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Old 04-03-2011, 10:48 PM
 
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I know that there are exceptions to this general rule, but I have noticed that liberal or moderate churches tend to worship in a very non-expressive style using organs, choirs, and traditional historic hymns. In contrast, conservative/evangelical Christians today tend to worship in a very expressive, exuberant style that features contemporary praise and worship styles, orchestras or bands, and worship teams. Conservative Christians tend to be the ones raising their hands, dancing, jumping, shouting out, clapping, and crying, although not all conservative Christian worship services feature such exuberant worship. Interestingly, the fastest growing churches and movements almost always feature the more expressive contemporary praise and worship style. If a church is using rap or rock music in its worship, you can bet it is an evangelical/charismatic/Pentecostal church. Why would liberal churches be most resistance to modern worship and exuberant worship, whereas conservatives would be most embracing?
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Old 04-03-2011, 11:53 PM
 
Location: arizona ... most of the time
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tarheelhombre View Post
I know that there are exceptions to this general rule, but I have noticed that liberal or moderate churches tend to worship in a very non-expressive style using organs, choirs, and traditional historic hymns. In contrast, conservative/evangelical Christians today tend to worship in a very expressive, exuberant style that features contemporary praise and worship styles, orchestras or bands, and worship teams. Conservative Christians tend to be the ones raising their hands, dancing, jumping, shouting out, clapping, and crying, although not all conservative Christian worship services feature such exuberant worship. Interestingly, the fastest growing churches and movements almost always feature the more expressive contemporary praise and worship style. If a church is using rap or rock music in its worship, you can bet it is an evangelical/charismatic/Pentecostal church. Why would liberal churches be most resistance to modern worship and exuberant worship, whereas conservatives would be most embracing?
It might be that you aren't familiar with the conservative Lutheran Church Synods... Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Synod, and for the most part Missouri Synod Lutheran.

More than just an exception....just saying.
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Old 04-04-2011, 11:22 AM
 
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Originally Posted by twin.spin View Post
It might be that you aren't familiar with the conservative Lutheran Church Synods... Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Synod, and for the most part Missouri Synod Lutheran.

More than just an exception....just saying.
Yes, I would still put them in the category of the exception. Numerically, these conservative yet traditional denominations are NOW the exception. According to the latest statistics, evangelical churches claim the majority of active, committed Protestant churchgoers, and amongst evangelicals, non-denominational, Southern Baptists, charismatic/Pentecostals, and Black evangelicals are now the majority. As of 2008, according to Barna surveys, one out of every four Protestant churches in the United States (23%) is a charismatic congregation. You can be certain that the overwhelming majority of these congregations feature contemporary praise and worship, even if intertwined with some traditional hymns. The survey further found that 45% of Catholic Orthodox churches, 38% of evanglical Protestants, and 61% of Oldline Protestants featured mostly or only traditoinal worship styles. Interestingly, a slight majority of all "born-again" Christians (51%) say they are charismatic.

Additionally, according to Grey Matter Research, in 1999, 38% of all churches used praise and worship choruses during worship, while in 2004 that figure stood at 74%. The use of Christian rock, pop, or country music has risen from 9% in 2004 o 25% in 2004, and the use of drama skits or sketches fose from 23% to 42%.


On a side note, according to studies, almost two-thirds -- 64 percent -- of congregations that switched to contemporary worship in the last five years saw an increase in worship attendance of 2 percent or more, the latest Faith Communities Today survey shows.

Spirit and Power: A 10-Country Survey of Pentecostals - Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life
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Old 04-04-2011, 12:37 PM
 
Location: Denver, Colorado U.S.A.
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That is an interesting question. I'm a member of a large, liberal Presbyterian church, and it's a very old, traditional and ornate "cathedral" type of church with pipe organ, choir up in a loft, stained glass, etc., and we follow a very traditional liturgy, similar to Lutheran or even Catholic Mass at many points. The church is in a large city and is growing, attracting many families with young children. In a recent survey of the parisioners, our church found that an overwhelming majority liked the traditional worship style and didn't want that to change. I personally like it, and that's part of what attracted me to our church. I know we seem to have a lot of ex-Catholics in our church, so maybe that has something to do with it. Being in a liberal city with young families would explain why the more liberal theology is attractive to people. To me, the evangelical/charismatic style of worship just doesn't do much for me and I don't care for it at all. Not saying it's wrong, just that the style doesn't work for me.
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Old 04-04-2011, 12:43 PM
 
Location: Elsewhere
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Originally Posted by Tarheelhombre View Post
I know that there are exceptions to this general rule, but I have noticed that liberal or moderate churches tend to worship in a very non-expressive style using organs, choirs, and traditional historic hymns. In contrast, conservative/evangelical Christians today tend to worship in a very expressive, exuberant style that features contemporary praise and worship styles, orchestras or bands, and worship teams. Conservative Christians tend to be the ones raising their hands, dancing, jumping, shouting out, clapping, and crying, although not all conservative Christian worship services feature such exuberant worship. Interestingly, the fastest growing churches and movements almost always feature the more expressive contemporary praise and worship style. If a church is using rap or rock music in its worship, you can bet it is an evangelical/charismatic/Pentecostal church. Why would liberal churches be most resistance to modern worship and exuberant worship, whereas conservatives would be most embracing?
Interesting point. I am an Episcopalian, and we have the formal Eucharist every Sunday and observe the Christian calendar, yet Episcopalians are by and large more liberal, focusing on social justice and not believing the bible as literal. We also have the dullest, most boring hymns I've ever had to sing in any church.

