The Serious Business Of Worship
Church Growth
It Works for Us!
The Clergy's Church Growth Handbook
Object:
Though the urgency of preaching has already been addressed, it cannot be left unsaid that the overall experience of worship (including liturgy, sacrament and music) remains a vital issue in church growth. It is virtually undeniable that people look first to the impact of the worship experience in determining whether or not to return to a church for a second visit. And though the preached Word is the primarily determining factor in assessing worship, it is not by any means the only factor. In truth, many a strong sermon has been negatively compensated for by weak liturgy or music. Conversely, many a worshiper goes home feeling closer to God not because of the merit of the sermon but rather due to the strength of the service in which the sermon was merely one component.
Whether a particular congregation employs "high church" or "low church" liturgy does not ordinarily radically affect growth patterns. What does seem to be important is whether the worshipers are treated as audience or actors. An audience simply witnesses a performance by others. An actor participates in the drama. It is the latter approach that is regularly evident in growing churches.
Involvement of the worshiper in the ongoing drama of worship can be attained in numerous ways. Consider, for example, the following suggestions (realizing that within each congregation, numerous other suggestions unique to the local situation will surface):
a -- Use of frequent corporate litanies (e.g., calls to worship, creeds and responsive readings).
b -- Creative use of prayer time (prayers of bidding; corporate prayers of confession or thanks; use of The Lord's Prayer following the pastoral prayer; asking the worshipers to join hands during prayer time, including moments when each person is asked to pray silently for the others whose hands he is holding; inviting worshipers who so desire to come forward and kneel at the altar as the morning prayer is offered; allotting time each Sunday for silent prayers and meditations).
c -- Involvement of lay members of the congregation in the service of worship (offering the morning or offertory prayer; making the announcements or highlighting special announcements pertaining to that lay member's area of responsibility; being the lector and leading creeds or reading scripture lessons).
d -- Create within the worship experience informal moments when persons feel free to offer brief spontaneous remarks (e.g., announcements from the floor, prayer requests).
e -- Children's time within the worship service, where children are free and encouraged to enter into dialogue with the story leader; story leader can and should be a lay person with talents for and interests in children's ministries.
f -- If persons with appropriate skills are members of the congregation, the use of liturgical drama or dance can also be meaningful and inclusive.
g -- Baptismal liturgies should involve the entire worshiping congregation in the liturgy and celebration.
h -- Seasonal observances such as Advent candle and Lenten cross devotionals can be led by lay members (either as singles or family units).
i -- Feature children and youth as frequently as possible.
j -- Offer coffee hours following worship, where individuals who were just part of the "congregation" can become part of the "fellowship."
The list of appropriate, workable ideas is almost without end. A creative pastor and worship committee can determine methods of increasing lay involvement in the worship experience that will protect and enhance worship rather than detract from it. Whenever that is done, worship attendance and church membership tend to increase (often dramatically).
A congregation's sacramental posture is likewise important. In truth, so far as church growth is concerned it matters little whether a church serves communion weekly or quarterly. What does matter is the worshiper's perception of the relative importance of the sacrament vis-a-vis the rest of the worship agenda. Communion that seems "tacked on" is rarely a high impact event, even if the sacrament is observed each Sunday. On the other hand, a quarterly communion service that underscores the reverence, mystery and power of the occasion may draw worshipers into the very presence of God. The point is, quantity does not matter half so much as quality.
In an age where the validity of word and table has become almost universally affirmed, services that highlight sacrament (whether communion or baptism) should not exclude the preached Word. Indeed, scaled down models (sometimes referred to as mini-sermons or meditations) are almost as inadequate as no sermon at all. Even as sacrament provides a needed sense of the presence of Christ, so does sermon provide a needed sense of his word for the living of these days. Neither should be underemphasized. In growing churches, neither is.
Of particular importance is music. That is to a worship experience what a thermostat is to a room. It can warm the setting up or cast a deadly chill over it.
