Blended Worship

The crowd begins to gather. A few gather to talk and catch up on the week behind. Some will help lead and now is the time for final preparations. The last of the announcements fades from the screen. People begin to find their seats. Words of welcome are given and music begins to play. The Christians are about to worship.
These Christians realize that the church is in a time of transition in worship. Many churches in town have chosen to use newer songs and musical styles in worship. Many have chosen very traditional worship elements and present them through the instruments that have been used for the last few generations of Christian churches. This church though feels led to bridge this gap. This morning they have prepared a service that blends both the new and the old, the contemplative and the celebrative, the head and the heart. By the end of worship there have been organ preludes, guitar led praise choruses, organized readings and spontaneous prayer.
Now, here’s my question and I can’t say more without giving away my hand. This description of the blending of styles is beautiful, but when Christians try it, is the end result beautiful? Have we brought worshipers of different personalities and generations together in true worship or have we simply created a service in which nobody is able to truly sink into the worship of their God?
In other words, do blended services work? I’m still deciding what I think. What do you think?

Change

I recently read an editorial mocking the overblown and unending use of the word change by our current crop of presidential candidates. Apparently it the one thing every one of every race, economic background and political persuasion can agree on. The time has come for change. There’s a very good chance a man named Obama may be our next president. The thing is if he does win it will not be because he’s better (at least that’s my view) but because in a season where change is so badly desired by so many Mr. Obama has managed to embody it. Change is powerful stuff. And yet, so many of us fear it.

Very often Christians stand against change. This puts us in an awkward position because this is a battle we will usually loose. Change will come.

Funny thing is, we often loose because God created a world for us that is in constant flux, ever changing, never fixed.

So what this means is that at least some of the time, when we are fighting again change we are fighting against the way God made the world. Let me put that more directely. Sometimes when we defend against change we are waging battle with God Himself.

So, how do we know when we are noble, standing firm on things that matter? How do we know when we are simply fools defending our way of life or some personal belief that God never asked us to stand for?

Sooner or later we all play the fool. I for one am a repeat offender. The difference is in how long it takes to discover our foolishness isn’t it?