Cross Cultural

4 years on to this evergreen/church planting/emerging church thing I'm beginning to realize just how far removed I am from the experiential side of evangelical worship.

Honestly, it's begun to feel downright cross-cultural to me...

Yesterday was rough on that front. It's been a while since I did the smoke-machine, colored lights moving, everyone clap your hands if you love Jesus kind of worship... since this conference last year, in fact.

And every year, it's gotten harder to engage with that aspect of things. I'd get cynical, or just not really participate...

This year my objections were both theological (Worship Leader: "Everybody! Heaven is our home! Raise your hand if you believe Heaven is your home!" Me: "Aww crap. Hasn't this guy read NT Wright?  Or the last couple chapters of Revelation??? Aww, man. Now people think I'm not down with Jesus cause I'm not raising my hand..." ) and aesthetic (Worship Leader: "We're gonna run! Everyone run! We're gonna clap! Everyone clap! We're gonna jump! Everyone jump!" Me: "Huh???") and even musical (Worship Leader: "Okay, just the women on this verse... now just the men! Now just those who rent! Now homeowners!, etc")

But last night, I pushed past the cynicism and realized- this really works for most of these people. It's their style, their language, their culture. It's no longer mine, I don't get it, but... I'm not going to begrudge them theirs. I've been in enough cross-cultural situations to know how to flip that switch and just enjoy other people enjoying something I can't access in the way they can and worship in my own way during that time.

More later....

Comments

[Fred]

I grew up in churches where the worship consisted of old hymns sung to piano and organ. I even played the accordion for special music.:) I rode the pendulum to the side of worship you describe, and now I'm trying to figure out just what it is that works for me. I think it's a blend of old and new, of liturgy and spontaneity, just without the scratchy old organ.

[Sam Andress]

Bob...
I can totally relate. Three years into a church plant myself in which we see our whole gathering as worship and emphasize multiple voices of participation--we don't even have a sound system (anathema in some parts!)--evangelical production worship is difficult for me to be immersed in.

You're right, it does no good for any of us to sit in cynisism in those sorts of services. But we can invite people in our area (as I am sure you do) to encounter God through a broader and more diverse liturgy.

Hope to hear more of your thoughts on the NPC.

[Scott]

As usual, I appreciate your sincerity and heart toward the issues that I also wrestle with. I was just thinking about an atheist girl I have been communicating with and how passionately she hates so much of what I have grown up with (religiously and politically). What occurred to me though was how true she was to those beliefs and passions. I can admire that. I don't agree with her positions but I wish I knew more people as passionate and actually active at DOING what they believe in as this girl.

I know - not the same as what you're saying, but similar :-)

[Pat]

Bob-
I'm a long time lurker. I really appreciate the way you approach issues like this. You ask tough questions, you push us to think critically, but you avoid falling into the "my way is the only way camp." Keep on!

[Pat]

So, immediately after leaving my last comment I read this post: Prison Praise Music (by Nadia Bolz-Weber) http://blog.beliefnet.com/godspolitics/2008/02/prison-praise-music-by-nadia-b.html

Nadia is making very similar comments in a very different context. Here's her great conclusion: "'m moved again by how God seems to continually show up in ways I find objectionable."

[david]

good post bob. i also have to be careful not to be cynical when i find myself in worship services that feel a little like an SNL skit...

it's good to remember that it really does work for some people, and if i'm going to submit, i need to let them like it.

[Pistol Pete]

I can appreciate your discomfort. I went to a video conference once and when they played the worship service (held thousands of miles away), nearly every one in the place but me was waving their hands and clapping. I felt like a fool.

I guess I'm just too cerebral a Christian.

[grace]

This is my experience every Sunday morning. I had to flip the switch you described in order to not be permanently cynical. Occasionally my switch is faulty. ;)

[Dan Brown]

I think you can appreciate my position on the "Simon Says" stand up / sit down thing now.

[bob]

Well...I think there's a world of difference between occasionally asking people to stand and giving a different aerobic instruction with each verse of every song :)
also- I'm trying hard to do everything I can that I'm asked to do which won't inhibit worship for me. Some of the things I just can't... But most I can go along with, even if they aren't how I would choose to do it. That's just a part of being a part of this temporary worshipping community.

[Pat]

Worship forms, like the Gospel, should be contextualized for the community. And contextualization is hard to do, harder than doing great entertainment.

[Jason]

Man...but doesn't even community come under the problems of relativization? I mean, some "communities" just suck...And some "forms of worship" are just downright ridiculous.

Aren't they?

Sheesh. Now I feel bad.

[Tracy Simmons (Elle)]

What a great post. I'm going to print this part out and remind myself of this the next time I have to be some place that worships in a style that I used to love, encourage, and participate in, but now feel like it's part of an outer space ritual :-):

"It's no longer mine, I don't get it, but... I'm not going to begrudge them theirs. I've been in enough cross-cultural situations to know how to flip that switch and just enjoy other people enjoying something I can't access in the way they can and worship in my own way during that time."

Thanks for saying it so well!

[Rich]

Bob,
Your comments about the exhortations during worship brought forth both laughter and embarrassment. I was a pastor and worship leader and you weren't too far of the mark in regards to my style. In terms of where I am now I could never go back, but I also recognize that it was a very important part of my journey to bring me to where I am now with the Lord. I can only pray that those who are in this "culture" now will one day experience both the laughter and the embarrassment that I am now, and will also experience the blessings of growing through that part of their relationship with Christ.

[rob winger]

what a great blog! that nails how i feel about cross cultural worship (and by that i mean, anything that's not a part of my worship experience)
thanks...it helps to know someone else feels comfortable just to sit back and enjoy the others. let's give it up for Jesus!