Ralph and Nell Mohney, who did a study of the fastest growing congregations of a leading Protestant denomination,1 suggest that dying churches provide music for musicians while growing churches provide music for the masses. Certainly they are not implying that churches should sell their pipe organs and install moog synthesizers instead. Rather they are observing that musical tastes vary (and develop) from generation to generation, and living, vital churches are sensitive to that. It is unreasonable to think that youth and young adults who listen to pop, adult contemporary or country music all week will suddenly develop an appetite for Mendelssohn upon crossing the portals into a sanctuary. Even some of the hymns written by saints like Charles Wesley (hymns deemed in every setting tasteful and appropriate) were frequently popular pub tunes with words of faith substituted in place of their secular counterparts. In other words, the accepted hymn masters of the ages understood that tune and style are simply vehicles of the message. There is a significant difference between a church and a college of music. Churches that confuse those two entities tend to develop a musical arrogance that is insensitive to the worship needs of the majority of persons seeking ministry in that setting.
Some time ago columnist Lewis Grizzard wrote a tongue-in-cheek article about church music that probably resonated with the feelings of the vast majority of faithful church attenders in most of our major denominations. The old adage "many a truth is said in jest," has merit. Such was certainly the case so far as Grizzard's article was concerned. Consider this excerpt:
"There's one more reason why I think a lot of people -- and I am certainly included -- don't darken the doors of church as often as they once did.
It's church music. Something has happened since I left ... the church so dear to my childhood."
Then Grizzard went on to name a few of his personal favorites, the hymns he sang growing up as the song leader led the congregation (a useless formality since everyone there knew all the old favorites by heart): "Precious Memories," "The Old Rugged Cross," "Just As I Am," "Love Lifted Me," "In The Garden," "Peace In The Valley," "Power In The Blood," "Nearer My God To Thee." He continued:
"They rarely sing any of those songs when I go to church nowadays ... The last time I was married, I went to a Presbyterian church to which my wife belonged. Nice church. Nice people. Great minister. But I'd never heard of a single song they sang.
I went to another Methodist church a few weeks ago. No Cokesbury hymnal, and a woman in the choir got up and sang what sounded like something from an opera and hurt my ears."2 (Note: Grizzard in his column referred to two specific denominations. This author suspects that his remarks could just as easily be applied to many, if not most, local churches in all the major Protestant denominations throughout America.)
Of the hymns Grizzard listed as his personal favorites, competent musicians would rightly attest that there is not a single piece of high quality music included. His point is that those pieces are particularly familiar. For significant portions of a congregation they conjure up images of other days that were important in individual spiritual journeys. They carry people back to Beth' El in ways that are personally powerful and cannot be denied. Thus, the value of those familiar hymns cannot be underestimated. The purpose they serve in returning one to his spiritual roots is sacred. Let it be re-stated: There is a profound difference between a church and a college of music.
The use of contemporary Christian music, as well as the inclusion of familiar hymns, serves a valid purpose for churches that are interested in meeting the needs of all age-level constituencies. Few teenagers carry tapes of Wagner or Mozart in their jam boxes. However, they may be very at home with the style of Amy Grant or Sandi Patti.
A reasonable (and healthy) approach to the ministry of music is to make it inclusive. In other words, provide a varied menu. Churches such as the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California, have succeeded in making their music ministries attractive to virtually all who gather on Sunday mornings. Those who have attended services in that particular church (or watch via television) realize that it is not at all out of the ordinary in one Sunday's service for the chancel choir to do a classical anthem by Bach followed shortly by an appearance by Larnelle Harris singing his latest gospel rock recording. All musical tastes (and needs) are taken seriously and addressed within the same service.
Many growing churches find that traditional, classical anthems coupled with contemporary Christian offertories are, in fact, complementary and provide all who come with the message that their needs are taken seriously.
The bottom line is simply this: Church music is ministry, not performance. It is meant to praise God and to put people in touch with God. No more should classical music be expunged from the repertoire than should folk or contemporary Christian music be avoided. In growing churches, all styles are employed since all people of all tastes are important.
Worship remains at the heart of what the church is and does in the world. Persons seeking a church home will inevitably be primarily influenced by the quality of the worship experience. Liturgy, the inclusion of lay involvement in the service, sacrament and music (along with) the spoken Word) are the key factors that an individual will use in determining whether or not a worship experience ministered effectively to his spiritual needs. Churches that want to grow will not underestimate the critical nature of planning effectively and implementing carefully and thoughtfully all aspects of worship. It is that public moment when a church has a singular opportunity to put its best (or worst) foot forward to the community.
