Happy Ascension Day!
Last week one website pointed me to another – let me explain.
I was reading the weekly update of the Baptist Times on-line and it recommended a glance at a blog written by David Murrow entitled: How a traditional church can grow again. (For techno wizards out there this is the web address: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/afewgrownmen/2013/04/how-a-traditional-church-can-grow-again/)
The author, David Murrow, described a situation which is increasingly familiar, namely that many Christians travel miles to a big church with a professional standard music group and informal style which ‘does’ so called contemporary worship well. Such a journey will take them past dozens of smaller ‘traditional’ churches en route.
Murrow says he and his wife do this most Sundays in America and they enjoy it and are glad to be part of their regional church congregation. But some Sundays they pop into their local Episcopalian church with a congregation of about a hundred, a set liturgy, thoughtful sermon and traditional hymns. They have found such visits deeply stimulating, provoking and heart warming. They have been refreshed by the sermon, touched by the ancient words of the hymns and stirred by the discipline of the liturgy. All to the good. For them that sense of contrast underlines the value in both styles of worship and instead of saying one was intrinsically ‘better’ than the other Murrow affirms the experience that God was honoured in both.
However, the other Sunday he went to this smaller church and came away tremendously disappointed. For that particular service the church had tried to adopt a contemporary style – so the liturgy had been dispensed with, hymns were not on the menu and a scratch band attempted, but failed, to cope with the syncopated rhythms of the latest worship songs. It was all less than satisfying.
That experience prompted David Murrow to write his blog article encouraging traditional churches to realise afresh the value of the liturgy, hymnody and sermons that fit so well into such a well honed structure and not ditch all of this for a style they cannot, in truth, adequately deliver.
‘Change’ has become something of a holy word amongst so many
of my ministerial colleagues and I sometimes think it’s their only raison d’être
for ministry. Yet change isn’t a neutral
word because it can either result in a better or worse outcome. The issue is surely about what we’re moving
away from, and then what we’re moving towards in that process. I don’t think Murrow was advocating traditional
churches shouldn’t ever change – but rather in that evolutionary process we
need to value what has worked well in the past and continues to be a blessing
in the present and not throw it all away because that bigger church twenty six
miles down the road does it differently.
Last week one website pointed me to another – let me explain.
I was reading the weekly update of the Baptist Times on-line and it recommended a glance at a blog written by David Murrow entitled: How a traditional church can grow again. (For techno wizards out there this is the web address: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/afewgrownmen/2013/04/how-a-traditional-church-can-grow-again/)
The author, David Murrow, described a situation which is increasingly familiar, namely that many Christians travel miles to a big church with a professional standard music group and informal style which ‘does’ so called contemporary worship well. Such a journey will take them past dozens of smaller ‘traditional’ churches en route.
Murrow says he and his wife do this most Sundays in America and they enjoy it and are glad to be part of their regional church congregation. But some Sundays they pop into their local Episcopalian church with a congregation of about a hundred, a set liturgy, thoughtful sermon and traditional hymns. They have found such visits deeply stimulating, provoking and heart warming. They have been refreshed by the sermon, touched by the ancient words of the hymns and stirred by the discipline of the liturgy. All to the good. For them that sense of contrast underlines the value in both styles of worship and instead of saying one was intrinsically ‘better’ than the other Murrow affirms the experience that God was honoured in both.
However, the other Sunday he went to this smaller church and came away tremendously disappointed. For that particular service the church had tried to adopt a contemporary style – so the liturgy had been dispensed with, hymns were not on the menu and a scratch band attempted, but failed, to cope with the syncopated rhythms of the latest worship songs. It was all less than satisfying.
That experience prompted David Murrow to write his blog article encouraging traditional churches to realise afresh the value of the liturgy, hymnody and sermons that fit so well into such a well honed structure and not ditch all of this for a style they cannot, in truth, adequately deliver.
I think there is rarely a short cut and easy route to growth - not one with honour anyway.
For me it’s all about ‘identity’. When I read the profile of Amersham Free Church I was so impressed by the sense of identity that came through the document. It wasn’t strident or unbending – indeed the sense of being open to new possibilities was peppered throughout – yet it made the point that AFC has thoughtfully, prayerfully and intentionally developed a particular liturgical style which has been, and is, much valued by those who come week by week. The message was clear – come and join us, travel with us, develop and grow with us slowly – but if this style of worship isn’t your cup of tea - look elsewhere!
So, six months in, what do I think?
Well I believe that sense of identity at AFC is a really significant part of our life together. It doesn’t mean change won’t come – there will always be the need for us to constantly reassess what we do and how we do it. Indeed the introduction of new elements within worship is often both stimulating and refreshing. Yet it can, I believe, all be accommodated within, and even shaped by, that enriching liturgical style which is central to our church’s life.
And in all of this – we pray – may God be honoured.
With best wishes,
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