Modern Methods

 Church has come a long way. A long way from the country church with the swamp coolers and hand-held fans swishing back and forth during the gospel singing and preaching. Back in those days many sanctuaries had hard pews to sit on. The heart and mind could only consume what the backside could endure. Sometimes sweat beads would form on both the preachers and parishioners during those hot Texas summers. Amens echoed across the room helping the preacher to preach with gusto. 

Nobody projected words on a screen. People held hymnals and sang time honored traditional anthems of the faith. Many did not even need a song book having those treasured songs memorized from years of faithful worship attendance. Preachers preached passionate hell fire brimstone messages straight from the Bible. There were no praise teams. There were choirs. Made up of common folk who loved to sing. There were no bands. There was typically a piano and an organ. Some mighty fine worship happened with those two instruments. 

Things have changed a lot. Now we have worship bands. In some churches these bands are made up of professional musicians who play the bars on Friday and Saturday nights and then play at worship on Sunday morning for a paycheck. We no longer have sanctuaries. We have worship centers where light shows and atmospheres are set with darkened rooms, repeated lyrics psychologically working the crowd to a desired hypnotic mood, followed by tickle the ear topical messages very lite on the Bible. Worship services have become carefully crafted productions. The music like a concert. The whole thing resembling a spectacle than a worship service. 

Now services are live streamed so people can watch from home. Some are forced to watch from home because of health issues. Other opt to watch from home out of convenience and laziness. Such can view worship services like you would a sitcom with snacks in hand. They sit and watch stone hearted and unresponsive. They do not engage in worship personally. They watch and listen. 

How much reverence for the LORD exists today. People forget this is the same God who struck down people in the past for irreverence. Remember Annanias and Sapphira. Still people casually stroll to their seats with vile, filthy, sin stained, defiled hearts unashamed and unrepentant. The whole scene has become a religious sham. No matter the size of the crowd how often does our worship gatherings leave God more offended than honored. 

I am not against change. I am not even against some new modern methods. I am adamantly against thinking we can substitute technology for the presence and power of God. I am opposed to thinking the size of the crowd pleases God more than the holiness of those in attendance. I am not trying to adopt the methods of the world to do the work of God. Sometimes modern methods can obstruct the blessing of God. 

King David made that mistake. You can read about it in [II Samuel 6:1-6] He forgot the God ordained way to transport the ark. Carrying the ark on the shoulders of the priests with a long rod inserted on each side through rings seemed inefficient. Outdated. Antiquated. He led Israel to transport the ark the same way the pagan Philistines did. With a cart and some oxen. David made sure they got a new cart to transport the ark. Two guys drove the oxen. When the o stumbled, and the ark toppled Uzzah reached out to steady it thinking he was doing a good deed. It turned out to be a deadly deed. God struck him down on the spot for not treating the ark, which represented the presence of God, as holy. Uzzah reacted instead of revered. He forgot who He was dealing with. It cost him his life. 

Modern methods do not always produce moves of God. I am not against technology. I like some of the changes in the church. I like the guitar, keyboard and drums in addition to the piano in worship. I like the way we can seamlessly transition from one song to the next instead of having to stop so people can turn in their hymnals and find the next selection. I like the fact that pews are padded and so are the chairs. I like the fact that with technology I can potentially preach to more people live streaming all over the world than I do in person each Sunday morning. I embrace the fact that God's word is more accessible to more people than ever. 

That does not mean I embrace putting on a Hollywood production each Sunday to attract a crowd. The power and move of God are sufficient to attract crowds. God encounters should be the goal of any worship gathering. Sinners meeting the Savior. The people of God repentant where they have failed. Authentic worship from the heart more than merely from the lips. Hungry hearts for the word of God. Leadership sensitive to the Spirit of God. 

Maybe that sounds pretty old fashioned. Out of step with this modern age. Maybe you think all our modern methods are necessary to reach this culture. Not without the fresh anointing of God. Modern technological advances can never substitute for the presence and power of God. Good old-fashioned prayer can generate more revival than all our modern methods. Beware lest we find ourselves in the same irreverent spot Uzzah was in.