The Backwoods Presbyterian has some interesting insights on the historical Christian view of the role (or not) of instruments in worship. He begins by making the important distinction between stated and occasional worship services, relying in part on the real Turretin. (source)
-Turretinfan
Monday, February 11, 2008
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5 comments:
TF,
My Pastor gave this message to the GA of the PCA on June 21st 2006 at the 7:30 worship service. I would encourage you to view it and let me know your opinion as it addresses music. Not if we should have it, just the the style. http://www.pcaga.com/2006/schedule.asp
I think you have to sign up to view the page, however it is free.
Zog
Your pastor seems like an excellent orator. It would be a delight to listen to his sermons. I certainly enjoyed listening to the sermon you provided.
His basic point, that we need to be willing to put up with things that we don't prefer in order to win the lost, is a good point.
I don't think his application of that is correct.
I have some objections to his argument:
1. I don't think that what is keeping people out of the PCA is an old-fashioned musical style, or suits and ties.
2. What keeps them out is the gospel. People don't like to hear the gospel.
3. "All things to all men" - look at the context. It does have to do with evangelism, but the stated services are not primarily for the purposes of evangelism.
He seems to overlook something:
We need more "Home Missions": More local evangelists.
We don't need that at the expense of the stated services. May God call more young men to that service - to the service of calling the warning call of the gospel to the lost.
-Turretinfan
TF,
Thanks for watching the video, I know it was quite long and I appreciate you taking the time. I value your insight and had a couple follow up questions.
-What did you think about his story as it related to the church that had not become more contemporary and now had about 40 members left and an average age of 82?
-I Do believe "music style/clothing" do keep some people from coming to church. I have seen this first hand in people we invited to our old church as opposed to the one we go to now. I guess that was a statement not a question.
-You stated we need more "Home Missions": More local evangelists.
What does that look like? Who would you say is a home missionary? Who is a local evangelist. Are you talking about people like Billy Graham?
Zog
Dear Zog,
I think we need to ask another question about the church whose lights are going out. Were all these octogenarians celibate? Where are their children? Where are their children's children? You cannot blame that on the rigid style of worship/clothing.
These days, churches need to have young families and singles, and so forth, to attract like-aged people to them. I don't think it is so much a matter of the suits, as it is a matter that there just aren't a lot of young people there.
Families like to congregate with other families, singles with singles (usually of the opposite sex), and so forth. It's just human nature.
"What does that look like? Who would you say is a home missionary? Who is a local evangelist. Are you talking about people like Billy Graham?"
I'm talking about people like Whitfield, who go and preach the gospel specifically targeting the lost. But I'm also talking about people who seek the lost through blogs, through striking up conversations at coffee shops, and so forth. I'm talking about people who go out into the world around us and bring the message of salvation to the community, rather than waiting for the community to show up in church.
-Turretinfan
" I know it was quite long and I appreciate you taking the time. "
It was long, but it was good. My objections are not major objections, they are minor objections.
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