My friend Bob Kauflin has been posting some videos of a recent worship service over on Worship Matters blog. I have really enjoyed watching these for one big reason.
The underlying Biblical principles that we tried to address at last week’s Worship in Song Conference (audio here) are all there in what Bob is doing, however the way they work themselves out in his context is remarkably different than ours. A worship service at Grace Fellowship Church is going to “feel” a lot different than one at Covenant Life Church.
But there is a beauty in that; it reflects the diversity of Christ’s church.
And I think it sounds a warning to those who condemn anything that is not like them. Before we write off those who are different from us, we ought to think through what the Bible actually says that addresses the differences... not just listen to our yelling preferences.
Similarly, we ought to try and observe how many things we do alike, before we isolate those areas where we are different. I do not understand 1 Corinthians 14 in the same way Bob and the SGM folks do. One or both of us are wrong... but this is a secondary matter. And when it comes to secondary matters, the Scriptures give us much instruction on how to lovingly disagree (see Romans 14-15).
Cudo’s to Bob for posting, and for showing how they evaluate services in order to make them even better in the future.
[And I must add, if anything challenged my thinking on the Spirit’s ongoing prophetic work, it was Bob’s spontaneous song. I couldn’t write a song like that with two weeks and a tuned guitar! Although four years of classical training and 20 years leading corporate singing might help a bit. :-) ]
Peace be with the moderator as well as those reading this message.
ReplyDeleteThe time has come.
I am here to bring judgment to the living and the dead.
The harvest is ripe, pass this on to all fellow believers.
The Faithful Witness
Duke