***WARNING – THIS ARTICLE MAY CONTAIN TRACES OF CYNICISM***
So here’s the question, “how is it possible for me to walk into a church over 1200 miles from home and within the first 5 minutes be able to acurately predict what the next 90 minutes will bring?” Because that’s exactly what happened to us in Marbella on Sunday…
We thought we’d check out the nearest church to where we’ve moved to. We could only locate an english speaking congregation on the internet so we thought we’d go for it – worship Jesus with others, pray for the locality, be blessed and make some connections – so far, so good.
We sat in row with around 30 others in attendance (it grew to about 60 by about 30 minutes in). The pastor welcomed everyone and assured us that God is definitely not boring and this morning was definitely not going to be just going through the motions. The band then struck up with that perennial Hillsong favourite – My Redeemer Lives. If I could have made a bet (at an admittedly strange kind of bookmakers) I would have placed money on – How Great is Our God; Oh no you never let go, and worthy you are worthy coming up in the set – for good odds, I would have also placed money on a middle aged lady making strange movements during the worship; some singing in tongues (they looked a lively bunch); kids leaving after the singing; notices; offering (where we can’t outgive God); a talk; followed by coffee served in styrofoam cups…. Had I found my bookmakers I would have made a fortune. Then again, would I have got good odds?
At some point about twenty minutes into the singing I had a strange double feeling: On the one hand there was an “ahh, this is just like home” – how cool after trying to find our feet for the last few days in a foreign land. And at exactly the same time, a feeling of “eeuurgh this is just like home” – did we really need to have travelled 2000+ KM to get this? And then came THE MOMENT:
The ever so slightly disgruntled worship leader stopped singing to speak to the congregation and say, “it’s not about us, it’s about Jesus”. She then told a story I had first heard in Watford circa. 1998 about how Soul Survivor had stopped their music during their worship times as it had become too consumeristic and after a few weeks of slightly painful non-musical worship Matt Redman had written, “The heart of worship”. “And so, you see, it isn’t really about us, it’s about Him”.
At this point my mind went slightly into overdrive, and as well as to trying to suppress a laugh (sorry) about twenty questions popped into my mind including:
- Is Mike Pilavachi even still telling this story of old? (probably, he loves a repeat)
- Does even Matt Redman still sing this song?
- how much money has this song generated for the Christian music industry?
- Were Soul Survivor even right to stop singing when God explicitly commands us to sing?
- Might praying for the area be getting closer to the heart of worship than singing another worship song?
- how many millions of people all over the world will sing this song today?
- what does the spanish person walking past think of all this?
- will the biscuits be any good? (yes actually)
But even more loudly were the questions, ‘why am I hearing this story in Marbella, late 2010?’, and, ‘will I still be hearing this story in 2020?’
Now, don’t get me wrong, I have utmost respect for Soul Survivor, Mike Pilavachi, Matt Redman et al – I’ve gained loads from them, and I actually quite like the song and the story behind it. I’m just wondering, what does an (obviously mega anointed) moment in Watford in the mid 1990′s have to with what Jesus is doing in Marbella in 2010?
Maybe everything. Maybe God raises up people like David, or Charles Wesley, and Matt Redman is one of these guys and his songs and stories should continue to be told and sung for centuries to come…
But I just wonder whether the franchising of the evangelical/charismatic service is / has / will run out of steam? And does gathering for 90 minutes in a building at great expense in terms of time and money to sing 3/4 Matt Redman songs with a bit of Hillsong / Hughes thrown in, followed by notices + offering + basic bible teaching + styrocoffee + midweek toddler group = the heart of worship?
Now, I did actually enjoy the service! The Lord obviously doesn’t mind too much – He was there! I liked seeing a tiny bit of what God is doing in Spain, and being with people lifting up the name of Jesus in a place where churches are difficult to find. I just left without really being any wiser as to what God is doing in Marbella today; I didn’t really connect with others; and I’m terrified we’ll all still be doing this in 30 years time.
So here’s the thing – if you’re a songwriter – what is God saying to you? What is God saying about your locality? Write and sing about that – and lead us!
If you’re leading a group of Christians why not do something other than the franchise model. I don’t know… something like sell the building; give the money to the poor; eat together; pray for others and operate apostolically – or is that getting too close to Christianity?? (ouch)
If you’re leading a meeting – please don’t say, “this isn’t going through the motions” if it is clearly going to be just that! Going through the motions is fine – as long as they are good motions!! We go through the motions of eating everyday, and it is good for us – it’s just dissilussioning to have pasta and cheese sauce when you’ve been told it will be steak. If it’s going to be pasta and cheese sauce just say so.
