OK, read the whole thing before you start loading your pistols.
J_Edwards said:
Every time I hear them I think of long haired hippy, loud, happy—clappy, dancing twisting obnoxious noise that could hardly inspire me to worship the God of the universe in a reverent manner.
But its not all about you is it?
Why does any discussion of worship styles have to deteriorate into a donnybrook of styles and quotes and that sort of thing? Why do we keep asking
does the organ go on the left or right? When we ought to be asking
should we have an organ? Personally I can't stand the things and thing they are distracting. I'm a banjo picker...does a hymn on the banjo please the Lord less than one sung acapella? (If you don't like banjo's you're in good company. Lots of folks don't.)
But its not just about me is it?
I don't like organs, and not just because they didn't mention them in the Bible. They worshipped with the instruments they had. Harps and cybals and things [sacasm]Should a truly biblical worship service have priests in linen gowns and an Ark?[/sarcasm] of course not.
And thats the reason I'm asking this question. I have to agree with Puritan's NT quote about singing songs, hymns and spiritual songs. You all may be theological giants compared to some I know but if a small child can worship the Lord with
Jesus Loves Me and a chain of dandelions and truly please the Lord why do the grown ups have to tangle it up with OT rules and regulations and--albeit centuries old--church traditions? At one time even Martin Luther was "Contemporary".
So let me ask you all (Oklahoma plural "all you all"): Is it right to walk across the desert to make a convert only to choke on a gnat once he's in the fold?
So here's the bottom line for me:
If its the attitude of the heart that matters most, why do we clutter our worship service up with rules and expectations? I think its because most folks are content to dust off their worship on Sunday morning and cart it to church, then take it home and put it up for another week. They don't want to think about the idea of worshipping with their lives day by day, minute by minute--which is the way it ought to be.
