A Church by Any Other Name

1 Corinthians 8:13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.(ESV)

The other day I heard about one of our church members was inviting a friend to church, and was being successful. Until she mentioned the name of the church. For some reason her friend was associating the church with the most extreme radicals of churches with the same denominational name. I also was recently challenged in my thinking about church names by the book Who Stole My Church by Gordon MacDonald.

Here are my questions: In this generic name "First Baptist Church of Podunk", what part of this name is biblically commanded to be there? What Part of this name is unchangeable and why? If the name is changeable, what could it be changed to that would avoid the above situation, but still be true to identification?

This post is a forum of ideas, not debate, so avoid arguing in response. But please leave your thoughts and opinions freely. I prefer names, but if you do not want to feel free to remain nameless.

Watchout For Those Contemporary Pastors!

2Timothy 4:2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.

What if, (I normally do not like what if's, but anyway) your pastor when he got up to preach, could only preach word for word from a past sermon. Not only could he not put together his own sermon, but he had to read it out loud word for word. He would have to read it as near to the original as possible. To add to that he can not preach anything that was created in past 20 or more years. As a matter of fact the only sermons to preach must come from the 17th to the 19th centuries. And he must remember that there just are not any good sermons being made anymore.

I hope as you read the above paragraph you are thinking: "God forbid"; that's crazy; or at least "no way baby! To handcuff a pastor in this manner is not only harmful to him, but also to his congregation. Sure there are some great sermons of the past that are still valuable today and should always be remembered, quoted often; "Sinners in the hands of an angry God"; "Payday someday"; and others. But, there are some good reasons for fresh, new, and "contemporary" sermons by a diligent studying pastor. Needs change. Because of the prosperity of today, most people do not need to be comforted from poverty. There would not be any warnings and teaching on how to handle the pornography of the internet. The words used in past have changed meaning. A pastor must be in tune with needs and culture of his congregation. Sermons of the past would be helpful, but will not meet the needs of today.

So then it can be agreed the pastors need the freedom to use the gifts and talents God has given him to be able to fulfill his calling. Then why do we handcuff the writers, composer, and performers of today by saying that only songs of the past may be used to worship God. God has equipped His people to reach a generation not only for salvation, but for the sanctification of His people. Traditional songs are great, (and should never go away)but were better understood in their generation. Let's unhand cuff todays writers so they can serve just like the contemporary pastor, teaching and admonition one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual song...

Praising Traditional vs. Contemporary

Psalm 150 (KJV)

1Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.

2Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.

3Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.

4Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.

5Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.

6Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.

Let me first preface this blog entry by saying I love traditional hymns and songs. My absolute favorite song is the 3rd verse of It is Well. I come from a blessed background of traditional music since I got saved 1979. I will always want to attend a church that will sing these songs.

However, after much research, (biblical, and historical) prayer, and asking alot of questions, I must admit that some "convictions" I have held may actually have been personal preferences. I use to believe that persons spirituality could be measured by the adherence to standards. A Christian woman was in disobedience if she wore slack, pants, or jeans. Men who did not wear a tie and even a suit to church on Sunday must be lazy spiritually. There are others but I would be straying from my point.

One of the biblical sources that had a big influence on me was Psalm 150. I believe that if the psalmist were alive today writing music, he would not be well received in traditional music churches. He write about praising God with stringed instruments and organs. No problem to the traditionalist. But he writes of psaltery (guitar), harp. Then not only cymbals (percussion, drums), but loud ones. He even writes about dancing. None of these acceptable to the traditionalists.

Finally, in the course of my study I have come to at least eight thoughts that I may expand on in future blog entries

1. All music ever made was contemporary at one time.

a. Most traditional of today was contemporary in the 17^th through 19^th centuries

b. “The church” has rarely ever receive most contemporary music in it’s own generation.

2. Every generation has songwriters than want to use their gift of music for their generation not the previous ones.

3. The piano and organ were at one time considered to be worldly wicked instruments.

4. The drum is arguably the most controversial instrument today.

5. Much of the traditional music, and its standards did not exist before the 17^th century.

6. This issue is more about taste and feeling than biblical.

7. To “switch” to contemporary music does not make you more spiritual in of itself.

8. In the journey of Progressive Sanctification (becoming more Christ-like) it will require courage to change and grow biblically, no matter where God leads us.