And, if you’re a Christian, how can we bless others and not just ourselves? Because isn’t it more blessed to give than to receive? Perhaps that might get to the heart of worship?
Would love to have dialogue on this – please comment below 
We’ll all be reaching for our slippers.
I’m frustrated, not only do we regurgitate stuff that was important to me as a teenager (I was in Watford in 98/99), but leaders continue to regurgitate introspective moments. If the most ‘real’ we become as Christians is when “we are considering whether or not we ‘really’ do mean what we’re singing” – I’m out. We’ve reduced the Gospel into “men becoming men”; camping or doing stuff with their sons, a few people wearing “street pastors” baseball caps, gap years, oodles of media that resembles itself to the extent the majority has lost all colour, taking over local councils work, million pound building projects, aspirations of being invited to be discipled by a church leader…
The charismatic/ evangelical ‘movement’ has finally grounded, it sold false dreams to a generation that were ready to give everything to God, and yet took the ‘everything’ for itself. It was centered around a skewed celebrity focused expression of faith with a central teacher and worship leader (in support to create the culture and environment) that has good theology and leadership to steer those with energy and then superbly “McDonaldize” (Drane) the franchise. Maybe there was a time for the Big Mac in Christianity but my waste line is increasing.
It must be time for unbridled, dangerous, painful, sacrificial and exciting faith. A revolution must begin.
Do I sound disgruntled!?
Well said Sam!
So where do we go now?
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Thanks so much for the comment Sam – and therefore being the first commentor on the blog – sorry there is no prize.
Nat – thanks for the question – here’s me beginning to feel towards some answers – http://andrewbrims.wordpress.com/2010/09/28/what-are-the-unintended-consequences-of-what-youre-doing/
Please keep the dialogue coming!
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I think the charismatic church (CC) doesn’t get it right in many respects. If you research the Corinthian church you can see a lot of parallels. There is so much focus on the spiritual gifts, and an almost (if not actually) ‘name it and claim it’ perspective on healing and life’s problems. Does it promote a dualism as if the physical doesn’t matter? I think probably, yes. What matters in the CC is the spiritual experience you have on a Sunday and the rest of the week is basically just your stomping group for mission and evangelism. I think we’ve forgotten how to live earthy real messy spiritual lives. How to rejoice at good things, lament at bad things and know what it is to really give up our own ego, not just when we feel the voice of the Lord telling us to do so, but actually when I’d really rather not but I know it’s just my selfishness getting in the way. Perhaps the charismatic church has parodied confession and healing and made it into what happens during prayer ministry or super spiritual moments in life. But what does it actually mean to live a life of confession? To move into a greater and greater understanding and awareness of our own sin and from that experience more of the wonderful grace of God? As it is the CC makes it part of the emotional experience of a Sunday service, but I don’t think change starts with emotion (though maybe that’s not to say never). Is this where thinking more deeply comes in? It’s certainly where spiritual disciplines come in, though it’s incredibly hard to suggest that this kind of obedience is actually the way into freedom (I’m massively indebted to Richard Foster’s book on the subject). Even though it’s true! I’m not saying discipleship should become about our own effort, but there are ways in which we can open up ourselves more and more to the revelation of God and see Him in greater ways in the marvellous and mundane of our lives.
It’s no surprise to me that the CC has copied and pasted the worship set/preach/prayer ministry model, because it’s a safe bet. Most people do it no matter what profession they’re in. And it is very hard to think of something ‘new’. It has some benefit, but it’s also a mile wide and not so deep. Church services and their liturgy/format do teach us more than we are consciously aware of, so I think it is important to make Sunday services rich with meaning and depth to teach us wholly.
My final thought would be this: it’s very easy to paint the ideal of the revolution of love that inspires faith and makes the Church enthralling and all that it should be. That is the vision and that is what we hope in Christ for. But (a) that’s only going to come in in it’s fullness when Christ returns, and (b) I think we need to start with what we’ve got, rather than complain and seek a new radical alternative that goes back to Jesus’ real vision of Church which apparently only I know and everyone else has got wrong. So I start with my place in the church and what I offer. I pray and pray and pray and try help others to catch a glimpse of possible changes to the church and where we could grow/develop. I stand up and suggest something different when everyone wants to go with the status quo. I research and learn others’ ways in order to really understand and appreciate them, and then start to suggest ways to make the picture richer in colour. In the same way that Jesus loves me just as I am yet too much to leave me as I am, we should love the Church just as she is yet too much to leave her as she is.
