Search The Scriptures: September 2, 2001
CONTEMPORARY WORSHIP
INTRODUCTION:
A. Good morning ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to Search the Scriptures. I am J.R.
Bronger and on behalf of the Danville church of Christ who brings you this program, I invite
you to join us in a diligent study of the bible. Search the Scriptures is designed to make you
think about what the bible says, and it is designed to make you question your long held beliefs
using the bible as your only guide in all things religious. Search the Scriptures is endeavoring
to restore original Christianity in the hearts and minds of men and women like you who are fed
up with the confusion and division of modern denominationalism. Remember, Jesus said in Jn.
5:39 You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they
which testify of me. It is through a study of the scriptures that we learn of Christ.
B. Also, if you have any questions or comments, or if you would just like to browse our web site,
you can do so at www-dot-danville-church-of-christ-dot-org. Believe me, we would love to
hear from you, especially if you have a subject or a text you would like to have discussed on
Search the Scriptures. Also, if you hear a study on Search the Scriptures you would like to
have, either on cassette tape or CD, just let us know because we will be happy to give it to you
absolutely free of charge. Just write to us or call us and let us know which sermon you would
like. If you order a lesson, please do so by the date the study aired.
C. Now, let’s begin our study for this morning. In Matt. 14:33 we read, then those who were in
the boat came and worshiped him, saying, truly you are the Son of God. This is said about
those who were in the boat when Jesus calmed the storm. The text does not elaborate on what
Page 2 of 13
they did, it simply reports that they worshiped Christ. Several years ago in a congregation in
central Kentucky a young Christian brought a friend with her to worship. On the way home the
young Christian asked her friend, “Well, what did you think? Do you have any questions about
what we did in worship?” To which the friend responded: “Is that all there is to it?” In the mind
of this young visitor who had attended a period of worship with a local church of Christ -
worship was boring. She expected more than what she saw and experienced. She felt something
was lacking. She wanted worship with more fervor and pizzaz. My friends, this incident
occurred back in the mid 1970's and it revealed a mind set prevalent in Protestant
denominationalism that has since found its way into churches of Christ. For some time now
there have been those who wish to update and modernize the worship of the church. In this the
third millennium since the birth of Christ we face a moment of decision. That is, do we continue
to pattern our worship after the traditions of scripture that have served us well in the past? Or do
we hand over our worship to those who are inclined to reshape it to reflect the cultural changes
about us. My friends, worship of God is extremely important for the believer, because nothing
connects us to him more than our worship as seen in the decision to worship Christ after he
stilled the tempest. John closes the book of Revelation with this simple statement in Rev. 22:9,
worship God. This was in keeping with the teaching of Jesus more than sixty years before. Christ
said in Matt. 4:10 you shall worship the Lord your God, and him only you shall serve. Also,
Jesus told the woman from Samaria in Jn. 4:24 God is Spirit, and those who worship him must
worship in spirit and truth. Worshiping God is the essential key in the formula of knowing and
serving God. Worship is built into the very fiber of mankind. That is, all men and all women are
inherently prone to worship. For example, if you were to visit the most remote, or primitive
Page 3 of 13
tribes, on earth you would find people worshiping something or someone they consider to be
superior to them. The object of their worship might be a mountain or a graven image, but they
will be paying homage to something they consider to be greater than they are. A few years back
while in Nigeria, West Africa, I observed a woman praying to the Ocean. I’m not at all sure what
god the ocean represented to her, but she was engaging in what she called worship. Therefore,
the problem has never been whether we worship, the problem has always been, what, or whom
do we worship and how do we worship? Traveling evangelists have faced this problem
throughout the centuries. That is, the conversion of non-Christian hearts from allegiance to their
gods and goddesses, to the worship of the one true God, is the missionary preacher’s one primary
goal. This was what the Apostle Paul faced in Athens, Greece during his second evangelistic
mission. While observing the tribute offered in their houses of worship, Paul said to these Greeks
in Acts 17:22-23 men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious; for as I
was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with
this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore, the one whom you worship without
knowing, him I proclaim to you. My friends, long before Paul said this - man had engaged in
worship. As a matter of fact, man has been worshiping since creation. The bible records man’s
first attempts to worship God. Gen. 4:3-4 says in the process of time it came to pass that Cain
brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. Abel also brought of the firstborn of
his flock and of their fat. Ladies and gentlemen, this continues today. Every weekend, nearly
100 million Americans (almost 50% of the population) will attend a church or a synagogue or a
mosque, presumably because they think worship is important. As believers - what worship does
for us, is to enable us to focus upon God, and honor him. When that happens, some incredible
Page 4 of 13
things also happen. Focusing on God provides strength to face our problems; it uplifts and
hardens us for the coming week; it enables us to establish sound values and beliefs; it also draws
seekers to Christ. To worship God in truth, has been correctly understood to mean, according to
the word of truth - the bible. Jesus identified truth in his prayer in Jn. 17:17 when he asked the
father to sanctify them by your truth. Your word is truth. The early believers immediately began
engaging in worship after their conversion. Acts 2:42 says and they continued steadfastly in the
apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Also, include with
this verse what is said in Eph. 5:19, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and
spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, and we can understand
that worship (scriptural worship, worshiping according to truth) involves five simple - yet
elaborate - avenues, through which we approach God. Christians worship God, scripturally, by
engaging in singing, partaking of the Lord’s Supper (each Sunday according to Acts 20:7).
