The New “Worship?”

The old time honored, spiritually blessed hymns are seldom heard within the walls of the “worship centers” that are popping up across our country’s landscape. The hymnals in which so many beautiful doxologies reside have now become passé and have long been recycled for other uses. They have become too old fashioned for this modern electronic church of today. These precious psalms of the past are much too depressing. Singing about the blood, death and or the suffering of our savior is no longer suitable for the “lively”, “positive thinking” church of today.

 

 The “praise songs” that have replaced these wells of poetic worship seem to be nothing more than repetitive mantras whose words are viewed on an oversized, overhead projector screen. The “minister of music” has taken the place of the song leader. His only direction is, “just watch and follow me”, and he is easy to follow since he is wired with his own personal microphone with which he all but drowns out any other voices. When the choir is called on to sing, it is only a backdrop for his continued “performance” with the congregation serving as the audience.  When or if the congregation is actually allowed to participate in a song, they have no option but to watch the screen and listen to the minister of music as they are still being led by the same overbearing voice blaring over the sound system. There is no time limit for these incantations. This is his service for which he was hired to do. They will go on until the “minister” of music finally calls it all to a halt in order for the pastor to have time for his “message” This is called the “praise” portion of the service. Except for His name being mentioned only a few times in this musical cabaret, Jesus Christ has been all but been omitted from this type of so-called worship.

 

Oh and by the way, for all that should desire them, donuts and coffee are served in the lobby. Feel free to bring both into the sanctuary. And don’t worry about how you are dressed. Come as you are. There are no dress codes. No one is to be made feel uncomfortable by any unwanted reverent code of conduct that might upset this leisurely setting.

 

After the “praise” portion of the “service”, the pastor finally takes his place on the stage. He is usually wearing a t-shirt, or maybe a collarless pull over sweater, jeans and sandals or athletic shoes. Almost everything he says and does is cute or funny, which is deliberately directed toward a younger generation. He knows the best way to acquire and retain power is to gain the confidence of the youth. He does this by becoming one of them; dressing like them; talking their language; hanging out with them. The older congregation has no recourse but to sit quietly, as the adolescents and the younger adults embrace and endorse all that is taking place.

 

Much like the praise portion of this service, the pastor’s message seldom mentions the shed blood of Jesus Christ or the efficacious work of the cross, but is usually some type of motivational speech geared toward individual self esteem or personal gain. He takes the liberty to speak on any topic…literally. However, biblical instruction is seldom on his agenda. Nothing is off limits for him. Some topics might even include (as sick as it may sound) how to improve the sex life of a husband and his wife. It seems that nowadays, sex is a topic that has made its way into the pulpit. The pastor seems to enjoy speaking on the subject and it is evident that it stays on his mind…a lot. Not only is it the pastor who is reveling in this subject; the congregation is receiving his words with a very warm welcome, and in many cases with excitement.

 

How to achieve happiness through prosperity is another popular topic he may use. It seems, according to the pastor, that there can be no real contentment without some type of worldly influence, whether it is monetary or worldly wisdom. He tells us very plainly that Jesus came to this world and gave His life so we could be happy and comfortable. Simply put, most of his messages are rooted in secular humanism; it is all about us and nothing about Jesus Christ.

 

So…welcome to the neo-modernistic church of today! Welcome to the new age worship center!

 

Welcome to the “Church of the here and now”!

The Architect

Isaiah 46: 9-10

Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me
 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure

In the mind of the architect, everything is already “viewed” before any construction is started. Every detail has been scrutinized. The architect knows and “sees” exactly how the building will stand and how it will look upon completion. His plans are laid before him. He knows every detail, where every brick will be laid and every stud will be placed; all this before the first shovel of dirt is turned.

As laborers, we have no access to these plans and can in no way comprehend what the end product will be. We can only do our part and see only what has been built thus far. We view only that specific portion with which we are personally involved. We may be called upon to assemble things in a way that may seem odd to us. But as the structure continues to “come together”, suddenly the oddity takes shape and melds into the rest of the framework. 

Most who are hired to do the labor may never see the finished product. So it is with the masons, who laid the foundation and have now moved on. They are gone long before the framers begin their construction, and so it goes with each crew until the last detail of the building is completed.

And so it is with the great sovereign architect of the world and his plan for it and us. He sees the ending of the thing from the beginning, while we as servants and laborers only view that part on which we may have labored. And as with the laborers of the natural building, the part that we add may not make any sense to us, but that does not matter for it is the completed structure that the architect is concerned about. Many have come before us and many others may come after us; adding their labor to the “building”. But when His building is eventually completed, all that were chosen to be involved in the great work will be brought together in one to view in awe the majestic wonder, the finished work of His great plan.