_________
1. Ralph and Nell Mohney, Churches of Vision (Nashville: Discipleship Resources,1990).
2. Lewis Grizzard, "Listen, see why church attendance is off," from The Atlanta Constitution, August, 1990.
Whether a particular congregation employs "high church" or "low church" liturgy does not ordinarily radically affect growth patterns. What does seem to be important is whether the worshipers are treated as audience or actors. An audience simply witnesses a performance by others. An actor participates in the drama. It is the latter approach that is regularly evident in growing churches.
Involvement of the worshiper in the ongoing drama of worship can be attained in numerous ways. Consider, for example, the following suggestions (realizing that within each congregation, numerous other suggestions unique to the local situation will surface):
a -- Use of frequent corporate litanies (e.g., calls to worship, creeds and responsive readings).
b -- Creative use of prayer time (prayers of bidding; corporate prayers of confession or thanks; use of The Lord's Prayer following the pastoral prayer; asking the worshipers to join hands during prayer time, including moments when each person is asked to pray silently for the others whose hands he is holding; inviting worshipers who so desire to come forward and kneel at the altar as the morning prayer is offered; allotting time each Sunday for silent prayers and meditations).
c -- Involvement of lay members of the congregation in the service of worship (offering the morning or offertory prayer; making the announcements or highlighting special announcements pertaining to that lay member's area of responsibility; being the lector and leading creeds or reading scripture lessons).
d -- Create within the worship experience informal moments when persons feel free to offer brief spontaneous remarks (e.g., announcements from the floor, prayer requests).
e -- Children's time within the worship service, where children are free and encouraged to enter into dialogue with the story leader; story leader can and should be a lay person with talents for and interests in children's ministries.
f -- If persons with appropriate skills are members of the congregation, the use of liturgical drama or dance can also be meaningful and inclusive.
g -- Baptismal liturgies should involve the entire worshiping congregation in the liturgy and celebration.
h -- Seasonal observances such as Advent candle and Lenten cross devotionals can be led by lay members (either as singles or family units).
i -- Feature children and youth as frequently as possible.
j -- Offer coffee hours following worship, where individuals who were just part of the "congregation" can become part of the "fellowship."
The list of appropriate, workable ideas is almost without end. A creative pastor and worship committee can determine methods of increasing lay involvement in the worship experience that will protect and enhance worship rather than detract from it. Whenever that is done, worship attendance and church membership tend to increase (often dramatically).
A congregation's sacramental posture is likewise important. In truth, so far as church growth is concerned it matters little whether a church serves communion weekly or quarterly. What does matter is the worshiper's perception of the relative importance of the sacrament vis-a-vis the rest of the worship agenda. Communion that seems "tacked on" is rarely a high impact event, even if the sacrament is observed each Sunday. On the other hand, a quarterly communion service that underscores the reverence, mystery and power of the occasion may draw worshipers into the very presence of God. The point is, quantity does not matter half so much as quality.
In an age where the validity of word and table has become almost universally affirmed, services that highlight sacrament (whether communion or baptism) should not exclude the preached Word. Indeed, scaled down models (sometimes referred to as mini-sermons or meditations) are almost as inadequate as no sermon at all. Even as sacrament provides a needed sense of the presence of Christ, so does sermon provide a needed sense of his word for the living of these days. Neither should be underemphasized. In growing churches, neither is.
Of particular importance is music. That is to a worship experience what a thermostat is to a room. It can warm the setting up or cast a deadly chill over it.
Ralph and Nell Mohney, who did a study of the fastest growing congregations of a leading Protestant denomination,1 suggest that dying churches provide music for musicians while growing churches provide music for the masses. Certainly they are not implying that churches should sell their pipe organs and install moog synthesizers instead. Rather they are observing that musical tastes vary (and develop) from generation to generation, and living, vital churches are sensitive to that. It is unreasonable to think that youth and young adults who listen to pop, adult contemporary or country music all week will suddenly develop an appetite for Mendelssohn upon crossing the portals into a sanctuary. Even some of the hymns written by saints like Charles Wesley (hymns deemed in every setting tasteful and appropriate) were frequently popular pub tunes with words of faith substituted in place of their secular counterparts. In other words, the accepted hymn masters of the ages understood that tune and style are simply vehicles of the message. There is a significant difference between a church and a college of music. Churches that confuse those two entities tend to develop a musical arrogance that is insensitive to the worship needs of the majority of persons seeking ministry in that setting.
