Austin is a hip town. There are lots of people and more this week than normal due to some big musical festival. There are many contemporary and cutting edge churches. Several of them are big. They have a niche. I don't belong there.
I am not contemporary. The older I get the more bored I get with a good deal of modern worship. Before Chris Tomlin became a super star I talked to him at a camp once. He sang this song with powerful lyrics. I commented on them to Chris afterwards. He told me the song was 300 years old and all he did was to rearrange the music a little. He then commented, "Those old guys had a clue." I have not forgotten that.
Contemporary songs barely have a s life shelf of a few months. Some worship guy is always wanting to teach a new song. What about all the old songs. I'm talking about hymns. I'm referring to those songs I sang at camp and in college. They are lost in the abyss of modern day music. I don't see those new songs sticking around for a decade much less a century. Many of them have no theological depth to them. Yet the contemporary church flocks to that well while songs of substance are ignored.
Add to that the shallow nature of preaching today. When is the last time you went to a contemporary church and heard a message out of Haggai, Joel, Amos, or Malachi? How often are you directed to the sacred scriptures for the main content and substance of the message. These things are often shoved into the background crowded out by videos, light shows, creative stage set ups and worship bands. In some of these churches you need not even bring a Bible because you will not need it.
I am neither contemporary nor on the cutting edge. I am just a Bible preacher plain and simple. Few churches are interested in guys like me. I prefer expository messages rather than topical series. I am stirred more deeply to "It Is Well With My Soul" than to "Oceans" by Hillsong. I feel more and more like a dinosaur in the church scene. I preach. I do not give talks. I'm loud and call people to repentance and salvation. I trust the Spirit of the living Lord to do His work through the preaching of His word. I do not manipulate people in invitations but I will still give invitations for people to respond to God.
I'm old fashioned and dull when it comes to church. It is who I am. It is who God created me to be. I'm not going to start dressing hip like I see many older preaches doing today. I still wear a tie when I preach on Sundays, not because I have to, but because I choose to. I thank God for some other old fashioned dull preachers who taught me the truth of scripture and discipled me over the years. They made a difference in my life.
I will content myself to be old fashioned and dull. Perhaps a day will come when the fads will swing back our way but probably not without an old fashioned God sent revival. For that I plea and wait.
No comments:
Post a Comment