Part 3: What is the goal of worship, and does the contemporary style accomplish that goal? ~ B.J. Price

Few issues have caused greater debate and discord in the modern church as worship practices. But, the debate is not new at all. In fact, the Bible records the that the first sibling rivalry (and subsequent murder) was over acceptable worship practices. It is an important subject which all Christians should consider carefully and prayerfully.

The Goal of Worship

What is the goal of worship? How does the Bible define it? How should Christians engage in worship together? These are a few questions we must consider before examining styles.

The goal of worship is multifaceted, but at the pinnacle is the magnifying of the glory of God as displayed in Jesus Christ. Many people engage in worship for other purposes but the goal should be first and foremost to make much of Jesus! Well, if that’s the goal, what should be said about the styles and expressions of worship we use in our gatherings?

Defining A Few Styles of Worship

Before considering whether or not the contemporary style of worship accomplishes the goal of true worship one must consider carefully how they define a few different styles of worship.

The Traditional Style:

For the sake of definition in this post, think of traditional style worship as worship services where Christians gather and sing and express their worship the way they did about 50-100 years ago. The primary sources of their singing and modes of expression are clearly dated. Most of the songs are printed in hymnbooks. The services are more formal and patterned. There is very little emphasis places on modernizing the aesthetics of the room or the flow of the elements in the service.

The Contemporary Style:

Again, for the sake of definition, think of contemporary style worship as worship where much thought and effort has been placed on keeping the worship environment updated to contemporary culture. The flow is intentionally seamless from start to finish. The instrumentation of the service is more modern. The leadership dresses in a more culturally casual way. And, overall there is a greater use of technology.

The Blended Style:

For the sake of definition think of the blended style worship as a worship service which utilizes elements of both traditional and contemporary worship services. Some blended services look more contemporary but sound traditional, while others look more traditional but sound more contemporary. In reality, churches who embrace a blended worship style are the most difficult to define.

Does the Contemporary Style Accomplish the Goal of Worship?

Let me answer the question this way: a contemporary style of worship may or may not accomplish the goal of true worship. The subject is simply too complex to generalize. So, let me be more specific.

• A contemporary worship style accomplishes the goal of worship when it allows a worshiper to express themselves authentically before the Living God. 

Take singing for example. If a person sings a traditional hymn but fails to understand what they are singing because of the archaic language they are not accomplishing the goal of worship. Singing a contemporary version of the hymn could enable the person to worship simply by creating the clarity.

• A contemporary worship style accomplishes the goal of worship when it allows people to use their God-given talents to lead others in worship. 

Traditional worship often uses a very limited number of instruments and leaders. A more contemporary style opens the door for an additional instrumentalist and vocalists. This is a Biblical model and brings glory to God by encouraging the Body to use their gifts when they gather for worship.

• A contemporary worship style accomplishes the goal of worship when it embraces new songs of praise.

The Bible says to sing new songs to the Lord. “Oh sing to the Lord a new song sing to the Lord all the earth!” (Psalm 96:1) In traditional worship services almost all the music used is in a published hymnal. Contemporary style services utilize technology which enables them to project song lyrics thus opening the door for using new songs on any given week.