Hi Suse,
Thanks so much for taking the time to write such a lengthy and passionate comment. It’s given me a few things to think about – and seriously toying with writing a follow up article “Matt Redman and strange double feelings revisited”… In the mean time, a few initial (though overdue) thoughts by way of response:
- Agree that sometimes the e/c model (and particularly towards the charismatic end of the spectrum) can fall into dualism and / or emotionalism which is unhelpful.
- yes, writers like Richard Foster and other champions of the spiritual disciplines have a lot to teach us.
- yes, we need to push (or dig) for depth.
- Yes, idealism is easy, often unfruitful and frequently accompanied by arrogance.
- Really appreciate your heart reflected in your last sentence.
Couple of questions:
- If we’re in touch with the God of Genesis 1, who continues to make all things new, is it really ‘very hard to think of something ‘new’’? One of the things about the e/c model that makes me question it is precisely its predictability when Jesus seems was / is anything but predictable. Surely creativity should mark the people of God?
- Does the little by little, stay and work from the inside, pray for change etc actually work? My fear is lots of really godly people start off down this track and have little to show for it 2 or 3 decades down the line… in fact in tends to be them who are co opted rather than the other way around. Yes we’re called to loyalty, faithfulness, commitment, endurance etc – but surely to Jesus (who is a mover), not to a particular expression of church (which is refusing to move)…
Just questions, would love to hear more from you – and anybody else!
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First off, thanks for your appreciation of my comments – I’m very new to blogging so I’m still learning the ropes!
I would definitely agree with you that creativity should mark the people of God, however I’d want to ask you how you understand creativity and what it should look like? Is constant change = new? I would absolutely agree that churches should be seeking to find new songs and the Hughes/Redman/Tomlin etc repertoire is way overdone. But that’s probably due to the fact I think they’re often lacking in theology and depth (which can be done without harking back to out-dated language). There is an obvious tension between taking risks with home-grown music and the possibility that it may well be, well, not very good! My mind’s not very made up on the subject, but perhaps I wouldn’t necessarily argue that creativity has to be in new ways of worshipping together. And I’d probably base that on four reasons:
(1) ‘Making things new’ to my understanding is significantly relevant to New Creation – and the redeeming/sanctification of our whole lives through Christ. I’m not sure that worship liturgy (and I mean it in the broadest sense of the word) was the focus.
(2) The Old Testament offers us something of a model for worship and gives us a whole prayer book of Psalms which were/are used year after year, and the words of the prophets weren’t about how they worshipped in the Temple, but their lack of concern for the law and the poor.
(3) Jesus was unpredictable in his relationships and discussions, but he went to the synagogue and didn’t say they were doing wrong and he went to the Temple at Passover and observed traditional rituals. In Mark (3?) he tells the leper he’s cleansed to go to the priest in observance in levitical law – he was a faithful to Jewish practice.
(4) Perhaps a question needs to be addressed here of what actually do we anticipate as happening in a church service? What’s the purpose? Is it to equip and encourage the people of God in their mission and service to the world? Is it for them to meet with the Holy Spirit and be convicted of sin / be healed / receive the ministry of prophecy? Is it to remind and reorient people to truth of the Gospel and give them opportunity to hear afresh God’s word to them – through liturgy/preaching/prayer ministry?
In response to your second question, I’d definitely caution judging that some have ‘little to show for it’ – we have no idea what people do (or don’t do) in the work place. I’ve worshipped at a (evangelical charismatic) church for a few years where few people knew what I was doing in my workplace and yet God was (creatively!) at work there. I do know what you mean though about some older folk becoming stagnant and fixed that ‘their way of church’ is best. But is that fixed by a frequently changing church service? Perhaps (as ever) the answer is Jesus – fixing our eyes on him personally in our own discipleship, corporately at the heart of our preaching and discipling of others. Churches need to open their eyes – both the church that is living way back in the last century and the big CC church that is too focused on following the HTB model and singing the most up-to-date songs. But I would want to exercise caution in saying how/where God wants to start the renewal. We need to think critically, but how we bring about change can be through offering creative alternatives that stretch the church from where it starts.
That’s another comment a lot longer than I anticipated. And these thoughts are in no way fixed, but offered as another perspective that could help us grasp more fully at what the way ahead is.
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Nice to see you on here Suse! (Assume you are the Suse I know!)
I’m not sure if I am… I don’t recognise your name…!?