather than later. Thereby making disciples of all nations. Discipleship leads to membership, not the other way around.
To bring a new generation of people into our church, we need to offer them the best worship experience we can—and in more ways than just the traditional. We won’t give them “Performance” art in a huge, impersonal auditorium. But we WILL give them two choices of meaningful worship services, richly steeped in Lutheran theology and practices…and let them decide which is right for THEM.
J.R. Reider, Contemporary Music Leader