Jesus Cropped from the Picture

Jesus Cropped from the Picture

Worship Wars The inevitable result of this pre-occupation with “feeling fed” is known as “worship wars,” where divisions are drawn over the styles of music that are most meaningful to various groups. No longer are Christ’s interests the central issue, but how many choruses should be sung versus traditional hymns. Conversations after the service are about whether or not the worship leader chose “the good songs.” I remember singing a worship song in church, when a gentleman turned around to me and made a lengthy diatribe about the style and volume of the music. I was stunned that he would interrupt such a sacred moment and finally I said, “I am trying to worship Jesus here, can we talk about this later?” In this environment, Christ is no longer the SUBJECT of worship . He has been cropped from his own celebration . Instead, the primary discussion is about the length of the sermon or what kind of props, videos, or skits will make it interesting so everyone can be satisfied. The typical questions in this environment are, “Did you get anything out of the sermon? How did the preacher do? Were the songs uplifting? Was communion meaningful for you?” These are SLIM questions. Attendance Is Not the Measure When people are dissatisfied with the style of preaching or the lack of programs to meet their needs, church leaders fear that attendance may decrease. Diminishing attendance can be the pastor’s greatest fear because it is the primary measure of pastoral effectiveness. Jethani said, “The assumption is that with the right curriculum, the right principles, and the right programs God’s Spirit will act to produce the

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