Yet, I also think some churches have moved to multiple services for more strategic reasons—like engaging their community. (I am not addressing multiple services of the same kind/style here, those provoke much less debate and concern.) But I am considering multiple “styles” of worship in one church. Though there are complicated issues here, I’d encourage us to consider one of the main concerns to be motivation: Why does a church create multiple services? Is it to pander to consumer needs or faithfully engage additional people? The fundamental question: Is the idea motivated by consumerism or contextualization?
When multiple worship services each with a different worship style are created because a church has a desire to create opportunities where people can worship God in spirit and in truth, their motivation is much better than simply creating consumer room. If their desire is to create a new place from which they can reach out to people in a certain cultural context, that seems a better—even an appropriate—motivation.
I imagine not everyone will feel that way, though.
If the right motivation is present, and this is an appropriate means of contextualization, then not only will traditional churches be expected to have a more contemporary service when the context demands it, but contemporary church plants might be expected to start a traditional service if it will be appropriate for their area. Thus, the approach isn’t simply about starting contemporary services; it’s about reaching the culture, no matter what kind of service must be started.
So, the same end—multiple worship service styles—are either a bad idea or perhaps a good one, based on the motivation that brought it about. The fundamental question: Is the idea motivated by consumerism or contextualization?
At least one flagship church (Coral Ridge Presbyterian) recently stopped having different worship style services, returning to a single service that blends orchestration, a band, a 50-voice choir and the 6,000-pipe organ. This is fine and I understand their desire, but I do think pastors and theologians who forbid multiple styles of worship services have locked themselves into an extra-biblical command that is not necessary and may not be the right approach at all times. It was right for Coral Ridge, but I would not want to make it a rule that multiple worship service styles are inherently wrong.
Those are my thoughts on worship style — I think. Help me consider this in the comments.