Worship also includes, praying, contributing to a common treasury (or fellowship) and
honoring God through a study of his word (or the apostles’ doctrine). Let me emphasize this
again. New Testament worship involves, preaching, prayer, singing, contributing and
communion. Yet, an overwhelming number of people, like the young visitor I mentioned earlier,
conclude that such simple acts as these are boring. This is not an isolated attitude contained
within denominationalism. There are many among those professing to be members of churches
of Christ who deplore what they call traditional worship. The call for some time has been to
change worship to make it more relevant to our times. Jaroslav Pelikan, in no-doubt speaking
for many said, “Tradition is the living faith of those now dead; traditionalism is the dead faith of
those still living.” Therefore, many churches are seeking to make their worship periods “more
Page 5 of 13
meaningful” and less traditional. This is accomplished, in part, by focusing upon the modern
trends in music and social fellowship. My friends, the worship God has ordained for the church
is to be characterized by two very important elements, and neither element is trendy. One, is
reverence. Psa 89:7 says God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be
held in reverence by all those around him. Now, while this is said in the Old Testament, the
principle remains consistent with the New. Heb. 12:28 says therefore, since we are receiving a
kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably
with reverence and godly fear. So, my friends, we should understand that all worship offered to
God must be devout and respectful. The second thing that characterized New Testament worship
is that it is largely dominated by verbal discourse. That is, the centuries-old arrangement of
one man standing in front of the congregation reading scripture and expounding upon what is
read is a vital element of worship. Now, this might not be stimulating in a society that is
galvanized around the clock, seven days a week; but it is biblical. Acts 20:7 says, Paul preached
unto them. This has been called an uninspired ritual that needs to be changed. Often we hear the
cry that worship must be changed because it isn’t stimulating, songs are not upbeat enough and
all this solemn talk of repent or perish must be modified so as to attract more people. My
friends, the problems experienced today have nothing to do with worship, instead they have to
do with people. Modern culture has invaded the church and men are responding to what the
world expects rather than to what God demands. When people began to speak out against
traditional worship, they are actually disclosing what worship is for them. Instead of worship
being to God, about God and for God, the proponents of change believe worship is about them.
Often we hear people complaining or switching churches because (quote) “worship is boring” or
Page 6 of 13
“I just didn’t get anything from worship,” or “the worship periods are just not emotionally
stimulating.” These people are saying to us that the only reason they worship is for the personal
payoff they can get. But, ladies and gentlemen, the worship revealed in the scriptures is God
oriented and not orientated to bribe the worshiper by stroking his or her tender feelings. One
woman of the baby boom generation was asked in a NEWSPAPER interview why she decided to
return to church. She said (and I quote), “What I decided I needed in a church was a spiritual
experience at worship and communion.” My friends, I believe it’s sad when people decide to
worship for the payoff they think they deserve; but it becomes tragic when churches begin to
change so they can accommodate and give those payoffs. Now, don’t take this where I do not
intend for it to be taken. I am not suggesting that worship periods do not provide stimulation for
the worshiper. They do! Paul mentions in 1 Cor. 14:26 whenever you come together, each of
you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all
things be done for edification. Worshipers can be inspired and stimulated, but these are not the
designs of our worship. Today, some churches of Christ are deciding to change worship to meet
the needs of those seeking to be emotionally stimulated. Some have eliminated songs like the
Old Rugged Cross and Amazing Grace in favor of livelier, more up tempo Vocal Band type
songs, because of what those kinds of songs do to the worshiper. Some have complained, “These
old songs like ‘Were You there when they crucified my Lord’ sound like funeral dirges; they
don’t do a thing for me.” Let me say candidly my friends, if you get bored in worship, it is not a
commentary on the sermon or the songs, or any other part of worship. Instead, it’s a commentary
on your heart. The problem is, you have removed God from the heart of worship and replaced
him with yourself. Frankly, many people today are NOT seeking a spiritual encounter with God
Page 7 of 13
through worship. Instead many modern worshipers are seeking an emotional gratification for
themselves through being entertained.
