I think most churches in our era and American culture, particularly post-80's, struggle with the question "who are Sunday services for?" With the boom of seeker-friendly mega churches, the answer is that Sunday services are for the seeker (with small groups mid-week more for feeding the believer). For many traditional churches, the answer is that Sunday services are for the believer (and consequently have few visitors outside of the faith). My church has worked hard to be somewhat of a both-and, rather than either-or.
It's a difficult balance to maintain. Worship is something we do in response to God's character and movement through humankind history- belief being somewhat of a pre-requisite to acknowledgement and response. But I believe that during our Sunday services, it is possible for believers to gather with this purpose in mind, and to do it in a way that is accessible and understandable for people of varying stages of faith, including no faith at all. Not everything the believer does is completely understood by those who don't share the same faith of course, but it is at least explained and then observed. I do think there are many times in a "non-believers" journey that they do respond in worship before they officially "believe".
My friend Sally Morgenthaller wrote a book a while ago called "Worship Evangelism". In some ways, she has since changed her views on some of what she wrote mostly, I think, because of the way her thoughts were interpreted by various churches. But mostly I think the concept of worshipping well as the best way to share faith is a good one.
I believe strongly that the concept of worship needs to be broadened, however. When I say that worshipping well is one of the best ways to share faith, I don't mean playing good, non-cheesy music and incorporating thought-provoking rituals during a worship service on Sundays. What I mean is that an individual taps into the understanding of loving people well, serving them and engaging with them in honest, learning dialogue- THAT kind of worship. I really believe the best "marketing" tool we have as a church is to be involved in holistic service to the immediate, surrounding community in a loving and non-judgmental way.
I think I am also coming to realize that deep down in my core, I don't believe that a service geared towards spiritual explorers is really the best way to draw in explorers or to engage with them as they ask questions of faith and possibility. This could be a signficant, fundamental difference between me and my lead pastor that may very well determine how long I stay the worship pastor.
In the past, it seemed that, in my role as the worship pastor, it was ok for me to see my role as more geared towards the believer, while constantly contextualizing for the spiritual explorers. I am very comfortable with this. It seems, though, that my lead pastor, who lives and breathes evangelism, wants all of his staff and in particular the worship leaders, to lead from the same place of evangelistic motivation that he does. What that means to me right now is that my filter for what songs I choose, what language I use, what rituals we incorporate and what liturgy or other element we choose to include or exclude should mostly be influenced by what the seeker needs, and not the believer.
I hope that that isn't what I am being asked to do, but it sure seems like that. I have a meeting with my lead pastor on Tuesday, and among one or two others things I believe we need to discuss, I think this definitely needs to be included.
I really WANT to be a part of a church full of people who are serving their friends, neighbors and strangers so well that there is a constant flow of spiritual explorers asking questions and attending our worship services. I would be so sad if that wasn't the case. I'm nervous to have this conversation with my boss because right now I feel like I am going to land on the other side of the line that he is drawing, and that will most certainly determine my fate. The reality that leading at this church may have a finite timeline is becoming much more tangible, and quite frankly, I'm scared of life outside of this role, and I'm saddened by that possibility.
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2 comments:
here's what i thought of last night while lying in bed: sundays but for whom? after going through a personal hell with my daughter (alyssa) i have come to realize (and after 58 years? i'm a slow learner) that there is SO much pain and suffering around us. much is not shown or apparent. it is hidden behind smiles and plastic expressions. even happy seekers who are casually wondering about Jesus have deep pain. we OWE it to them to provide an environment of compassion, healing, openness - a service that enables them to reach deep inside to touch the pain and sadness that they are carrying and begin to heal (or deal?). do we provide a service that is simply entended to keep 'em coming back - a service that is selling Jesus to them? or a service where the Holy Spirit is present and even if initially they don't get it or THINK they don't understand it, He "moves in" and gets hold of them and they DO come back. alyssa recently posted that she wished mourners or those dealing with grief or issues wore black and veils. that way when you walked through target or raileys you would simply nod in agreement when passing and would feel a connection with others. as it is, our deepest hurts are hidden and we live a life of pretense. as hard as it is and as uncomfortable as it can be, peeling away those layers of heartache and pain is where the true spiritual growth begins. i think THAT is how we are called to
reach out to seekers. praying for you this morning. jan
p.s. our church currently runs 2500on a sunday morning. we are pretty much trying to reach 'seekers'. we are worried that we are not growing enough and the worship center isn't full. isn't 2500 enough? shouldn't we be feeding the 2500 to reach out to the "others"?
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