Experiencing God through worship changed in expression over time, but remained essentially the same. To understand where modern worship is heading, it helps to understand what it is and when it began. The charismatic movement created this style of worship, which is known for its more casual atmosphere. Leaders take to the stage and leverage technology to connect better.
This change in Christianity is influenced by the importance of spiritual gifts, or charisms. “These are the supernatural graces that individual Christians need to fulfill the mission of the church” (Wikipedia). God is the same today as He has been throughout all generations before us. We evolve and change, but God does not. Modern worship is evolving into the next generation, and with it changes.
Photo credit: ©Kalisa Veer/Unsplash
-
1. Generational change
Slide 1/10
Romans 12:2 He tells us, “Do not follow the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” “There is a process here, not a single event” (NIV Study Bible Notes).God may not change, but the world is changing, and God is not surprised. God has prepared us for the times we live in, and it is only natural that our style of worship will evolve along the way. As people change, the appropriate ways for the church to reach them must follow. No two generations are the same. For example, your grandparents had a church experience that was visually very different from what we experience today.
Photo credit: ©Thinkstock/Digital Vision.
-
2. New leadership
Slide 2/10
With every new generation comes new worship leaders. This position is very popular in the modern church. Each new leader generated ideas about the direction and method they would lead.
They are influenced by where they come from and what is going on in their circles right now. The ideas that come to you most naturally are the ones you connect with in the here and now. Each new group of leaders will add something new to the current worship style and slowly change it over time.
Photo credit: ©Thinkstock
-
3. Gone Retro
Slide 3/10
Everything comes back. Generations have seen pieces of their past come back in style. This also applies to many aspects of our culture, such as old fashion trends. Who would have thought that the 80's would come back?
The same can be said about worship trends. Old hymns come back to life with a new spin. It's always healthy to reflect on where we came from in conjunction with what's currently happening. It gives us a sense of the past. For those who have left a strict sect, singing old hymns in a new environment can bring a nostalgic peace.
Photo credit: ©Thinkstock
-
4. Faster
Slide 4/10
The fast pace of our society demands rapid change. Songs that were once new and exciting now blend in with everything else that follows. The following new sounds stand out because they sound different.
As humans, we are always looking for change. Whether this is a positive or negative thing, it applies to many areas of our lives. Although God's Word has remained the same since the beginning, we tend to want to change one aspect of our worship routine. The goal of church is not to entertain, but to deliver the right feeling to each person in attendance.
Introducing new worship events (Bible studies, prayer groups, retreats, etc.) can introduce a more contemporary feel to the church environment and encourage new members to join and hear God's Word.
Photo credit: unsplash
-
5. Restore concentration
Slide 5/10
With every trend, there comes a time when we have to step back and look beyond the noise of popularity and ticket sales to see that the truth, God's truth, still speaks loudest. Modern worship is trending toward a concert experience, with worship bands performing between Sunday services.
Is it centered around the Word? Does God receive all the glory? These are important questions, and the crowd is watching carefully to see if they are focusing their worship on God rather than the band.
Photo credit: ©Thinkstock/golubovy
-
6. Techy
Slide 6/10
Thanks to technology, God's Word has become more accessible in the modern world. God is not surprised by the progress we have made and will use for good all that we have given to His name. You can't help but be captivated by the visual artistry and powerful sound. Beats that keep us on the edge of our seats and lights that remind us how blinding God's love is for us. As technology evolves, so too will the way we worship. Every artist will tone it down to an acoustic session from time to time. Both high-energy and low-energy worship styles are great, but it's important to maintain a healthy balance.
Photo credit: unsplash
-
7. Growth
Slide 7/10
People from all directions have come together in search of a more acceptable and casual way to worship God, leaving behind traditional faith backgrounds. When the next generation emerges, will they look around and look back at the same time to see where they should go next? Are Catholic and Protestant hymns sung side by side? As we seek to understand different faith backgrounds, we can better understand each other. Recognizing that we all worship the one true God, our worship will continue to evolve and reflect the diversity of our congregations.
Photo credit: ©Thinkstock
-
8. Fear
Slide 8/10
Mass shootings have robbed us of so much of our peace. Even if we pursue life as usual, sitting in the pockets of so many people makes us wonder not just “what if,” but “when will that happen where we stand?” ” is accompanied by a nagging fear. There's a connection that no one can deny, and something powerful happens when we come together in worship, even without technology or thumping beats. We are traveling together through unprecedented times. Worship aims to address the comfort and assurance we seek.
Photo credit: ©Thinkstock
-
9. Tradition
Slide 9/10
“Silent Night” is sung in many churches at Christmas time, no matter what religion we grew up with or what religion we currently claim. As the world opens up in communication, more traditions come together. New members will continue to grow in new churches, bringing old traditions to new congregations.
Photo credit: ©Thinkstock
-
10. Originality
Slide 10/10
The worship team will be on the road with their own original music. This has inspired many musicians to deliver their own graceful messages into the microphone during Sunday services. There's something especially magical about a church singing songs written by its own worship team. God shows us how important it is to be part of the local church and how important our spiritual gifts are. He gave each one a reason and purpose, and humans have always had a strong connection to messages through songs.
Photo credit: @Thinkstock
meg She inspires others to seek the Lord first through her life as a stay-at-home mom, her career as a freelance writer, leading Emoti Mom's Weekly Bible Study, and leading the children's worship team at her local church. Masu. She lives in a small northern lake town with her husband of 10 years, two daughters, and a Goldendoodle. Meg blogs about her daily life in the love of Christ. http://sunnyand80.org.