I. Many today attend worship services with the same expectation they have when they attend an
amusement park. They are attending to be excited and gratified. Many churches are responding
to what people are seeking, and will provide services that are designed to entertain. John
MacArthur wrote these sobering words in a book entitled Ashamed of the Gospel; When the
Church Becomes Like the World. He said that traditional preaching “Is being discarded or
downplayed in favor of newer means, such as drama, dance, comedy, variety, sideshow
histrionics, pop-psychology, and other entertainment forms.” And scriptural songs that have
been sung for decades, if not centuries, are being discarded in favor of modern music with
driving beats and pulsating rhythms. Today the choice offered by many churches is either
traditional or contemporary worship. By traditional worship, I don’t mean worship that was
designed by the traditions of men; this would be wrong. Jesus warned in Matt. 15:3 that to
elevate the traditions of men above the word of God was sinful. He asked, why do you also
transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? But, not all tradition is wrong,
because Paul also wrote in 2 Thess. 2:15 therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions
which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle. My friends, traditional worship is
worship that honors God and not the worshiper. It is worship that focuses upon God by
employing the scriptures as the basis of that worship. By contemporary worship, on the other
hand, I mean worship that is worshiper oriented and is formatted to entertain and give a pay off
to the worshiper. Contemporary worship is designed to keep an upbeat mood at all times.
Sermons become messages - that are kept simple and positive. Nothing is ever discussed that
Page 8 of 13
might cause sadness or emotional discomfort. The keys to contemporary worship are four in
number; relaxed, informal, interesting and relevant. Alan Walworth, perhaps expressed this
attitude best in Journal of the American Academy of Ministry, when he said: “What wisdom is
gleaned for worship planners from these prototype churches and their surveys of unchurched
America? Keep the mood and tempo of worship upbeat. Resist the minor keys, they’re too
somber. Discard ‘churchy’ anthems and hymns . . . Provide sermons with catchy ‘How to ____’
titles. Encourage casual dress and informal ambiance. Drive the beat of worship with
percussion, conclude songs with a flourish of high notes and loud dynamics (no one feels
compelled to clap after slow or soft music) . . . We don’t allow any music in our church to which
you couldn’t roller skate. The new model for efficiency and enthusiasm is Walt Disney World.”
Today in some churches of Christ you will not hear sermons on establishing bible authority or
on the sinfulness of instrumental music, or the work of the church. What you will hear are
sermons like these. “Mastering your emotional Monsters,” or “How to energize yourself.”
Ladies and gentlemen, I don’t mean to suggest that sermons about personal and emotional
matters are never needed. Nor do I suggest that sermons only addressing matters clearly defined
as doctrinal are scriptural. I am, however, concentrating on the underlying problem that has
invaded some churches. And it is this; worship must be designed and carried out to give the
worshiper a payoff for assembling. My friends, worship has never been about man, it has always
been about God. The bible closes with the admonition to worship God, in Rev. 22:9. Today,
worship has become a means churches are using to reach an end instead of a period of devout
homage being paid to God. Worship is being redesigned to attract numbers of disgruntled -
unfulfilled - believers from boring churches, as well as attracting visitors. There is nothing
Page 9 of 13
unscriptural in inviting unbelievers to our assemblies. It is apparent that unbelievers attended
worship assemblies in Corinth. Paul said in 1 Cor. 14:23 therefore if the whole church comes
together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are
uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind? But, worship must
never be designed around a man or a woman, whether a believer or an unbeliever. All worship
must be to God, about God and for God. It is never about me or you or anyone else. My friends,
there is no denying the fact that an entertainment format will facilitate numerical growth. We can
streamline our services to be over in forty minutes. With some work we can make our a capella
singing sound like it is being accompanied with instruments. Our sermons can become lessons
geared to build self-esteem instead of a relationship with God. We might dim the lights during
the Lord’s Supper and even separate into small groups. We might hold hands during prayers and
we might applaud when the speaker is done. If we make these changes, then we might have
sudden numerical growth, which would seem to be a positive contribution to what we are doing.
But in reality we have simply redesigned worship to appeal to man and not God. And such
selfishness has never been approved by God.