Some time ago columnist Lewis Grizzard wrote a tongue-in-cheek article about church music that probably resonated with the feelings of the vast majority of faithful church attenders in most of our major denominations. The old adage "many a truth is said in jest," has merit. Such was certainly the case so far as Grizzard's article was concerned. Consider this excerpt:
"There's one more reason why I think a lot of people -- and I am certainly included -- don't darken the doors of church as often as they once did.
It's church music. Something has happened since I left ... the church so dear to my childhood."
Then Grizzard went on to name a few of his personal favorites, the hymns he sang growing up as the song leader led the congregation (a useless formality since everyone there knew all the old favorites by heart): "Precious Memories," "The Old Rugged Cross," "Just As I Am," "Love Lifted Me," "In The Garden," "Peace In The Valley," "Power In The Blood," "Nearer My God To Thee." He continued:
"They rarely sing any of those songs when I go to church nowadays ... The last time I was married, I went to a Presbyterian church to which my wife belonged. Nice church. Nice people. Great minister. But I'd never heard of a single song they sang.
I went to another Methodist church a few weeks ago. No Cokesbury hymnal, and a woman in the choir got up and sang what sounded like something from an opera and hurt my ears."2 (Note: Grizzard in his column referred to two specific denominations. This author suspects that his remarks could just as easily be applied to many, if not most, local churches in all the major Protestant denominations throughout America.)
Of the hymns Grizzard listed as his personal favorites, competent musicians would rightly attest that there is not a single piece of high quality music included. His point is that those pieces are particularly familiar. For significant portions of a congregation they conjure up images of other days that were important in individual spiritual journeys. They carry people back to Beth' El in ways that are personally powerful and cannot be denied. Thus, the value of those familiar hymns cannot be underestimated. The purpose they serve in returning one to his spiritual roots is sacred. Let it be re-stated: There is a profound difference between a church and a college of music.
The use of contemporary Christian music, as well as the inclusion of familiar hymns, serves a valid purpose for churches that are interested in meeting the needs of all age-level constituencies. Few teenagers carry tapes of Wagner or Mozart in their jam boxes. However, they may be very at home with the style of Amy Grant or Sandi Patti.
A reasonable (and healthy) approach to the ministry of music is to make it inclusive. In other words, provide a varied menu. Churches such as the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California, have succeeded in making their music ministries attractive to virtually all who gather on Sunday mornings. Those who have attended services in that particular church (or watch via television) realize that it is not at all out of the ordinary in one Sunday's service for the chancel choir to do a classical anthem by Bach followed shortly by an appearance by Larnelle Harris singing his latest gospel rock recording. All musical tastes (and needs) are taken seriously and addressed within the same service.
Many growing churches find that traditional, classical anthems coupled with contemporary Christian offertories are, in fact, complementary and provide all who come with the message that their needs are taken seriously.
The bottom line is simply this: Church music is ministry, not performance. It is meant to praise God and to put people in touch with God. No more should classical music be expunged from the repertoire than should folk or contemporary Christian music be avoided. In growing churches, all styles are employed since all people of all tastes are important.
Worship remains at the heart of what the church is and does in the world. Persons seeking a church home will inevitably be primarily influenced by the quality of the worship experience. Liturgy, the inclusion of lay involvement in the service, sacrament and music (along with) the spoken Word) are the key factors that an individual will use in determining whether or not a worship experience ministered effectively to his spiritual needs. Churches that want to grow will not underestimate the critical nature of planning effectively and implementing carefully and thoughtfully all aspects of worship. It is that public moment when a church has a singular opportunity to put its best (or worst) foot forward to the community.
_________
1. Ralph and Nell Mohney, Churches of Vision (Nashville: Discipleship Resources,1990).
2. Lewis Grizzard, "Listen, see why church attendance is off," from The Atlanta Constitution, August, 1990.
