Geoff Surratt of Seacoast Church in South Carolina recently wrote on “The Five Scariest Trends that Could Shipwreck the Church.”
John Chandler
|
Indicating a “minor prophet-ish mood,” he warned of the dangers of a “Reformed Revolution,” “Planting Pandemic,” “Multisite Mania” and “Pastor Praise.” While 30 years in the trenches leaves him in an overall optimistic mood about the future, Surratt believes the church’s singular commitment to take the gospel to those far from God can be derailed by replacing this evangelistic focus with being centered on one of the above substitutes.
By far, his most interesting “Scary Trend” was the experience of worship in and of itself. While affirming the leadership of gifted teams of singers, musicians and technicians that help people connect with God, Surratt raises a brow about the growing worship of the art of worship.
He says, “The worship leader/pastor/director/producer has become a rock star. The need for ever-improving technology (“2K Projectors? Yes!!!”) dominates the church budget. The demand for professional musicianship squeezes out the possibility of homegrown talent. On Monday mornings we talk more about the sound quality, the experience, the arrangement than about the jaw dropping recognition of the awesome power of an omniscient God. We are in danger of worshipping the creation more than the creator.”
The issue is not style of worship. Rather it is a question of what a congregation is trying to accomplish through (especially musical) worship. Is the goal to compete with secular concerts or the megachurch down the street? (Do we really think we can compete with U2? Seriously?) Is excellence the goal regardless the price? Is holding the attention of the occasional attender the aim?
Surratt is no Luddite. “I'm not saying we need to go back to the good old days of bad sound, marginal talent and torn hymnbooks. But the allure of technology, talent and ego could shipwreck what we are really called to do: make God famous. Entertainment, easily and often, can crowd out pure worship.”
How do we guard against idolatries of excellence, style or technology without baptizing carelessness or laziness? How do we assess worship without resorting to criteria of entertainment? How do we avoid “worship worship?”
John Chandler is leader of the Spence Network, www.spencenetwork.equip.htm.