My Generation

Old people rock.

There's this one lady at my church who tries to kiss me every week. It's kind of creepy and disgusting, but she is one of the sweetest ladies who is genuinely concerned about my life. I always feel cared about when I talk with her. The kiss is awkward. At least it's a dry kiss though....

But seriously though, I have gone from going to a university geared church to a congregation with about 75% oldies. The music is ghastly, but at least it's genuine. Nothing is cooler than seeing those older saints raising their hands to 'It is Well With My Soul'. They don't care that the piano player couldn't keep time even if someone was hitting her head in metronome time, they're there to connect with God. I wish I had that.

Which brings me to Elim Tabernacle, here in Saskatoon. I arrived for soundcheck at 8 am Sunday morning for Special Ensemble. At 8:15, some older folk were channeling into the smaller auditorium for a service that is geared for them. You could hear their resounding voices as they sang about 4 hymns... for people who live on respirators, they really know how to belt it out.

That got me to thinking. Their theology rules. Mine, not so much. For most of my life, my musical or 'worship theology' has been based on songs like:

Shout to the Lord, all the earth let us sing..... etc, etc.
and
As the deer panteth for the water, so my soul longeth after thee....

While these may be good songs in themselves for worship, they really don't teach the theology that old hymns do. Check these out:

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus' blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
But wholly lean on Jesus' name

On Christ the solid Rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand
All other ground is sinking sand

Or....
When peace, like a river attendeth my way
When sorrows like sea billows roll
whatever my lot, thou has taught me to say
It is well, it is well with my soul

Or....
Come thou fount of every blessing
Tune my heart to sing thy grace
Streams of mercy, never ceasing
Call for songs of loudest praise

This is some deep stuff. Rather than abstract thoughts, hymns profess a cognitive understanding of who God is, what He's done for us, and what we are using as our foundation of faith.

In the past generation of worship music, we have shifted from focusing on God, to focusing on worshiping God (e.g. I will (or may, or could, or might) worship... with all of my heart..... vs. My Jesus, I love thee, I know thou art mine... for thee all the follies of sin I resign- the hymn doesn't talk about motives to worship, it dives in and tells Jesus how cool He is). That's a little dangerous, don't you think?

Don't get me wrong, songs like "I will worship" can really be beneficial in creating an invitation to worshiping God, but when that's all we're singing, are we getting any of that theological "meat" that we need so that we're not still baby Christians 5 years from now?

We are living in a post modern culture where presentation is everything. If the music sucks, and that's all the worship really means to you (pleasing to the ears) your church will be empty.

But when people see that you are worshiping God, it makes His presence irresistable. People can't resist getting into that presence, and nothing will stop them from entering in.

Get your heads out of your arses on Sunday mornings! That music ain't for your listening pleasure. If the bass player screws up, the song I remains about God [have mercy on the poor bass player!](and if you're all about the worship, you probably won't even notice that there is music) It's time for you to connect with God and tell him that Jesus is the only reason that you deserve to even be alive. Older generations realize this.

IF WE REALIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF CHRIST CENTERED, GENUINE, AUTHENTIC WORSHIP; INSTEAD OF ME CENTERED WORSHIP, OUR CHURCHES WOULD BE FULL.

This is Worship in a nutshell:
It's about worship theology. Cosmic and personal story, people.

Cosmic- God saved humanity by Christ redeeming us
Personal- you are a part of 'us'

See? No thrashing guitars, no pimpin' drums (the thought of right-motived musical excellence is not anything to write off for the sake of true worship though. Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater, just have the right motives). It's just you and God. Can you handle that? It's pretty extreme for me. God's a big dude, He could take me, no problem. I have a hard time grasping that. Especially on Sunday morning, when I'm thinking about strangling that pianist, instead of worshiping (God, give me the right motives).

Respect those older saints. They have a lot stored up in their noggin's, and they'll share it with you if they're not senile yet. They know about singing "it is well with my soul" (or blessed be your name for our generation). They've been through the struggles of life, they've found some of the answers to those questions that we've been asking ourselves. They don't deserve to have to be stored away in a tiny chapel, segregated from the rest of their church family at 8:15 every Sunday, just because they prefer some good solid theology to spiritual 'fluff' (let's face it, some of it is shite).

Respect your elders, you'll be one someday, and hopefully half as Spiritual as some of the ones I've met.

That's it for today!