(This is Part 3 of a series on my experience with worship wars. To see a little bit of my background, see Part 1, and to read about my experience at Faith Community, see Part 2.)

I've spent my time riding the fence, defending both sides, but over the past couple of years I've decided something.

In a church, musical style is more like a language than anything else.

If you're a missionary, and you move into a foreign mission field, discovering how to share truth in that foreign language is vitally important to your success in that field. If you're already fluent in the language, you have a huge head start. If you're not fluent, then you'll spend most of your time, initially, learning the basics of the language.

When people suggest that the music we use in the church should be the same as what they grew up with forty, fifty, or sixty years ago, what they don't understand is that they're suggesting we share truth in a language nobody speaks anymore.

If someone suggested to the pastor that he preach his sermon in 50's slang, would anybody think twice about rejecting such a request? Of if someone suggested to the worship leader that we should use more 70's disco, would anybody think twice about rejecting such a request? Why, then, do we entertain thoughts about using a musical style that is every bit as irrelevant to our modern culture? It impedes our ability to communicate truth. Why use it?

Simply put, the only reasons churches choose to use traditional music is because that's the way the people in the church want it and that's the way it has always been done. Neither of those reasons have anything to do with reaching out to the community, to bringing Christ into the lives of people who have never known Him, and communicating truth in a language (music style) they can understand.

Paul specifically talked about this, in the context of speaking in tongues, when he said:

If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your mind? But if all prophesy, an unbeliever or outsider who enters is reproved by all and called to account by all. After the secrets of the unbeliever's heart are disclosed, that person will bow down before God and worship him, declaring, "God is really among you." (1 Corinthians 14:23-25, NRSV)

If I'm speaking in a foreign language, and you're an outsider and you can't understand a word I'm saying, you won't get it. We must be mindful of outsiders when we choose how we communicate truth in our gatherings. What most people don't understand is that when we choose to use hymns in a style that's 50 years old, we're only trying to appease and appeal to those in the church, or those who have grown up in other churches. We are completely ignoring Paul's direction to be mindful of the outsiders when designing our gatherings.

Some people would certainly choose a more modern style of music out of preference. But I believe that the vision God gave me six years ago, before it was popular to "modernize" hymns, was never about my own personal preference. It was always about relating truth in a way that people today can understand.

Any church that chooses to remain "traditional" is clearly misunderstanding their purpose in their community.

The answer doesn't have to be a rock band. We need different styles of music in different churches, without a doubt. If we lived about another half-hour further out from Atlanta, I'd suggest country music would be ideal in those areas. Every church does not have to be everything to everyone. But each church should focus on where God has called them, and how God has called them to communicate.

If there's going to be a war about music styles, it should be between country, rock, folk, jazz, reggae, or rap. Picking a music style that is irrelevant to outsiders should not be a part of the discussion.

I know that my musical talents and vision have a place in this day and age, in this type of a place. If, after six years, I'm still struggling to implement the vision God has given me, then it is time for me to admit that I'm the one who isn't in the right place.

Labels: church, life