II. Jesus said in Jn. 4:23 true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the
Father is seeking such to worship him. Ladies and gentlemen, true worship in its very essence
is God-centered and not man-centered. True worship looks beyond what might be our own
personal tastes and interests to focus upon God. True worship focuses upon his holiness, his
power, his wisdom, his sovereignty and his goodness. Anything less is no worship at all. We
ought to be ashamed of ourselves to expect a personal payoff from our worship. It is
blasphemous to come to worship with the attitude that says, “Here I am God, now what will I get
Page 10 of 13
from this?” And then if we did not get what we wanted or expected, we say - in essence - “God,
I’ll not be back, because I didn’t get anything from it.” And, brethren, we ought never respond to
such selfishness. Never adopt the entertainment mentality in order to appease the short sighted
and carnally minded. My friends, if we adopt the modern mantra of worship. If we design
worship around entertaining men and women, then we are not helping them to grow in the
knowledge of Christ. I’m sure that you recall the incident of Acts 20, when the church at Troas
assembled to worship. The bible says in Acts 20:7 on the first day of the week, we gathered to
observe the Lord's Supper. Paul was preaching; and since he was leaving the next day, he
talked until midnight. The fact that Paul preached was not a coincidence. It was not an
incidental thing. There was, and there is, a purpose for preaching in worship. And the purpose
cannot be replaced by pep talks, stand-up comedy routines, dramas, or any other entertainmentbased
function. In fact, ladies and gentlemen, public discourse is the only medium that can
accomplish what God intends to be accomplished. Not only is the gospel God’s power to save
according to Rom. 1:16, but it is only able to be communicated through discourse. Paul wrote in
1 Cor. 1:21 it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who
believe. God’s message of salvation and spiritual growth cannot be conveyed through dramas,
cantatas or anything other than verbalizing the revealed word of God. This is why preaching
dominated early worship assemblies. Paul told the church at Colosse in Col. 4:16 now when this
epistle is read among you, see that it is read also in the church of the Laodiceans, and that you
likewise read the epistle from Laodicea. This must continue to be a central feature in modern
assembles. My friends, if worship digresses into mere entertainment, then it has diminished the
sense of reverence and awe that must accompany all scriptural worship. Arm swaying and hand
Page 11 of 13
clapping is not reverence. It is a human response to sheer emotionalism. If God were to visibly
and audibly manifest himself today how would we respond? I am sure that man’s response today
would be similar to what man’s response has been throughout the ages. I’m sure that it would be
a response of awe and dread. For example whenever God’s presence was manifest at Sinai the
bible says in Exod. 19:16 all the people who were in the camp trembled. There was nothing
frivolous about the way the people responded in the presence of God. Also, when Isaiah
witnessed the majesty of God he said in Isa. 6:5 woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a
man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have
seen the King, the Lord of hosts. In the New Testament, when Peter witnessed a miracle
confirming the identity of Jesus as God’s Messiah he fell on his face and cried depart from me,
for I am a sinful man, O Lord! According to Lk. 5:8. In our worship, God does not manifest
himself either audibly or visibly, but he is present nevertheless, and we must honor his presence
with reverence. Worship is still an encounter that we, as God’s people, have with him, and we
must conduct ourselves accordingly. Even Cornelius, a nonchristian, recognized this. He said to
Peter as he was about to listen to the word of God in Acts 10:33 now therefore, we are all
present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God. Ladies and gentlemen, this
casual, light-hearted service that many are wishing to offer to God today is not in response to the
infinite and omnipotent God. In an ABC documentary on religion and worship several years
back, Peter Jennings of ABC news visited a worship assembly of a Community Church.
Jennings then commented to the preacher, “It didn’t feel to me at all religious to be in the
auditorium, it’s really more like a theater. Is that intentional?” Without the slightest hesitation,
the preachers answered, “Yes!” A worshiper then told Jennings, “It’s like going to a movie, only
Page 12 of 13
better.” The move today is away from sacredness and awe toward casual and spontaneous.
Today churches want to provide an atmosphere of fun instead of fear. Ronald McDonald and
his happy meals have made eating fun, Sesame Street has made learning fun and contemporary
changes have been implemented in churches in order to make worship fun. Now, do not infer
from this that I am suggesting that worship should be boring and monotonous. Anyone who
understands true worship and who engages in scriptural worship enjoys what is occurring.
Christians today often reflect the sentiment of the Psalmist who said in Psa. 122:1 I was glad
when they said to me, let us go into the house of the Lord. But when churches decide that the
thrust of their worship assemblies is to provide fun for the worshipers they have perverted
worship. When worship is intended to thrill the participant much like a ride on Space Mountain
at Disney World, then the focus of worship is not God but man. Brethren, let me speak candidly.
We need to remember that God is seeking true worshipers to worship him according to Jn. 4:23,
not just worshipers. The denominational world has already jumped neck-deep into the
entertainment mentality. They have had their concerts, clowns and cowboys for years. Now, for
some reason we believe that we must follow suit. Years ago, when churches decided to buy socalled
joy buses, who sold them to us? Denominational churches! For some people, being
undenominational means being about ten-years behind the denominations. Instead of being
caught up in the modern and the trendy, let’s resolve that we will abide within the traditions
delivered in the New Testament. In the words of Paul, therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold
the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle.
CONCLUSION:
A. With this we must close for today. I trust that you will prayerfully consider these matters
Page 13 of 13
pertaining to worship. And, I urge you to hold to the old paths, and reject the new. Now, be sure
to stay tuned for some important closing announcements. Also, please join us next Sunday
morning at 7:00 as we once again Search the Scriptures. Until then, for the Danville church of
Christ, this is J.R. Bronger saying goodbye for now.