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Ah, yes. The ongoing discussion among religious (and non-religious) folks about the idea of contemporary worship. Coming from a generation of people that tends to lean toward this contemporary worship, I find myself somewhere in the middle of contemporary and liturgy. I love that I can have both.
For those of you who may not know, I grew up in the Lutheran church where my whole family was active. My mom used to run the Christmas programs at our church in Columbus, led Vacation Bible School, even ministered as a Sunday school teacher, and sang in the church choir. My dad is the son of a Lutheran pastor and became a choir director, youth group leader, youth choir director, and handbell director. I was baptized, had my first communion, and was confirmed. I read the lessons and have been the Assisting Minister. While in youth group, I even taught VBS for a few years. My brothers and I regularly attended Sunday school, VBS, and actively participated in the Christmas programs and children's choir. From a young age, we even began to sing in the senior choir under my dad's direction. We knew the church like the back of our hands and spent so many hours running around the building or sorting music with dad! To this day, some of my favorite days as a child were spent in the church that my parents were married and my brothers and I baptized in.
I can remember being so small and mouthing the words to the Eucharistic prayer as the pastor would speak (or chant). I remember my first reading that I read aloud in front of the congregation (The Branch From Jesse - Isaiah 11). Or even my first solo ("Mary You've Been Chosen"...still singing it, even today). Needless to say, I soaked up every ounce of church one girl could get and, perhaps most importantly, I enjoyed every moment.
My favorite part of worship has always been the music - whether it's the liturgy, a choir anthem, or a hymn. It is a comforting feeling when I can sing a hymn and not have to open up the hymnal because I have had it memorized for years. I especially love how passionate my dad is about traditional worship. He has definitely influenced me in that manner and I will always treasure hearing him sing harmonies on every hymn.
There is a new type of worship which I have also had some experience with. This is contemporary worship with a praise band onstage, chairs in the congregation, and screens with lyrics on them. I will be honest. I do really love contemporary services. I love the contemporary songs the praise band plays...the same songs I sometimes hear on a Christian radio station. Basing this off of my experiences, I have felt so moved during these services and have truly felt everyone in the room lifting up their praise to the King - leaving forgiven and filled. Even better, these contemporary services tend to be a great place for people who are just seeing how church works and how it would potentially fit into their lives. A very comforting and cozy place to come on Sunday mornings.
However, I will always love a traditional worship service: singing "Borning Cry" after a baptism, the waving of the palm branches, the procession of the cross as it comes down the aisle, the Doxology (and every possible harmony that comes with it), and nearly crying over the lyrics of "How Great Thou Art."
But I love that can have both. Traditional worship will always be so comforting to me. Still, I can listen to contemporary Christian music when I workout or am driving around. I love that I have a strong traditional church background. I love that I grew up in the Lutheran church, but have had exposure to nondenominational worship.
Praising God does not have rules, codes, or a title. Phil Wickham once sang:
"For You I sing I dance
Rejoice in this divine romance
Lift my heart and my hands
To show my love, to show my love"
And just as Psalm 149:3 says: "Let them praise God's name with dance; let them sing God's praise with the drum and lyre!"
Wether you are singing in a church pew on a Sunday morning or raising your hands to the heavens while in the car, He is still good.
