Blended Worship
I like to browse websites of churches and have viewed quite a variety. I make note of the appearance and navigational ease of the site. Another thing I always look at is their music program and technical staff. Many times the description of the worship will use the term “blended”. Since my church also claims blended worship, I am familiar with the term, but the concept concerns me a little.
What is the goal of a blended worship service? Is it supposed to provide something for everyone – an attempt to please everyone? That sort of puts personal preference above church needs and divine guidance, doesn’t it? And we all know the more you try to please everyone, the fewer we actually do please.
How is a blended service supposed to work? Does it mean you try to do a little bit of everything each week? I can just hear the worship leader praying over the service, “Dear Lord, I need two traditional songs, two contemporary songs, and a chorus or two for this week.” Then I try to picture God browsing down His list of traditional songs, contemporary songs, choruses, etc., and somehow I just don’t think He wants to work that way. Most likely God’s thoughts are, “Well, I really had something else in mind, but since you think you know better than I do what your church needs…You won’t get all the blessings I had planned for you, but…here you go.”
A better idea of blended worship, I think, would be openness to any style of music based on however the Spirit leads. I wonder what would happen if we just forgot about song styles and allow those God has anointed to lead us in worship as He directs. After all, if a church has hired or voted someone to be their worship leader, they should trust him or her with that responsibility, right? And despite our personal preferences of music and what we want to hear, who knows better what the church as a whole NEEDS than the Holy Spirit? I guess it kinda comes down to trust, doesn’t it…
from my notebook 