I don't know the answer. I just know that I like my rituals.
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Old 04-04-2011, 12:49 PM
 
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Speaking of Episcopalians, in my visits to Anglican churches, I have noted that if an Episcopal church is conservative or evangelical, it is much more likely than other Episcopal churches to worship in a contemporary praise and worship style, feature praise teams/bands, and have parishoners that lift hands, shout Hallelujah during service, or even dance. In fact, there is an entire denomination called the Charismatic Episcopal Church that broke off from the traditional Episcopal church not only because of their discontent with doctrine in the oldline denomination, but also because they wanted to worship in an exuberant contemporary praise and worship style. Also, liberal Episcopal churches tend to have much older congregations than evangelical/charismatic churches, which may explain why the latter tends to embrace exuberant contemporary praise and worship music. The younger your congregation, the more likely it worships in a contemporary charismatic style. I find it so interesting that evangelical theology is strongly correlated with contemporary worship music and exuberant/charismatic outward worship, wheras liberal theology is correlated with more traditional, restrained worship.

What is also interesting are the exceptions to the rule. What about liberal churches that are charismatic such as the Church of the Now in Georgia, or evangelical churches that only use liturgy or traditional music? Why do they cut against the grain despite the tide in the other direction and the unmistakable trends?

Last edited by Tarheelhombre; 04-04-2011 at 12:58 PM..
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Old 04-05-2011, 05:25 PM
 
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Liberal Christians may be he weaker in the presence of the Lord and tend to have more posture to appear tradition for their fear of the Lord, because the Lord teaches the Believer not to be liberal , but to obey the commands of the Lord and believe Jesus and his Words and character , ..... Where conservative Christians try to obey all the commands to what they learn and the fear of God is based on the rejection of the dark spirits and not trying to look religious , so Conservative Christians see contemporary style as not a threat to the Lord , because the Lord gives those who know Him the desires of their heart....
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Old 04-05-2011, 06:40 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tarheelhombre View Post
I know that there are exceptions to this general rule, but I have noticed that liberal or moderate churches tend to worship in a very non-expressive style using organs, choirs, and traditional historic hymns. In contrast, conservative/evangelical Christians today tend to worship in a very expressive, exuberant style that features contemporary praise and worship styles, orchestras or bands, and worship teams. Conservative Christians tend to be the ones raising their hands, dancing, jumping, shouting out, clapping, and crying, although not all conservative Christian worship services feature such exuberant worship. Interestingly, the fastest growing churches and movements almost always feature the more expressive contemporary praise and worship style. If a church is using rap or rock music in its worship, you can bet it is an evangelical/charismatic/Pentecostal church. Why would liberal churches be most resistance to modern worship and exuberant worship, whereas conservatives would be most embracing?
Boy. THAT'S not a sweeping generalization at all.

To me, I would argue that churches that need rock bands and all the other performance trappings suffer from the entertainment disease, and tend to be fairly shallow in nature. I mean, if you listen to most modern worship music and it tends to be vapid and devoid of content. I mean, you're better off listening to Sesame Street than that mindless dreck.

Further, I would argue that standing up, clapping, walking on pews and whatever else you care to name has absolutely nothing to do with the fullness of that person's spirit. It would completely arrogant for you to assume that style of worship demonstrates the content of a worshipper's heart. This is the very kind of thinking that Christ warned against in Matthew Chapter 6 when he inveighed against outward demonstrations of piety.

Meanwhile, dissect most older hymns, and they are full of theological import as opposed to the pabulum that passes for modern Christian music today. Personally, I can't think of a more beautiful and reverent musical expression of God's grace and power than the work of Bach.
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Old 04-05-2011, 06:43 PM
 
28,896 posts, read 53,932,532 times
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Originally Posted by hljc View Post
Liberal Christians may be he weaker in the presence of the Lord and tend to have more posture to appear tradition for their fear of the Lord, because the Lord teaches the Believer not to be liberal , but to obey the commands of the Lord and believe Jesus and his Words and character , ..... Where conservative Christians try to obey all the commands to what they learn and the fear of God is based on the rejection of the dark spirits and not trying to look religious , so Conservative Christians see contemporary style as not a threat to the Lord , because the Lord gives those who know Him the desires of their heart....
Wow. Total nonsense.
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Old 04-05-2011, 06:46 PM
 
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I've been to a lot of "middle of the ground" services, where they weren't totally traditional and boring but also not super energetic and overly exuberant.
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